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Don't forget about Dysert

JM Rieger, Columnist

Andrew Luck, Landry Jones, Matt Barkley and Robert Griffin III. These are some of the premier quarterbacks in college football this season, but this list is missing one name: Zac Dysert.

Dysert has thrown for over 1,800 yards this season through seven games and is currently third on Miami's all-time career passing yards list, behind only Josh Betts and Ben Roethlisberger.

In addition, Dysert ranks fourth among college football's non-senior quarterbacks in career passing yards, behind only Oklahoma University's Landry Jones, Baylor University's Robert Griffin III and the University of Southern California's Matt Barkley.

Dysert is also only one of five Miami players in the modern era that has been a team captain for more than one season.

After Miami's stellar season last year, where the RedHawks went from worst-to-first and won their first Mid-American Conference title since 2003, there were many calls from fans for Austin Boucher to take the starting quarterback role from Dysert, who was knocked out for the season after lacerating his spleen in week 10.

While Boucher is a tremendous quarterback who has great potential, fans forget what Dysert has meant to this team. He has been one of the most prolific passers in Miami history and has been one of the key leaders in a locker room that has seen three coaching changes in four years.

Dysert should not lose his starting role because of a fluke injury that he suffered last year — his play on the field should determine where he fits into the lineup each week.

However, the last thing that this team needs is instability.

Fans can argue about whether Dysert or Boucher is better, but the fact of the matter is that they are very comparable quarterbacks when it comes to winning games with two very different skill sets.

Boucher has done a tremendous job protecting the football and methodically moving the ball down the field for the RedHawks, while Dysert has the capability to make plays, especially when the protection breaks down, and is more of a gunslinger.

Ultimately though, both are great quarterbacks who give Miami a great chance to win. Head Coach Don Treadwell was in a very tough position this summer when deciding who he would name as Miami's starting quarterback.

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Analysts always say how having two great quarterbacks is a good problem to have, but in reality, it is a terrible problem to have.

Not only do you always feel like you are wasting the talent of one of your players, but as soon as the starter struggles even in the slightest, loudmouth fans start to call for the backup. But this trigger-happy approach does nothing but create instability, which is something that Miami most definitely cannot afford.

Boucher has two additional years of eligibility compared to Dysert's one, so Miamians will hopefully get to see both lead this team within the next few years.

However, fans must appreciate all that Dysert has accomplished thus far in his career and the potential that he has to lead this team to another MAC Championship.

And as for the Miami faithful who find it hard to believe that anyone not named Roethlisberger could be considered one of the premier quarterbacks in college football, you had better start believing.