BY GEOFF HOBSON
The Cincinnati Enquirer
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Schedule no concern to coach
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OXFORD -- In the Cradle of Coaches, they nervously anticipate the emergence of a quarterback.
Miami University coach Randy Walker showed up at media day without Sam Ricketts, the school's all-time passing leader, and his heir is not yet apparent.
"Every day we walk off the field thinking it's a different guy," said Walker, who hopes to start getting some answers today when the Red- Hawks begin work in pads.
There's a 50-50 chance it won't be redshirt sophomore John Schacke, who appears to be the leader if healthy. But those are the odds the doctors give for Schacke's availability in the Sept. 5 opener in North Carolina. Schacke is recovering from April surgery on a torn anterior cruciate ligament in his right knee.
That means it's left to redshirt sophomore Mike Bath, who has thrown 15 more passes than rival Bobby Pesavento, a redshirt freshman who has yet to throw one.
But Walker is upbeat. Maybe because his quarterback doesn't have to be All-World, just All Right.
That's because Miami also has:
The best running back in school history in junior Heisman Trophy candidate Travis Prentice.
A stable of wide receivers Walker calls the best he's had in nine seasons (led by Jay Hall of Walnut Hills, who's about to become MU's all-time receiving leader).
The MAC's No. 1 defense last year, including outside linebacker JoJuan Armour, the player of the year.
And if all else fails, punter Kent McCullough, who made the freshman All-America team last season.
"(The coaches) have been telling us to think if you don't get that first down in this series, we'll punt it and with our punter and defense, we'll gain 10, 15 yards every time on field possession," said Bath, who led Celina High School to the 1995 Ohio state playoffs with a 12-1 record.
"I'd much rather be in this position than with all new guys. Whoever wins the starting job is going to kind of grow into the position." Walker could look like a genius handing off 50 times a game to the 6-foot-2, 226-pound Prentice. But he strives for the same 50-50 pass-run balance Miami had last season when Prentice rushed for 1,549 yards and led the nation with 25 touchdowns.
Like most of his teammates, Prentice stayed around campus working out and ended up tying MU's clean-and-jerk record, 405 pounds -- held by two linemen.
But Walker knows it might not mean much if he can't find a quarterback. The three have vastly different styles.
Schacke, who should be 100 percent by the Sept. 26 MAC opener, is Walker's "Bob Griese-type," a steady, solid passer who won't dazzle with arm or mobility. Bath is his athlete, the one guy who can run around but struggles for consistency. Pesavento is a pocket passer with a fine arm, but is raw.
"(The quarterback) has to execute for us, but he doesn't have to carry us," Walker said. "We're trying to find the guy who's going to be consistent. They've all got the talent."
