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FOOTBALL: Wenning growing into starting role

The question hung over Ball State for weeks, months even. Any time it appeared to be answered, more doubt crept in, throwing it back into debate.

But after a 12-for-18, 130-yard, two-touchdown performance in Ball State's 31-17 upset at Central Michigan last week, the discussion is over. Keith Wenning is the Cardinals' starting quarterback.

The "or" connecting Wenning and Kelly Page on the top line of Ball State's depth chart is gone, and the questions are now based on how well Wenning has performed through five games this season.

"In Football 101, he's at the midterm," coach Stan Parrish said. "We've got to get him ready to get an A in the class."

Wenning took a big step toward passing Parrish's quarterback school last week. After a dismal game at No. 15 Iowa where he was replaced at halftime by Page, Wenning responded with the best game of his young career. He was a perfect 6-for-6 in the first quarter against the Chippewas, showing no ill effects from the beating the Hawkeyes administered to him.

Wenning said starting at Purdue and Iowa on back-to-back Saturdays aided his growth.

"The speed of the game helped me out a lot," he said. "It was a good experience, I'd say. It definitely helped me pretty good."

Not only was Wenning making the first starts of his career in Big Ten stadiums, he contended with some of the best pass rushers in the nation. He often struggled to get time to throw, much less make the right decisions.

At Central Michigan, Ball State protected its quarterback much better, and he twice connected on wide-open, long touchdown passes to running back Eric Williams.

Now Parrish has to find plays Wenning is comfortable running and make the game plan around them each week. It's a process that takes time, but Wenning has proved to be a quick study.

"Keith doesn't like making the same mistake twice," Parrish said. "He likes practicing clean and playing clean, which is a really good thing."

After throwing an interception against the Boilermakers and Hawkeyes, Wenning played a clean game against the Chippewas. He didn't turn the ball over and had a 164 quarterback rating, the highest for any Cardinal in a full game since Nate Davis against Western Michigan in 2008.

Parrish said it's difficult to evaluate where his prized recruit from the 2010 class is at this stage of his development.

"He's a very talented thrower," Parrish said. "He can make a lot of plays you can't coach. I just want to temper anything with him. He just needs to be focused on coming to practice."

Wenning said he's not letting the Homecoming atmosphere put any extra pressure on him as he prepares to start for the first time at Scheumann Stadium.

"I'll take it as any other game," he said. "Go out there, do things right and lead the team to where it needs to be to win."


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