Despite a blazing sun, and substantial heat, the Bobcats opened their 2018 training camp with an upbeat, sweat-heavy practice inside Peden Stadium on Monday morning.

And it didn’t take long for the new season enthusiasm to take a hit.

Wide receiver Elijah Ball, a fourth-year junior, was carted off the field just over an hour into the practice after suffering a leg injury during 1-on-1 drills. Ball, from Cincinnati, was a projected starter at one of the wideout positions for the Bobcats and was returning from a season-ending knee injury in fall camp of 2017.

LOADING…

Ball looked fine early in the practice, and showed a dazzling start-and-stop move during a kick-off coverage drill earlier in the morning.