Ball State University Athletics
Q&A Session with Football Coach Joey Lynch
March 01, 2011 | Football
Q: How does it feel to be in your third year as an assistant coach at Ball State?
A: Ball State is a special place to me and I am happy to have the opportunity to stay with Coach Lembo. I can't tell you how excited my family and I are to be here. My wife is a Ball State graduate as well and Muncie is home to us -- it is a special place. The coaches Coach Lembo brought in are good guys to work with and work for, I am excited about the opportunity.
Q: What are the challenges you will face coaching tight ends this season?
A: We have got to get bigger and stronger and it starts during the off season. As a group we talked about what we have got to do, we have played a lot of young kids here the last couple of years and they are not young anymore. It is time to grow up and it starts this off season and they are off to a good start.
Q: How has the transition been working with this new coaching staff?
A: It has been great. As soon as Coach Lembo arrived, he really immersed himself in what Ball State is all about and figuring out our strengths as a University. The coaches he has brought in have really bought into Ball State, it is not hard to do because it is a special place. It has been good, recruiting is finishing up here and it's been nice to get back into the office and do some football offense/defense stuff and get our plan of attack for the spring. The transition has been great.
Q: Which players are you expecting to step up this spring?
A: David Schneider and Zane Fakes are two guys over the last couple years that have played a lot of football for us at the tight end position. Both played as true freshmen, but it happens that both of them are injured for this spring. So they will be running around a little bit doing non-contact drills only. For the next four guys that haven't played a whole lot of football, it is a great opportunity for them. We have talked about that one man's disappointment is another man's opportunity. So they have got a chance to prove what they are all about this spring with some really good competition.
Q: Give a brief summary of what goes into the recruiting process?
A: It is all about building relationships. With the transition, we had to try to force a whole year of recruiting into a month. Naturally, we were able to hang onto some of the commitments we were able to get from last summer but we are on the 2012 class now and it's all about getting on the phone with their high school coaches and getting the kids here to campus and showing them what Ball State is all about. In the afternoons we are already getting on recruiting and trying to build those relationships for our future.
Q: What's the biggest difference between the offense we will run this year and the offense from last year?
A: We are going to be a no huddle team so we are going to be able to play at a different tempo. But just because you are a no huddle team doesn't mean you are a spread team. We are still going to be a multiple formation team with multiple personnel. The difference is how we are going to get lined up and the different paces we are going to play and I think the kids are really buying into that and are excited about something different. The past success Coach Lembo and his staff has had speaks for itself. The kids are excited about it and I am excited about it.
Q: You have a lot of ties to Ball State, first and foremost being an alum. Are you excited about the opportunity to continue your coaching career at Ball State?
A: There is no question I am excited. When I worked at other schools, you always have to be worried about two games. You are always worried about the game you are coaching in and as soon as that game is over then you are looking at the paper to see how Ball State played. It is nice to be here and just worry about one game and my family is excited to be back here.
