Ball State University starting running back MiQuale Lewis' season is in jeopardy after he sustained a knee injury Saturday at the University of Nebraska, Cardinals' football coach Brady Hoke announced Monday.-á
"He probably will be out, and it could be season-ending," Hoke said. "I don't want to get into specifics until he has his MRI. He's got some damage somewhere in the knee. I don't know if it's the ACL [anterior cruciate ligament] or MCL [medial collateral ligament], but it's a little loose."
During the fourth quarter, on second and four from the Cornhuskers' 20-yard line, Lewis carried the ball in between the tackles for 14 yards. After the play, he stayed on the field for several moments as trainers attended to him. Lewis hobbled off the field with assistance from medical personnel and wasn't seen for the remainder of the game.
Lewis, a sophomore who was in his first year as a starter, recorded the first two 100-yard rushing performances of his career in his last two games against the Naval Academy and Nebraska. Through four games, Lewis carried the ball 92 times for 447 yards and a pair of touchdowns. He led the team in rushing through six games last year with 280 yards before suffering a season-ending shoulder injury.
Ball State finished ninth in the Mid American Conference last year in rushing offense, averaging 91.9 yards per game. However, through four games this season, the Cardinals' offense is second in the MAC, averaging 185.8 yards per game. Hoke said Frank Edmonds, a true freshman who was Lewis' backup this season, will start against the University at Buffalo. Edmonds has played in every game this season, carrying the ball 32 times for 138 rushing yards, an average of 4.1 yards per carry.
Less than five games removed from high school, Edmonds now has an opportunity to be a key member of one of the most explosive offenses in the MAC.
"Adversity creates opportunity, and that's the one thing we talked about [Sunday]," Hoke said. "It's an opportunity for Frank to grow up fast. He's getting thrust into a critical role, and I'm sure he'll do a good job."-á
Both Lewis and Edmonds were unavailable Monday for comment. Though Edmonds is young, Hoke said he has full confidence the freshman can produce in the starting role.
"We wouldn't have recruited him if we didn't feel good about him knowing that this could be the role that he would have to take," Hoke said. "I think he's ready for this and I think he doesn't have a reason not to be."
Hoke said Edmonds' backup will be Jacolby Bond, a redshirt sophomore who has not seen action at Ball State. Freshman Koreen Burch, who served as the fifth-string cornerback, will become the third-string running back, Hoke said.
Though Bond is inexperienced, Hoke said he has faith the third-year sophomore can produce in a backup role.
"He's been working with the first offense and second offense the last three weeks," Hoke said. "He knows the offense, now it's about the opportunities. ... He's been in the program long enough, and it's time for him to take an active role."
Hoke said he didn't give any thought to moving junior cornerback B.J. Hill back to the offensive side of the football, where he played the last two seasons as a running back. Last year, Hill ran the ball 67 times for 257 yards and three touchdowns, which tied for the most on the team.
As a member of the Cardinals' defense, Hill has recorded 28 tackles - third-most on the team - and he leads the squad with three interceptions. Hoke said Hill has been too good on defense to be switched to the offense.
"We wouldn't take a guy who's a starter on one side of the ball and make him a half-time starter on the other side of the ball," Hoke said.
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