Ball State Cardinals College Football Pregame Quote, 08/25/2025

[The team] had a great camp. I am really excited about where we’re at. Much of our young guys have improved a lot, especially some of the freshmen that got here in January, being able to relearn everything over the summer and then getting another installment in fall camp. Obviously, the guys are excited for game week. The coaches are excited. Everybody in the building is excited to go play. You put in all this work and you get 12 sacred Saturdays, so we’re going to do everything we can to be ready to go.

Q: The first game for you as Ball State’s coach is coming at your alma mater. How unique of a situation is that?

A: It’s unique. I mean, my son’s a freshman there, so, it is something we’ve talked about a little bit. But honestly, once you get in there and get ready for warm ups, a game’s a game, and you focus on the game.

Q: With this being week one, do you approach it differently than any other week?

A: The only difference is [Purdue] doesn’t know who’s going to start for us, and they’re not releasing it too deep, so we’re not going to know theirs either. Offensively, they are a bigger question mark for us because the offensive coordinator wasn’t with them, and they’ve got some different guys on their staff, so we’ll have to figure out how they’re going to try to attack us. And, honestly, in the first game of the year you’re feeling yourself out anyways, because you don’t know what things have changed. I know that they’re watching all the Butler film they can watch on us offensively, but we’re going to do some things we did it at Butler, and some things we’re not because our personnel is different here. So, week one of every season is kind of unique.

Q: What’s the atmosphere in that locker room like, knowing in just a few days you’re doing this for real?

A: It’s exciting. Guys are stopping by just to talk about cut ups we send them to watch, and they’re all excited to play. They should be. They worked really hard, and our guys are excited to go play and show all the work they’ve put in.

Q: What do you feel has been the team’s biggest accomplishment or biggest area of growth?

A: I’m really proud of the way the players and coaches have come together toward a common goal and go in the same direction. It’s a challenge because you have all those transfers come in, you’ve got new staff come in, and in May we had a bunch of other players come in. It doesn’t always come together like you want it to, but it came together really fast here this summer. The guys are all working together. I see starters helping backups, and I see older guys teaching younger guys, so that’s been fun to watch.

Q: How have you seen Kiael [Kelly] progress through camp and up to this preparation in week one?

A: He was a great leader when we got here, and he’s just getting more and more comfortable with the offense. You’ve got to remember, he hasn’t played quarterback in a long time, so sitting back there and going through your progression and making the throws and getting us in the right play is not easy. He did a nice job in the spring, but he really looks a lot more comfortable right now.