Ball State - Statistics
Third down conversions - 51-123
Fourth down conversions - 9-12
Field goal attempts-makes - 12-16
Red zone scores - 25-30
Red zone touchdowns - 13-30
Point after attempts - 20-21
The Ball State's football team ranks in the nation's top 10 in two statistical categories, but head coach Pete Lembo wants to change those statistics.
The Cardinals are tied for sixth in the nation with 12 field goals made, and their 16 field goal attempts is tied for seventh, despite the efficiency of freshman kicker Morgan Hagee this season, who is particularly effective within the 30-yard line. Part of Ball State's problem is its inability to move the ball while in the red zone.
During Lembo's press conference on Oct. 20, he emphasized the need to put six points on the board instead of three.
“I wish [the field goal attempts] were lower,” Lembo said. “We gotta get more touchdowns in the red zone.”
Hagee was 2-for-2 on field goals in the loss to Georgia State Oct. 17. After putting up 41 points against Northern Illinois, the Cardinals' offense sputtered against the Panthers, a team with only two wins over Football Bowl Subdivision wins in program history.
Inconsistency in the red zone has been the culprit of Ball State's lack of production. The offense ranks 94th in the country with a 34.0 offense efficiency rating, which is based on a unit's point contributions to the team's scoring margin on a per play basis. The one to 100 scale is also adjusted for strength of schedule and "garbage time" production (a team's win probability).
The Cardinals have scored touchdowns on 13 of their 30 red zone appearances this season. Lembo understands that needs to change in order to get the team back on the winning track.
“We've been a little bit more aggressive trying to go for it and stay on the field knowing we're gonna need touchdowns,” Lembo said. “There's tough yards to be had once we're down there, but that's no excuse.”
Scoring in the red zone becomes tougher because the offense and defense are both inside the 20-yard line. Space becomes tighter, and there is less space for offenses to run their playbook.
While it's nice to put points on the board, the risk of turning the ball over in pursuit of a touchdown can be greater than settling for three points. Ball State is scheduled to face off against three of the Mid-American Conference's top five scoring offenses in the next five weeks.
Only five games remain, and four wins are needed for bowl eligibility. The offense has little time to figure out how to get in the end zone. Lembo is working with his team's red zone offense so it can rely on Hagee's leg for extra points instead of field goals.
“[Moving the ball in the red zone] has definitely been a point of emphasis,” Lembo said. “We've done more of it in practice.”
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