MAC conference play this year is best described as unpredictable. Two quick examples: a 1-6 team nearly beat the pre-season runaway pick to be MAC Champs last Saturday; the Ball State Cardinals (2-5, 1-2 Mid-American Conference) beat the defending MAC Champ at Mt. Pleasant two weeks ago and then lose to a team that hasn’t won a game in 18 previous starts.
It’s this type of peak and valley performances that keep MAC coaches up at night. For Cardinals coach Stan Parrish, I image he’s pulling out lots of feathers as of late as the valleys are getting deeper. And a lot of that has to do with injuries and the performance of the survivors. In his own words: “. . . we don’t have the ability to put anyone away yet.”
Cardinals on Offense:
The Cardinal offensive line was a projected strength for the Red. That was before injuries hit the up-fronters.
First it was LT Cam Lowry, BSU’s best offensive lineman with a good shot at being All-MAC, who suffered a torn ACL against Purdue in the third game. His replacement, Austin Holtz, sustained a sprained ankle. He didn’t play against Eastern. In the Iowa game, tight end Zane Fakes injured his knee and is out for the year. Starting center Kreg Hunter was suspended due to an arrest and then last week he was walking with a boot on his foot. Backup center Jerrod Gray will be starting Saturday. Against Purdue, the Cardinals played just six lineman. Against EMU, the number was seven with two being tight ends. Freshman LT Matthew Page has been listed as a backup but has not seen a single snap this year.
Per Coach Parrish, the difference in the CMU game was the play “along the offensive and defensive lines,” Parrish said. “We out-hit them and we out-hustled them.” That was then.
Last week, the Red generated only 98 rushing yards against EMU. This year’s previous low for rushing yards against Eastern Michigan was 181 yards by the RedHawks. "It didn't shock me," Parish explained. "We're really beat-up up front."
And the beat goes on. RB Eric Williams (5’10”, 203 #) with the most rushing yardage (5.3 ypc) is questionable against the Rockets. He left action in the second half against EMU with an ankle injury. Eric is also second in team reception yardage with 108 yards on six catches. He ranks first in the MAC in kickoff returns and all-purpose yards and seventh in rushing. Williams has scored six TDs, including a 92 kickoff return. In total, BSU has tallied 17 TDs this year. If he’s out that’s another huge hit for the Cardinals.
TB Cory Sykes, (5’7”, 160#, 6.1 ypc) missed two games in September with a knee injury. He was held out of the EMU game because of the same injury. True freshman David Brown (5’10”, 198#) has the best average of all the RBs at 6.9 ypc.
And then there’s the mystery back of the Red. TB MiQuale Lewis (5’6”, 201#) needed 669 yards his senor year for the Ball State career rushing record. Through seven games he has tallied just 190 yards (3.1 ypc). About this time last year he was riding high among the MAC’s leading rushers until the Rockets came to Muncie. He was bottled up 24 yards on 14 carries. He did score the go-ahead points with 42 seconds left in the game and had recaptured a bit of his “attitude.” Fifteen seconds later, Aaron Opelt hit a wide open Stephen Williams for a 51-yard TD pass plus a 2-point conversion pass to Eric Page to seal the win for Toledo. I’m guessing his feathers are still ruffled.
The fledgling aerial game is triggered by freshman QB Keith Wenning (6’4”, 220#). He has played in seven games starting the last five. He’s clearly learning to fly. Against CMU he went 12 for 18, throwing two TDs without an INT. The following week against Western Michigan he was one for eight. He did throw for three TDs against the Eagles brining his season total to six TDs with five INTs. For the season he is completing 55.9% of his throws for a 5.9 yards per attempt average.
Thirteen different Cardinals have made receptions including seven true freshmen and a sophomore. WR Dan Ifft (6’3”, 178#) leads the Cardinals with 13 catches for 123 total yards for the year. That’s a good night’s work for Eric Page. RS freshman QB turned TE Aaron Mershman (6’2”, 211# from Bowling Green) has 11 catches averaging 9.5 ypr.
Cardinals on Defense:
Against the run only two MAC teams are doing worse than the Cardinals. The same with pass defense, the Rockets being one of those MAC units.
Leading the D-line is DE Robert Eddins (6’3”, 244#) with team high six TFLs and five sacks, 4.5 against CMU. DT Rene Perry went out in the last quarter of the EMU game with an apparent knee injury. Per Coach Parrish “Rene Perry will play if he can walk.”
Ball State has been getting strong play from its tiro of LBs. Travis Freeman and Tony Martin rank one, two in tackles with 69 and 61 respectively which compare favorably with Donald (72) and Molls (65). The play of third LB, senior Davyd Jones, has added 35 tackles to the line backing total.
Leading the secondary is S Sean Baker with 57 tackles and 4 INTs. He is now tied for career interceptions at Ball State with 14. CBs Charlie Todd and Jason Pinkston have been active in the Cardinals secondary. Having S Kyle Hoke go down with a broken ankle puts just adds more pressure to a depleted defense.
Cardinals Special Teams:
Senior PK Ian McGarvey is having another solid year connecting on 8-of-11 field goals. He has struggled from beyond 40 yards making only one of four attempts. Coming into this year he was 13 for 16 in the 40 to 49 yard range. He has missed only four of 112 XPAs in his career.
Kickoff and punt coverage for the Cardinals has been among their better performing units allowing less than 19 yards per KOR and less than four yards per punt return.
P Scott Kovanda is averaging 41.0 ypp with seven of his 36 punts traveling 50 yards or more. Only a dozen have been returned.
If Eric Williams is out, the Red return game suffers. He’s averaging nearly 32 yards per KOR. The other Cardinals are averaging less than 20 yards per KOR. Jamill Smith returns punts at a 9.8 yard per return average.
What to Look For:
• The Cardinals to run right behind RG Kitt O'Brien and RT Dan Manick, the only two OL starters playing the same positions throughout the year
• If the Rockets defense plays the entire game, the Red will not hit triple digits on the ground improving their 27th ranking in the nation against the run
• A short passing game from Wenning hoping for his receivers to pick up YAC
• Two sacks or more for the Midnight Blue and Gold
• Should be an evening for multiple picks by the Rockets defense
• Continued excellent special team play covering kick-offs and punt returns
• A handful of three-and-outs for BSU
• Eric Page to make a fair catch (please!)
• A crowd pleasing performance by Morgan Williams and Adonis Thomas
• Coach Tim Beckman to again be .500 in his head coaching career and the Rockets to take the lead in the overall series with BSU
• A continuation of Rockets penalties lengthening game time (if you’re not tailgating better eat before the game or plan on a late night dinner)
• Most of the fans remaining in the stands to show their appreciation for the Rockets efforts in MAC contests
GO ROCKETS!
Media Coverage
Live Internet audio coverage is available via RocketVision and WSPD.com Audio also available on the Ball State Radio Network (WLBC 104.1 FM Muncie)
Internet video coverage provided by All-MAC Access and RocketVision for Rocket Nation fans outside the Toledo area. Kickoff at 7:07 pm (ET)
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