A MIRROR IMAGE
Ball State reminds Spartans coach Brennan a lot of his own team
When San Jose State coach Brent Brennan sees Ball State, it’s almost as if he’s looking in a mirror.
“The parallels between their last four years and our last four years are downright spooky,” Brennan said Wednesday.
Both teams had two-win seasons in 2017. Both teams went 5-7 last year. Both teams feature accurate quarterbacks, dynamic receivers and a conference defensive player of the year.
But only one team is getting love from the oddsmakers: San Jose State is favored to beat Ball State in the Arizona Bowl today by 10 points, up from an early line of 7 1/2.
For the Spartans, a victory would cap the most memorable season in
program history. Already ranked higher than at any point since the 1939 team set the program’s bar at No. 18, San Jose State, now ranked 19th, figures to eclipse that mark if it finishes the season 8- 0.
Here is how the Spartans can make that happen:
STOP THE RUN >> Ball State’s plan of attack is simple: run the heck out of the ball. The Cardinals average 45 rushing attempts per game, more than any team in the MidAmerican Conference. That’s saying something considering Buffalo features Jaret Patterson, who many believed should have received Heisman consideration.
Ball State will be without star running back Caleb Huntley, who missed half of the season because of an injury, then declared for the NFL draft before the conference championship game. But given how long Huntley has been out, the Cardinals have moved on to other options.
Tye Evans and Will Jones are now Ball State’s featured backs. In four games without Huntley, Evans and Jones have combined to average 104.8 rushing yards.
Ball State also likes to fold receiver Justin Hall, a first-team allMAC recipient, into the run game as well. Hall won’t touch the ball as much as Evans or Jones, but he’s a big-play threat, averaging 7.7 rushing yards per attempt.
The Spartans are plenty familiar with run-heavy teams. San Jose State’s first four opponents — Air Force, New Mexico, San Diego State and UNLV — averaged 42.5 rushing attempts. But Cade Hall, Viliami Fehoko and Co. limited those teams to 3.1 yards per carry.
DON’T ALLOW BALL STATE’S DEFENSE TO MAKE BIG PLAYS >> Numbers can be deceiving. Ball State is allowing 295.9 passing yards per game, the ninth-worst figure in the country. San Jose State averages 301.3 passing yards per game, the 20th-best in the country.
On paper, logic points to SJSU’s Nick Starkel airing it out as he did against Boise State in the Mountain West championship game. But it might not be that easy for San Jose State. Ball State’s secondary features a plethora of talent.
Antonio Phillips is a two-time all-MAC cornerback. Safety Bryce Cosby was a first-team all-MAC recipient. Cornerback Amechi Uzodinma II was tied for the conference lead in interceptions last season.
Ball State also features several hard-hitting linebackers in Brandon Martin (co- defensive player of the year), Anthon Ekpe (first-team all-MAC), Jaylin Thomas (twotime all-conference) and Christian Albright (two-time all-conference).
Ball State’s defense also has a penchant for making the big play. Against Toledo, linebacker Anthony Ekpe came up with a gameclinching strip- sack in the final minute.
“Both corners can run and have length,” Brennan said. “They’re bigger than we’re used to seeing. Then also, both safeties are athletic and have range.”
CONTAIN THE PLAYMAKERS >> Another similarity that Ball State has to San Jose State: receivers.
Ball State features an experienced wideout trio in Justin Hall (three-time all-MAC), Yo’Heinz Tyler (third-team all-MAC) and Antwan Davis.
San Jose State will have its hands full trying to contain the speedy Hall, who can make big plays in a variety of ways. In addition to his role in the run game, Hall leads Ball State in receptions (49) and receiving yards (665). He was also named a first-team allMAC kickoff return specialist, averaging 24.6 yards per return.
Captaining the offense is quarterback Drew Plitt, who ranks third in the conference in completion percentage (65.8) and passing yards per game (278.1).
“I compare it a little bit to playing somebody like Boise, who has a really good run game and a really good quarterback and a really good pass game,” Brennan said. LATE- GAME EXECUTION >> Continuing on with the similarities, one of the reasons that Ball State improved this season was its play late in games.
Last season, the Cardinals, as with the Spartans, finished 5-7 but would have qualified for a bowl game if not for an inability to execute late in games. This year, Ball State is finishing the job. Of Ball State’s six wins, five have been decided by 10 points or fewer, and four have been by one possession.
Against Western Michigan — the game that infamously ended with 15 laterals and players storming the field mid-play — Ball State scored 17 unanswered points in the fourth quarter to come back from a two-touchdown deficit.
San Jose State has been equally adept in crunch time. Every win has been decided by double figures, but that’s been due to the Spartans’ ability to execute late.
Against Nevada, San Jose State entered the break down 13 points but scored 23 unanswered points in the second half to advance to the Mountain West title game.