by Just like the offense, Ball State football welcomes new faces to the Cardinals’ defense in the 2025-26 season. One thing that did not change is the defensive coordinator position as Jeff Knowles returns under first-year head coach Mike Uremovich’s staff.
“When you have 50 new guys on the team, you want them to come together as quickly as possible,” Knowles said. “I think this [coaching] staff did a great job coming in and getting these guys on the same page and working together.”
Here is how the Cardinals will look on defense in the upcoming season.
Defensive Line
Possibly the strongest position throughout fall camp, the Cardinals’ defensive line saw multiple changes after the conclusion of last season. Both the tackle and edge positions saw players come and go.
Leading the group this season is first-year defensive line coach Adam Siwicki. Like other coaches on Ball State’s staff, he was with Uremovich when he took over at Butler University in 2022.
Siwicki said this group ‘knows what they’re doing’ and commended them on their effort throughout the last few months.
“They know what they’re doing, responsibility-wise, and that allows them to play fast and physically,” he said. “We preach physical play, high motor effort and finishing. They do a good job doing that.”
One new Cardinal, senior defensive end Nathan Voorhis, is a name that was mentioned heavily when he signed Jan. 15. The Stroudsburg, Pennsylvania native comes to Muncie after three seasons with UConn and Bryant. Last season, Voorhis had 47 tackles and five sacks.
“It starts with us up front,” Voorhis said. “If we do well, the rest of the defense will succeed … It makes everyone’s lives easier.”
Returning to Muncie this season is redshirt senior defensive tackle Drew Hughes. One of the longer-tenured Ball State players on the defensive side of the ball, he said Siwicki and the rest of the coaching staff have let the team use their skills to achieve success.
According to Hughes, the trust has gone a long way for the group.
“It starts in the meeting room and the way that [Siwicki] explains everything to us,” Hughes said. “You should never be satisfied with what you think you know. We’re constantly getting reps over and over. That’s been really beneficial [because] he lets us play at a high level during practice.”
Some other names mentioned by players and coaches include redshirt sophomore defensive tackle Darin Conley and redshirt freshman defensive tackle Ameir Glenn. Conley appeared in all 12 games last season, recording 16 tackles.
He said that as someone who has played Ball State football and has been around the program, he wants to be a leader on and off the field.
“I’m becoming a more vocal leader, but I also try to lead by example,” Conley said. “But that’s something that you want to see as you move from a role player spot.”
Secondary
Ball State’s secondary was an area that struggled in 2024, but with first-year defensive pass game coordinator and cornerbacks coach Ray Smith taking over, things are looking different ahead of the new year. Smith said he doesn’t drink any coffee, but his energy level is on another level.
Some Cardinals said he could jump in a game and make a play.
“That is me every day. As soon as I roll out of bed, I’m ready to go,” Smith said. “Last night, I went to bed and checked my watch [this morning], and it said I slept for six hours. That is way too long for me.”
Smith has been coaching for 19 years and was a former Mid-American Conference football player, as he attended Northern Illinois. He said he wants the Cardinals to be physical and ready to go after the ball.
“Every day, we work on ball drills with the whole secondary. We’re always working on those tools to get the ball,” Smith said. ”You have to emphasize [the areas] you want to emphasize. So we emphasize more takeaways [because] I want to take the ball away.”
The cornerback group features both young and experienced talent. When it comes to seasoned players, redshirt junior Roman Pearson is a name that has stood out. A transfer from Bucknell, he had 40 tackles, two interceptions and nine pass breakups in 2024.
Pearson was one Cardinal that multiple wide receivers said when asked who was the toughest defensive back on the roster.
“I’m not a guy who cares too much,” Pearson said. “But I definitely appreciate those guys because they’re trying every single time I go against them. They make me want to play hard for them.”
A few other names mentioned by the Cardinals’ receiving core included sophomores Willizhuan Yates and Eric McClain. Both played last season at Ball State and saw success with 41 combined tackles.
When it comes to the safety position, redshirt senior Michael Gravely Jr. is one of the more experienced Cardinals. He spent the 2024 season with Western Michigan after stints at the College of DePage and Michigan State.
The Cardinals will see other transfers at the safety position. Players like redshirt sophomores Avery Stuart (Kentucky transfer) and Derek “DJ” Fields will look for more action in the upcoming campaign.
The last position group in Ball State’s secondary is a unique group: the snipers’ unit. The position allows players to use their ability in the pass coverage game while also being able to play freely like a linebacker.
The group is coached by Jalen Moss, who was a three-year assistant coach under Uremovich at Butler.
Two of the snipers with the most experience are redshirt senior Muheem McCargo (Virginia Union transfer), redshirt junior Ashton Whitner (Old Dominion transfer) and redshirt senior Zavier Simpson. All will be names to watch as the group will attempt to be a jack of all trades for the Cardinals’ defense.
Linebackers
The last defensive unit for the 2025-26 Ball State roster is the linebacker core. Knowles — who also serves as the Cardinals’ linebacker coach — said this group is easy to coach.
“You can tell those guys have been playing college football for a few years, and they pick stuff up quickly,” Knowles said. “We can be multiple with them, which I don’t know if that’s always been the case … I feel like anything we throw at our front seven assignment-wise, they can handle it right now and they pick it up really fast.”
Two standouts from the group include redshirt seniors Jakcson Wiegold and Joey Stemler. Wiegold said this year’s group is hard-working and disciplined.
“They are guys who want to work regardless of the situation. It’s reassuring as an older guy who’s been here for a while and wants their last season to end with a bang to say,” Wiegold said. “They are the right guys who buy into that standard that the approach in such a short time.”
Another linebacker who looks to have a big year for the red and white is sophomore outside linebacker Sam Feeney. Though he had limited playing time in 2024 with six tackles, the former Bishop Chatard football player helped the Trojans go 15-0 and win the 2023 IHSAA State Championship game.
But Feeney is not the only Cardinal looking to improve. Redshirt junior outside linebacker Justin Thomas missed the entire 2024 season with a leg injury he suffered in the preseason. He said Knowles and other Ball State coaches helped him with his journey immensely.
“Rehab was tough last year. I was slated to play a lot, so it was kind of disappointing getting hurt,” Thomas said. ”It was my first injury ever in any sport, so it was kind of a hard challenge … But [the staff] stayed around and helped my process as well.”
Now fully healed, Thomas wants to redeem himself. Throughout fall camp, he said the unit and the defense as a whole have come together and are ready for the new season.
“I’d probably say the team this year’s a little bit closer than last year. Guys are hanging out all the time,” he said. “Summer’s a hard time to keep everybody together. We had a few hangouts at Ben Marsh’s house … Every position group was there, so this team definitely feels close.”
Contact Zach Carter via email at zachary.carter@bsu.edu, zachcarter039@gmail.com or via X @ZachCarter85.
