WEST LAFAYETTE - Establishing the run game has been a priority for the Ball State University football team this season.
For the second straight game, the inability to establish it has caused trouble.
"It's disappointing because you want to control the game," Ball State coach Brady Hoke said. "When you can't run the football and take time off the clock, you have to sit back there and throw it all the time."
Purdue University bottled up Ball State's rushing attack, holding Ball State to 61 yards rushing on 29 carries. Freshman MiQuale Lewis had 56 of them, including 47 in the fourth quarter.
Lewis led the way for the Cardinals. Senior Larry Bostic added 25 yards. Joey Lynch and Nate Davis were sacked a combined four times, resulting in -32 yards rushing.
Hoke said it was a combination of the lineman not opening up running lanes and running backs missing holes.
"That's what we got to make sure we get fixed," he said.
However, where Ball State did find success with its running backs was the short passing game.
With Purdue mostly playing a Cover 2 defense, also called a Tampa 2, Bostic and Lewis got open underneath and found holes in the zone. The two combined for 137 receiving yards. Bostic said screens and check routes are a huge part of the offense.
"That's part of our passing game," Bostic said. "Obviously, there were a lot of opportunities for MiQuale Lewis and myself out of the backfield to make something happen."
Ball State was also held in check last week against Indiana University. The Hoosiers held Ball State to 41 yards rushing on 22 carries. Nursing a 16-point second-half lead in that game, the Cardinals were unsuccessful in getting the running game going while attempting to run some time off the clock.
Against the Boilermakers Ball State wanted to get the running game going early, but a stingy Purdue defense wouldn't let it happen. Ball State has run the ball 51 times for 102 yards in its past two games, both against Big Ten Conference opponents.
However, Bostic said the rushing attack isn't struggling.
"We go with what works," he said. "We got a couple yards here and there. The running game happened to come open in the fourth quarter. We're not worried about it.
"Maybe one game the running game will get on track," Hoke continued. "Maybe another game it's the passing game. If we see a weakness we're going to go at it."
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