Ball State University Athletics
Houston and Stewart Lead Seven Ball State Players on All-MAC Football Teams
November 29, 2023 | Football
MUNCIE, lnd. – Seven Ball State football players earned all-conference recognition by the Mid-American Conference on Wednesday, headed by offensive tackle Corey Stewart and defensive lineman Sidney Houston, Jr., who both earned distinction as first-team honorees.
Second-team selections were running back Marquez Cooper and linebacker Cole Pearce. Third-team picks were offensive tackle Damon Kaylor, tight end Tanner Koziol and punter Lucas Borrow.
Stewart, a 6-foot-6, 303-pound left tackle from Nashville was an offensive team captain in all 12 games for the Cardinals while continuing a string of 28 consecutive starts. Just a junior, he was a lead blocker for a pair of 1,000-yard runners the past two seasons and was Ball State's highest graded offensive lineman. Pro Football Focus graded him with a 98 percent pass block efficiency.
Houston, a senior from the St. Louis area, emerged as one of the MAC's top pass rushers while leading Ball State and the MAC with 17 tackles for loss. His eight sacks were fourth in the MAC, helping disrupt opponent offenses and leading Ball State to rank as the MAC's No. 2 team in total defense.
Cooper, an All-MAC first-teamer last year, ran for 1,043 yards to register his third straight season over 1,000 yards. He was fourth in the MAC with 86.9 yards per game and will enter his senior campaign in 2024 as the nation's second-leading rusher with 3,856 career rush yards.
A former walk-on, Pearce teamed with Houston to help Ball State finish fourth in the MAC in tackles for loss. He was second on the team with 78 tackles, 10 TFL and 3.5 sacks. His 10 TFL tied for 10th in the MAC.
Kaylor started opposite Stewart in every game at right tackle, finishing his senior campaign with a team-high 35 career starts. He started at four of five offensive line positions over the course of his career and Pro Football Focus graded him with a 96.4 percent pass block efficiency. He lasted the duration of the 2023 season without a single penalty.
Koziol, only a sophomore, was the Cardinals' top receiving target and paced Ball State with three touchdown receptions among 34 catches. He was a third-team Freshman All-America in 2022.
Borrow finished his junior season with a career-high punting average of 41.8 yards per kick to rank sixth in the MAC. He spiraled nine kicks for 50 yards or more and he finished second in the MAC with 22 punts downed inside the 20-yard line.
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Second-team selections were running back Marquez Cooper and linebacker Cole Pearce. Third-team picks were offensive tackle Damon Kaylor, tight end Tanner Koziol and punter Lucas Borrow.
Stewart, a 6-foot-6, 303-pound left tackle from Nashville was an offensive team captain in all 12 games for the Cardinals while continuing a string of 28 consecutive starts. Just a junior, he was a lead blocker for a pair of 1,000-yard runners the past two seasons and was Ball State's highest graded offensive lineman. Pro Football Focus graded him with a 98 percent pass block efficiency.
Houston, a senior from the St. Louis area, emerged as one of the MAC's top pass rushers while leading Ball State and the MAC with 17 tackles for loss. His eight sacks were fourth in the MAC, helping disrupt opponent offenses and leading Ball State to rank as the MAC's No. 2 team in total defense.
Cooper, an All-MAC first-teamer last year, ran for 1,043 yards to register his third straight season over 1,000 yards. He was fourth in the MAC with 86.9 yards per game and will enter his senior campaign in 2024 as the nation's second-leading rusher with 3,856 career rush yards.
A former walk-on, Pearce teamed with Houston to help Ball State finish fourth in the MAC in tackles for loss. He was second on the team with 78 tackles, 10 TFL and 3.5 sacks. His 10 TFL tied for 10th in the MAC.
Kaylor started opposite Stewart in every game at right tackle, finishing his senior campaign with a team-high 35 career starts. He started at four of five offensive line positions over the course of his career and Pro Football Focus graded him with a 96.4 percent pass block efficiency. He lasted the duration of the 2023 season without a single penalty.
Koziol, only a sophomore, was the Cardinals' top receiving target and paced Ball State with three touchdown receptions among 34 catches. He was a third-team Freshman All-America in 2022.
Borrow finished his junior season with a career-high punting average of 41.8 yards per kick to rank sixth in the MAC. He spiraled nine kicks for 50 yards or more and he finished second in the MAC with 22 punts downed inside the 20-yard line.
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