Stacked Up: Ball State vs. Indiana

Today starts our weekly piece comparing Ball State and their opponents position by position.

Quarterback
Ball State: Keith Wenning: begins year two as the Cardinals starting QB, but year one as the day one starter. Wenning had a lot of good moments last year, and a good amount of bad moments too. He’s still young, but seems to have taken command of the offense, and will fit with the new offense very well.

Indiana: Edward Wright Baker OR Dusty Kiel: We’re one day from gameday, but still no closer to figuring out who the starting QB will be in Indiana. Both QBs struggled mightily in their brief moments playing last year, going a combined 9/29. Both will be starting their first game in college history. Wright Baker is a little faster, and may be the odds on favorite, if there is one.

Advantage:

Runningbacks:
Ball State: Cory Sykes, Barrington Scott, Jahwan Edwards: What used to be the Cards strongest position is potentially a weak point now. Sykes is questionable, Brown is doubtful. Williams transferred. Scott is an NIU walkon that left after not getting any playing time, however the staff has loved him, and expect to see him a lot on gameday. Edwards is a true freshman bruiser back.

Indiana: Matt Perez, Stephen Houston: IUs top back Darius Willis will not play due to suspension, so IU is forced to find other options. Perez is a redshirt freshman, that wasn’t a big recruit, but IU has loved since he got on campus. Houston is a JUCO transfer, but neither of these guys have taken a handoff in IUs system.

Advantage:

Wide Receivers:
Ball State: Briggs Orsbon, Toriel Gibson, Jack Tomlinson: Ball State looks a lot better now at WR than they did a year ago today. If Tomlinson can stay healthy, he will be a dynamic part of this offense. Orsbon’s the on and off the field leader, and should have a nice senior year in Lembo’s system.

Indiana: Demarlo Belcher, Dre Muhammad, Kofi Hughes: Indiana’s top target Tandon Doss left for the NFL, and it looks like Duwyce Wilson won’t play. Belcher is a handful, and a huge target. Jason Pinkston will be tested all day.

Advantage:

Offensive Line:
Ball State: The Cardinals struggled on the OL last year, a lot due to injury. Everyone of significance should be back however. The only unknown is if Cam Lowry will be starting at LT after a torn ACL at Purdue last year.

Indiana: IU returns just 1 player on the OL, and the OL is definitely not a strength. However, since this is true for neither team, IU likely has slightly better athletes, purely through recruiting.

Advantage:

Defensive Line:
Ball State: has a very solid trio of DTs in Adam Morris, Nathan Ollie, and Donovan Jarrett. The huge question mark is at DE. Pass rusher Nick Miles is likely out with an appendectomy, and Matt Mosely was kicked off the team. Hartke and Puthoff will start there, but neither are pass rushers.

Indiana: The Hoosiers are led by their DTs, in Adam Replogle and Larry Black, both returning. Darius Johnson is a decent pass rusher on the outside, and Ryan Phillis will start at the other end.

Advantage:

Linebackers
Ball State: The Cardinals send out Travis Freeman and Tony Martin for their 3rd straight year of starting for BSU. Freeman has put on 20 pounds of muscle in the offseason as a part of the new strength program. Aaron Morris has beefed up and moved from safety to a S/LB hybrid.

Indiana: Jeff Thomas, Leon Beckum, and Chase Hoobler get the start for the Hoosiers. That’s two seniors and a freshman. IU feels pretty good about their LB core despite losing some key pieces from last year’s team.

Advantage:

Defensive Backs:
Ball State: What was Ball State’s biggest weakness two years ago may now be its biggest strength. BSU trots out All MAC players at CB in Jason Pinkston, and S in Sean Baker, who may be the best player in the conference regardless of position. Jeff Garrett gets the start at the other CB, and Josh Howard and Kyle Hoke will share time at the other safety.

Indiana: This is one of IUs weakest spots. Chris Adkins will start at one safety, the other is Jarrell Drane. At the corners are two new sophomores, Lawrence Barnett, and Greg Heban. Heban was originally a football walk-on.

Advantage:

Kicking Game:
Ball State: Despite losing one of the MACs better kickers in Ian McGarvey, Ball State is still strong here. Secor will handle kickoffs, and Schott won the battle to PK. Scott Kovanda is arguably the conferences best punter.

Indiana: It seems like, even in IUs better years, they’ve always struggled here. Mitch Ewald is a decent option at K, but struggles past 40. IUs starting punter left the team, leaving Adam Pines to handle the punting.

Advantage:

Prediction: Indiana 28, Ball State 20