Ball State hires Mike Neu as head coach

Jan 7, 2016 - 10:10 PM MUNCIE, Ind. (AP) Ball State hired former Cardinals quarterback Mike Neu as head coach Thursday.

The 45-year-old Neu spent the last two seasons as the New Orleans Saints' quarterbacks coach.

''We could not be more excited and proud to bring Coach Mike Neu and his family home to Ball State,'' Ball State President Paul W. Ferguson said. ''Coach Neu brings deep experience in college and professional football back to his alma mater.''

Neu replaces Pete Lembo, who resigned Dec. 22 after a 3-9 season.

Neu was the 1993 Mid-American Conference offensive player of the year for Ball State, and was inducted into the Ball State Athletics Hall of Fame in 2004. He was with Calgary in the Canadian Football League in 1995, Orlando in the Arena Football League in 1996, and ended his playing career with Nashville in the AFL in 1997.

Neu was head coach of the AFL's New Orleans VooDoo, going 33-31 in four seasons, and was Tulane's quarterbacks coach from 2012-13 before joining the Saints' coaching staff.

''Mike is a tremendous coach, person and family man,'' Saints quarterback Drew Brees said. ''In a place like college football where it is as important to mold the lives of young men as it is to win football games, he is the perfect man for the job.''