Restoring winning program won’t be easy at Miami

RedHawks have a killer schedule in 2010, but also have reasons for hope.

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By Pete Conrad, Staff Writer 8:34 PM Wednesday, November 25, 2009

OXFORD — Stu Holcomb is not one of the more famous of Miami University’s football coaches. Mention his name on campus, and 99 times out of 100 you’ll get a blank stare. At least 99 times.

Holcomb, who died in 1977 at the age of 66, is known more for his nine years as Purdue’s coach and his three seasons as general manager of the Chicago White Sox. But his impact in his two years at Miami, 1942-43, is undeniable and perhaps even relevant to today’s situation at Yager Stadium.

Holcomb, like current coach Michael Haywood, took over a Miami program that had endured three straight losing seasons. And Holcomb, like Haywood, made it four in a row in his first season in Oxford.

Holcomb’s story had a happy ending. In 1943, the Redskins went 7-2-1, then Holcomb went on to join Earl “Red” Blaik’s staff at Army.

It was 34 years and many hall-of-fame coaches later before Miami had another losing season.

Now it’s Haywood’s turn, although his task is far more formidable.

College football has become big business with little patience. Today’s media microscope is powerful and unending. And Haywood inherited a team with tradition and little else, a team prone to injuries, a team with no speed, no running game, no competitive edge and a killer schedule.

Next year’s schedule, by the way, borders on the hilarious. As of now, Miami’s nonconference games next fall calls for Boise State and Colorado State at home and Cincinnati, Florida and Missouri on the road. Where’s Texas?

Haywood is not the type of man to wring his hands, so first things first. He wants athletes who can move fast and move opponents out of the way.

“Doing new things in the weight room” will be a priority during the offseason, Haywood said Wednesday, Nov. 25, one day after he underwent knee surgery.

“We have to get bigger, faster and stronger,” he said. “We have to increase our intensity and sense of urgency in the weight room.”

That sense of urgency will be widespread. Just a few numbers show how bad things have been:

• Miami is 3-21 over the past two seasons.

• MU was outscored this fall 410-187 and outrushed 2,243 yards to 841.

• Miami finished the season ranked 120th out of 120 Division I teams in turnover margin at minus-24 Nobody else is close.

• In 2009, the official attendance at Miami’s first game at Yager Stadium was 23,493. The official attendance in the last game was 7,983. The actual attendance was less than 500.

Haywood was asked what about the 2009 season makes him optimistic.

“You’ve got half the starting lineup (in the final game) who were freshmen or redshirt freshmen,” he said, “and they’ve done a good job, which gives us a solid foundation coming back.”

Redshirt freshman Zac Dysert set the school record for pass completions by a rookie quarterback, and two of the top seven tacklers were true freshmen, Evan Harris and Austin Brown.

Now Haywood is looking for more new blood.

“I’m doing recruiting the next few weeks,” he said. “We have five or six spots still available, and we have to go out and get the best five or six players we can get.”

A RedHawk review

Record: 1-11 overall, 1-7 Mid-American Conference

Leading rusher: Thomas Merriweather, 291 yards, 2.8 yards per carry, 3 touchdowns

Leading passer: Zac Dysert, 247 completions, 401 attempts, 2,611 yards, 12 touchdowns, 16 interceptions

Leading receiver: Armand Robinson, 67 receptions, 788 yards, 4 touchdowns

Leading tackler: Jerrell Wedge, 114

School records set: Jamal Rogers, most career kickoff return yards (1,950); Brayden Coombs, most receptions in a game (14) vs. Buffalo, Nov. 18; Trevor Cook, longest field goal (55 yards) vs. Toledo, Oct. 31

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