MIAA Column: Building an offensive juggernaut

By Jon Dykstra | October 27, 2023 |

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The quarterback play in the MIAA is special this season with 2-time Harlon Hill Trophy finalist T.J. Davis not even in the top half of the league currently in efficiency.

The league is special, but one guy is more special than the rest. You guessed it — it’s the dude who threw for 615 yards, eight touchdowns and no interceptions while putting up 77 points in just three quarters on Saturday.

Emporia State isn’t great defensively, but it is not like he did that against Lincoln or Northeastern State. Emporia State is a top-25 team in the nation and Zach Zebrowski scored touchdowns on the first seven possessions of the game. After two punts, they scored touchdowns on four of the next five drives.

It was not like the Mules had just one guy the Hornets couldn’t cover either, Zebrowski had eight receivers with over 40 yards.

One thing that stuck out to me when sitting in on Josh Lamberson’s press conference he had after beating Northwest Missouri State was how he spoke about offensive coordinator Justin Bane.

Bane took a non-traditional route to coordinating Division-II’s best offense as a trainer at his own business ‘The Fieldhouse Abilene’ in Texas. Lamberson hired Bane as the Passing Game Coordinator, Wide Receivers Coach and Player Development Coordinator for the Mules.

Bane had teamed with Lamberson and Assistant Head Coach Hayden Hawk to mold the offense and it has turned Zebrowski into the clear frontrunner for the Harlon Hill Trophy and the Mules into a national title contender.

The unconventional path for Bane is sure to attract attention. It will be interesting to see if he gets the opportunity to lead his own offense away from Lamberson and Hawk, and how that would go.

Right now, one thing is clear, nobody wants to play Zebrowski and the Mules right now or in the playoffs.

Here are this week’s power rankings:

1. Pittsburg State (8-0)

Last Week: W, 28-7 over Northwest

Previous Rank: 1

It wasn’t always pretty, but 21-point victories in Maryville are rare regardless of the state of the Bearcats.

2. Central Missouri (7-1)

Last Week: W, 77-27 over Emporia State

Previous Rank: 2

It is Pitt State then Central Missouri, then a giant gap before No. 3. I truly believe both the Gorillas and Mules are in that elite tier of national title contenders.

3. Fort Hays State (6-2)

Last Week: W, 31-28 over Washburn

Previous Rank: 6

Talk about not pretty. A 3-point win over Washburn feels a bit unsatisfying, but the Tigers just keep winning.

4. Northwest (4-4)

Last Week: L, 7-28 to Pittsburg State

Previous Rank: 3

The playoffs were already not in the cards this season, but with the fourth loss, the players and coaches know that for sure now. The response with three very winnable games left will be fascinating.

5. Missouri Western (6-2)

Last Week: W, 20-17 over Nebraska-Kearney

Previous Rank: 4

With Northeastern State this week, can the Griffons convince themselves the playoffs are a real possibility before Pittsburg State comes to town in a week? Last-second wins over teams like Nebraska-Kearney don’t leave me confident that the Griffons can run the table.

6. Emporia State (5-3)

Last Week: L, 27-77 to Central Missouri

Previous Rank: 5

This defense is bad and that is easy to say after the Zebrowski show rolled through town. It’s I’ve been saying since Week 2 when Northwest beat themselves even when Emporia State couldn’t tackle in Maryville.

7. Central Oklahoma (4-4)

Last Week: W, 37-21 over Northeastern State

Previous Rank: 7

The Bronchos are my upset special this week. I still think this team is super talented. Sorry Bronchos, with my picking history, you are now guaranteed to lose by like 40 in Hays.

8. Missouri Southern (4-4)

Last Week: W, 63-5 over Lincoln

Previous Rank: 8

Wow, 63-5 is a fun score. Ten carries for 111 yards for Nathan Glades last week is a good sign moving forward. Central Missouri being up next is a bad sign moving forward.

9. Nebraska-Kearney (2-6)

Last Week: L, 17-20 to Missouri Western

Previous Rank: 9

The Lopers probably should have won, but the officials overturned a questionable fumble by Western. Backup quarterback Sean Johnson ran for 89 yards on Saturday while T.J. Davis ran for negative-18. This team makes no sense.