Kutcher/Korver/Boyle shines for Coe

It was pointed out to Brad Boyle that he looks a lot like actor Ashton Kutcher. Sorry for that reference, Iowa Hawkeyes basketball fans.

"Naw, Kyle Korver," the Coe College quarterback replied, referring to the NBA basketball player from Pella (and Kutcher look-a-like). "I think I look more like him. I get that a lot."

The facial comparisons aren't the important part here. It's all about game, and Ashton Korver-Boyle's got plenty of that.

Going into his team's game Saturday against Buena Vista, the junior has over 2,000 yards passing for a second consecutive season, one of only three Coe QBs to ever accomplish that. Barring injury, knock on wood, the former North Mahaska prep and last year's Iowa Conference MVP, will own most, if not all, of the career passing records at the school.

You get the term "best ever" thrown around a lot, but in this case, it might fit.

"We've had some good ones here," said Coe Coach Steve Staker, who has seen his share, considering he watched his sons play at the school before joining the coaching staff in 2004. "Tim Vinyard, comes to mind. Guy Simons. I think Brad's got the potential to be one of the best ever. I really do."

"I guess I've never really seen any of the other quarterbacks than Andy TeKippe," Boyle said, referring to Coe's assistant coach. "He actually recruited me. TeKippe was pretty good."

Sorry, Andy, but not as good as Boyle. At 6-foot-4 and 200 pounds, Boyle has the arm and smarts to throw the football all over the field and the size to run it. He lost 15 to 20 pounds after last season to help with that latter thing, though he claims it was more to looked tone for spring break.

Last season, he set an NCAA Division III record with 307 passes without an interception. He was picked once in 12 games. It hasn't been quite as good this season, but Boyle still has a 17-4 TD-to-pick ratio and leads the Iowa Conference with 16 rushing touchdowns. He also leads the league in passing, passing efficiency and total offense.

"He's definitely more confident this season with our offense and with his reads, reading defenses," said Coe offensive coordinator Tyler Staker. "The big thing he brings to the table is he's just the ultimate competitor. You look at quarterbacks that are successful, and that's the one common denominator. They compete."

And to think, Boyle may have been more known for his defense in high school. He played defensive end his senior year in the Shrine Bowl all-star game in Ames.

In fact, he went to Steve Staker midway through his freshman season at Coe and asked if he could play defense. He wanted to see the field and wasn't getting there as a quarterback.

"I was practicing down, and I was just looking to help out," Boyle said. "In the end, Coach said to stick it out. Two weeks later, I was starting."

He threw a game-winning pass in overtime in that first start against Luther. It's been much more of the same since.

"No, I really didn't," Steve Staker said, when asked if he ever saw Boyle becoming this good. "Shoot, I remember when he was a freshman, he came up to me and said 'Coach, maybe I should go over to defensive end.' I just told him 'Naw, I think you're all right where you're at.'"

Great call, Coach. Great call.