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. Ball State named Keldric Luster its starting QB today, and he'll be your favorite QB you've never heard of before.
My man is listed at 5'10 and 250 pounds.#BowlingBallState pic.twitter.com/PgUsH5siC5 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. 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.
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