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Top recruit gives RedHawks new option at quarterback

Photo by Lauren Olson
Photo by Lauren Olson

After last season's merry-go-round of quarterbacks, Miami University football head coach Chuck Martin said the position may still be up for grabs. Miami signed quarterback Noah Wezensky of Fort Wayne, Ind. (Bishop Luers) on National Signing Day last Wednesday.

According to the 247sports composite rankings, Wezensky is ranked 74th in the nation in his position and is the 28th-best overall player in the state of Indiana.

"I was ecstatic when we got him. He was the only non-BCS player to make the Elite 11 Finals [national quarterback camp competition] last summer. He's a pretty highly-touted recruit," Martin said. "He's a Miami-type kid, he's a great student, he believes in this university, believes in what we're doing. He's a very confident kid."

Wezensky, a pro-style quarterback who stands at 6-foot-3 and 190 pounds, chose to play at Miami over reported offers from University of Akron, University of Toledo, and Central Michigan University and interests from 10 other schools, including University of Notre Dame and Michigan State University.

He threw for 2,879 yards and 30 touchdowns and completed 63.5 percent of his passes (205-for-323) his junior season, earning first team all-state honors. He missed most of his senior season with an injury, but finished his high school career with 5,149 yards and 46 passing touchdowns.

If Wezensky wants to be Miami's starting quarterback next season, he'll have to beat out freshman Billy Bahl, who was named the starter in Week 6 last season, and redshirt freshman Gus Ragland.

"I think he'll be able to close the gap on Billy and Gus," Martin said. "I think he'll be more mature coming in than those kids were. So I think he'll have an opportunity to get in there and fight that battle."

Bahl completed 98 of 220 attempts (44.5 completion percentage) for 1409 yards, 13 interceptions and eight touchdowns in 11 games in 2015.

Ragland, who was mainly used to pick up rushing yardage, completed 20 of 29 attempts (69.0 completion percentage) for 196 yards and three touchdowns in 10 games. He was second on the team in rushing with 331 net yards and two touchdowns on 57 carries.

"I know everybody's excited about Gus and Billy - and we certainly are - but I know Noah's planning on trying to come in here and get right in the middle of that mix," Martin said. "He's that confident of a player. He played at a program that plays in big games every year, so he's very calm under pressure. He's very cerebral. So, he's mature for a high school senior."

To see film from Wezensky's junior year, visit here (courtesy of hudl).