NLI SPORTS: Ball State defense dominates

Last season Ball State had one of the most ineffective pass rushes in the country, ranking 109th with just 17 sacks in 12 games. And in his first year as defensive coordinator for the Cardinal's, Tim Daoust isn't exactly sure where they went wrong.

"I don't know about the past and I've taken a lot of pride in that, that we just gave the kids a clean slate when they came in, asked them to do what we're asking them to do with discipline and coming in with a great attitude and great effort everyday, said Daoust.

But defensive end Anthony Winbush seems to have the answer.

"We just want it more," said Winbush, "We got the intensity, we're playing for each other, we're playing for Coach Neu, Coach Daoust, Coach McKenzie, and all the coached that believe in us so they say we can do it and we believe it."

Now in just three games Ball State is ranked 3rd in the nation in sacks and if you take a look at the stats from Saturday Anthony Winbush absolutely dominated the line of scrimmage.

"Before every play it was just trying to get to the quarterback and trying to help my team out to get to the W," Winbush says, "Once I get in, it's a mindset that I'm trying to get to the quarterback each time and go hard 100 percent of the time, and trying to just get to him and trying to make a play."

And while the team already has 14 sacks this season, Daoust still sees one specific area of the defense the team can improve upon.

"Well every week the big play has gotten us, so we got to make sure, I've always talked to the kids about optimal focus, don't see too much, don't be too narrow, what's the call, what's my job, what's the situation of the game, so they can cash in on all their work," says Daoust, "I know they have good intentions on every play but we're still humans and they lose their focus and all of a sudden we give up a big play, so I think if we just continuously take pride in the little things, play in and play out there's good things ahead of us, but there's a lot of season left."

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