The Ball State football team has announced its captains for the upcoming season. The four captains are Jordan Hogue, Vinnie Palazeti, Jacob White and Kevin Willis.

Hogue is a senior wide receiver from Fort Wayne, Indiana. He has played in 32 games as a Cardinal and has scored four career touchdowns. This past fall, Hogue saw action in 11 games with five starts. He finished fourth on the team in receiving yards and fifth in receptions in 2016.

Palazeti is the other offensive captain. The senior offensive lineman hailing from Owosso, Michigan, filled in as the team’s center a year ago, but is expected to return to his natural position of left guard this fall. Ball State averaged 220 yards on the ground in 2016, its highest average since 1978.

A linebacker and defensive lineman were chosen as the defensive captains. White, a linebacker in his third year on the team, played in 11 games in 2016 mainly in a reserve role. The native of Clarendon Hills, Illinois, is slotted as the starting middle linebacker heading into preseason camp.

Willis, a defensive lineman from Indianapolis, Indiana, rounds out the captains. The senior is expected to be a third-year starter in the trenches for the Cardinals. As a junior, Willis started 11 of 12 games and finished with 22 tackles, 4.5 tackles for loss and two sacks.

All of the players on the current roster had a part in selecting the captains. The four players selected were the overwhelming nominees by their peers.

The Cardinals kick off their 2017 season the first weekend in September with a trip to Illinois. Ball State’s home opener is set for Saturday, Sept. 9 against UAB.