When Ball State University's football team takes the field for the first time on Saturday several returning players, from a team that finished 4-7 last season, will be moving to the opposite side of the ball.
Running backs Jovens Degage and Corey McGee will move into the secondary as cornerbacks.
"Corey may be the fastest guy on the team," coach Brady Hoke said. "Jovens has the best vertical jump. So I think we were backed up a little bit at the running backs position, there's some needs on defense, and I think it gives them a breath of fresh air changing positions."
Two other Cardinals - Roger Morris and Jordan Applegate - have switched sides of the line of scrimmage. Morris, who played on the defensive line last season, will play left guard on the offensive line this season. Applegate, a redshirt freshman, is moving to nose tackle after practicing on the offensive line last year.
Morris will join an offensive line that returns all five starters, three of whom were freshmen.
"We were very young, but we're not young anymore," Hoke said of the linemen. "They've had some experience, they've started some football games and they've been in the heat of battle."
The Cardinals begin their month-long spring practice training Saturday. The team will hold 14 practices leading up to the spring game, which will be at noon April 22.
"We're excited to start the second phase of the program," Hoke said. "We have some improvement, as a team we know we have to do. We have to take a look at a lot of different kids, especially the redshirt kids, see where they fit."
Ball State returns 10 starters offensively and five defensively. Senior quarterback Joey Lynch is among those who also returns besides the linemen. The offense's lone starter gone from last year's team is Charles Wynn.
Defensively, all three starting linebackers return, as do defensive tackle William Wise and strong safety Erik Keys.
"I like the attitude of this football team," Hoke said. "We've had great work ethic, great energy. We've got to win more games, and that's an expectation. That's an expectation that those guys have, and those seniors of the 82nd team, and that's an expectation we [coaches] have."
Hoke said there are several priorities the team must make during spring practice. Offensively, he said he wants to see more toughness and consistency from the offensive line. He also wants to see the running backs pass protect better, and to find more big-play playmakers on both sides of the ball.
"Defensively, I would look at getting more pressure on the quarterback," he said. "Secondly, more interceptions - playing the ball better, playing tighter coverage."
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