Ball State quarterback Riley Neal's turnover struggles
By Evan Sidery / November 9, 2015There have been 12 quarterbacks who have played for the Ball State football team since the new millennium; six of them have been freshman starters.
There have been 12 quarterbacks who have played for the Ball State football team since the new millennium; six of them have been freshman starters.
Since the Homecoming game against Toledo, Ball State's offense has slowed down its production. During that timeframe, the team has dropped four games and has struggled moving the ball in its sole win over the University of Massachusetts on Halloween day.
Ball State fans are used to watching their quarterback, Riley Neal, on Saturday afternoons at Scheumann Stadium. Whether he’s breaking freshman passing records or carving up defenses with his feet, Neal has quickly become a fan favorite. But this Saturday, the Cardinal faithful have a chance to see another member of the Neal family shine in a different sport.
Ball State officially lost postseason bowl eligibility after suffering a 54-7 loss to Western Michigan on Thursday. It's the second consecutive season that the Cardinals won't compete in the postseason. The Broncos gained 711 yards on the Cardinals, including 300-plus yard performances through the air and on the ground.
Ball State won the toss and deferred, then committed a facemask penalty on the ensuing kickoff. Western Michigan got the ball at their own 29-yard line to start the game.
Ball State will travel to Western Michigan University in a must-win game if it hopes to keep its bowl eligibility alive.
When used properly, Ball State has one of the best 1-2 combos at the running back position in the Mid-American Conference.
Ball State running back and kick returner Darian Green was named the MAC West special teams player of the week. Green was awarded the accolade after returning the second half opening kick off 85 yards to start the offense at UMASS' 15 yard line.
Offensive production was no issue during Ball State's 20-10 win over the University of Massachusetts Oct. 31, especially from the wide receiving core.
Ball State football put together a solid defensive performance against UMass, allowing 259 yards through the air and 189 yards on the ground, with only allowed 10 points.
Halloween's 24-10 win over the University of Massachusetts gave Ball State its most complete game since September’s loss at Northwestern. The offense put together a combination of production through the air and on the ground, while the defense held the opposition to just 10 points.
First Quarter The Minutemen started off their drive with a 20-yard pass to Tajae Sharp.
On Halloween, the Ball State Cardinals will face off against a wide receiver with a proven history against them. University of Massachusetts senior wide receiver Tajae Sharpe had a career day against Ball State last season, hauling in 13 grabs for 239 yards.
Ball State Secondary vs. Blake Frohnhapfel Ball State: The past three weeks, the secondary has allowed opposing quarterbacks completion percentage to ballon up to 82.8 percent.
Another former Ball State football player has found a home with the Indianapolis Colts. The Colts announced today they have signed safety Sean Baker to the practice squad.
If there was one problematic area for Ball State on a week-by-week basis, it is the inconsistency of the secondary in pass coverage.
Ball State football will officially not have senior defensive tackle Darnell Smith back in the lineup for the rest of the season. It has been announced that the senior defensive tackle will be redshirted this season.
In Oct. 26's Nation Football League action the Indianapolis Colts faced off against the New Orleans Saints in a matchup that had two former Cardinals on the same field for the first time since playing at Ball State.
The Achilles' heel for Ball State thus far has been the inconsistency of the defense. This season, the Cardinals are allowing 484 yards per game to opposing offenses, which ranks 11th in the Mid-American Conference.
Today’s weather provided a significant advantage for whichever team was playing with Scheumann Stadium’s westbound wind at their backs in the Cardinals’ 23-21 loss to Central Michigan. Head coach Pete Lembo said it's something his team practices with.
