Ball State University Athletics
Football Welcomes Graduate Assistants Cole Hoover and Demetrius Murray
February 13, 2023 | Football
MUNCIE, Ind. - - Cole Hoover and former Ball State letterwinner Demetrius Murray have joined the Cardinals football coaching staff as graduate assistants according to head coach Mike Neu.
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"We are excited to add Cole and welcome Demetrius back to the Ball State football family," Neu said. "Both are extremely hard workers who made immediate impacts in their first seasons as graduate assistants at Eastern Illinois and Chattanooga, respectively. I know they will be great fits for our program and help our student-athletes excel on and off the playing field."
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Hoover joins the Ball State staff as the offensive line graduate assistant after spending the 2022 season working as an offensive graduate assistant at Eastern Illinois. A five-year player for the Panthers' football program, earning letters in his final four seasons, Hoover helped mentor 2022 All-Ohio Valley Conference Second Team selection Chad Strickland this past season.
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His work helped EIU's rushing offense improve from 112th in the FCS in 2021 to 62nd this past season. In addition, the team's redzone offense ranked 39th among all FCS programs in 2022. Along with his work on offense, Hoover coordinated the program's community service efforts which saw over 60 student-athletes serve over 250 hours and raise $1,500 for the Special Olympics.
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Hoover started his playing career as a redshirt in 2016 before earning letters in his final four seasons. A three-time OVC Medal of Honor winner, Hoover started all six games at right tackle in EIU's shortened 2021 spring season, helping the Panthers average 20 points and 320.5 yards of total offense per game.
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During the 2018 season, he helped block for one of the top offenses in the FCS, with Eastern Illinois ranking ninth in passing offense, 23rd in total offense, and 25th in scoring offense. Overall, Hoover played in 37 career games for Eastern Illinois, and earned his bachelor's degree in early childhood special education in December 2021 and his master's degree in special education in December 2022.
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Murray returns to Ball State as the defensive backs graduate assistant. A volunteer for the Cardinals during the 2022 spring season, Murray was also the defensive quality control graduate assistant at Tennessee Chattanooga for the 2022 regular season.
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As a member of the Mocs' staff, Murray worked with the linebackers and special teams for a squad that finished the season with a 7-4 record and ranked 24th in the final FCS Coaches Poll. Chattanooga's defense ranked 12th among FCS schools in total defense by allowing just 322.6 yards per game, while its scoring defense was 14th at 20.6 points per game.
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As a collegiate student-athlete, Murray spent four seasons on the Ball State roster from 2017-2020. A three-year letterwinner, he played in seven games for the Cardinals and recorded a career-high five tackles in the team's 52-14 homecoming victory over Toledo on Oct. 19, 2019. He also helped lead the Cardinals to the 2020 Mid-American Conference Championship and the program's first-ever bowl victory over San Jose State in the Offerpad Arizona Bowl.
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A May 2021 graduate of Ball State with a major in digital telecommunication and a minor in philosophy, Murray attended Kentucky State for one year before starting his coaching career at Chattanooga.
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"We are excited to add Cole and welcome Demetrius back to the Ball State football family," Neu said. "Both are extremely hard workers who made immediate impacts in their first seasons as graduate assistants at Eastern Illinois and Chattanooga, respectively. I know they will be great fits for our program and help our student-athletes excel on and off the playing field."
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Hoover joins the Ball State staff as the offensive line graduate assistant after spending the 2022 season working as an offensive graduate assistant at Eastern Illinois. A five-year player for the Panthers' football program, earning letters in his final four seasons, Hoover helped mentor 2022 All-Ohio Valley Conference Second Team selection Chad Strickland this past season.
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His work helped EIU's rushing offense improve from 112th in the FCS in 2021 to 62nd this past season. In addition, the team's redzone offense ranked 39th among all FCS programs in 2022. Along with his work on offense, Hoover coordinated the program's community service efforts which saw over 60 student-athletes serve over 250 hours and raise $1,500 for the Special Olympics.
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Hoover started his playing career as a redshirt in 2016 before earning letters in his final four seasons. A three-time OVC Medal of Honor winner, Hoover started all six games at right tackle in EIU's shortened 2021 spring season, helping the Panthers average 20 points and 320.5 yards of total offense per game.
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During the 2018 season, he helped block for one of the top offenses in the FCS, with Eastern Illinois ranking ninth in passing offense, 23rd in total offense, and 25th in scoring offense. Overall, Hoover played in 37 career games for Eastern Illinois, and earned his bachelor's degree in early childhood special education in December 2021 and his master's degree in special education in December 2022.
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Murray returns to Ball State as the defensive backs graduate assistant. A volunteer for the Cardinals during the 2022 spring season, Murray was also the defensive quality control graduate assistant at Tennessee Chattanooga for the 2022 regular season.
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As a member of the Mocs' staff, Murray worked with the linebackers and special teams for a squad that finished the season with a 7-4 record and ranked 24th in the final FCS Coaches Poll. Chattanooga's defense ranked 12th among FCS schools in total defense by allowing just 322.6 yards per game, while its scoring defense was 14th at 20.6 points per game.
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As a collegiate student-athlete, Murray spent four seasons on the Ball State roster from 2017-2020. A three-year letterwinner, he played in seven games for the Cardinals and recorded a career-high five tackles in the team's 52-14 homecoming victory over Toledo on Oct. 19, 2019. He also helped lead the Cardinals to the 2020 Mid-American Conference Championship and the program's first-ever bowl victory over San Jose State in the Offerpad Arizona Bowl.
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A May 2021 graduate of Ball State with a major in digital telecommunication and a minor in philosophy, Murray attended Kentucky State for one year before starting his coaching career at Chattanooga.
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