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Monday, December 1, 2008
Birds of Prey
Central Indiana, IN
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By: Richard Torres
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Photo(s) By: BSU Athletic Communications
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Once an afterthought, Ball State football rose to gridiron prowess this season, thanks to a boost from several former central Indiana prep standouts.
Downtime isn’t a luxury most collegiate football players get the opportunity to savor.
All more the reason why Drew Duffin hopped in his car last October and trekked the 60-plus miles to catch his hometown Avon Orioles lock talons with Hoosier Crossroads Conference rival Zionsville at Eagles Stadium.
With Mid-American Conference power Ball State on a bye week and a free night available on his calendar, the Cardinals’ starting defensive tackle indulged in some nostalgia.
Back to where it all began.
“I caught the last regular season game,” the former Avon defensive lineman said. “I hadn’t seen a game since my freshman year when I got redshirted. It was nice going back, and we won, 10-7, so that was good, too.”
Able to visit some old friends, teachers and his former high school football coach Dave Shelbourne, Duffin referred to his spur-of-the-moment road trip as a refreshing chance for the memories of his Indiana all-state career to resurface under those all-too-familiar Friday night lights.
“The Indiana high school experience was fun,” the BSU senior said. “The good thing about Coach Shelbourne and everyone else at Avon is they don’t forget about their players.”
As a key contributor to Ball State’s historic football upswing this season, it’s easy to understand that logic.
Not since the days of five cent postage stamps and minimum wage rates of two bits have the Cardinals come close to matching their recent 21st century gridiron dominance.
Formerly an afterthought among the ranks of the collegiate elite, head coach Brady Hoke’s Cardinals have ventured into John Magnabosco and Ray Louthen territory. And along the way to mirroring those former Ball State coaches’ landmark seasons, a handful of notable former central Indiana players have powered the surge, leading to the program’s inaugural breach into the BCS rankings.
Behind, or rather in front of, record-setting quarterback Nate Davis has been Lawrence North graduate Michael Switzer, a sophomore starting left guard.
Center Grove product Ian McGarvey, Indiana’s Mr. Football Kicker of the Year in 2006, has excelled as the Cardinals’ starting placekicker and second-highest scoring player. Meanwhile Plainfield placekicker Jake Hogue has provided essential depth to BSU’s special teams unit.
“Having all these guys from central Indiana come together and be able to do something for this team this year is definitely special,” said Switzer, a finalist for Mr. Football Offensive Lineman as a senior for coach Tom Dilley’s Wildcats in 2006. “I knew they had something special here. That’s why I decided to come here.”
Finding Indiana representatives on the Cardinals’ roster hasn’t been much of an oddity through coach Hoke’s six seasons in Muncie. Cutting his teeth in east central Indiana as an offensive line and linebackers coach at Yorktown High School to open his 28-year career, Hoke admits ignoring the growing talent of Hoosier football would be a blatant miscalculation.
“I don’t think there’s any doubt that the high school coaches in this state work hard and have done a great job of really getting these guys ready,” the coach said. “Football in the state of Indiana is something that I think has gotten better and better through the years. Guys are into football in this state.”
And central Indiana players continue to garner attention from NCAA Division I programs: Warren Central senior running back Eric Williams verbally committed to Ball State; Avon senior defensive end Montez Robinson is in discussions with Auburn University; Cathedral offensive tackle Kyle Koehne committed to the University of Florida; and Carmel quarterback Morgan Newton is set for the University of Kentucky.
“That’s a credit to several coaches, the Dick Dullaghans (Ben Davis), Chris Geesmans (Penn), Jim Beldens (Carmel) and all those guys going back a few years,” Dilley said. “They really brought the game a long way. Football in Indiana is a lot better than it used to be, and central Indiana is always pretty strong.”
National recognition for power conferences in Indianapolis, such as the Metropolitan Interscholastic, has also helped pave the way as well. But it’s what you do after you get your foot in the door that matters most, Duffin added.
“The good thing is we’re putting Ball State on the map,” the two-time BSU letterman stressed. “That’s something I’ll always remember my entire life, and I’ll be proud of no matter what.” •
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