Ultimate competitor.
Gamer.
Leader.
Winner.
All words used to describe Ball State football’s QB1, before and during the 2024 campaign.
Kadin Semonza has only won twice in his six starts as the Cardinals’ gunslinger, but he has proved the rest of the above adjectives to be true so far.
In the first Mid-American Conference (MAC) game of Kadin Semonza’s young tenure with Ball State last Saturday against Central Michigan, the California native looked more comfortable than ever. He finished the game with 285 passing yards and three passing touchdowns on 75 percent completion, but his final true offensive drive of the game proved his potential more than any other.
Semonza was tasked with leading Ball State’s offense 97 yards down the field with less than two minutes left on the clock as the Cardinals’ trailed the Chippewas 30-27. Less than 90 seconds later, Semonza found junior tight end Tanner Koziol for a 16-yard touchdown to give Ball State the lead.
“He was so calm and cool, he did a great job of operating the show,” head coach Mike Neu said.
Although the Cardinals’ defense coughed up the 34-30 lead Semonza previously helped Ball State secure, this drive may have provided a glimpse into the future of the Cardinals’ offense for years to come. Koziol seems to think so as well.
“He just surprises me more and more every time he's out there,” Koziol said. “I know he's a great quarterback, but … I remember seeing the ball on its way to me, and I was like, ‘None of them can touch this.’”
Koziol has only felt this way playing alongside a select few quarterbacks, the most notable of which being high school teammate J.J. McCarthy. McCarthy, who was recently a first round NFL draft pick by the Minnesota Vikings, led the Michigan Wolverines to a National Championship in 2023, less than five years after McCarthy made a name for himself throwing to Koziol at Nazareth Academy in Illinois.
The tight end feels like not only do the two quarterbacks have similar play styles, but they match each other’s “swag,” too. Koziol has now emerged as Semonza’s favorite target, compiling 31 receptions and 247 yards in the games Semonza has started at quarterback.
Semonza is one of four gunslingers Koziol has caught passes from at Ball State, but it’s apparent that Ball State’s current QB1 and TE1 have next-level chemistry. The two have often talked about their golf outings and their shared film sessions, helping build their bond on and off the field.
Even when Semonza was benched after Week 4 last season to take a redshirt, their friendship remained strong.
“He was on the sidelines watching the MAC games last year, and it was killing him,” Koziol said. “He knew that he could dominate this conference.”
And Koziol knew Semonza could, too. Time will tell, but Semonza is currently performing as one of the best quarterbacks in the MAC.
Through the first four weeks of the season, Semonza not only leads the quarterbacks in completion percentage, but he also ranks in the top five for touchdowns, average yards per game, and efficiency. He and the Cardinals are set for a tough test against James Madison this Saturday in Harrisonburg, Virginia, but Koziol and Neu both feel strongly that Semonza is the right person to lead Ball State through any adversity.
“He's very smart. He moves around the pocket, he creates extra space,” Koziol said. “Playing with him is the most fun I've ever had playing football, because the game is so much more alive. If you're open, he's gonna find you.”
Contact Kyle Smedley via email at kmsmedley213@gmail.com or via X @KyleSmedley_.
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