In 2009 IU will be bringing in two talented prospects from nearby Columbus East High School (IN), WR
Duwyce Wilson, and as of just last week, QB
Dustin ‘Dusty’ Kiel. IUplanet talked recently with Kiel about his commitment to IU and why he chose the Hoosiers.
Late in the recruiting process, Central Michigan was still close in the race for Kiel, but the IU coaching staff and the prestige of the Big Ten eventually won over the rising senior. “I really, really really liked Coach
[Matt] Canada and Coach
[Bill] Lynch, both Coach [Bill and Billy] Lynches actually. And I just felt that IU academically was what I wanted. And just playing in the Big Ten, it’s been a dream.”
Staying united with Wilson was a bonus, though Kiel said that the receiver’s commitment didn’t play a huge role in his own decision. “It’s going to be great,” he said about going to IU with Wilson. “Earlier in the recruiting process we kind of talked about going to the same place and how cool that would be. We’re both looking forward to it now.”
Last Wednesday Kiel called Lynch to deliver his own good news. “When I called Coach Lynch, he was like, ‘no way, you just made my day.’ Coach Canada seemed excited too,” he recalled. When he made the decision, the relief set in. “Oh, it’s great,” he said about having his school decision completed. “Now I know where I’m going, and I feel confident about it, and it’s just good to have it over with, now I can concentrate on my team.”
Even though IU already has another QB prospect committed for 2009 in Jeffersonville HS QB
Edward Wright Baker (against whom Kiel has played a few times), the IU coaching staff was not deterred from going after another promising quarterback, and Kiel did not hesitate to take the opportunity. “They recruited me as a quarterback,” Kiel said. “They told me that I fit their system and what they want to do perfectly. I think that I do too. They didn’t really tell me like, when I am going to play or anything, but they just said that I fit their offense really well.”
Dusty Kiel
Position: Quarterback
Height: 6'3"
Weight: 215 lbs
Hometown: Columbus, Indiana
Rivals.com Rankings: 2 stars
Kiel then went into more detail about what the coaches saw in him. “They like that I’m a smart kid, I can throw the ball really well, and they also say that my speed is better than what people give me credit for. I’m pretty mobile… I consider myself a dual threat.”
His dynamic abilities produced great results on the field during his junior campaign. Kiel not only passed for roughly 2700 yards, 33 touchdowns, and only 6 interceptions; he also rushed for 560 yards and 15 touchdowns. His 4.7 speed makes him quite a threat on the ground, and his size can make him quite difficult to bring to the turf.
This year Kiel has quite a few things he wants to improve before coming to IU. “Just getting more polished, with my accuracy, get my feet better, and just coming in good shape. And I’ll probably want to get faster by the time I get there,” he said.
Even if there’s a lot of hard work ahead of him, however, Kiel knows that he has a lot to look forward to in Bloomington. “Just playing in the Big Ten,” he said when asked what he was excited for the most. “The recruiting class, the way the coaches talk, they act like it’s a really good class, so I’m really excited to be coming in to a program that’s on the rise.
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What do you think about Kiel's commitment? Could he be the Hoosiers' next star quarterback? Let us know below!
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Thanks to Dusty Kiel for the great interview!
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