Connecticut native Alex Van Dyke proving he belongs as Miami QB
Tyler Van Dyke knew his time was coming.
He didn’t necessarily know when. That didn’t matter. All that did matter was that he made sure he was ready.
So, when he got the chance to work with Miami’s first-team offense during the spring while sixth-year senior D’Eriq King was recovering from a torn ACL, Van Dyke absorbed every bit of information he could.
“I’ve just prepared every day no matter what position, second or third string, like I was the starter,” said Van Dyke, a redshirt freshman from Glastonbury. “Working hard every day, when that opportunity came, I was ready for it.”
Indeed, he was. Van Dyke made his first start as the Hurricanes quarterback in a 69-0 demolition of Central Connecticut State on Sept. 25 and has held onto the coveted job ever since.
“Once D’Eriq got hurt,” Van Dyke said, “it was my turn. I knew I had to step up in that aspect and get the whole team to believe in me and rally around me.”
King, the former Houston standout, underwent season-ending shoulder surgery following a September loss to Michigan State, leaving the 6-foot-4 Van Dyke as the unquestioned No. 1 under center.
In five starts this season, Van Dyke has thrown for 1,488 yards and 12 touchdowns, asserting himself as a contender in the ACC
Rookie of the Year race. He’s also thrown four interceptions, but three came in one game against North Carolina.
And he’s only increased his stock after fueling the Hurricanes (4-4) to consecutive top 20 wins. Against then-No. 18 NC State, he completed 25 of 33 passes for 325 yards and four touchdowns. Last Saturday at then-No. 17 Pittsburgh, he was 32 of 42 for 428 yards, three touchdowns and one interception.
Miami hosts Georgia Tech Saturday (12:30 p.m., ACCN).
“It may have taken a few weeks,” Van Dyke said of getting comfortable as the starter, “but once I did, I felt like I was just playing team football.”
Van Dyke is reserved when speaking about himself. He stresses the importance of staying humble and maintaining a level mindset — traits he attributes to his parents.
“They just told me to stay humble and keep working hard no matter how I play,” Van Dyke said. “If we win or not, be the same person every day. Just keep working hard.”
“He just doesn’t get himself down,” his mother, Amy, said. “He’s just so even-keeled. He’ll just go onto the next one.”
Van Dyke has always been that way, according to his longtime personal quarterback coach, Travis Meyer. From high school star at Suffield Academy — where he was a four-star prospect and ESPN’s No. 2 pro-style quarterback — to college
phenom, Van Dyke has been a different breed.
“Sophomore year of high school, or even before that, I just knew there was a difference in the way he threw, the way he moved,” Meyer said. “Whether or not he’d be D-I material, you always have to see how they’re going to play on the field. Once he got into varsity games when he was at Suffield Academy, that was it.
“I did have a feeling that him and (former Xavier High and current Kentucky quarterback Will Levis, whom Meyer also coached), would do something as long as they got the chance. To do what they’re doing now, I wouldn’t say it’s a surprise by any means, but it’s great to watch it happen.”
The rifle-armed Van Dyke has been a quintessential fit in former UConn offensive coordinator Rhett Lashlee’s scheme, ranking 12th in the country in yards per attempt (9.24), 32nd in yards per game (248) and 16th in passing efficiency (160.62).
“I love playing for him,”
Van Dyke said. “I love the way he calls plays. We threw the ball 42 times last game, so as a quarterback, you can’t ask for more. I just let the ball rip downfield. He calls a lot of shots downfield. I like that kind of stuff.”
Van Dyke’s stature is undoubtedly growing, even if he’s still just a handful of starts into his career at Miami. He’s won ACC Rookie of the Week backto-back times and has the Hurricanes sitting at .500 again after a 2-4 start. Not to mention, he might’ve saved head coach Manny Diaz’s job by reinvigorating a passionate fanbase longing for the program’s return to national prominence.
It’s not a bad spot for Van Dyke to be, especially in the current NIL environment where athletes can maximize exposure. In trying to do that, Van Dyke has already inked deals with Topps and Campus Mogul, a personalized apparel brand.
“He has opportunities now, but he’s not a flashy kid,” Amy said. “You won’t see him out there promoting himself. When you do see that, it’s probably because someone is telling him to.
“I have a feeling things will really start to pick up given the position he’s in.”