by MUNCIE, Ind — The first week of fall practice for Ball State football is officially in the books as the Cardinals have been on the field the last three days.
“[Friday] was the first real practice we had,” first-year Cardinals’ head coach Mike Uremovich said. “It was fun to see guys on both sides of the ball compete.”
Here are some notes and takeaways from the week.
Defensive success
While both sides of the ball will feature new names in 2025, the Cardinals seemed to be adjusting to the new schemes and units decently. The defense as a whole made multiple plays throughout the week, bringing praise from Uremovich after Friday’s practice.
“Our defensive line is our most improved unit we’ve had since we got here,” he said.
The secondary recorded two interceptions on Wednesday and Thursday, and the defensive line also forced a pick. Senior defensive end and recent transfer Nathan Voorhis said it makes things ‘much easier’ when the men up front can rely on their teammates in the secondary.
“If I know they’re going to make a play, I can just focus on what I have to do,” Voorhis said. “We don’t have to worry about coming around the edge and [wondering] if that ball is going to be out. [Because of that trust], it doesn’t matter what I do.”
Ball State defensive coordinator Jeff Knowles said the Cardinals have harped on pass breakups and tight coverage. He said he was excited to see how the group responded during the first few practices.
“Guys are using their vision and breaking on the ball. They have taken to it and are attacking the football,” Knowles said. “We’re seeing some guys who can get flashy, but we still have some stuff to clean up, no doubt. But we’re very pleased with that.”
Inconsistent offense
The Cardinals’ ground game was in full force in week one of fall camp. On Friday, this area was heavily relied on during 11-on-11 play. Ball State senior QB1 Kiael Kelly and running backs like sophomore TJ Horton showed off their speed on multiple plays.
“You had some good stuff and bad stuff [on offense],” Uremovich said. “We’ve got to play with an even demeanor and execute. You’re going to get beat once or twice, but we can’t go the wrong way.”
However, the offensive line plays a big role in that department. With the line being one of the many Ball State units with so many new names, Uremovich said that area as well as the tight end group are the ones that will require reps and more time to mesh together.
“A lot of tight ends and linemen came in May,” he said. “We’ve added depth there and created a lot of competition. It starts with running the ball and stopping the run. That’s how you win in the MAC (Mid-American Conference).”
The pass game was an area that was up and down throughout the week. The three interceptions mentioned — two were tipped and picked off while one came on an overthrow from Kelly — did not help momentum-wise for the group. However, there were other positive notes as Kelly and redshirt junior Walter Taylor III each found some rhythm on certain plays.
“[The quarterbacks and receivers] have done a nice job,” Uremovich said. “They worked really hard this summer. They’ve improved.”
Kelly believes the offense can do some damage on the field based on his first impressions.
“This offense can be really good,” he said. “It really goes as far as we take it. We can’t beat ourselves, and if we take care of the little things … then we’ll be good.”
Contact Zach Carter via email at zachary.carter@bsu.edu, zachcarter039@gmail.com or via X @ZachCarter85.
