Scouting the MAC: Ball State
Unheralded Runner
Unheralded Runner

Posted Sep 1, 2002


For a while Ball State was the doormat of the Mid-American Conference even though bowl appearances were made in the early 90’s and players like Blaine Bishop came out of this program. The 2002 BSU squad could surprise and the Cardinals may well have the best little team you never heard of with the most overlooked running back in the nation.

Ball State Cardinals

We were incredibly impressed with Marcus Merriweather scouting him against Florida in 2000; he was one of the few rays of light for BSU that day in Gainesville. A terrific interior back with excellent power, Merriweather is a patient runner that waits for his blocks to develop, displays a little quickness through the hole and picks up a lot of yardage off initial contact. A nimble runner with adequate footwork he weaves his way through the traffic. Merriweather does have an upright style and cannot turn the corner or run to daylight but is the type of prospect a coach will take a liking to and could definitely make it as a cheap back-up/special teams player. Good pre-draft workouts will push Merriweather into the later frames, possibly higher. They offer a pair of tight ends with contrasting styles, both of whom will be signed as free agents. Jon Eckert is a big, powerful prospect that blocks with leverage and handles one-on-one assignments with ease, contolling opponents at the line of scrimmage. He gets movement from his run blocks and anchors in pass protection but is limited athletically, lacking both speed, explosion and is rarely involved in the passing offense. The same cannot be said for Tim Streit, a reliable and consistent pass catcher that makes the difficult reception in a crowd, displaying great focus and concentration. Streit’s speed is adequate but not good enough to overlook his lackluster blocking skills. as he has a tall thin build. Sean Schembra is a nice sized wide out that may get some looks in a camp.

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