Ryan Boyle knew what he was stepping into. But he also knew the message from the Indiana State coaching staff convinced him he could be part of a special turnaround.
After finishing his degree at Iowa, where Boyle spent three seasons as a reserve quarterback, he decided to transfer with two years of eligibility remaining.
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Tom Wilson, his high school coach, told him about Indiana State and head coach Curt Mallory, who Wilson has known for a long time. Boyle set up a visit, was able to watch the spring game and talk to the coaches and players and decided he wanted to be a Sycamore.
His impact has been key since starting the third game of this season and has helped spark Indiana State. Coming off a 0-11 season in Mallory’s first year as head coach, the Sycamores are currently 5-4 and 3-3 in the Missouri Valley Football Conference.
So what made Boyle want to join a program that hadn't won a game since Oct. 22, 2016?
“The coaches in place, the players that were here and the culture here at Indiana State,” Boyle told HERO Sports. “They knew they were going to come back bigger and stronger than ever. I really liked what they had to say and to be a part of this team to change 0-11 to now a winning season right now, it’s great to be here. I knew what I was coming into and I was excited to help change it around.”
Boyle got to campus in May and faced two big challenges.
“The challenge in itself was learning a new offense,” Boyle said. “And then getting guys I’ve known for just a month to trust me to lead them on and off the field. That was tough at first. But I believe I’m a competitive guy and wear my heart on my sleeve to where my play on the field is going to get them to trust me.”
His play certainly speaks volumes. Boyle has thrown for 1,392 yards, 10 touchdowns and just one interception. With standout running back Ja’Quan Keys suffering a season-ending hip injury in October, Boyle is the top active rusher with 558 yards and five scores.
He's upped his game in recent weeks during Indiana State's three-game winning streak. Boyle threw for 325 yards and three touchdowns in a dominating win at Youngstown State. And last week in a triple overtime win against South Dakota, he threw for five touchdowns and ran for two more.
This is a team that's battled back from a 0-3 start in the Valley. Two of those losses include a 54-51 overtime loss at No. 3 South Dakota State and a 29-26 loss versus Missouri State. It’s a far cry from a winless 2017 season and is part of the vision Mallory and his coaching staff put in place.
If somehow Boyle never knew or was told about last year, he wouldn't even recognize a program that had its struggles a season ago.
“It’s ramped up. Everybody is really excited,” Boyle said. “I’m coming off the practice field right now and I can hear the stereo going off in the locker room. Everyone is dancing after a good practice. Just seeing the guys and how heartbroken they were after a close loss to Missouri State and South Dakota State where it came down to the last play. And then to see how excited they are after these last three wins. It’s awesome to see our group come into work the next day.”
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