MUNCIE, Ind. — Ball State was in desperation mode.
Facing fourth-and-8 from the Toledo 22-yard line, a game clock dwindling down to the final minute, and a defense that had only allowed 38 passing yards, quarterback Kiael Kelly dropped back, surveyed the field, and let it rip.
The football didn’t make it to the intended receiver, as Toledo safety Maxen Hook intercepted the pass, sealing the Rockets’ gritty 13-6 victory at Scheumann Stadium.
“I just read his eyes and he overthrew the seam,” said Hook, who was playing less than an hour from his hometown of New Palestine, Ind.
In what was probably the final game in his home state, Hook finished with five tackles, one pass breakup, and an interception. The pass breakup occurred in the second quarter, saving a touchdown as he knocked the ball away from tight end Tanner Koziol in the end zone.
All-American cornerback Quinyon Mitchell is the most obvious NFL prospect in Toledo’s secondary. But he isn’t the only one. NFL scouts have populated the Glass Bowl press box all season. Most of them have an eye on Mitchell but questions soon follow about Hook, a 6-foot energizer bunny who embraces contact.
New Palestine coach Kyle Ralph — who’s turned the Dragon football program into a Division I factory — is not surprised.
“He was vastly underrecruited, in my opinion,” said Ralph, who was an offensive lineman at North Carolina. “I told Big Ten schools, ‘Look, I played major college football. I was very successful. I was an All-American. I got to the NFL. I know what it takes to get there. You just have to believe me. This kid is going to be in the NFL someday. If you don’t take a serious look at him, you’re going to regret it.’”
If the transfer overtures Hook received last offseason are any indication, several coaches realize they made a mistake.
Hook played all six games during the pandemic-shortened season in 2020, breaking out in 2021 with third-team All-Mid-American Conference honors after recording 95 tackles, the second-most on the team and 12th-most in the MAC. Despite an injury last season, he was still named first-team all-conference thanks to 81 tackles.
Hook has 6.5 career tackles for loss, two sacks, four interceptions, 13 pass breakups, one forced fumble, one fumble recovery, one blocked punt, and one touchdown.
“[He’s] important to the program, not just the defense,” Toledo coach Jason Candle said. “Tremendous kid, tremendous leader. A guy we’re lucky to have on our football team.”
Making a difference comes easy to Hook. He was severely undersized as a freshman and sophomore at New Palestine but working hard is all Hook knows. So despite not being physically ready, the scrawny, skinny, slightly awkward Hook strapped on his shoulder pads and made plays all over the field.
Possessing great instincts was a primary factor in Hook’s success, as he helped lead the Dragons to a state championship during his junior season.
“His ability to understand a game plan, what the opponent was trying to do, and processing that was always second to none,” Ralph said. “He was always really mentally intense. His knowledge of what was going on was outstanding.”
Ralph has been at New Pal — as the locals refer to it — for 11 years. He knows the history. Others who are lifers in the community say it’s hard to top what Hook accomplished.
He was a three-time all-state selection. As a senior, he won Indiana’s Mr. Football award for defensive backs. He was New Pal’s special teams player of the year three consecutive seasons. The only reason he wasn’t Mr. Football for the entire state was because teammate Charlie Spegal is the all-time leading rusher in Indiana high school history.
Still, major programs shied away from Hook. Some were concerned by his slight frame. Some didn’t know what position he would play. Was he a safety? Maybe he could play in a nickel or dime package. Could he play middle linebacker?
Coaches would ask Ralph for advice, which grew tiresome.
“What I would do if I were you,” Ralph told them, “is take a great football player and figure it out when he shows up on campus. Don’t pass up on a great kid just because you don’t know what position he will play. Figure it out when he gets there.”
Toledo knew what it had in Hook and where he could thrive. The same instincts that he showed on Friday nights for Ralph — the traits Ralph says will result in Hook playing on Sundays (and Mondays and Thursdays) — were on display Saturday afternoon.
Kelly can vouch for Hook’s impulses.
“I could have easily gone to Ball State because it was 40 minutes from my house,” Hook said. “But I wanted to play at Toledo because I liked the coaches better and it fit my play style better. I probably had 40 or 50 people here today. It was really nice. It’s always fun to play in front of your family.”
First Published October 15, 2023, 12:34 a.m.
