Cory Connolly named special teams coordinator for Ball State football

Robby General, Muncie Star Press
·1 min read
Ball State outside linebackers coach Cory Connolly has been selected to lead the Cardinals' special teams.
Ball State outside linebackers coach Cory Connolly has been selected to lead the Cardinals' special teams.

MUNCIE, Ind. — Ball State outside linebackers coach Cory Connolly has been selected as the Cardinals' new special teams coordinator by head football coach Mike Neu.

The news, announced in a Ball State Athletics press release Friday, came a week and a half after Patrick Dougherty, Ball State's former special teams/tight ends and assistant head coach, was hired at Duke.

'Forever grateful': Ball State football assistant coach Patrick Dougherty hired at Duke

Connolly, a Quincy graduate (2013), has been with the Ball State football program since 2015. He began his coaching career at Carthage College as a graduate assistant coach in 2014. From 2015-17, Connolly served as a graduate assistant coach for the Cardinals. Since 2018, he has been the outside linebackers coach and took on the role of recruiting coordinator in 2021.

“Cory has done a great job in his previous roles and has earned this promotion,” Neu said in a press release. “We’ve had great success on special teams, and I’m confident that his relentless effort and energy will make a positive impact on that group. He has a bright future ahead of him.”

Connolly coached All-Mid-American Conference outside linebackers Christian Albright and Anthony Ekpe and helped lead a defensive unit that forced 19 turnovers last season, tied for the 45th-best mark in the country.

In addition to his role on the field, Connolly helped recruit a 16-man recruiting class this winter, which currently ranks 84th in the country and fourth in the MAC. The 2022 signing class is currently Ball State's highest ranked recruiting class ever.

More on BSU football: Ball State football signs 16 players in 2022 recruiting class during early signing period

Robby General covers Ball State and East Central Indiana high school athletics for The Star Press. Contact him via email at rgeneral@gannett.com, on Twitter @rgeneraljr or phone at 765-283-8864.

This article originally appeared on Muncie Star Press: Ball State football: Cory Connolly named special teams coordinator