If he does make a final trip, it means Ball State has reached the Mid-American Conference Championship Game on Dec. 6.
The senior quarterback said he couldn’t think of a better way to cap off his collegiate career.
“I want to see us make the MAC Championship and win a championship,” Wenning said at the MAC Media Day. “And get to a bowl game and win a bowl game, something that’s never been done at Ball State.”
Wenning has developed into one of the MAC’s top quarterbacks since becoming the starter during the 2010 season — his freshman year. He’s been named to MAC preseason teams and is on the watch lists for several national awards, which includes the Maxwell and Davey O’Brien awards.
He said he appreciates the accolades, but isn’t all that concerned with them.
“I try not to worry about all those awards,” Wenning said. “I’m just worried about myself getting better and my team getting better. Those are all great and I’m honored, but I take it for what it is and get better each week.”
Ball State coach Pete Lembo has been a factor in Wenning’s development. During Wenning’s first two seasons, most conversations with Lembo and offensive coordinator Rich Skrosky was him taking play calls. Now he’s become comfortable to suggest plays to call.
“He’s at a point where there’s a lot of good two-way communication,” Lembo said. “[During] his first two years, it was a lot of instruction, and he just wanted to please us. He’s now where he can give quality feedback from what he sees on the field.”
Wenning said becoming more comfortable in the system is a result of being able to see the whole field better.
“Going into the first year, I was more focused on what our 11 guys were doing,” he said. “Now, I read all 22 guys on the field and know what everyone is doing.”
He spent part of his summer break at Fitness Quest 10 in San Diego, Calif., to work on quarterback-specific workouts. He was able to work alongside former Super Bowl MVP Drew Brees.
This was all in preparations to finish off his senior season with a MAC Championship.
Wenning could find himself rewriting the Ball State record book in 2013, as well. He already holds program records for most passes attempted and passes completed. He’ll enter his senior season needing 1,979 yards and 17 touchdowns to pass Nate Davis for career passing yards and career touchdown passes in Ball State history.
The records won’t mean much to Wenning. He, and the rest of the team, wants a championship, especially after losing in last year’s Beef ‘O’ Brady’s Bowl.
“We walked away with a little bit of a void,” Lembo said. “But we want to get back and finish the job and make history at Ball State.”
