Miami RedHawks Football Prepare For Season

By Scott Sutton

Miami University journalism student

The Miami RedHawks football team is fresh off of making NCAA football history. The team began the 2016 season 0-6 but managed to win their last six games, ending with a record of 6-6 and playing in a bowl game. The team lost to Mississippi State 17-16 due to a blocked field goal in the closing seconds.

Last December was Miami’s first bowl game appearance since 2011.

The team has had consecutive losing seasons since 2010, including their 0-12 season in 2013. Following the 2013 season, Notre Dame Offensive Coordinator Chuck Martin took over as head coach of the RedHawks. Martin took a $200,000 pay cut to coach a team with a 21-game losing streak

"Yeah, there were moments I thought about jumping off a bridge," Martin told myDayton Daily News. "But they only lasted about 30 seconds. The biggest thing when we got here, excluding the football and the players, was the facilities needed major upgrades, and two years in, we’ve gone from the worst facilities in the MAC to the best."

Junior cornerback Heath Harding remembers his time as a freshman when the team was struggling.

"Even though we were 0-6 we still practiced hard and stayed motivated which is not usually the case," says Harding. "When I was here my freshman year during the 0-12 season, everyone just gave up at the 0-6 point. You could tell how we practiced that we were just trying to get through the season."

Harding believes he knows the reason for the team's sudden winning streak.

"Our success has come from leadership and not just from the seniors but from proven guys at each position. The young guys saw how we came to work and they followed. Then once the first win came, the confidence came with it and we won more."

Spring practice began in mid-March with red-shirt junior quarterback Gus Ragland leading the way.

Ragland went 6-1 as a starter in Miami’s final seven games, while throwing 17 touchdowns with just one interception. He threw for 257 yards and two touchdowns in the Bowl Game against Mississippi State.

Once Miami started winning with Ragland at the helm, a fire started in the student body. They began making t-shirts, writing articles, and other things in support of Ragland. The slogan on the t-shirts was "In Gus we Trust."

"Since taking the quarterback role on this team, the most challenging part has been the social aspect," says Ragland. "I want players to look at me as a great leader, hard worker, and dedicated teammate. Going out and drinking isn’t something that looks good for the quarterback or the team most of the time."

The RedHawks have battled with the issue of low attendance up until they started winning.

One suggested reason for low attendance is 'Beat the Clock' at Brick Street Bar and Grill Uptown. The time 'Beat the Clock' begins is the same time almost all of the games begin -- 1 p.m. Some students say the two interfere with one another and many choose drinking over going to the games.

Last year was the first time beer was sold at Yager Stadium, which many think is one reason why there was a spike in attendance at home football games.

"I’ve attended around five games, and stayed the whole time for two, my entire time at Miami,” says fifth year senior Derek Roth. "Students are 100 percent going more often because of the beer sold and I think next year attendance will be even higher, due to the team’s recent success with Gus. I personally really like the kid because he’s a success story out of Cincinnati."

Although the team wasn't always successful before this season, some RedHawks have managed to take the next step in their career.

There are currently six players from the RedHawks that are playing professional football, five in the National Football League and one in the Arena Football League.

The most well-known of the six is Ben Roethlisberger. Roethlisberger graduated from Miami in 2003 setting many school records while in Oxford. He was selected 11th overall in the 2004 NFL Draft and later went on to be a 2-time Super Bowl Champion and a 5-time Pro Bowler.

Following this past season, the RedHawks have had two more players go pro. Offensive lineman, Colin Buchanan, has been signed by the New Orleans Saints and defensive end, JT Jones, has been signed by the Atlanta Falcons.

Two more RedHawks have been invited to NFL Rookie Camps to prove themselves. Wide receiver Rokeem Williams has been invited by the Pittsburgh Steelers and defensive end Austin Gearing has been invited by the Kansas City Chiefs.

"The biggest thing I’m looking forward to is being able to be with and compete against the best guys in the world," Gearing says. "However, I believe the biggest struggle will be the idea that anybody can be cut at anytime including myself."

Gearing urged fellow RedHawks to not get caught up in thinking about life after Miami.

"Do not focus on the NFL process until you finish at Miami," he says. "When that time comes it is a long and stressful process alone."

The RedHawks are returning almost all of their starters next season. Fans will see if the team can build on its end of season success when it kicks off the 2017 season September 2 in a matchup against the Marshall University Thundering Herd.

Photo: The team preparing for a game in the tunnel. --Photo courtesy Quentin McCorvey