The last time Ball State opened the season at Scheumann Stadium was in 2010 against Southeast Missouri State when Stan Parish patrolled the sidelines.
Two years later, the Cardinals will do the same, only with a new man in charge. One who has become an icon at this university.
As coach Pete Lembo gears up for his second season at the helm, Cardinals fans seem to be in an upbeat mood.
Lembo has created a positive atmosphere, one that we haven't seen much of over the few seasons.
The Cardinals amassed a pitiful six wins in 24 games prior to Lembo's arrival in 2011. Lembo has brought optimism and hope instead of agony and distress.
After inheriting a team that was in complete shambles, Lembo has built a steady foundation for this program.
It started by ridding the vast majority of the remaining incompetent coaches from Parrish's staff. Then, the focus shifted to reshaping a team that desperately needed new leadership.
Lembo engineered the Cardinals to a 6-6 mark last season, and of all 24 coaching changes at the Division I level in 2010, Lembo tied for the 12th best record in his first season at Ball State.
Most notably, Lembo was able to lead the Mid-American Conference's worst defense to a .500 mark. That's impressive, considering the defense gave up 510.3 yards per game last season.
The improvement in the win-loss column led to a considerable jump on the stat sheet for the Cardinals' offense compared to years prior.
In 2010, the Cardinals were ninth in total offense in the MAC, averaging a bleak 305.8 yards per game.
With a couple of tweaks and pulls, Lembo mended this problem. Last season, the Cardinals' offense made a dramatic leap in yards per game, averaging 379.4, seventh best in the conference.
I'm not saying these statistics jump out at you. They certainly aren't those of USC, Alabama or Oregon, but it boils down to scoring more points than your opponent.
That's what Lembo and offensive coordinator Rich Skrosky, are trying to accomplish.
What makes Lembo appealing is his personal image. He's branded himself as a spokesperson and is a powerful voice for this program.
Lembo knows how to talk. Heck, the guy is a public relations machine. He'll feed people what they want to hear.
Beyond what Lembo's been able to accomplish on the field, he's made a big impact around the entire university.
Lembo sends out mass emails, serving as an inside look at what's happening with the team. Recently, he joined the Twitter world, where he strives to connect with the student body.
He was the one who pushed for the newly built digital information board on McKinley Avenue, across from LaFollette, which promotes the program as well as other sports, to further reach out to the student body.
Tonight, as fans file into Scheumann Stadium, they should consider how valuable Lembo is and appreciate what he's accomplished thus far because soon enough, he could be on his way to bigger and better things.
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