By CONOR NICHOLL

cnicholl@dailynews.net

Last year, Hays High School football coach Ryan Cornelsen first talked to Austin Unrein about playing quarterback this year. Unrein was excited for the opportunity after he played wide receiver/kicker/punter during his first two years with the Indians. During HHS' last summer camp, Cornelsen told Unrein he was the starter heading into fall practice. Unrein realized he had a big role to fill after quarterback Bryant Bombardier helped Hays High finish 7-2, including a 4-0 record in Western Athletic Conference play. Bombardier managed the offense and earned all-WAC honorable mention honors.

"Bryant had a good year as the starter last year," Unrein said.

In the first year of playing quarterback in his high school career, Bombardier finished well behind the rest of the conference's starting quarterbacks in nearly every statistic, including yards passing (646), touchdown passes (nine) and completion percentage (35-of-72 for 48.6 percent). However, Bombardier finished first in yards per pass attempt (8.97) and was second in fewest interceptions (six). Bombardier moved the chains effectively as the season progressed, finishing with 884 total yards (238 rushing) and accounted for 15 scores.

"We ask them, don't put us in a bad situation, don't try to overdo it and turn the ball over, stay within the offense and focus on things you can control," Cornelsen said. "He has to be a run threat and he has to be able to throw the ball well enough."

During the preseason, multiple HHS players said they don't need the quarterback to be an all-state player. Instead, senior tight end Zack Gaughan said the signal caller needs to be smart, tough-minded, be able to take shots "and make good decisions."

"When we needed (Bryant), he would step up," senior Casey Sedbrook said.

"Some of the passes that he threw were the difference in the ballgame," Cornelsen said.

Unrein's training started in the summer with Sedbrook and senior Josh Balman, a pair of two-way starters, returning all-conference players and considered the team's leaders. After summer weights, Sedbrook and Balman taught Unrein the playbook and mainly focused on running plays. In addition, Unrein reviewed footwork from the easiest to the most difficult plays; he called shotgun plays the hardest to learn.

"I am still not comfortable with our offense yet, and I am still getting everything down," Unrein said after the first week of fall practice.

Similar to last year, the Indians expect to rely more on their defense and running game.

Sedbrook and Balman combined for 602 yards rushing in 2009, while junior Brad Desbien and Unrein are expected to be running threats. During summer camp, Unrein's running ability separated himself from sophomore Derek Bixenman and junior Dylan Scoby, the other quarterback candidates.

"Austin is a good leader," Cornelsen said. "He is confident in himself and his abilities, and at this point we felt like he gave us the best chance to win."

The passing plays gave Unrein and the other quarterbacks problems from the first day of fall practice. Similar to last year, Cornelsen is expected to keep the offense simple early in the season. In 2009, Hays High tried to bait the opposing defenses to play the run and then try to throw deep.

"I am not looking to the quarterback this year to be able to throw tough balls," Cornelsen said. "Just make the easy pass, make the easy completion and I think he is capable of doing that."

It's an offense designed to move the chains, play efficiently and limit turnovers, a scheme that worked in 2009 -- and could be effective again with Unrein.

"We are expecting a WAC championship," Unrein said. "We want to hopefully make it to the playoffs this year and Casey and Balman will hopefully get us there. I'll do whatever I can. I'll do my part and everyone else will do their part."