Ball State Football Adds Transfers

BSU Football Program Adds Seven Transfers for 2021

Cardinals welcome three grad transfers, four undergrad transfers

Credit Source:  Ball State University Athletics

MUNCIE, Ind. — The defending MAC champion Ball State football team has added seven transfers to its roster for the 2021 season.

 

The Cardinals will welcome the three graduate transfers and four undergraduate transfers to the program. All will be eligible to compete immediately.

 

They will join a BSU program coming off a championship season that saw the Cardinals finish 7-1, win the first bowl game in school history and end the year nationally ranked at No. 23 in both the AP and Amway Coaches polls.

 

Ball State returns 16 “super seniors” and 20 starters from that team to go along with 21 incoming freshmen and these seven transfers.

 

Incoming Transfers for 2021 (bios below)

Chayce Bishop, WR, 5-11, 190, R-Fr., Franklin, Tenn. (Independence) (Tennessee)

Casey Coll, TE, 6-2, 245, Grad, Lizton, Ind. (Tri-West) (Saint Francis)

Trenton Hatfield, S, 6-2, 203, Grad, Muncie, Ind. (Central) (Illinois State)

Jayshon Jackson, WR, 5-10, 175, Jr., Chicago, Ill. (Simeon) (Cincinnati)

Damon Kaylor, OL, 6-5, 315, R-So., Huntington, Ind. (North) (Michigan State)

Latrelle Smith, CB, 5-10, 170, R-So., Hampton, Va. (Phoebus) (William & Mary)

Jordan Ward, DL, 6-1, 285, Grad, Frederick, Md. (Briar Woods) (VMI)

 

Chayce Bishop, WR, 5-11, 190, R-Fr., Franklin, Tenn. (Independence) (Tennessee)

PREVIOUS COLLEGE: Spent one season at Tennessee where he redshirted … HIGH SCHOOL: Played two seasons at Independence as a wide receiver and defensive back after starting his career at Brentwood High … played for coach Scott Blade at Independence … Class 6A first-team all-region as a senior in 2019 … the No. 35 overall player in the state of Tennessee for his class on the 247Sports Composite rankings … caught 38 passes for 588 yards and 10 touchdowns as a senior … also a member of the track team and a state champion in the 4×100 meter relay … PERSONAL: Son of Blaine and Cella Bishop … father was an all-conference safety at Ball State and later a three-time All-Pro with the Houston Oilers/Tennessee Titans organization … born May 4, 2001 … full name is Chayce Xavier Bishop.

 

Casey Coll, TE, 6-2, 245, Grad, Lizton, Ind. (Tri-West) (Saint Francis)

PREVIOUS COLLEGE: Played three seasons at Saint Francis in Fort Wayne … a member of the Cougars’ 2017 NAIA national championship team … a second-team All-Mid-States Football Association selection in 2019 … recorded 31 career receptions for 314 yards and five touchdowns … had a long catch of 64 yards … HIGH SCHOOL: A four-year letterwinner at Tri-West where he was coached by his father Chris Coll … a first-team all-state and first-team All-Sagamore Athletic Conference selection as a junior and senior … two-time team captain and MVP … finished his high school career with 158 receptions for 2,283 yards and 23 touchdowns … caught 11 touchdowns as a senior … helped Tri-West win the 2014 Class 3A state championship … graduated with a 3.9 GPA … PERSONAL: Son of Chris and Deena Coll … has two brothers … brother Clayton is a linebacker for Ball State … born Sept. 11, 1998 … full name is Casey Michael Coll.

 

Trenton Hatfield, S, 6-2, 203, Grad, Muncie, Ind. (Central) (Illinois State)

PREVIOUS COLLEGE: Played three seasons at Illinois State after redshirting as a true freshman … appeared in all 26 games over the 2018 and 2019 seasons and two of the four games in the Redbirds’ shortened 2021 spring campaign … spent time at quarterback, running back and on special teams in addition to his work at safety … helped Illinois State to the FCS quarterfinals in 2019 … HIGH SCHOOL: Three-year starter as a quarterback at Muncie Central … played for head coach Adam Morris … set school career records for total yards (7,062), passing yards (5,503) and total touchdowns (57) … an all-state and three-time All-North Central Conference selection … chosen to play in the Blue-Grey High School All-American Game as a senior … East Central Indiana Athlete of the Year by the Star Press … team captain … racked up 3,503 yards of total offense with 32 total touchdowns as a senior … helped lead Central to the most wins in school history and its first playoff win in 11 years … named MVP at the Best of the Midwest Combine and the Preps 2 Prospects Showcase before his senior season … named a top-five quarterback at the Nike Elite II Regionals … also a four-year letterwinner in basketball, earning IBCA Top 100 underclassmen honors as a junior … member of the National Honor Society and the Mu Alpha Theta Mathematics Honor Society … honor roll every semester … PERSONAL: Son of Lynne and Dr. Bob Hatfield … the youngest of six children … mother played volleyball at Florida State, and father played football at Wabash … grandfather Ted Fullhart played basketball at Ball State, and brother-in-law Darius Hill played football for the Cardinals … born Sept. 24, 1998 … full name is Trenton Dailey Hatfield.

 

Jayshon Jackson, WR, 5-10, 175, Jr., Chicago, Ill. (Simeon) (Cincinnati)

PREVIOUS COLLEGE: Played three seasons at Cincinnati … recorded 67 career receptions for 786 yards and three touchdowns … second-leading receiver with 337 yards on 27 catches for a Bearcats team ranked among the top 10 nationally in 2020 … an American Athletic Conference All-Academic Team selection … HIGH SCHOOL: A three-year letterwinner at Simeon … played for coach Dante Culbreath … a composite three-star recruit who was ranked as the No. 19 player in Illinois by Rivals.com … earned a spot on the 2017 Chicago Sun-Times All-Public League Football Team … played quarterback, wide receiver, running back, cornerback and safety at different times … also ran track… tabbed as one of the top 10 wideouts and top 50 players in Chicago prior to the 2017 season by the Sun-Times … named to the 2016 Sun-Times All-Public League Football Team … also a consensus all-city, all-conference and all-state player in 2016 … PERSONAL: Son of John and Sardashia Jackson … has three sisters and two brothers … born Dec. 6, 1999 … full name is Jayshon Jamal Jackson.

 

Damon Kaylor, OL, 6-5, 315, R-So., Huntington, Ind. (North) (Michigan State)

PREVIOUS COLLEGE: Spent two seasons at Michigan State … earned Academic All-Big Ten accolades as a redshirt freshman in 2020 … HIGH SCHOOL: A three-year letterwinner at Huntington North … played for head coach Rick Burnau … ranked one of the top offensive tackle prospects in the state of Indiana by 247Sports (No. 3), ESPN.com (No. 3) and Rivals.com (No. 4) … rated among the top 100 overall players in the Midwest by ESPN.com … named one of the top players in Indiana by Rivals.com (No. 13), ESPN.com (No. 13) and 247Sports (No. 20) … listed among the best offensive tackles in the nation by Rivals.com (No. 83) and ESPN.com (No. 85) … played both right and left tackle at Huntington North … named to the All-Northeast Indiana First Team by The Journal Gazette … two-time All-Northeast 8 Conference selection, including first-team as a senior … also competed in shot put and discus … PERSONAL: Son of Blaine and Teresa Kaylor … born Sept. 24, 2000 … full name is Damon Blaine Kaylor.

 

Latrelle Smith, CB, 5-10, 170, R-So., Hampton, Va. (Phoebus) (William & Mary)

PREVIOUS COLLEGE: Spent two seasons at William & Mary … appeared in all 12 games with nine starts as a true freshman in 2019 … registered 47 tackles, nine pass breakups, two interceptions, 2.5 tackles for loss and a forced fumble … had 10 tackles with a TFL at Virginia and nine stops against No. 2 James Madison … did not play in the Tribe’s shortened 2021 spring season … HIGH SCHOOL: A four-year letterwinner as a defensive back, wide receiver and returner at Phoebus High School … played for head coach Jeremy Blunt … first-team all-state, all-region and all-district as a defensive back as a senior in 2018 after totaling seven interceptions and 40 solo tackles … also compiled 1,279 all-purpose yards and 10 touchdowns in 2018 to earn second-team all-state honors as a punt returner … a first-team all-region and all-district selection as a punt returner in 2018 … second-team all-region and all-district choice as a wide receiver as a senior … first-team all-district as an all-purpose standout in 2018 … first-team All-757 defensive back by the Daily Press as a senior … earned Highest Honors academically at Phoebus … PERSONAL: Son of Julius and Lisa Leaks … has three siblings … sister Roshelle is a member of the track & field team at Delaware … born Sept. 5, 2001 … full name is Latrelle Ivan Smith.

 

Jordan Ward, DL, 6-1, 285, Grad, Frederick, Md. (Briar Woods) (VMI)

PREVIOUS COLLEGE: Played four years on the defensive line at VMI … a first-team All-Southern Conference selection as a senior … two-year team captain … part of a turnaround that saw the Keydets go from 0-11 his freshman season to 6-2 with the program’s first SoCon championship since 1977 and first-ever FCS playoff appearance in his final campaign … appeared in 42 games and made 18 starts for his career … racked up 125 career tackles, including 20.5 tackles for loss and 7.0 sacks … had a career-high 4.0 sacks in the shortened 2021 spring season, including 2.0 in a playoff game against No.1-ranked James Madison … had a team-high 11 TFLs in 2019 … Southern Conference Academic Honor Roll selection on multiple occasions … HIGH SCHOOL: Played at Briar Woods for coach Charles Pierce … posted 165 tackles over his final two seasons with 14 TFLs, 6.0 sacks and four forced fumbles … also had an interception … had 118 tackles and 11 TFLs as a senior … named his team’s MVP and defensive player of the year as a senior in 2016 … first-team all-conference and second-team all-region in 2016 … a second-team all-conference selection in 2015 … also a three-year member of the swimming team … a four-year honor roll student … National Honor Society member … an Eagle Scout … PERSONAL: Son of Tanya and Kelvin Ward … has one brother and one sister … father played football at Appalachian State … born June 17, 1999 … full name is Jordan Emanuel Ward.