By Matt Weiner (@mattweiner20) – Spear Reporter // Photo via SJSU Athletics
Eric Scott was already screaming “touchdown” before San José State wide receiver Nick Nash caught the ball in the end zone.
“I’m always watching the secondary. So the moment I saw the corner rotate inside, I just started yelling,” said Scott, SJSU’s wide receivers coach. “To me, that was too easy.”
Nash’s touchdown reception wound up being his first of three during last Saturday’s 56-28 loss to No. 6 USC. For many, Nash’s hat trick came out of nowhere. After all, it was the redshirt junior’s first time starting at wide receiver for SJSU. He’s been primarily a quarterback since arriving at San Jose in 2019.
From Scott’s perspective, however, Saturday wasn’t a surprise. It was validation to a vision that’s began a few years ago. “He put on a show,” Scott said.
Back in 2021, Scott arrived at SJSU from Nevada to coach wide receivers. When he first laid eyes on Nash – then a quarterback – he didn’t see a signal caller, he saw the makings of a wide receiver; large frame, dynamic shiftiness, raw athletic ability and fearless mindset.
They experimented briefly with Nash at wide receiver, but nothing came of it. Nash remained a quarterback. Scott remained headstrong on Nash transitioning away from it.
But then in 2022, Chevan Cordeiro transferred to SJSU from Hawaii and won the starting quarterback job over Nash. When Cordeiro dominated out the gate, Nash realized he’d need to find a new position if he wanted playing time.
Which was fine by Scott. The idea he pitched in 2021 didn’t carry an expiration date. So Nash made a mid-season transition from quarterback to wide receiver.
In the back half of 2022, Nash found an “instant chemistry” with Cordeiro. During SJSU’s bowl loss, the two connected on a back-shoulder throw for a touchdown. Nash ended with four catches for 51 yards and decided to stay at SJSU.
“Chevan was throwing me dimes that whole game and I realized that he liked throwing me the ball. So, why leave a quarterback that likes to throw you the ball?” Nash said during fall camp.
Scott’s faith in Nash was made apparent when SJSU didn’t recruit a receiver through the transfer portal this past offseason – even with the departure of Elijah Cooks (NFL), who led the Mountain West in touchdown receptions (10) and finished with the second-most receiving yards (1,076).
“That was really me saying, ‘trust me with this decision,’” Scott said to head coach Brent Brennan and offensive coordinator Kevin McGiven. “’We can do it with Nick Nash.”
During spring and fall camp, Nash became one of Cordeiro’s most frequented targets. Showcasing a quarterback’s understanding of the offense flanked by the ferocity to win jump balls.
“My biggest thing was, ‘Is this kid too good to be true?’” Scott said.
And the opportunity to answer Scott’s rhetorical question arrived last Saturday against No. 6 USC. The Spartans had the ball near mid-field while down 21-7 with one minute left in the first half.
“I love to take shots,” Scott said. “So for him [Nash], particularly. I’m like ‘Hey, get ready, you might get a 50/50 ball.’”
With about 20 seconds on the clock, from USC’s 28-yard-line, Cordeiro dropped back, spotted Nash screaming up the sideline in one-on-one coverage and took a shot – touchdown.
The following quarter, Nash made another grab in the end zone. This one, however, was as jaw-dropping as it was eye-widening. In mid-air, while battling with a USC cornerback, Nash tipped the ball to himself, snared it and somehow maintained possession while torpedoing into the end zone.
The following night, it appeared as the No. 2 play on “SportsCenter.”
“I can’t teach that … that’s an instinct thing,” Scott said. While that’s true, without Scott initially pitching the idea, Nash wouldn’t have been there in the first place.
For good measure, Nash added another score in the fourth quarter. Following the game, Nash said, “All three of those touchdowns made me realize that I am where I should be.”
Said Scott: “I’m just happy that we finally did it because I mean, it’s paid big for the first game.”