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By Pete Conrad, Staff Writer Updated 1:18 AM Sunday, August 29, 2010

OXFORD — After one year of change, of learning a new system under a new coaching staff and being able to grind out only one victory, Miami University’s football team is looking for a dramatic leap forward this season.

They’re hungry for it; their fans are hungry for it.

The RedHawks haven’t won more than two games since 2007, haven’t had a winning season since 2005 and haven’t been to a bowl game since 2004. Second-year head coach Michael Haywood hopes to start changing at least some of that this fall.

“With the new coach and everything, we got a start and we got the foundation in,” junior free safety Anthony Kokal said. “This year will be a lot different. There have been a lot of improvements made in the offseason, coming from winter conditioning to spring ball to summer workouts. You can see we’ve improved by leaps and bounds. We’re excited with that going into the season.”

Offense

The RedHawks can throw the football. There is no question about that.

And now that sophomore quarterback Zac Dysert has an impressive year under his belt (247 completions for 2,611 yards), that aerial attack should be even more dangerous.

Dysert has a receiving corps that is stacked with talent. Armand Robinson is back from a 67-catch, 788-yard season, and so are Jamal Rogers (54 catches, 505 yards), Chris Givens (35 catches, 513 yards in 2008), Luke Swift and Andy Cruse. And two of the more impressive pass catchers in the preseason have been junior transfer DeMarco Paine and redshirt freshman Nick Harwell.

“I think we will be one of the best (receiving corps) in the Mid-American Conference,” Robinson said.

Miami’s running game was a disaster in 2009, however, ranking next-to-last in the big-school division. The RedHawks hope a revamped offensive line and a strong performance from senior tailback Thomas Merriweather will help.

“I don’t know where we’re at on it,” offensive coordinator Morris Watts said of Miami’s running game, “but I know we’re working hard on it. I know our kids believe in it, and they believe you have to do it to win. So we will be better. I think every week our running game will be a better feature of our offense.”

Defense

The RedHawks gave up 410 points last season, but their defensive unit was racked by injuries and has been impressive during summer camp.

“We played a lot of young guys last year, guys that hadn’t had much college experience,” Kokal said. “Anthony Shoemaker, Austin Brown, all those guys, that one year of development will help us in a huge way.”

Junior linebacker Jerrell Wedge led the MAC with 18½ tackles for loss in 2009. Linebacker Evan Harris posted 61 tackles as a true freshman. And Miami has a dynamic pair of safeties in Kokal and senior Jordan Gafford.

Zac Dysert — QB

Miami quarterbacks were sacked 58 times last year. If Dysert can get better protection, look out.

Thomas Merriweather — RB

A hard-nosed runner who, if able to stay healthy, is capable of a breakthrough in his final season.

Austin Brown — DL

A sophomore with huge potential who already has become a team leader.

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