In 2000, Eastern Michigan was Ball State's homecoming opponent.The Cardinals won 33-14, their first home victory in ninegames.
In 2002, the Eagles again visited for homecoming, and BSUtrounced them, 42-17.
Well, it's homecoming again, and guess who's coming to town?
Both Ball State and Eastern Michigan have 1-4 overall recordsand are 1-1 in the Mid-American Conference. Both have alsostruggled mightily on defense this season.
The Cardinals rank 11th in the MAC in scoring defense (38.4),last in pass defense (289.6 yards), eighth in rush defense (181)and 13th in total defense (470.6).
Ball State head coach Brady Hoke feels that his team's strugglesagainst the pass stem more from lack of pass rush (the Cardinalshave just six sacks through give games) than the generalinexperience of the secondary. The Toledo game, in the Rockets'Bruce Gradkowski passed for 455 yards and six touchdowns, was aprime example.
"That's where it starts," Hoke said. "You've got to be able toput pressure on the quarterback.
"We have to react better and we have to coach better. We have todemand and continue to improve up front. We have to do a better jobof coaching up front -- on both sides of the ball."
Eastern, meanwhile, ranks 11th in scoring (40.2), 12th inpassing (263) and10th in rushing (186) and total (449).
"Our defense is a work-in-progress at best," Eagles first-yearcoach Jeff Genyk said. "We've really lacked depth and sizeinside."
EMU linebacker Kevin Harrison leads the MAC with 63 tackles, sixmore than Ball State safety Justin Beriault.
In last year's meeting in Ypsilanti, Mich., Eastern rode threeforced turnovers, a blocked punt and 230 yards rushing from AnthonySherrell to a 38-14 win. Sherrell is back for the Eagles and hasrushed for 443 yards this season. But they have added anotherweapon in junior quarterback Matt Bohnet, a transfer from Iowa whobeat out his younger brother for the starting job.
Bohnet, ranked third in the MAC in total offense, has passed for1,113 yards and rushed for 313 more.
"He's really come around for us and is doing a nice job managingthe offense," Genyk said. "He can definitely make some plays withhis arm, along with some plays with his legs."
Ball State's quarterback position has changed hands, withfreshman Cole Stinson taking over for sophomore Joey Lynch, whostarted the first four games.
Stinson, who started at Toledo, has thrown for 544 yards, fourtouchdowns and one interception.
"Cole's the least of our problems," Hoke said. "He's doing abetter job of managing the offense every time he takes the field.We just have to give him some support ... by running the ballbetter and protecting him much better."
Stinson's top target, Dante Ridgeway has 37 catches for aMAC-best 521 yards. He needs just 105 yards to become the school'sall-time leader. The current record is 2,256, tallied by DeonChester.
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