The Ball State starter isn't built like your prototypical quarterback


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Quarterbacks are often "built differently" than other players, but in the case of Ball State starter Keldric Luster, that's true on a couple of different fronts. Luster doesn't look like a prototypical college quarterback, but he will get the starting nod for the Cardinals as they take on No. 1 Ohio State this Saturday.

A senior Texas State transfer, Luster is officially listed at 5-foot-10 and 250 pounds on the Ball State website. For context, Ohio State quarterback Julian Sayin clocks in at 6-foot-1 and 215 pounds.

Ball State coach Mike Uremovich announced Luster as the team's starter on Aug. 23, and the college football corner of social media has latched onto Luster as something of a cult hero.

Luster began his college career as a member of SMU's 2023 signing class, and he transferred to Texas State prior to the 2025 campaign. In nine total appearances, Luster has completed four of 12 passing attempts for 37 yards while rushing for 76 yards as well.

Don't let Luster's atypical build fool you. He wants to follow in the footsteps of other undersized quarterbacks who have found success in the college ranks, and he already proved he could play at a very high level in high school.

Dual-threat standout in H.S.
In high school, Luster ran track and played football for Liberty and McKinney (Texas), and he tortured defenses with his legs as much as his arm. From 2020-22, Luster racked up 3,116 rushing yards and 49 rushing touchdowns between the two schools.

In 2021, Luster really exploded as a junior at Liberty. That year, he threw for 3,453 yards while rushing for 1,579 more and totaling 53 touchdowns. Those gaudy numbers earned him Texas District 7 5A D-II Overall MVP, and he was very much on the radar of major recruiting services.

According to 247Sports, Luster was a three-star recruit and the No. 100 quarterback in the 2023 signing class. He chose SMU over other offers from Indiana, Air Force and Navy.

Luster's dual-threat magic will have to be a factor if Ball State is going to give an elite Ohio State defense any sort of challenge in Week 1.

Luster likes 'riding with a chip' on his shoulder
Luster has been knocked and doubted because of his size for a long time, but he doesn't let those comments get to him. Another undersized quarterback, Heisman Trophy winner Kyler Murray, grew up just down the road from him in Texas.

While battling for the starting job in spring practice, Luster told the Muncie Star Press that Murray gives him hope that he will be able to thrive at the quarterback position, too.

"I've been riding with a chip on my shoulder my whole life, so it's really nothing that phases me, honestly," Luster said. "I've seen quarterbacks of my height do it as well, come from where I'm from. One in the league, Kyler Murray, he's kind of on the shorter side of quarterbacks; he's from that Allen, McKinney area, and he's playing in the big leagues. I feel like the sky's the limit for me."

Luster came to Ball State in the offseason with the hope of finally becoming a starter at the college level. After putting in the work to master the offense throughout the summer, Luster earned the trust of Uremovich and the rest of the coaching staff.

"He did a great job," Uremovich said, per 247Sports. "He had a good spring, there's no doubt about it, but he made a lot of improvements from the last spring practice to the first practice of training camp. He did it just by working with the receivers in the summer, mastering the offense. It's one thing to learn it in February and March, but to go out and run the plays and execute them is another. He came to camp much better than he left spring ball, which is how it should be."

The question now is whether he can lead the Cardinals to a successful season in MAC play -- no matter how Saturday's matchup against the Buckeyes goes.

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