Ball State senior quarterback Keith Wenning finishes off one of the best careers in Mid-American Conference history Sunday night in the GoDaddy Bowl against Arkansas State.
Wenning (6-foot-3, 220 pounds) is sixth nationally in passing yards per game (327.8) and tied for sixth in touchdown passes (34). He is completing 65.2 percent of his passes and has thrown six interceptions. He should finish his career among the top three in MAC history in attempts and completions and among the top four in yards and TD passes.
Wenning is a four-year starter for the Cardinals (10-2) and is in his third season with coach Pete Lembo, who prefers a no-huddle, pro-style attack. That has proved a good fit for Wenning, who has 91 career TD passes.
In the past, Wenning trusted his strong arm a bit too much and forced some throws. Wenning has done a better job of decision-making each season: He threw 14 interceptions as a freshman in 2010, then 11 in 2011, 10 in '12 and just six this season.
Wenning's only FBS offers out of high school in Coldwater, Ohio, were from Air Force and Ball State. He has thrown for 300 yards in 10 games this season; in the two games he didn't get to 300, he threw nine TD passes and no picks. In fact, he has thrown only one interception in the past five games.
Wenning has been chosen to the play in the East-West Shrine Game but still technically has a shot at getting a Senior Bowl invitation. Regardless, he is going to get an NFL opportunity.
Other draft prospects to keep an eye on are Arkansas State defensive tackle Ryan Carrethers (6-2, 330), Ball State tight end Zane Fakes (6-3, 237), Ball State defensive end Jonathan Newsome (6-3, 236) and Ball State offensive tackle Matthew Page (6-6, 300). Carrethers is one of the most productive interior linemen in the nation; he has 87 tackles, eight tackles for loss and four sacks. He has made 155 tackles in the past two seasons.
One junior to watch is Ball State wide receiver Willie Snead (5-11, 193), who leads the MAC in receptions (97, tied for 11th nationally), receiving yards (1,429, fourth) and receiving TDs (14, tied for fifth).
Arkansas State (7-5) is making its third consecutive appearance in the GoDaddy.com Bowl, and all three will have come with interim coaches. The past three Red Wolves coaches have left before the bowl: Hugh Freeze to Ole Miss after the 2011 season, Gus Malzahn to Auburn following last season and Bryan Harsin to Boise State this season. The interim coach this season is the same as last season: defensive coordinator John Thompson.
Arkansas State already has hired Blake Anderson, who had been North Carolina's offensive coordinator, as its new coach.
Mike Huguenin can be reached at mike.huguenin@nfl.com. You also can follow him on Twitter @MikeHuguenin.
