Ball State Football Ball State Athletics Media Relations HP 120 Ball State University Muncie, IN 47306 765.285.8242 www.ballstatesports.com Jan. 13, 2009 Joe Hernandez SUBJECT: Associate A.D. Football’s Nate Davis to Declare for the National Football League Draft Football Media Contact MUNCIE, Ind. -- Nate Davis (Bellaire, Ohio/Bellaire H.S.), a junior quarterback on the 2008 Ball State Uni- Cell: 765.730.4614 versity football team, has announced he will leave school early and declare himself eligible for the 2009 National [email protected] Football League Draft, according to Ball State head football coach Stan Parrish. Paula Haughn “We are excited for Nathan and his family,” Parrish says. “He has worked hard to get to this point in his Assistant Director of career, and we wish him well. He is an excellent football player with all the necessary skills to play at the next Communications level. He will always be a part of the Ball State football family, and we will look forward to watching him in the Football Media NFL next season.” Secondary Contact Davis was selected the Mid-American Conference Offensive Player of the Year this season after completing Cell: 765.716.1837 [email protected] 258-of-401 passes for 3,591 yards with 26 touchdowns and only eight interceptions as a senior. He became the first Ball State quarterback in school history to pass for more than 3,000 yards in a season twice in a career. Davis threw for a school record 3,667 yards in 2007. A 2008 All-MAC First Team selection, Davis is one of 10 Brad Caudill finalists for the Manning Award, which goes to the nation’s top college football quarterback. He completed the Assistant Director of season ranked 13th in the nation in passing efficiency (156.97) and 19th in total offense (278.79). Davis was Communications 22-12 as a starting quarterback for the Cardinals, including a 17-5 MAC mark as a starter. “It is with much excitement and some regret I announce my decision to declare for the NFL draft,” Davis says. Matt McCollester Assistant Director of “I am excited to accept the challenge of being a professional athlete. It is something I have dreamed about Communications since childhood. My regret is taking on this challenge at this time means I am leaving Ball State with one year of eligibility remaining and without a MAC Championship. I have no regrets about leaving at this time without a Lisa Rusche college degree because I am confident I will return to campus to complete my degree. I made that promise to Graduate Assistant my mom, and I made that promise to myself. I will be a Ball State graduate. That is important to me, and it is Communications important to the many people who invested in my academic success while I was a student-athlete. I want to thank all the people who were invaluable to me as a student with special academic needs, most im- Robin Carter Secretary portantly Ramon Avila Sr., and Tiffany Hecklinski. They gave me the confidence I could compete academically Communications & at Ball State. I want to thank Coach Hoke, Coach Parrish and the entire coaching staff for believing in me and Marketing my teammates throughout my three years. We did not accomplish our main goal of winning the MAC title, but we did do our part to put Ball State football on the map. I cannot thank Coach Hoke and Coach Parrish enough for convincing me to choose Ball State. I have made friends and memories here that will last a lifetime. I want to thank my teammates. A quarterback receives a great deal of the hype and attention from outsiders when a football team does well, but there is no doubt we accomplished everything as a team. At no point was I more important than Robert Brewster, Bryant Haines, MiQuale Lewis, Brandon Crawford, Chris Miller or any of my teammates. I would like to single out two of my teammates -- Joey Lynch and Dante Love -- for special thanks. I will never forget the way Joey Lynch treated me during my freshman season. He was a great quarterback and a great senior leader. I learned a lesson from him about sacrifice, humility and loyalty by the way he treated me when I took over the starting position. One day Joey will be a great head coach, hopefully at Ball State. I also want to thank Dante Love. Dante set the standard at Ball State in terms of commitment, work ethic and cour- age. I hope I can carry Dante’s spirit with me to the NFL. He was our most valuable player. I would like to thank my fellow students at Ball State. The support of the football team this year made this season special. The final home game against Western Michigan is something we’ll never forget. Finally, I’d like to say I made this decision after a lot of thought. I know what I’m about to do won’t be easy. But it’s what my heart and head want to do at this time. It’s the right thing for me and my family at this time. It’s the same feeling I had when I chose Ball State. Not everyone understood why I picked Ball State. Not everyone will understand why I’m leaving now. I hope everyone will support my decision because I plan to represent Ball State through- out my career and the rest of my life.” Davis completed his career as the Ball State record holder in yards (9,233), touchdown passes (74), pass at- tempts (1,124), pass completions (678), 250-yard passing games (20) and 300-yard passing games (9). Ball State completed the 2008 season with a 12-2 overall record and an 8-0 conference ledger. The Cardinals completed the regular season with a 12-0 mark, won the MAC West Division Championship, advanced to the school’s first-ever MAC Championship Game and made back-to-back bowl game appearances for the first time in Ball State history. -JH- www.ballstatesports.com Nate QB Davis ** Nate Davis By The Numbers 13 Single Season Record Watch Career Record Watch 6-2 • 217 • Jr./Jr. Passing Yards in a Season: TD Passes in a Career: Major: Communication Studies 1. 3,667, Nate Davis, 2007 1. 74, Nate Davis (2006-08) Hometown: Bellaire, Ohio 2. 3,591, Nate Davis, 2008 2. 44, Talmadge Hill (2000-03) High School: Bellaire 3. 2,337, Neil Britt, 1983 4. 2,148, Mike Neu, 1993 Passing Yards in a Career: 5. 1,982, Joey Lynch, 2005 1. 9,233, Nate Davis (2006-08) • 2008 Mid-American Conference Offensive Player of the Year • 6. 1,975, Nate Davis, 2006 2. 6,271, Mike Neu (1990-93) • 2008 All-MAC First Team • • One of 10 Finalists for the 2008 Manning Award • Pass Attempts in a Season: Pass Attempts in a Career: • 2008 Walter Camp and Maxwell Award Watch Lists • 1. 478, Nate Davis, 2007 1. 1,124, Nate Davis (2006-08) • 2008 and 2007 Manning Award Watch List • 2. 401, Nate Davis, 2008 2. 970, Mike Neu (1990-93) • 2008 Ball State John Magnabosco Co-MVP • 3. 348, Neil Britt, 1983 3. 901, Talmadge Hill (2000-03) • 2007 Ball State John Magnabosco MVP • 4. 314, Joey Lynch, 2005 Career Superlatives 5. 301, Talmadge Hill, 2001 Pass Completions in a Career: • Became the first player in BSU history to throw for 3,000 yards or 6. 295, Mark O’Connell, 1980 1. 678, Nate Davis (2006-08) more in back-to-back seasons 2. 580, Mike Neu (1990-93) • Managed a 22-12 record as a starting quarterback Pass Completions in a Season: 3. 524, Talmadge Hill (2000-03) • Tallied a 17-5 Mid-American Conference mark as a starter 1. 270, Nate Davis, 2007 • Threw at least one TD pass in 29 of his last 31 games • With his first pass at Akron, a 23-yard completion to Dante 2. 258, Nate Davis, 2008 250-Yd. Career Passing Games: Love, Davis set the Ball State career record for passing yards 3. 206, Neil Britt, 1983 1. 20, Nate Davis (2006-08) • With his seventh completion of the game vs. Northern Illinois, 2. 6, Talmadge Hill (2000-03) Davis set the Ball State school record for completions in a Most TD Passes in a Season: 3. 6, Joey Lynch (2003-06) career on a 33-yard pass to MiQuale Lewis 1. 30, Nate Davis, 2007 2. 26, Nate Davis, 2008 300-Yd. Career Passing Games: 2008 Season Superlatives 1. 9, Nate Davis (2006-08) • Ranked 13th in the nation in passing efficiency (156.97) • Ranked 19th in the country in total offense (278.79) MAC Career Record Watch • Threw for at least 250 yards in a game 8 times in 2008 • Completed 64.3 percent of his passes Pass Attempts in a Career: • Completed .875 percent of his passes against Northeastern, 1. 1,507, Tim Lester (1996-99) - Western Michigan which ranks as the third best single-game mark in BSU history 5. 1,427, Brian McClure (1982-85) - Bowling Green • Tied his career high with 64 rushing yards vs. Western Michigan 9. 1,124, Nate Davis (2006-08) - Ball State Nate Davis Touchdown Passes in 2008 vs. Buffalo 22 yards to Louis Johnson Pass Completions in a Career: vs. Western Michigan 40 yards to Louis Johnson 1. 939, Byron Leftwich (1999-2002) - Marshall vs. Central Michigan 20 yards to Louis Johnson 8.