Several Ball State players have been forced to grow up fast.That's because the Cardinals have played six true freshmen thisseason, four of them started Saturday against Eastern Michigan.
Wendell Brown (linebacker), Cole Stinson (quarterback), AdellGivens (running back) and Ryan Patrick (cornerback) all started,while Dan Dunford (receiver) and Byron Miles (linebacker) sawreserve time. Head coach Brady Hoke says he would rather play olderplayers, but is confident in the six players, as well as his otheryoung players.
"They wouldn't be playing if we didn't like them," Hoke said."We think they're pretty good football players."
Stinson threw for 267 yards and a touchdown. Givens added 152yards rushing and two touchdowns, his first 100-yard rushing game.Givens has had to find quickly how to adjust to college football."It's been a big challenge but the people are here to help me out,coaches got me ready," he said.
Stinson has thrown 811 yards and five touchdowns in four gamesthis season. More impressively, he's thrown no interceptions in 101passes. But against Eastern, Stinson was sacked five times. Acouple of those sacks could have been avoided had Stinson thrownthe ball away. Hoke said that's one of the things Stinson needs tolearn.
"There's obviously some freshmen mistakes," Hoke said. "He did alot of good things so he's got to learn and we've got to acceleratethat learning process."
"True freshmen or not, we're all coached the same," Stinsonsaid. "Tonight was a learning experience (and) I learned so muchthis evening."
Defensively, Patrick had eight tackles and one pass breakup.Brown added seven tackles, one for loss. Miles had two tackles.Hoke said that both Brown and Miles will need time to getbetter.
"I think Wendell and Miles are going to be very goodlinebackers," he said. "Its just a matter of them learning."
Of the six true freshmen, Saturday's game was the first forDunford. He caught two passes, ran twice on reverses, returnedthree kickoffs, and recorded a tackle on special teams. Withinjuries to reserve wideouts Jason Barnes and Terry Moss, Hoke saidhe was forced to play Dunford.
"We talked about bringing him up two weeks ago and didn't," Hokesaid. "We got to a point where Dan needs to play."
Four-year starting safety Justin Beriault is amazed with theCards' freshmen class this season, noting that he couldn't adjustto the college game as quickly as them.
"I would love to be in that freshman class and play with themfor four or five years," he said.
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