Moments after the 2013-14 Ball State football season ended, a competition for starting quarterback began.
Ball State quarterback Ozzie Mann was named the starter for the team’s season opener against Colgate on August 30.
Head coach Pete Lembo praised Mann’s consistancy, decisiveness, accuracy and poise during pressure situations in practice.
“What we hope with the quarterback position, as with all positions, that it’s obvious who the lead guy is,” Lembo said. “Ozzie slowly but surely, over the last several days, has shown that he’s ready to be that guy.”
Through the last 8 to 10 practices, Lembo said Mann has steadily improved to the point where he was standing out among the rest of Ball State’s quarterbacks, which includes junior Kyle Kamman, redshirt freshman Jack Milas and true freshman David Morrison.
When spring practice began and snow was falling on the quarterbacks clad in blue, Lembo emphasized that each quarterback would be given a fair shot and the competition would likely continue into the fall. Offensive coordinator and quarterbacks coach Joey Lynch worked intensely with all four prospects and liked the progression he saw.
“You have to be driven and find a way to take that next step and become a difference maker,” Lynch said after Ball State’s first fall practice. “It all starts with drive and then transitions into your mind.”
During practice, each quarterback rotates through drills with different groups of players. Lately, Mann’s been working with the starting group more often than other quarterbacks, a sign the coaching staff liked what it was seeing.
As the competition progressed, Lynch rewarded players who showed improvement by giving them more opportunities to showcase their talents.
Throughout the competition, the Ball State coaching staff kept constant communication with the quarterbacks, telling them daily where they each stood on the depth chart.
“One thing we really pride ourselves on is that our players always know where they stand,” Lembo said.
Mann has the most experience out of all potential signal-callers, although none of them have much involvement leading the team during games. Mann threw nine passes last season, Kamman threw one as a freshman, while Milas and Morrison have never attempted a pass in a collegiate game.
Mann spent last season as former Ball State quarterback and Baltimore Ravens draft pick Keith Wenning’s backup. Wenning started for four seasons for the Cardinals and set several school records, leaving big shoes for Mann to fill.
Kamman and Milas are currently listed as co-second string on the depth chart.
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