FOOTBALL: Wenning, Fakes prepare for NFL opportunities

After four years of training at Ball State, Keith Wenning is in Indianapolis training once again, this time for a chance at the NFL.

He and former Ball State tight end Zane Fakes are at St. Vincent Sports Performance in a six-week NFL Combine Training program to prepare them for the pre-draft process.

Wenning will participate in the NFL scouting combine from Feb. 22-25, along with wide receiver Willie Snead and defensive end Jonathan Newsome.

“I’m just going to go and do what I do,” Wenning said. “Hopefully, I catch someone’s eye.”

Fakes, who did not receive an invite to the combine, will be participating in Ball State’s Pro Day along with other players leaving Ball State.

Fakes is seeing the positives in not getting invited to the combine.

“It’s not necessarily a bad thing,” Fakes said. “Pro Day will be more relaxed and less stressful for me. I think that will help me perform better.”

Some of the alumni of the St. Vincent Sports Performance program are: former Indianapolis Colts tight end Dallas Clark, Baltimore Ravens wide receiver Jacoby Jones and Sacramento Kings forward Carl Landry.

A few players training with Wenning and Fakes also competed against them over the past few years, including tight end Alex Bayer from Bowling Green, quarterback Jordan Lynch from Northern Illinois and running back Zurlon Tipton from Central Michigan.

“They’ve made great strides,” said Brandon Johnson, a strength and conditioning coach for St. Vincent Sports Performance?. “A big part of that is that they came in pretty clean and healthy from the season. That always helps us.”

Both Wenning and Fakes played all 13 games this season.

Johnson and the other trainers at St. Vincent Sports Performance work to cycle the workouts for Wenning and Fakes, so that when Wenning performs at the NFL Combine in late February, and Fakes at the Ball State Pro Day, they are at their maximum athletically.

“[They’ll be] as fast as they’ve ever been and jump as high as they’ve ever jumped,” Johnson said.

Wenning and Fakes train six days a week, Monday through Saturday, and are given two opportunities per day to recover from training.

“They’ve bought into it,” Johnson said. “That speaks to their character. They’ve bought into the program. They’re listening and working hard and wanting to get better.”

The players training get breaks from noon on Saturdays to 8 a.m. on Mondays.

“On the weekends, hopefully they’re being smart about their decisions,” Johnson said.

They follow a dietitian while in the program to make sure they are on specific meal plans.

One challenge that both Wenning and Fakes have to prepare for is the change in philosophy from Ball State’s spread offense to the pro style that NFL teams currently run.

Fakes said he is football smart, something that Ball State helped with.

“Hopefully it will translate to the next level if I get a chance,” Fakes said. “I think that will be one of my strong suits — is being able to pick up schemes and offenses. … They’re going to get my best every day, every rep. I’m not slacking off at all.”

Fakes said the most important thing he’s trying to work on is his speed and agility.

“If I can improve at those things, I think it will improve my chances of playing at the next level tremendously,” Fakes said.

Wenning is focusing on footwork and drops.

“It’s something we’re working on in training right now, as far as drops and footwork,” Wenning said. “I feel like I’m capable to work in that kind of offense. Whether it’s under center or more spread, I’m comfortable with both. I can only get better.”

When Wenning interviews with NFL teams at the combine and Pro Day, he’ll be introduced as “former Ball State quarterback“ Keith Wenning.

“[It’s] a little bit [weird].” Wenning said. “It hasn’t happened too much yet. A couple times that it has, it’s felt weird. … It’s time to move on.”

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