Max Meylor, left, took over the starting quarterback spot from Zach Oles after the regular season. Photos by Steve Frommell, Larry Radloff, d3photography.com

By Joe Sager
D3sports.com

Coming into this season, UW-Whitewater had a big void on offense.

Quarterback Cole Wilber wrapped up his illustrious career for the Warhawks last fall after directing the unit for three seasons. So, UW-Whitewater needed to find a new starting quarterback.

The Warhawks came away from fall camp with two – juniors Zach Oles and Max Meylor. Oles, who was Wilber’s backup last year, got the majority of starts and snaps early on, with Meylor ready to step in, whenever.

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The quarterback spot remained an open competition for the rest of the season. Meylor seized the starting nod at the start of the postseason and held onto the position. He helped guide UW-Whitewater to Friday’s Stagg Bowl, where the Warhawks meet North Central at Woodforest Bank Stadium in Shenandoah, Texas, in search of their first national title since 2014.

“It’s going to be a great trip. We’re excited for the warm weather,” Meylor said with a laugh. “The vibe down there is going to be awesome. We have to keep our cool, though, Tuesday through Thursday and Friday morning and then we can turn it up for that night. As long as we stick to our process, we should be good.”

The Warhawks have made the most out of their unique quarterback situation.

“We have two very good quarterbacks. We knew that last spring, coming into fall camp and at the conclusion of camp. The thing that is beautiful, to me, about Zach and Max is that they help each other. So many times in life, people compete against each other and they think that means that should be a problem. It’s never been a problem for them,” Warhawks head coach Kevin Bullis said.

“Zach had the nod during a large portion of the regular season, but Max came to work every day. He made himself better and worked at his craft. He helped Zach on the sideline and helped him in practice. There’s a brotherhood between those two that is very special. Now, Zach does the same thing for Max. They both developed each other and they are great role models for our team and for our guys who are competing with each other for jobs.”

Even though they are competing for the same spot each day in practice, Oles and Meylor are not hostile toward each other. It’s quite the opposite, actually.

“We love being around each other. We’re with each other a lot and we don’t want this run to end,” Oles said. “We have one goal and that’s to go 1-0 each week.”

“We’re tight. We’re in a lot of meetings together and we’re both active in those meetings, getting the same voice and the same thoughts going,” Meylor said. “After meetings, we’ll go to the dining hall together. Whitewater is not the biggest campus, so we see each other around, too. On away trips, we’re roommates.”

When one quarterback isn’t on the field for UW-Whitewater, he’s serving as an extended member of the coaching staff.

“We help each other. Say I see something on the sideline, I’ll let him know that teams are in this coverage and playing it this way. Recently, Zach has been saying the same thing to me,” Meylor said. “Jake Eskoff, our third-string quarterback, has been saying the same things. We see things differently, sometimes, than our coaches do. They respect that and we respect them also. It’s just good to hear from Zach and Jake and get their thoughts also. We’re all in this together and we just keep getting better as a quarterback unit.”

Oles appreciated the insight he received and is more than happy to reciprocate.

“Our position group is very close. We always help each other out. As soon as Max got the starting reins, I was there to help. We’re always there to help each other, no matter what. It’s nice having another pair of eyes out there,” he said. “Every time Max comes off the field, he’ll go talk to our offensive coordinator and then comes right to me. I’ll explain what I saw and he explains what he saw and we just go from there.”

The learning process has continued throughout the season for the UW-Whitewater quarterbacks. Even though Oles received most of the starts during the regular season, Meylor had to prepare as if he was getting the nod.

“It can get tough. It has. At the end of the day, it’s about the team, our offense and what’s best for it,” Meylor said. “The whole regular season, it was tough to be a backup. With that role, you have to be ready. With just one play, you could become the one getting all the reps. It kind of wears on you, mentally. Over time, you have to fight through that and be prepared for every opportunity that comes.”

Meylor appeared in seven of the Warhawks’ 10 regular season games. He seized the chance to start the team’s playoff opener against Monmouth after the team dropped a 27-20 decision to UW-Oshkosh to close the regular season, with the passing game struggling.

“Coach could just throw you in the game at any point, so you have to be mentally and physically sharp as well,” he said. “We’ve both worked hard and we’ve both had time to play.”

Oles has completed 119 of 213 passes for 1,509 yards and 12 touchdowns this season. He’s rushed for 323 yards and two scores as well. While he’s watched from the sideline in the postseason, he knows he could find himself in Friday’s national championship game at any moment.”

“Max is taking the first-team reps and I am taking the second-team reps. That’s how it goes. But, we still get the same amount of plays in practice. I know things are just one play away from changing. Through our preparation, if I have to go in, I will be just as ready as he is,” Oles said. “When he is taught something, we are all taught the same thing. We’re always going through it together and we’re always spending time together. Whatever one person learns, we all learn. Winning a national championship is the ultimate goal. It’s been a long season and we’ve worked really hard. We hope to keep it rolling through this last one.”

The quarterbacks have leaned on each other even more in the postseason, as short weeks and increased travel have left less time for preparation for unfamiliar opponents.

“It hasn’t been easy, especially right now where it’s do or die. You have to be on top of your game day-in and day-out and take care of yourself and your arm and your body. Week in and week out, we’re learning new coverages, who we want to go at and who we don’t. Those are things we have to bounce off each other and remind each other about, whatever the situation is,” Meylor said. “It’s been a grind this whole season, especially the past couple weeks. We had to play Mary Hardin-Baylor and St. John’s the past two weeks and, to come out victorious, is incredible. We’re still building on that and still getting better each week.”

The Warhawks have averaged 32.3 points per game in the postseason. They know they’ll have to be effective against North Central, which boasts its own prolific offense.

“We’re putting points on the board and we’re doing what we do,” Meylor said. “From running the ball and throwing the ball as a unit, I feel like we’re playing the best we have all year.”