Stabilizing Ball State's offensive line has become a weekly activity for coach Stan Parrish.
Last week he moved Michael Switzer to left tackle and installed Jordan Hansel at left guard. He struck the right combination, and Ball State rushed for 306 yards in its upset 31-17 victory at Central Michigan.
The key to the change was Switzer's move. The senior captain has started throughout his career as a guard but made the switch because of Cam Lowry's season-ending torn ACL and the ineffectiveness of Austin Holtz as a left tackle at Iowa.
Even so, Switzer knows he could have played better Saturday.
"I'm still getting used to it," he said. "I'm hoping I can do well the rest of the year at it."
The Cardinals received a boost when center Kreg Hunter returned to the lineup after his one-game suspension. Also, Parrish said Ball State played at a higher level after having to face back-to-back Big Ten teams before Central Michigan.
All of Ball State's running backs heaped praise on the offensive line for opening the holes that allowed them to have productive days.
Parrish wasn't shy with his compliments either.
"That's a great job blocking," he said. "We've got good backs, and I give the line a lot of kudos."
Even after such a good performance, Ball State will have to readjust the offensive line this week. Holtz, who returned to his role of sixth man at Central Michigan, is out for at least one week with a high-ankle sprain.
Parrish said doctors expect Holtz to miss two weeks, but Holtz told him he will only be out one game.
Until Holtz returns, the Cardinals will be playing with a small rotation on the offensive line.
"We've only got eight right now," Parrish said. "We're like an NFL team. That's all they ever have."
Holtz's injury puts more pressure on the backups, including Travis Arnold and Jerrod Gray, who are now even closer to playing. All of them have experience this year, some of it coming against No. 15 Iowa's defensive line, one of the best in the country.
With that experience in their favor, Parrish is confident they will be able to get the job done.
"Jerrod got to play against a really good team, and he's a lot more confident," Parrish said. "Mike and Hunter are the glue that's got to hold us together. We've got to make sure the kids know what they're doing on every play."
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