Dysert adds wow factor for Miami football

Zac Dysert, Miami quarterback

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Miami quarterback Zac Dysert calls a play for the White team during the Red/White game held at Yager Stadium, Saturday April 18, 2009.

Photo by Robert Leifheit Miami quarterback Zac Dysert calls a play for the White team during the Red/White game held at Yager Stadium, Saturday April 18, 2009.

Redshirt freshman QB had 444 yards of offense in his Miami starting debut.

By Pete Conrad, Staff Writer Updated 8:10 AM Thursday, October 1, 2009

OXFORD — Zac Dysert did some pretty ridiculous things as a quarterback at Ada High School, a tiny Division VI program in northwest Ohio.

As a senior, Dysert missed almost a third of the season with a broken thumb and still passed for 3,714 yards and 35 touchdowns. In his career, he passed for 11,174 yards, the second-highest total in Ohio history, and still managed to run for 16 touchdowns.

Of course things would be different, more restrained, when he entered the realm of Division I-A college football.

Right?

Well, maybe not so much.

“We threw the ball 53 times,” Dysert said of his first collegiate start last weekend. “That was nice. It reminds me of high school a little bit.”

Dysert’s performance during Miami’s 29-19 loss at Kent State probably set a Mid-American Conference record for the most double-takes, raised eyebrows, dropped jaws and “Holy cows!” in a single night.

Even Ben Roethlisberger’s debut at Michigan in 2001, when his stats included 193 yards passing, two touchdown strikes and one broken nose, paled in comparison.

By the time Dysert walked off the field — without a broken nose, but not for lack of trying — he had accumulated 444 yards of total offense, the sixth-highest figure in school history.

“I thought I did all right,” Dysert said. “There’s always room for improvement, especially the three turnovers.”

“Zac had a great day for a redshirt freshman getting his first start,” Miami coach Mike Haywood said.

Dysert completed 31-of-53 passes for 337 yards, one touchdown and two interceptions. He also ran 17 times for 107 yards, six first downs and one lost fumble.

Haywood acknowledged that Dysert “gave us the ability to move the pocket a little with his athletic ability” and added that he also did a good job of knowing how far to run to get a first down.

Contact this reporter at (513) 820-2197 or pconrad@coxohio.com

Next game

Who: No. 10 Cincinnati (4-0) at Miami (0-4)
When: 1 p.m. Saturday
TV: ESPN360
Radio: WMOH-AM (1450), WPFB-AM (910), WPFB-FM (105.9), WONE-AM (980), WLW-AM (700)

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