G5 Football Daily

Nothing Is Out Of Reach For San Jose State Receiver Nick Nash

Emily Van Buskirk

Nov 16, 2024; San Jose, California, USA; San Jose State Spartans wide receiver Nick Nash (3) makes a catch over Boise State Broncos cornerback A'Marion McCoy (7) in the third quarter at CEFCU Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Cary Edmondson-Imagn Images
Nov 16, 2024; San Jose, California, USA; San Jose State Spartans wide receiver Nick Nash (3) makes a catch over Boise State Broncos cornerback A'Marion McCoy (7) in the third quarter at CEFCU Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Cary Edmondson-Imagn Images / Cary Edmondson-Imagn Images
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Impossible is Nothing.

Those iconic words, often inaccurately attributed to the great Muhammad Ali, became a tagline for a 2004 Adidas campaign that changed sports marketing forever and touched the lives of people across the world.

Photos of Ali and other prolific athletes accompanied by the inspiring text appeared on television and billboards, in magazines and on posters - posters like the one San Jose State redshirt senior wide receiver Nick Nash had hanging in his childhood bedroom.

“There was a poster that my dad had hanging up of Muhammad Ali and it says 'Impossible is Nothing' and I always looked at it, but I never realized the significance of it until a couple of years ago,” admitted Nash.

Identifying with the inspirational image of Ali. it was almost as if the younger version of Nash knew the adversity he would one day face and stowed away those fierce words to remind him of the endless possibilities that lay ahead...if he worked hard and persevered.

That was the mentality Nash’s father envisioned for him when he hung the poster and other motivational artwork on his son’s walls. Kenny Nash, a former San Jose State wide receiver himself, was surprised, but pleased, to learn the impact the photograph had on his son.

“I also hung up posters of them and myself - I put their accomplishments on the walls so they wouldn’t forget,” shared Kenny. “I had no idea how significant that poster might be to him but it’s nice to hear he did notice.”

Kenny, who played for the Spartans in 1985 and 1986 may have done it first, but Nick is doing it best, leading the nation in receiving touchdowns (14) and receptions per game (8.7). He is second nationally in receiving yards (1291) and receiving yards per game (117.4) - he trails Bowling Green tight end Harold Fannin Jr. by four yards and .3 yards, respectively, in those categories.

Nash’s impressive numbers don’t tell the whole story, though. For example, Nash has only been a true wide receiver for 25 games.

The Anaheim native was recruited to San Jose State initially to play safety. During his recruitment interviews, he mentioned he played quarterback which prompted the coaches to come watch him throw. After throwing balls to every single eager neighborhood kid, former SJSU head coach Brent Brennan offered him a spot in the quarterback room.

But with new regulations tearing a hole in the transfer portal timespace, an influx of new gunslingers like Nick Starkel and Chevan Cordeiro prevented Nash from fully realizing his quarterback potential at SJSU. So, he had a choice to make.

“Changing positions, that’s not very easy,” said quarterback Walker Eget. “It wasn’t like ‘I’m going to switch today,’ it was like ‘you gotta do this if you want to play.’ And there were a lot of things that he went through. He needs to get more recognition. He’s the best wide receiver in college football in my opinion.”

Eget and Nash’s connection is undeniable, both on the field and off. Nash took Eget under his wing early on and the two bonded off the field on the golf course. Eget likes to call Nash the “number two golfer on the team.”

While Nash’s success has made the transition appear effortless, the decision to switch and the ensuing work it took to become the incredible receiver he is today was anything but. Except from a cerebral standpoint, where playing wideout required less stream of consciousness than being under center.

“It’s almost nice - it’s like doing something really hard and then going to something a little bit easier honestly,” admitted Nash. “At quarterback you have a million things running through your mind, we all know quarterback is probably the hardest position to play on the field, at least from a mental standpoint. So going to receiver was a little easier mentally - obviously harder physically but that mental side, that was fun for me.”

Nash admits there were a few ‘Welcome to Wide Receiver’ moments, acknowledging that it’s definitely different getting hit as a receiver and diving for balls - he equated it to being pounded by a 20-foot wave.

So what’s his secret, besides his steadfast belief that nothing is impossible?

“The night before games I like to visualize,” divulged Nash. “Visualization is huge - just seeing yourself making plays the next day, going to bed and maybe dreaming about it. I’lll just let my mind wander and that’s when I start to make plays and have these big games in my head before they happen.”

Nash’s journey isn’t of the hero variety, though he did ride in on some sort of proverbial white horse, helping to lead the Spartans to postseason eligibility in head coach Ken Niumatalolo’s first year. In fact, San Jose State had the best record out of every California FBS school and was the only California school to clinch bowl eligibility through Week 12.

“I had no idea he was going to be this good,” confessed Niumatalolo. “I knew he was going to be good and this offense suits wide receivers, plus his length and his catch radius is a huge advantage - Craigh Stutzmann tells Eget ‘just give him a chance.’ With his 6-foot-3 frame, long arms and his jumping ability - his catch radius is so enormous, all he needs is a chance.”

A chance is all Nash ever needed.

When he sat down to set goals for himself this season, things like ‘Biletnikoff Finalist' weren’t even on the list.

“I wanted to have a 1,000-plus yard season and I achieved that, so that’s great,” said Nash. “The Biletnikoff was something that I didn’t expect, so that’s an exciting new goal that I have. I think I have definitely surpassed the expectations I had for myself at the beginning of the season.”

Nash’s journey has been much like that misattributed Ali quote - a path to use his power to turn impossible into nothing. The real writer, Aimee Lehto, penned a paragraph so strong everyone believed her words came from Ali’s mouth. Her words inspired people like Nash to persevere.

Now, nothing is out of reach for Nash, both literally and figuratively.

“Going through my position transition made me realize that nothing is really impossible, nothing is out of your grasp, you really can do anything you set your mind to,” said Nash.

That Ali poster still hangs in the Nash house, above Kenny’s bed - a testament to Nash's parents’ competitive spirit and the fight they instilled in all of their children.

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Emily Van Buskirk
EMILY VAN BUSKIRK

Emily Van Buskirk is a seasoned sports industry veteran with a decade of experience covering a range of sports, including baseball, college basketball, and hockey. She joined the On SI brand just before the 2024 college football season and is based in Northern California. Emily's work has been featured in The Sporting Tribune, SB Nation, Yardbarker, and NCGA Golf Magazine. Emily is an official voter for the Doak Walker & Biletnikoff Awards and has covered college football on three continents. She boasts visits to 48 different FBS stadiums and has attended the Army-Navy Game and the Heisman ceremony on the same day. Notable moments in her career include witnessing the birth of the WildCaff, drinking Tito’s with Mike Leach, and being dubbed a "fullback in life" by Daryl Johnston.

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