Ball
State Cardinals
Preview 2007
By
Pete Fiutak
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2007 Ball State Offense Preview |
2007 Ball State Defense Preview
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2007 Ball State Depth Chart
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2006 CFN Ball State
Preview
It
could be argued that there’s never a more fun time to be a fan of a
team than when it’s just on the verge of being really, really good.
Ball State is on the verge of being really, really good.
That’s what having a hot young quarterback can do for a program that
hasn’t been known for being explosive, and that’s what closing out a
season with three wins in four games, with the one-loss being a
down-to-the-wire shocker at Michigan, can do.
Head coach: Brady Hoke
5th year: 15-31
Returning Lettermen: 37
Lettermen Lost: 21 |
Ten
Best Cardinal Players
1. QB Nate Davis, Soph.
2. P Chris Miller, Soph.
3. TE Darius Hill, Jr.
4. WR Dante Love, Jr.
5. LB Wendell Brown, Sr.
6. LB/DE Cortlan Booker, Sr.
7. CB Trey Lewis, Jr.
8. LB Bryant Haines, Jr.
9. RB MiQuale Lewis, Soph.
10. OT Andre Ramsey, Jr. |
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2007 Schedule
CFN
Prediction: 5-7 |
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Aug. 30 |
Miami Univ. |
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Sept. 8 |
at Eastern Mich |
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Sept. 15 |
at Navy |
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Sept. 22 |
at Nebraska |
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Sept. 29 |
Buffalo |
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Oct. 6 |
Central Michigan |
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Oct. 13 |
Western Kentucky |
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Oct. 20 |
at Western Mich |
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Oct. 27 |
at Illinois |
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Nov. 3 |
at Indiana |
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Nov. 13 |
Toledo |
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Nov. 24 |
at Northern Illinois |
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2006
Schedule
CFN
Prediction:
5-7
2006 Record:
5-7
Preview
2006 predicted wins
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8/31 |
Eastern Mich
W 38-20 |
| 9/9 |
Indiana L 24-23 |
| 9/16 |
at Purdue L 38-28 |
| 9/23 |
N Dakota St
L 29-24 |
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9/30 |
Northern Illinois L 40-28 |
| 10/7 |
at Buffalo
W 55-25 |
| 10/14 |
at Central Mich L 18-7 |
| 10/21 |
Western Mich
L 41-27 |
| 10/28 |
at Miami Univ. W 20-16 |
| 11/4 |
at Michigan L 34-26 |
| 11/14 |
at Toledo W 20-17 |
| 11/24 |
Kent State
W 30-6 |
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Joey
Lynch was supposed to be the MAC’s new star passer going into last year,
but freshman Nate Davis quickly took over and gave the normally grounded
Cardinals the MAC’s best passing attack averaging 259 yards per game.
Now the team has its offense in place, is well past the suspensions and
problems of a few years ago, and should be in the hunt for the MAC West
title and the program’s first winning season since 1996.
However, BSU was supposed to be the hot team going into last year after
closing out 2005 with a flurry, and then started out the season with a
resounding thud losing six of the first eight games with the low point
coming in a 29-24 loss to D-IAA North Dakota State. Credit head coach
Brady Hoke and his staff for getting the team’s head back on track in
time to save the year, and maybe his job, while providing hope for the
future.
To actually live up to the potential, the defense has to be
night-and-day better after finishing last in the MAC in both total
defense and pass D. The front seven will be active in the backfield, and
the secondary has enough overall experience to turn out fine. But the
season will end up being all about Davis.
Because of him, tight end Darius Hill, and emerging receiver Dante Love,
Ball State will be the team no one wants to deal with. For a program
desperate for something positive, being the MAC’s most dangerous
offensive team isn’t a bad thing to be.
What to watch for on offense:
More balance. Hoke isn’t a high-octane offense
sort of a coach and would like to power it a bit. He has the backs to
run it a bit. Of course the offense will be about Davis throwing the
ball all over the place, but MiQuale Lewis and Corey McGee are decent
backs that can mix the attack up a little bit and take the pressure off
the passing game.
What to watch for on defense: Decent pressure and a desperate
attempt to slow down someone’s passing game. It’s not like the run
defense was anything to get excited about, but the pass defense was at
another level of awful getting torched short, deep, and everywhere in
between. The front seven should be able to get into the backfield, but
whether or not anyone can hit the quarterback on a consistent basis is
another question.
The team will be far better if … the line can pass protect. The
offensive front five didn’t give up many sacks two years ago because the
offense didn’t throw a whole bunch. More passing equaled more sacks
allowed but, obviously, the more time Davis can get, the more effective
he’ll be. Several inconsistent sophomores have to turn into productive
junior all across the front.
The Schedule: The Cardinals will know where they stand in MAC
play right off the bat getting Miami at home before going to Eastern
Michigan. Navy and Nebraska close out a three game road run, but there’s
a chance to make a lot of noise, especially in the West, with three
straight home games including a must-win showdown with Central Michigan.
Unfortunately there are four road trips in the final five games
including dates at Western Michigan and Northern Illinois which could
ruin division title hopes.
Best Offensive Player:
Sophomore QB Nate Davis. It wasn't like Joey Lynch was bad last year,
but Davis turned into the spark-plug who gave the program an identity
and some excitement for the future. He was brilliant as a true freshman,
and now he knows what he's doing.
Best Defensive Player: Senior LB Wendell Brown. While he won't be
as flashy as some of the other linebackers, he'll be a solid plugger in
the inside. He's not big, but he's as tough as they come and is great at
helping out everyone else.
Key player to a successful season: Sophomore RB MiQuale Lewis.
It'll be too tempting to throw, throw, and throw some more with all the
weapons in the passing game. Lewis is a small, quick back who won't be a
workhorse, but might be tough to stop when he gets a few holes to run
throw. He has to provide some semblance of balance to the offense.
The season will be a
success if
... the Cardinals win seven games. After going 5-7 last season, and with
the offense they have coming back, making a two-game improvement is
possible. It’ll take some big road wins to get to the seven-win mark,
but if the defense is just a bit better, BSU could pull off some key
victories to become bowl eligible.
Key game:
Oct. 6 vs. Central
Michigan. With West Division foes Toledo, Northern Illinois and Western
Michigan still to deal with over the second half of the season, the
Cardinals can’t afford to lose to the defending MAC champions. Blow this
key home game, and it’s also-ran status again.
2006 Fun Stats:
- Penalties: Opponents 96 for 808 yards – Ball State 60 for 548 yards
- Ball State second quarter scoring: 109 – Ball State third quarter
scoring: 57
- Net punting: Opponents 34.3 yards per kick – Ball State 42 yards per
kick