YPSILANTI, Mich. – Defensive end Robert Eddins thought he was describing his punt block during Ball State University's 29-27 win at Eastern Michigan University on Saturday.
But what Eddins said pretty well summed up the team's first win of 2009 and Stan Parrish's first as head coach of the Cardinals.
"I really don't have an explanation or anything," Eddins said. "I just went as hard as I could, and they just kept telling me ‘keep going as hard as you can and one will come.' I got free; it was just like 'phew.' It was kind of amazing."
The victory snapped a nine-game losing streak for Ball State, dating back to its 42-24 loss to the University at Buffalo in the Mid-American Conference Championship Game last year.
The win was an unusual one for Parrish and the Cardinals. Tanner Justice passed for one yard in his first collegiate start. Parrish said he could never envision passing for one yard and winning.
"I couldn't imagine even being in a game," he said. "Once again we had to manufacture a couple new things."
Instead of the pass-happy offense Ball State fans have become used to in Parrish's five years in Muncie, the Cardinals rode the backs of their runners MiQuale Lewis and Cory Sykes.
Lewis rushed for 301 yards, a Ball State record, and Sykes added 207 and three touchdowns. Lewis also found the end zone once.
"Coach said we were going to run the ball 55 out of our 70 plays," Lewis said. "Coach [Eddie Faulkner] gave us a quote, Herschel Walker, he said ‘I never get tired, the ball don't weigh enough.' We put that in our mindset and just go out there and run."
Ball State lost freshman Eric Williams to a strained ligament in his right knee in the first quarter. His absence left more carries for Sykes and had Lewis to take on the role of Wildcat quarterback.
"You have a tendency when one of them goes down, to get rid of the stuff," Parrish said. "It worked well."
Eastern Michigan took a seven-point lead into halftime and found the end zone on its first possession of the second half. The Cardinals found themselves down 14, but did not give up.
"When we got down 14, we couldn't do much more wrong," Parrish said. "Winning's hard but we made it real hard."
In the span of five minutes, Ball State would put 16 points on the board to take its first lead of the game. The Cardinals marched 93 yards down the field in eight plays for their longest drive of the season. Sykes converted the drive with a six-yard score.
The Eagles were backed up on their next drive, and were forced to punt from their own 14-yard line. It was then that Eddins fought his way to his second blocked punt of the year. The ball bounced out the back of the end zone for a safety, and gave the Cardinals the momentum boost they needed to close out their first win.
"Coach Parrish talked about scoring on special teams," Lewis said. "That was a big momentum shifter."
The Cardinals too advantage of a shorter field and scored the game's final points on a 37-yard run from Sykes.
But even with the lead, Parrish couldn't rest easy. Steven Schott had his extra point attempt blocked in the first quarter, which kept the Eagles a field goal away from the lead.
"I elected not to go for two, cause I have my rule about too early" Parrish said. "I kept looking up at the scoreboard and you know what I was looking at."
But the defense held, and the Cardinals can stare at the scoreboard as long as they want after removing themselves from the ranks of the winless. Lewis said the team relished the victory.
"It felt like we won the Super Bowl."
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