Former NFL veteran quarterback Trent Dilfer was able to add one more item to his already full list of football accomplishments on Wednesday night.
Dilfer, 37, performed his first-ever color commentary for the ESPN2 telecast of the Ball State University/Central Michigan University game at Scheumann Stadium.
"I'm going to be me — you know, this isn't rocket science," Dilfer said before the game. "There's a pace and a rhythm to it, but more than anything else, I'm going to try to explain to the audience why I'm such a believer in these two programs, what's happening on the field and maybe take them a little bit deeper into the game than they normally get taken."
Dilfer was picked sixth overall by the Tampa Bay Buccaneers in the first round of the 1994 NFL draft. He played six seasons with the Buccaneers — including earning his only Pro Bowl selection in 1997 — before playing for the Baltimore Ravens (2000), Seattle Seahawks (2001-04), Cleveland Browns (2005) and San Francisco 49ers (2006-07) before retiring in July 2008.
He was also the winning quarterback in the Ravens' 34-7 win over the New York Giants in the 2001 Super Bowl XXXV in Tampa, where he finished the game with 153 yards passing and one touchdown.
Dilfer said despite Ball State's 1-10 record, the Cardinals have much to be excited for in the future.
"I'm actually really high on Ball State," Dilfer, who played for Fresno State University, said. "They've got a lot of really good young players, and they're building up a nice foundation in place. The future is very bright for Ball State football."
A San Francisco Bay Area resident and former 49ers player, Dilfer also said he was impressed with former Ball State quarterback Nate Davis, who last year entered the NFL Draft as a junior and was selected by the 49ers.
"Nate's a guy who has tremendous arm talent," Dilfer said. "He's a guy that can flat spin it — he can make all the throws that you need to make in the NFL."
Dilfer said it shouldn't be too long until Davis, the third-stringer in San Francisco, could be making his mark in the NFL.
"It's just going to take time," Dilfer said. "It takes time to learn how to play the NFL game, especially when you were in the shotgun the whole time in college, so it's a transition."
Overall, Dilfer said he enjoyed his visit to Muncie.
"It's been a great experience," Dilfer said. "The people in Muncie have been great."
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