As a senior strong safety last season, Erik Keys led the Ball State secondary by example on the field and in the locker room.
Keys' 90 tackles were most on the team, but the senior showed the ability to be in the right place at the right time. Keys' lone interception of the season came against the University of Michigan and resulted in a 35-yard touchdown return, giving Ball State a 9-7 lead at Michigan Stadium. He also fell on four of Ball State's nine recovered fumbles, which led the team.
With Keys lost to graduation, Cardinals' coach Brady Hoke said the remaining defensive backs have big shoes to fill.
"You just can't replace a player like Erik Keys," Hoke said. "Both with his leadership and his on-field performance, he was a vital part of our defense last season. It's going to take a group effort this year to make up for the void that's left."
Senior Chris Allen will fill Keys' position at strong safety. In his junior year, Allen started at safety when the Cardinals were in 3-3-5 defensive set and finished the season with 29 tackles.
Junior Marcus McClure and senior Eddie Burk will compete over the free safety position. McClure started the first seven games of last season and finished with 43 tackles, adding an interception and a fumble recovery. Burk finished the last four games of the season as starter and recorded 21 tackles with an interception.
To help solidify the corner back position, Hoke moved offensive backfield B.J. Hill to the defensive backfield. Last season, Hill recorded 257 rushing yards on 67 carries as a running back and scored three touchdowns.
Hill said the transition has been difficult but he has confidence in his coverage abilities. In Ball State's last intersquad scrimmage Hill had an interception. Hoke said he expects him to start when the Cardinals host Miami University Aug. 30 in the season opener.
"I've been very impressed with everything B.J.'s done this summer, he's really stepped up," Hoke said. "He's going to make tremendous contributions to our secondary."
While Hill will be a newcomer to the corner back position, the other corner will be played by junior Trey Lewis, who started all but one game at corner back during his sophomore season.
Lewis is the top returning tackler from the secondary with 66 tackles, the third most on the team. Though he didn't record an interception, Lewis broke up 10 passes and recovered a fumble.
"I think Trey Lewis has really taken on a bigger leadership role in the secondary over the course of the offseason," Hoke said. "He's had a great summer and is a guy that people look up to now."
Junior Trey Buice will settle into the nickel back position after starting the last seven games last season at corner. Buice recorded 28 tackles in his sophomore season and relieved Eulas Taylor after four games when Taylor was dismissed from the team following an incident in which he was caught stealing computers from residence hall rooms. Buice also recorded two sacks, an interception and a fumble recovery in 2006.
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