Ball State football doesn't appear to have a workhorse running back this year, but that may work to the Cardinals' advantage. Compared to other positions, Ball State was relatively quiet in the transfer portal when it came to running back. Last year's backfield leader, Qua Ashley, has transferred to Tennessee Tech, and the Cardinals only added one transfer back in addition to a pair of freshmen signees. Rather than give one back the bulk of the carries, Ball State has the means to operate with a solid committee of four veteran backs this year. "We'd like to get ahead and run the ball to end the game," head coach Mike Uremovich said. "We've got four or five guys back there that can help us. That's a group that's really deep for us, and it's going to be hard not to get those guys involved in all of the special teams and everything else because those guys are your best athletes." Ball State's top returning rusher is redshirt junior TJ Horton, who had 180 yards on 60 carries last year and scored two touchdowns — one on a reception and one on a kickoff return. Horton doesn't quite have the breakaway speed that Ashley brought to the table, but he is still fast enough to hit a home run play here and there. He blends his speed well with his power and has a very immediate burst once the ball is in his hands. After three years with limited reps, Horton is ready to seize his best opportunity yet. "Really just showing what I can do," Horton said. "(Running backs) Coach (Madison) Bunch is a good coach, I learn something new from him every single day. I'm really just excited to show the fans what I can do." More: Meet Ball State football's "freaky" kicker Brody Boehm More: Perseverance, leadership define Justin Thomas' time with Ball State football The Cardinals also have an enticing young prospect in redshirt freshman Jalen Bonds, an in-state product out of Cathedral High School in Indianapolis. Bonds saw playing time in three games as a true freshman after Ashley got injured late last season, leading the team in rushing in each of the last two games. At 6-0, 220 pounds, he is the largest running back on the roster and will be tough for opponents to bring down — not just because of his power but also his quick feet and patient cuts. One of the youngest Cardinals expected to play a significant role, Bonds has soaked in knowledge from his fellow backs and is ready to make a name for himself in year two. "I'm really excited. I'm surrounded by a really experienced group in the RB room," Bonds said. "For me, the game has always been more mental than physical, so just trying to attack it in that way has been very important for me. I think this is an extremely big year for me, and I'm not going to back down from the challenge because I know as a team, we have a big chip on our shoulder." There is also a pair of transfer backs who could make a big impact with their snaps. Elijah Jackson is a redshirt junior who transferred in from Purdue last offseason, another Indianapolis native who prepped at Lawrence Central. At 5-8, 181 pounds, he is much smaller than the other backs, but he makes up for his lack of size with elite speed. Jackson was an IHSAA state champion in the 100-meter dash at Lawrence Central and flashed his home-run play ability in last year's season opener at Purdue, but his opportunities were mostly limited and he only appeared in two other games. The other transfer back is Johnny Thompson Jr., who signed with the team this offseason after transferring from Kansas. The 5-11, 198-pound redshirt junior is more similar to Horton than the other two backs and has also flashed good receiving abilities throughout fall camp. Thompson appeared in six games over the last two years for the Jayhawks but was never a huge factor in the backfield, and he is now ready to make the most of his chances in the Cardinals' RB corps. Despite being a new face in the room, Thompson didn't take much time to feel at home in Muncie. "It was amazing being able to come up here and see the city of Muncie," Thompson said. "It was definitely one-of-a-kind, a special place, and not a lot of people would be able to see that. I feel like me coming to Muncie was a great addition to what we have building at Ball State. The coaching staff is there whenever you need them, and teammates as well. I feel like we have a program that's built on being able to rely on the person that's standing next to you." Rounding out the running back room is a pair of true freshmen — Anthony McMullen Jr. from Washington High School in Akron, Ohio, and Char'rese Breveard from Concord High School in Elkhart, Ind. Similar to Bonds a year ago, the two would probably need an injury or two to happen in front of them to see the field as true freshmen, but they project as names to know for the long term. In the meantime, the Cardinals could have a four-headed monster on their hands.
Contact Cade Hampton via email at cbhampton@usatodayco.com or on X, formerly known as Twitter, @CadeHamp10. This article originally appeared on Muncie Star Press: Projecting Ball State football's running back room for 2026 season