Source: Ball State's Hoke to take San Diego State job

An interesting turn of events today: Apparently, Ball State coach Brady Hoke will leave his alma mater to coach the San Diego State Aztecs.

...What?

I'm not sure of the validity of this report, but if it is true, it's a head-scratcher. I'm sure he would make more money at SDSU than at Ball State, and the draw of the area is a tad better than Muncie, Ind. (At least for some).

But for Hoke to leave his alma mater, especially before the end of a historic season, it sounds strange. The cost of living in San Diego is sky-high in comparison to Indiana, so that extra salary would mostly go toward that. He has to recruit against Pac 10 schools such as USC and UCLA, and even against other established Mountain West schools such as Utah and BYU, in an area he's probably unfamiliar with.

Most importantly, though, he would be leaving his alma mater. Think about the situation he would be leaving- Ball State is extremely close to a MAC Championship and has the national attention to earn another ranking next year. His biggest recruiting challenges in the state are Notre Dame, Purdue and Indiana, all of which are currently slumping. He's got a second-round NFL Draft pick at quarterback that said he was going to return next year. Not so if Hoke leaves, I bet.

We'll see how valid this report is, but if it is true, I'm shocked.