2017 Ball State Football Quick Facts 2017 Ball State Schedule University Information Important Dates Date Opponent Time Location . Muncie, Ind . 47306 Sept . 2 at Illinois Noon Enrollment/Founded . 21,196/1918 MAC Football Media Day Big Ten Network President . Geoffrey Mearns Wednesday, July 26 Sept . 9 UAB 3 p .m . Director of Athletics . Mark Sandy ESPN3 Colors . Cardinal (200) and White Full Team Report to Preseason Camp Sept . 16 Tennessee Tech 3 p .m . Home Facility . Scheumann Stadium Tuesday, August 1 ESPN3 Surface . Field Turf First Day of Full Team Preseason Practice Sept . 23 at Western Kentucky 7 p .m . Football History . 2017 is the 93rd team Wednesday, August 2 Stadium First Season in Stadium . 1967 Sept . 30 at Western Michigan* TBA Capacity . 22,500 Oct . 7 at Akron* 3:30 p .m . Ball State Sports Fall Fan Jam Conference Mid-American (West Division) Saturday, August 19 Oct . 14 OPEN Ticket Office . 765 .285 .1474 Oct . 21 Central Michigan* (HC) 3 p .m . or 1 .888 .BSU TICKET. Ball State fall classes begin Oct . 26 Toledo* 7 p .m . Monday, Aug . 21 CBS Sports Network/ESPN3 Nov . 2 at Eastern Michigan* 6 p .m . Coaching Staff Season Opener at Illinois ESPNU/CBS Sports Network Head Coach . Mike Neu (Ball State ’94) Saturday, Sept . 2 Nov . 9 at Northern Illinois* 7 p .m . CBS Sports Network Record at Ball State . 4-8 (2nd season) Collegiate Coaching Record . Same Home Opener vs . UAB Nov . 16 Buffalo* 7 p .m . Saturday, Sept . 9 CBS Sports Network For Interviews . Call Michael Clark . 765-760-6050 Nov . 21 Miami* 7 p .m . 2017 MAC Championship Game Assistant Coaches ESPNU/ESPN3 Saturday, Dec . 2 (Detroit, Mich .) Dec . 2 at MAC Championship TBA Asst . HC/OL . Kyle DeVan ABC/ESPN/ESPN2 Off . Coord ./QBs . Joey Lynch All time Eastern Def . Coord . David Elson ST Coord ./TEs . Patrick Dougherty Football Information 2016 Ball State Results WRs . Alex Bailey 2016 Record . 4-8 2016 MAC Record . 1-7 Record: 4-8, 1-7 MAC LBs . Johnny Curtis DBs . Chevis Jackson 2016 Home Record . 1-4 Date Opponent Result RBs . Kevin Lynch 2016 Road Record . 3-4 Sept . 2 at Georgia State 31-21, W DL . Keith McKenzie 2016 Bowl . n/a Sept . 10 at Indiana 20-30, L Strength . Ben Armer 2016 Letterwinners Returning . 34 Sept . 17 Eastern Kentucky 41-14, W . (15 offense, 18 defense, 1 specialists) Sept . 24 at FAU 31-27, W 2016 Letterwinners Lost . 24 Oct . 1 Northern Illinois* 24-31, L . (8 offense, 14 defense, 2 specialists) Oct . 8 at Central Michigan* 21-24, L 2016 Starters Returning . 11 Oct . 15 at Buffalo* 31-21, W . (6 offense, 4 defense, 1 specialist) Oct . 22 Akron* (HC) 25-35, L 2016 Starters Lost . 14 Nov . 1 #17 Western Michigan* 20-52, L . (5 offense, 7 defense, 2 specialists) Nov . 8 Eastern Michigan* 41-48, L Offensive Sets . Up-tempo pro style Nov . 16 at Toledo* 19-37, L Defensive Sets . 4-3 Nov . 22 at Miami* 20-21, L Ball State Media Contacts Michael Clark . Associate AD Email . maclark4@bsu .edu Phone . 765-285-8904 (O) . 765-760-6050 (C) Twitter . @Mike_Clark77 Paula Haughn . Asst . Director (Secondary) Email . pmhaughn@bsu .edu Phone . 765-285-8242 (O) . 765-716-1837 (C) Tyson Mathews Asst . Director (Secondary) Email . temathews@bsu .edu Phone . 765-285-8242 (O) . 765-716-7235 (C) – 1 – BallStateSports.com • @BallStateSports • #ChirpChirp • 2017 Cardinal Football • @BallStateFB • @BSUCoachNeu – 1 – 2017 Ball State Cardinals Football Preseason Chirps TEAM This year, Ball State kicks off the season on the road at Illinois . This will be the second YEAR TWO UNDER COACH NEU meeting between the two programs . Illinois • Former Cardinal Mike Neu is now in his won the only other meeting on Oct . 27, second year as the program’s head coach . 2007 by a score of 28-17 . For more information on coach Neu, please Since 2010, the Cardinals have played check page eight . seven games against Big Ten opponents . The only change on the coaching staff Ball State has faced Indiana, Iowa, North- is the addition of David Elson as defensive western, and Purdue in that time frame . coordinator . Elson served as the head coach at Western Kentucky from 2003-09 and 2017 TEAM CAPTAINS spent the 2016 season as Western Illinois’ • The 2017 team captains were named defensive coordinator . earlier this summer . They are senior WR Jordan Hogue, senior OL Vinnie Palazeti, TWO ALL-MAC PLAYERS RETURN sophomore LB Jacob White and senior DL • Of the four Ball State players who earned Kevin Willis . James Gilbert All-MAC accolades in 2016, two return to lead the Cardinals this season – junior RED BIRD RIVALRY RB James Gilbert and senior DE Anthony • Beginning this fall, Ball State and Miami who signed a free agent deal with the Ten- Winbush . Gilbert was a first team selection will once again play every season as the nessee Titans . Mabon left Ball State as the while Winbush was honored on the third schools have been granted rivalry status by program’s leader in career receptions (244) . team . the Mid-American Conference . The teams Junior WR Corey Lacanaria is the team’s have agreed to play for the ‘Red Bird Ri- top returning pass catcher . He tallied 33 HIGH PRAISE FOR INCOMING valry’ trophy . The mascots of both schools receptions for 341 yards a year ago . FRESHMAN CLASS are red birds . Ball State has been known as • Ball State has 34 true freshmen listed the Cardinals since 1927 . Miami adopted GILBERT NAMED TO MAXWELL AWARD on its preseason camp roster . The incom- the RedHawks moniker in 1997 . The rivalry WATCH LIST ing class was rated the second highest in between the schools dates to 1931 . • Junior RB James Gilbert was one of two the MAC by 247Sports . Assistant coach MAC players to be named to the initial Chevis Jackson was named 247Sports’ NINE TOUGHEST CARDINALS Maxwell Award watch list . The award is MAC Recruiter of the Year as he helped the • The Ball State coaching staff took away presented annually to the college football’s Cardinals sign eight recruits from the state all of the single digit jerseys during the player of the year . of Georgia . spring practice season . Those jerseys will Gilbert averaged 111 rushing yards per be awarded to the nine toughest Cardinals game in 2016, which ranked second in NOT MUCH YELLOW ON THE FIELD at the start of preseason camp based on the Mid-American Conference and 22nd • In 2016, Ball State led the MAC and performance in the weight room, player ac- nationally . He piled up 1,332 rushing yards ranked fifth nationally in both fewest countability on and off the field, and a team last fall, the fourth most in a single season penalty yards per game (35 .5) and fewest vote . by a Ball State player . Gilbert reached the penalties per game (4 .0) . 100-yard mark seven times, including a BALL STATE IN THE NFL stretch of five consecutive games in the LOOKING TO GO BOWLING • Several former Cardinals are on NFL middle of the year . • Ball State aims to return to the bowl rosters heading into preseason camps scene this fall . The Cardinals went to the which begin this week . They are, WR RUN CARDINALS, RUN! Beef ‘O’ Brady’s Bowl St . Petersburg follow- KeVonn Mabon (Tennessee Titans), WR • Ball State averaged 220 yards rushing per ing the 2012 season and the GoDaddy Bowl Willie Snead (New Orleans Saints), S Aaron game in 2016, good enough for the third after the 2013 campaign . However, Ball Taylor (Green Bay Packers) and WR Jordan best average in the MAC . It was also the State fell short of bowl eligibility each of Williams-Lambert (New Orleans Saints) . most rushing yards per game for the Cardi- the last three seasons . nals since the 1978 season (238 .6 ypg) . OFFENSE SUCCESS IN OPENERS PALAZETI ON WUERRFEL TROPHY • The Cardinals have won seven consecu- LOTS OF EXPERIENCE AT QB AND RB … WATCH LIST tive season openers dating back to 2010 . • The Cardinals return both quarterbacks • Senior OL Vinnie Palazeti was recently who took snaps last year (junior Riley Neal announced as a candidate for the 2017 STAT CORNER and senior Jack Milas) as well as five of Wuerrfel Trophy . Palazeti, one of this year’s their six top rushers . RB James Gilbert, Neal team captains, has made 18 career starts on and RB Darian Green combined for 2,183 the offensive line . 34 rushing yards in 2016 . Named after 1996 Heisman Trophy Win- ner, Danny Wuerffel, the Wuerffel Trophy The number of true freshmen on this year’s … THE OPPOSITE IS TRUE AT WR is known as “College Football’s Premier preseason camp roster. The freshmen come • Ball State lost more than 70 percent of its from nine states – Florida, Georgia, Illinois, Award for Community Service” . Indiana, Kentucky, Louisiana, Michigan, Mis- production at wide receiver from last year’s souri and Ohio. stats, which includes WR KeVonn Mabon – 2 – BallStateSports .com • @BallStateSports • #ChirpChirp • 2017 Cardinal Football • @BallStateFB • @BSUCoachNeu – 2 – 2017 Ball State Cardinals Football Preseason Chirps DEFENSE (11) . Walton ranked fourth in the league in passes defended (14) last year . STAT CORNER FRESH FACES AT LINEBACKER • Ball State will feature a brand new set 4TH DOWN MAGIC rd of starting linebackers this year . The three • The Cardinals stopped 13 of 17 fourth 3 starters from last year – Zack Ryan, Aaron down attempts by the opposition last Ball State ranked 3rd nationally in fourth Taylor and Sean Wiggins – combined for 96 season, including three stops in the win at down conversion defense last year.