The Sports Xchange
NCAAF Team Report – Ball State – INSIDE SLANT
Cardinals will play season finale without QB Wenning
If anything could cause a fan base to hold its collective breath a few weeks before the bowl season, it’s an injury to its team’s star quarterback.
That’s where Ball State is during the final week of the regular season.
The Cardinals will play Nov. 23 at Miami without junior Keith Wenning. He sustained an ankle injury while catching a 17-yard pass from wide receiver Jamill Smith on Nov. 14 against Ohio.
Cardinals coach Pete Lembo said the injury involves a bone fragment.
“It’s on the outer part of the ankle,” Lembo said. “There’s a little, I don’t know if they’re calling it a chip on the bone, but they just don’t want it to dislodge.”
Wenning is expected to remain in a walking boot until Nov. 29 or so.
The Cardinals are expecting to receive a bowl bid, and the first opportunity for a MAC school will be Dec. 15. Lembo said he expects Wenning to be ready if the Cardinals play then.
“Obviously, we have to see how his rehab goes, but from everything I’m being told by our sports medicine team, he should be ready,” Lembo said.
Wenning is among the top quarterbacks in the Mid-American Conference this season. He has completed 279-of-426 passes (65.5 percent) for 2,878 yards, with 22 touchdowns and 10 interceptions.
He is Ball State’s all-time leader in pass completions with 694 and ranks second in yards with 7,037.
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NCAAF Team Report – Ball State – NOTES, QUOTES
Ball State rides five-game winning streak into Miami game
–Ball State won its fifth consecutive game Nov. 14 when it smashed Ohio 52-27. The winning streak is the third-longest in-season string of victories the Cardinals have had since the 1989 season.
–QB Keith Wenning will not play in the Cardinals’ final regular-season game against Miami on Nov. 23. Wenning sustained an ankle injury against Ohio in the first half and missed the rest of the game. He is in a walking boot until Nov. 29 or so but should be ready to play in a bowl game.
–Ball State senior P Scott Kovanda was selected as one of three finalists for the Ray Guy Award as the top punter in the nation. The winner will be announced Dec. 6.
SERIES HISTORY: Miami leads Ball State, 16-10-1 (last meeting, 2008, Ball State won, 31-16).
SCOUTING THE OFFENSE: Ball State coach Pete Lembo says not much will change in the offense with QB Kelly Page starting in place of injured Keith Wenning. But the Cardinals probably will become more of a running team. TBs Jahwan Edwards and Horactio Banks both rushed for more than 130 yards Nov. 14 against Ohio. Page played a little more than two quarters in that game and passed only seven times.
SCOUTING THE DEFENSE: Coach Pete Lembo called his team’s performance on defense against Ohio “a mixed bag.” The Cardinals have been much improved defensively since the midway point of the season in several areas, but they allowed 483 yards and gave up 8-of-17 third-down conversions against the Bobcats.
QUOTE TO NOTE: “In terms of formulating a gameplan … you know that Kelly’s the guy now, and you can spend extra time on that in practice this week.” — Coach Pete Lembo of Ball State, on moving forward with Kelly Page as the starting quarterback for the final regular-season game.
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NCAAF Team Report – Ball State – STRATEGY AND PERSONNEL
THIS WEEK’S GAME: Ball State at Miami, Nov. 23 — The Cardinals will wrap up the regular season and are trying to claim their ninth victory. Their eight victories are tied for second most in a season since 1978.
KEYS TO THE GAME: Ball State probably will try to play more of a ball-possession game against Miami. The Cardinals typically are a no-huddle, fast-paced team with the ball. But QB Keith Wenning will not play because of an ankle injury, so the Cardinals are likely to lean heavily on their running game to move the ball and take time off the clock.
PLAYERS TO WATCH
QB Kelly Page — The senior backup saw his first action of the season when he came on to replace injured QB Keith Wenning in the opening half Nov. 14 against Ohio. Page rushed for a touchdown on his first play from scrimmage and added two touchdown passes in the second half to spark the Cardinals’ 52-27 rout. Ball State had 31 points and 333 yards of offense while Page played in the second half.
TBs Jahwan Edwards, Horactio Banks — They dominated against Ohio. Edwards ran for 169 yards, with a long run of 68. Banks had 135 yards, with a long of 40.
TE Zane Fakes — The junior continues to be a strong weapon in the passing game for the Cardinals. He caught a team-high seven passes for 58 yards and two touchdowns against Ohio.
ROSTER REPORT
–QB Keith Wenning won’t play Nov. 23 in Ball State’s final regular-season game at Miami. He sustained an ankle injury Nov. 14 against Ohio and is in a walking boot until about Nov. 29. He is expected to recover in time for a bowl game.
–Other injuries will cause Cardinal players to sit out the final. G Jordan Hansel (ankle) and S Brian Jones (ankle) also are out. WR Jamill Smith might not play because of a sprained foot.
–Junior WR Jack Tomlinson announced on craigslist.org recently that he plans to transfer at the end of Ball State’s fall semester Dec. 17. His plans were revealed when he posted on the Web site that he was looking for someone to sub-lease his room.
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