Something about the aura of late summer was beckoning to Drew Dyer.
The Regis Jesuit senior had previously decided to be a basketball player after high school — and who could blame him after helping his team to two Class 5A state championships? — but something about the fresh-cut grass and prospect of hitting people was invigorating.
“My junior year, I didn’t even play football,” Dyer said. “I just solely focused on basketball and playing basketball in college. But with Coach (Mark) Nolan being at Regis and a bunch of buddies playing, I decided to go out for football my senior year.
“Then, the first practice, I realized that if I could play college football, that’s what I wanted to do. Things worked out nicely for me.”
Indeed. The 6-foot-6, 235-pound Dyer scrapped his hoops plans and will be a tight end next season at the Air Force Academy.
Things came together quickly for a player with no prior varsity football experience. He caught at least one pass in every game, with 10 touchdown receptions, for the Raiders (13-1), who lost only to Mullen in the 5A championship game.
“He’s just really athletic,” said Nolan, who believes Dyer’s character and academic acumen will fit in well at the academy. “For him to come out and catch the ball, be a nasty blocker and just play the game the way it’s meant to be played, I think it was really natural for anyone who watched his film to say, ‘Hey, I want this guy to come play for us.’ “
Basketball? Dyer is still on the hardwood at his customary power forward position, trying to help the Raiders to a third consecutive title. He is averaging 13.8 points a game as his career in the sport winds down.
“Just because of how well we’ve done and how close I’ve become to my teammates, I’m sure it will hit me at the end of the season,” Dyer said. “I mean, I’ll play rec ball and mess around with my friends, but I’ll probably never play real basketball again.”
Regis Jesuit basketball coach Ken Shaw took the news well.
“That’s always up to the kids, and I never try to sway them one way or the other,” Shaw said. “In basketball, I think he was a D-2 player in the right system. Obviously in football, he was more highly recruited. He feels that’s his best opportunity at the college level, so I’m certainly pulling for him and happy for him.”
Dyer said a few Division I schools — Denver, Harvard and Princeton — gave him a look, as did a bevy of smaller schools. In football, Air Force made an offer after watching him play against Douglas County on Oct. 8. Dyer said Colorado State offered him an opportunity to walk on but that Air Force was his top choice the entire time.
“I’m starting out as a tight end, and if it works out for me there, that’s where I’ll stay,” Dyer said. “If I get to Air Force and they think I can play tackle or want me to move to defense, that’s what I’ll do.”
Drew Dyer/2010-11 stat lines
FOOTBALL
37 receptions, 470 yards, 10 touchdowns
Key fact: Caught at least one pass in every game for the Class 5A runner-up Raiders.
BASKETBALL
13.8 points per game, 6.3 rebounds
Key fact: Was a starter on Regis Jesuit’s 5A championship teams in 2008-09 and 2009-10.
