10/20/2026
The award-winning series TOGETHER continues with Episode 4 premiering. Within this installment, the creative producers from Sports Link recap of Ball State Football's contests against Toledo and Northwestern, learn about the linebacker core and defensive coordinator Jeff Knowles, and meet Cincear Lewis, a weak-side linebacker who doubles as a musician.
While growing up in Kalamazoo, MI, Lewis and his nine siblings shared a love for sports. When his elementary school launched an after-school arts program, he discovered a unique passion in music. Lewis juggled the two hobbies throughout high school before committing to the University of Cincinnati in his senior year as a three-star safety.
When Lewis isn’t introducing his opponents to the turf, he trades his helmet for a bow. His artistic flare ranges across years and multiple instruments. He can play the violin, cello, and bass.
“Music just makes my soul feel good,” Lewis says. “I think football and music have a correlation. A lot of people would say poetry in motion.”
Before his sophomore year at Cincinnati, Lewis suffered a torn ACL after a misstep during a special teams drill. Almost exactly a year later, after being sidelined all season, one of his first practices back ended with the same result.
“Not being able to do the little things that we take for granted, like being able to walk, made me feel worthless,” Lewis said. “It really opened my mind to what music can do for you.”
With his ailments taking place in conjunction, it took the linebacker over 850 days to make a full recovery. In that time, Lewis rekindled his connection to music. He bought a new cello in 2024, and began playing it weekly.
“When you put so many hours into football, it starts to feel like that’s who you are,” Lewis says. “Through the injuries, I learned I was so much more than just a football player.”
Lewis entered the transfer portal after five games and 10 tackles with the Bearcats in 2025. When the dust settled, he took his talents 100 miles northwest to Muncie. He cited how crucial the fresh start was for his development.
“Getting to Ball State felt like a breath of fresh air,” Lewis said. “It feels like anything that happened before, or will happen in the future, doesn’t matter anymore. I feel reborn.”
Sports Link filmed and interviewed Cincear Lewis inside the recording studios of the Letterman Building at Ball State. Dylan Budd led the creative process as the segment producer.
“Cincear is both an amazing player and personality,” Budd says. “I’m incredibly proud of how his story was told. I can’t thank him and the TOGETHER crew enough for their help in the process.”
TOGETHER is directed by Jude Kieffer, and aided by executive producers Jordan Klimes and Josh Bobay. Dylan Budd produced and edited The Cincear Lewis Story.
Assisting Budd included director of photography Nate Locker, cinematographer Evan Cummings, and associate producers Lindsay Fuller and Josh Coulon. Other contributors to the episode include associate producers Ashlynne Owens, Keegan McClure and Nathaniel Fryman.
All work is under the direction of senior director Chris Taylor, senior advisors Alex Kartman and Kaline Schounce, football chief of staff Pete Roley and operations assistant Ryan Lezon.
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Audio Description: Violin music accompanies the entire story as Cincear shares his journey to Ball State.
