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Athlon Sports
Ball State Football: 2024 Cardinals Season Preview and Prediction
By Athlon Sports,
20 days ago
There are a lot of question marks on the defense, which was the strength of last year’s team. Defensive coordinator Jeff Knowles will need to find answers at multiple positions if Ball State wants to earn head coach Mike Neu his third bowl invitation in five years. Offensively, a lot will be riding on the quarterback position and whether or not freshman Kadin Semonza is ready for the job.
An offense that ranked No. 122 in scoring last season at 18.3 points per game needs a jolt, and the Cardinals hope it will come from a revived passing offense led by a redshirt freshman. Quarterback Kadin Semonza played in four games last season and had some ups and downs before the coaching staff decided to redshirt him. Kiael Kelly finished out the season and won three of his final five starts, but Kelly had more rushing attempts than passing attempts, and the Cardinals want to get back into a pass-oriented attack. Kelly transferred in the spring.
Ty Robinson was projected to be the top pass-catcher last season, but he was injured in the second game at Georgia and never returned. He’s back in 2024. Leading returning receiver Qian Magwood (41 catches, 358 yards, one TD) will man the slot, and FCS Eastern Illinois transfer Justin Bowick will be the second outside receiver with Robinson. Tight end Tanner Koziol, a third-team freshman All-American in 2022, is another key target.
At running back, 1,000-yard rusher Marquez Cooper entered the transfer portal in February, leaving what looks like a three-man committee in the rushing attack. The offensive line has both starting guards back in Taran Tyo and Jon Mucciolo, Ethan Crowe is an awards candidate at center and Cole Mosier saw playing time all over the line last year.
Tight end Tanner Koziol has been a productive receiver for Ball State with 10 touchdown receptions over the last two seasons.
Jordan Prather&solUSA TODAY Sports
Previewing Ball State’s Defense for 2024
A unit that held its final six opponents to just 16.7 points per game is being completely rebuilt by new defensive coordinator Jeff Knowles, especially along the defensive line, where all four starters are gone. The staff is high on rush end Brandon Berger, and Justin Thomas is another disruptive pass-rusher.
Linebacker Keionté Newson will quarterback the unit again after leading the team with 81 tackles. Sniper linebacker George Udo, a graduate transfer from Cincinnati, should be an impact newcomer, and Joey Stemler saw a lot of snaps in a reserve role in 2023.
Experienced corners Jahmad Harmon and Thailand Baldwin are both back, while the safety position will need to be rebuilt.
Ball State head coach Mike Neu seeks to bring his team back to a bowl game after back-to-back postseason appearances in 2020 and ’21. The team finished at No. 23 in the AP and Coaches polls in ’20.
Jordan Kartholl&solThe Star Press&solUSA Today Network
Previewing Ball State’s Specialists for 2024
Punter Lucas Borrow, who earned third-team All-MAC honors, has transferred, leaving a hole to fill. Placekicker Jackson Courville is back. He was 15-for-17 inside 50 yards with a long of 48, but he missed all four attempts beyond 50.
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