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Backup quarterback turning some heads
(by Chris Wilson - August 07, 2008)
An injury to the starting quarterback last season gave St. Ignatius junior Mark Myers the opportunity to display his talents. Photo by Itamar Gat
Backup quarterback turning some heads
By Chris Wilson
St. Ignatius junior quarterback Mark Myers won't be the starter heading into the season, but he's already being touted as a player to watch in the State of Ohio by some college recruiting services.
A Pepper Pike resident, Myers received a brief glimpse of a starter's life last year when he replaced injured starting signal-caller Andrew Holland.
Heading into the much-anticipated matchup against Cincinnati LaSalle, Holland suffered a collarbone injury in the second quarter. Suddenly, the 6-foot-4-inch, 200-pound Myers was thrust into the spotlight at one of the nation's elite football powerhouses.
Myers rose to the occasion. Trailing 20-19 with just 2:16 remaining in the game, he orchestrated an 11-play, 67-yard drive to set up a game-winning 30-yard field goal.
"Being my first game, I was really nervous," Myers said. "And this was a huge game, so there was definitely a lot of pressure. I just tried to be cool and just play the game like it was any other game.
"It was a really big thrill. To come through like that in such a big game was awesome."
That performance elevated him in the eyes of his coach, Chuck Kyle, as well as caught the attention of some recruiters.
"Myers did a great job getting thrown in like that," Kyle said. "It was an amazing effort on his part."
Myers finished the season as the starter and passed for over 400 yards.
At Ohio State's Senior Advanced Camp in June, Myers opened some eyes and was even featured on a recruiting Web site.
"I liked it a lot." Myers said of the camp. "It helped a lot. I liked seeing the other kids I'll be competing against. I got to talk to the quarterback coach as well, so it was good experience."
Myers has been busy this summer. He also attended Boston College's Advanced Camp, Gary Stevens's Camp and Notre Dame's Advanced Camp where he met coach Charlie Weis. Despite meeting coaching staffs and receiving much exposure, Myers' main focus is becoming a better quarterback.
"My goal is just to become a better overall quarterback," he said. "I want to get stronger and improve my accuracy. I am working on improving my footwork and my throwing mechanics. The camps have helped me in understanding the preparation that is needed to become a quarterback. I am really trying to understand defensive schemes and reading defenses better."
Even though Holland will return for his senior year as the starter at St. Ignatius, Myers is biding his time.
"Andrew is a really good quarterback and leader of out offense," Myers said. "We have a lot of guys returning, so I am really looking forward to this season."
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