Article

King won't return to MSU football team

Quarterback will turn focus to baseball

August 4th, 2005
By Chad Courrier
Free Press Staff Writer

MANKATO Ben King's elbow was hurting in early June, the nerve rubbing in a way that made it impossible to throw anything.

So it wasn't a painful decision he made, giving up football for at least a year. But now that his elbow is healthy, and he's pitching again, he's a little more concerned about not playing football.

"I've played football my whole life," King said. "Watching the games, that'll be depressing. I love football, the guys were great, I love everything about it.

"But they'll be OK. They have two quarterbacks that are more than capable. They've got a lot of great players, a great coaching staff. They'll be fine."

King, a two-year starter, has left the Minnesota State football program, chasing the dream of someday pitching with a professional baseball organization. He hurt his elbow early last season in baseball, and he'd heard from scouts that if he'd stayed healthy, the right-hander, who throws in the upper 80s mph, would have been drafted this spring.

"It was a tough decision, but last (football) season, I felt like I was thinking about baseball when I shouldn't be," King said. "We'll see what happens when I concentrate on baseball. Every year (after football), my arm didn't feel right all the way into baseball.

"I'll see what happens. I just didn't want to look back and not give it a shot."

Minnesota State coach Jeff Jamrog said he first heard rumors in the spring that King was going to quit football. Jamrog had made a deal with King that King would concentrate on baseball during the baseball season, but once that was over, King would work out with the football team.

In early June, Jamrog wanted a decision from King, who transferred here from Eastern Illinois three years ago so he could play both sports. King, who gets the majority of his scholarship from the football program, chose baseball.

"I told him we're going to win with or without Ben King," Jamrog said. "The teams knows about it, it's not a distraction. We just needed to know if he was 100 percent committed because we couldn't improve as a team if we didn't have 100 percent commitment at that position."

King had injured his arm during the baseball season so he returned home for rehab. When he got healthy, he joined the Thunder Bay franchise of the Northwoods League. He's 2-0 with a 3.18 earned-run average. In 111–3 innings, he's allowed nine hits and nine walks with 12 strikeouts.

"At the time, I didn't think I'd be able to play football (this season)," King said. "But I think I made the right decision."

Last season, King started all 11 games for the Mavericks, completing 150 of 237 passes for 1,917 yards with 11 touchdowns and seven interceptions. As a freshman, he started nine games and threw for 2,005 yards, completing 167 of 316 passes with 13 touchdowns and 14 interceptions.

Jamie VanDenElzen is the top quarterback as the Mavericks open fall practice today. He played better than backup Josh Bryant in the spring game, though Jamrog said the gap has closed over the summer.

"Josh is more athletic," Jamrog said. "But they key for him is decision-making. Jamie has been waiting in the wings, and he's excited about his opportunity.

"The big thing is that you tailor what you do to your quarterback. There are things we want to do that Ben couldn't do, but there's things that Josh and Jamie can't do that Ben could."

Jamrog said he'd like to give freshman Ryan Fick a redshirt season, but that depends on how well he, VanDenElzen or Josh Bryant performs.

"We'll give him every opportunity," Jamrog said. "If he comes in and it looks like he'll be the second quarterback, then he'll get in there."

 

Pat Christman

Ben King, a two-year starting quarterback at Minnesota State University, has decided to give up football to concentrate on baseball.