FOOTBALL: Running game excels without MiQuale Lewis
Quartet combines for 2007 season high 274 rushing yards
Levin Black
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Playing without MiQuale Lewis for the first time in 2007, the Ball State University football team rushed for a season-high 274 yards in the 49-14 victory against the University at Buffalo Saturday.
In four games Lewis was averaging more than 110 yards a game with a 4.9 average per carry. The sophomore had two touchdowns before tearing his anterior cruciate ligament against the University of Nebraska last week.
With Lewis being lost for the season, freshman Frank Edmonds inherited the starting running back job. Edmonds quickly eliminated worries that the running game might struggle to gain traction against Buffalo. On the Cardinals' first offensive play, Edmonds ran to the right through a big hole opened up by the line before eventually being brought down for a 38-yard gain. Edmonds also capped off the opening drive with a one-yard touchdown run, the first of his career.
He continued picking up yards throughout the game and finished the day with 124 with two touchdowns.
"It wasn't an individual effort; it was a team effort," Edmonds said. "The linemen did great. We all decided we needed to step it up this week because of Quale's injury."
Despite Edmonds' average of 5.2 yards per rushing attempt against Buffalo, coach Brady Hoke said his new starting running back still has room for improvement.
"I think he ran like a freshman at times, and other times he didn't," Hoke said. "He did a good job advancing the ball out of the backfield ... I just think he needs to play with his pads a little lower at times and accelerate through some spaces that are in there."
Edmonds didn't disagree with Hoke's assessment.
"He just means I got to run harder every play," Edmonds said. "Don't take any plays off."
Edmonds wasn't the only player to gain big yards on the ground against Buffalo. Koreen Burch, who entered the day as Ball State's third-string running back, was second on the team with 62 yards on nine carries coming mostly in the late stages of the game.
In four games Lewis was averaging more than 110 yards a game with a 4.9 average per carry. The sophomore had two touchdowns before tearing his anterior cruciate ligament against the University of Nebraska last week.
With Lewis being lost for the season, freshman Frank Edmonds inherited the starting running back job. Edmonds quickly eliminated worries that the running game might struggle to gain traction against Buffalo. On the Cardinals' first offensive play, Edmonds ran to the right through a big hole opened up by the line before eventually being brought down for a 38-yard gain. Edmonds also capped off the opening drive with a one-yard touchdown run, the first of his career.
He continued picking up yards throughout the game and finished the day with 124 with two touchdowns.
"It wasn't an individual effort; it was a team effort," Edmonds said. "The linemen did great. We all decided we needed to step it up this week because of Quale's injury."
Despite Edmonds' average of 5.2 yards per rushing attempt against Buffalo, coach Brady Hoke said his new starting running back still has room for improvement.
"I think he ran like a freshman at times, and other times he didn't," Hoke said. "He did a good job advancing the ball out of the backfield ... I just think he needs to play with his pads a little lower at times and accelerate through some spaces that are in there."
Edmonds didn't disagree with Hoke's assessment.
"He just means I got to run harder every play," Edmonds said. "Don't take any plays off."
Edmonds wasn't the only player to gain big yards on the ground against Buffalo. Koreen Burch, who entered the day as Ball State's third-string running back, was second on the team with 62 yards on nine carries coming mostly in the late stages of the game.
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