First-year Ball State football coach Brady Hoke didn’t inherit a talent at quarterback like Josh Harris.

Nor did he have the luxury of two-year all-conference cornerback Janssen Patton like first-year Bowling Green coach Gregg Brandon had.

But, Hoke, the first-year coach who spent the last eight years at Michigan, has weathered a quarterback controversy and led Ball State to a 3-1 conference mark and a tie for second place in the the MAC West going into this week’s game against NIU (7-1, 3-1 MAC).

“He’s done a great job,” NIU coach Joe Novak said. “Any time there is a coaching change, there is a renewed enthusiasm.”

Ball State (4-4, 3-1 MAC) was picked to finish sixth in the MAC Preseason Media Poll, but with a 38-14 upset win over Toledo last Saturday, Hoke finds his team in the middle of a conference race. The win came one week after losing 49-3 to Miami-Ohio.

Coming into the year, Hoke had two senior quarterbacks competing for the starting job.

Both Talmadge Hill and Andy Roesch played in eight games last season, with Roesch compiling a 129.28 passer efficiency rating, compared to Hill’s 105.52.

“That’s a tough way to start your first job,” Novak said. “Talmadge Hill had ability, but I think they questioned his decision-making. He’s a threat to run. He’s a talent.”

Hill was plagued by nine interceptions last year against five touchdowns.

Roesch played in BSU’s first two games against Indiana State and Missouri, but has thrown only 10 passes since.

Roesch was 1-for-10 with three interceptions against Miami-Ohio.

Hill, meanwhile, has played in all of BSU’s games and has three games with three touchdown passes. Hill also threw for a career-high 307 yards on 22-for-27 passing and no interceptions.

Hoke also has been helped by seven senior starters on defense, five of them fifth-year seniors.

Senior linebacker Lorenzo Scott is third in the MAC with 97 tackles and also has four sacks.