Jack's a Jackrabbit: Colony standout to play football at South Dakota State

PALMER — Jack Nash has prepared for this moment for most of his life.

Nash is the youngest of three brothers who all wore the Colony High School green and black. His father is the head coach of the Knights high school program, and has coached Jack since the first day he put on a set of shoulder pads. He’s an all-state player at multiple positions, a Gatorade Player of the Year, and the leader of a state championship team.

Now, Jack Nash is a Division I football player. And Jack’s a Jackrabbit.

Nash, a Colony High School senior, signed his National Letter of Intent to attend South Dakota State University and compete for the Jackrabbits, the defending Division I FCS national champions.

“It feels great. Honestly, very surreal. A dream come true,” Nash said as he celebrated with friends and family during a ceremony in the Colony High library Wednesday, Dec. 20. “It’s been a dream ever since I was little to play Division I ball.”

Nash has been around Colony football for the bulk of his life. His older brothers Kody and Dawson were also standouts for the Knights. His dad, Robbie, has been the head coach of the Knights throughout his career, and also was longtime assistant in the program. Kody is also on the coaching staff.

“He was always gifted, God gave him speed. God gave him the ability to see the football field,” Robbie Nash said.

Robbie also said Jack benefited not only from his own family, but his Colony football family. Robbie said Colony’s defensive and offensive coordinators Brad Lindstrom and Brian McIntosh took Jack under their wing. Former Knights standout Aidan Ehmann was among the mentors on the field.

Nash was a four-year starter for the Knights. He broke into the starting lineup at cornerback as a freshman, and became arguably the best free safety in the state during his career. He started at wide receiver on offense, before shifting to quarterback as an upperclassman.

Nash led Colony to its first state football title in school history as a junior and was named the Gatorade Alaska Football Player of the Year. At quarterback, Nash amassed 2,656 total yards and 34 touchdowns. On defense, he had 103 total tackles. Nash also led the state with 12 interceptions, and returned three for touchdowns.

Nash will play defense at the next level, but an offensive coach with a connection to Alaska helped lure the Colony senior to Brookings, South Dakota.

Former South Anchorage standout Zach Lujan played quarterback for the Jackrabbits and is now the offensive coordinator and quarterbacks coach at SDSU. Lujan contacted Nash before SDSU was even on Nash’s radar.

“Coach Lujan reached out to me. He was pretty interested in my film,” Nash said.

At first, Nash thought Lujan was looking at him on offense, but said he’s excited to play defense at the next level.

“The defensive side of the ball, I definitely have a different love for,” Nash said. “I’m definitely ready for it.”

Nash said he will most likely redshirt as a freshman, which would give him potentially five years in Brookings.

SDSU is bringing Nash to Brookings to play nickel linebacker, a hybrid position. The Jackrabbits are the defending Division I FCS national champions, and will play Montana for another title Sunday, Jan. 7.

Nash said Montana and Montana State were among other programs that recruited him. He even received a late offer from Division I Hawaii. But, SDSU is the place for him, he said.

“Not only are they a winning program, the coaching staff and the people are really amazing,” Nash said.

Contact Frontiersman managing editor Jeremiah Bartz at editor@frontiersman.com.