Tyler Van Dyke evaluates how much win over Texas A&M means for Miami program
Over the weekend, the Miami Hurricanes got a huge win, beating the Texas A&M Aggies. That win came in large part because of the performance of quarterback Tyler Van Dyke. After the game, Van Dyke shared how much the win meant to the program.
Van Dyke explained that the win shows how much Miami has grown. He also emphasized that this is because of how the players have been handling themselves.
“It means a lot,” Tyler Van Dyke said. “It shows how hard we’ve worked this offseason. It shows how this is a player-led team. All the leaders came together, told each other, ‘This is not happening again. We’re not being 5-7. We’re gonna fight through adversity and win those games.'”
In the win, Tyler Van Dyke threw for 374 yards and five touchdowns. It was a massive performance that Miami has long since been looking for out of him. It was also a performance that was largely possible because of the improved offensive line that he’s playing behind now.
“I think tonight was the first step in showing the world what we have to prove. 10 more games, so this is only the beginning.”
This win over Texas A&M was in stark contrast to last season’s loss on the road at Texas A&M. That was a frustrating 17-9 loss and was the start of a three game losing streak.
The Miami Hurricanes next takes the field on Thursday night against the Bethune-Cookman Wildcats, an HBCU out of the MEAC.
Tyler Van Dyke on Miami fighting through adversity
Early in the win over Texas A&M, Miami had a couple of special teams miscues that helped the Aggies take an early lead. Despite that, the Hurricanes fought through the adversity to win. That’s something that Tyler Van Dyke doesn’t think they could have done last season.
“I think last year we would have quit, honestly. We’re a totally different team. The leaders stepped up. The players stepped up. Held each other accountable the entire offseason to tell each other we can’t give up in big games like this,” Van Dyke said.
“We just fought, even with the muffed punt and the blocked punt, and when we were down 10-0 early. The way we fought through adversity, that’s something we really wanted to work on this year, and that was a perfect moment for that to happen, and we fought through it.”