It was just another day on the job for Willie Snead. Then he found out that he broke the Ball State record for touchdown catches in a season.
“Wow. It’s a blessing,” the junior wide receiver said. “First off, it reflects all the work I’ve put in, but I’m not done yet. I’ve got to keep going, and I’m still looking forward to making plays.”
He’s made acrobatic catches all year, including the 1-yard reception that broke the record Wednesday in Ball State’s 44-24 win over Central Michigan University.
Though he was clearly being held by the defense, Snead was able to turn his body and make the play on a back shoulder pass. Senior quarterback Keith Wenning all but expected his leading receiver to make the catch.
“It doesn’t surprise me,” he said. “I know how hard he works. I’ve been with him three years. He’s one of the hardest workers I’ve been around. One of the greatest receivers I’ve been around.”
Snead went up and made the catch, one of the nine he made in the game where he finished with 118 yards and two touchdowns.
“When he does that, it’s just another play on his résumé,” Wenning said.
It’s something his teammates and head coach Pete Lembo acknowledge can happen at any time.
“It’s just another day at the office for Willie Snead,” Lembo said.
It might have been a routine play in a routine game for Snead, but he accomplished something with that second touchdown catch that even he wasn’t aware of. He doesn’t plan on reflecting on the record now, but he said he will some day.
After breaking the record, he said he’s just looking forward to putting in more time on the job.
“When I look back and really think about it, I know it will hit me, and I’ll be like ‘wow,’” he said. “But for now, it just gives me a lot of motivation and a lot of will to go out there and practice harder and work harder.”
By breaking the record, he passed the old title holder, Darius Hill, who set it in 2007 with 11 catches.
“I’m looking forward to when I see it,” Snead said. “When I hear about it, I’m going to be happy. But for now I’ve got move on — we’ve got Northern Illinois [University] next week.”
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