There are patches all over the Ball State football jerseys this year. The traditional Mid-American Conference patch. The 150th anniversary of college football patch. And for the second straight year, a distinguishing patch earned only by a few.
This patch, a white circle just above the Nike logo on the left shoulder, is emblazoned simply with two letters … TC.
They stand for "Tough Cardinal," and they are bestowed upon only a select group of nine. The nine who most exemplify Ball State's eight pillars of "tough" – discipline, effort, attitude, passion, competitive toughness, physical toughness, perseverance and influence on others.
Players are graded throughout the season and spring practice by head coach Mike Neu and his coordinators, throughout winter and summer workouts by BSU strength and conditioning coach Ben Armer and his staff. They earn points in all eight areas. Then at the beginning of fall camp each year, the nine are announced.
Even the Tough Cardinals are ranked among themselves. This year's crop includes, in order: OL Danny Pinter, LB Brandon Martin, LB Jacob White, WR Riley Miller, SAF Bryce Cosby, NT Chris Crumb, QB Drew Plitt, LB Christian Albright and WR Antwan Davis. Pinter sporting the "Tough Cardinal" patch as the team's top point earner for the second straight year.
"It's definitely something we take a lot of pride in," Martin said. "You work really hard, and to be recognized as one of those nine guys is really an honor. It's just a byproduct of being in the right frame of mind and operating the way you're supposed to."
The general idea was born early in Neu's tenure for the purpose of awarding highly coveted single-digit uniform numbers to the most-deserving players.
But guys like Pinter, the back-to-back No. 1 Tough Cardinal, can't wear a single digit because of their position. And some, like Miller and Crumb, just prefer the number they already have.
So last year the patch was instituted. And with it, a helmet sticker featuring the TC letters plus a number 1-9 identifying each guy's ranking. And one more prize for top dog Pinter – a recliner in the offensive line meeting room.
"Danny's earned that; he certainly takes pride in it," Neu said. "You see the guys who are on that list, and they all take pride in it. They want to be known as the guys that are the hardest workers, the guys that take care of business on and off the field."
And there's no shortage of players already working to snag the Tough Cardinal distinction next year. A handful have already been honored with single-digit status and are just waiting to break into that special group of nine. Guys right on the brink like fullback Cody Rudy or linebacker Jaylin Thomas, both of whom are in their second year with single-digit numbers.
"When you see guys wearing single-digit jerseys, you can rest assured they're the guys that are some of the hardest workers, taking care of business, accountable, all those things," Neu said. Cosby is one of five "Tough Cardinals" on the defensive side of the ball.
The Tough Cardinals will lead a Ball State team in search of a second straight home win Saturday when Conference USA's Florida Atlantic visits for Family Weekend at Scheumann Stadium.
FAU is 0-2 but faced one of the most daunting starts of any team in the country with matchups against No. 5 Ohio State and No. 18 UCF. The Owls are now in their third season under former Tennessee, USC and Oakland Raiders head coach Lane Kiffin.
The Cardinals are 1-1 after rolling to a 57-29 win last weekend over Fordham behind Plitt's 439-yard, six-touchdown passing performance.
The only previous matchup between Ball State and Florida Atlantic came in 2016, a tight Cardinals victory on the road in Boca Raton.
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