December means transfer season, and as a result, Ball State’s offense will be lacking two veteran pieces next year. Quarterback Riley Neal and running back James Gilbert thrived in starting roles on the Cardinals’ offense as early as 2015, but the two have landed new homes as graduate transfers.
Neal, a senior who has been Ball State’s primary starting quarterback since 2015, announced a transfer to Vanderbilt earlier this month. The Yorktown, IN native threw for over 2,000 yards as a freshman and sophomore at Ball State, but injuries derailed his final two seasons.