A few days after setting the Ball State record for most touchdowns thrown by a quarterback in his first start, redshirt freshman Jack Milas expects his success to continue.
“I set the bar kind of high,” Milas said, laughing. “I expect it out of myself every time I go out there.”
Milas’s 326 passing yards are the most for a Ball State quarterback this season, as he consistently pushed the ball downfield and moved the offense with accurate passes against a Western Michigan team that employs a heavy man-coverage scheme.
Milas said he was nervous, jittery and hesitant at the start of the game, the opposite of what the self-described gunslinger usually is. After a 32-yard touchdown to Jordan Williams, Milas said the game started to slow down.
“I have to make the reads and get the ball in the hands of the receivers, because we have a handful of good ones,” he said.
Taking shots downfield helped Williams reach a season-high 179 yards and two touchdowns. Head coach Pete Lembo said Milas looked off safeties and linebackers to open holes for the receivers, using techniques often seen by more experienced quarterbacks.
Offensive coordinator Joey Lynch said he liked what he saw from Milas, staying poised under pressure and showing why he believes Milas primarily succeeds as a pocket passer.
“He did a really good job of going through his progressions and using his eyes to his benefit,” Lynch said. “After that second drive, you really see him settle down and start playing and not overthinking things.”
Milas went on to fire a 17-yard touchdown to Williams, along with touchdowns to tight end Dylan Curry and wideout KeVonn Mabon. The 38 points Ball State scored was a season-high, and Lynch said he tried to call plays to Milas’s strength’s as a pocket passer.
Williams pulled in a few risky passes where Milas appeared to force the ball, the gunslinger mentality coming out while also displaying the trust the new quarterback has in his veteran receivers.
“He’s a guy who isn’t afraid to take a shot,” Lynch said. “He reacted fast and wasn’t afraid of the pressure or to make mistakes.”
Although Milas thought he played well, he said he made a lot of mental mistakes he wants to fix against Central Michigan.
There were certain plays Lembo said he wished Milas had actually been more aggressive. Facing a third and four halfway through the fourth quarter, Milas hit wide receiver Chris Shillings for three yards. Lembo called the play a good throw, but not a good read for the young quarterback.
Even with a few plays he wishes had gone the other way, he was optimistic about the offense’s future under Milas.
“I think even the casual fan would say that we got better offensively on Saturday,” Lembo said.
Read More
Self-immolation outside Manhattan courthouse where Trump trial is adjourned
By Staff Reports / 49 minutes agoA person, who was later identified as Max Azzarello, self-immolated outside of the Manhattan courthouse where former president Donald Trump is on trial. Azzarello was extinguished and rushed away by emergency services. He is in critical condition at Weill Cornell Medicine - Burn Center, according to a press conference held by the New York Police Department (NYPD).
The closure of the historic Mark III Tap Room impacts Muncie’s LGBTQ+ community.
By Meghan Holt / 6 hours agoPatrons of the oldest gay bar in Indiana reflect on how it affected their lives.
A 40-year alliance: Brian Dudley is a staple with Wapahani baseball
By Zach Carter / 7 hours agoBrian Dudley spent 40 years as the Wapahani varsity baseball coach and finished his career with an 828-320 record.
