Defiance Football

Six years of Defiance College football. Now my youngest Nick is the last Nicol to be a part of the DC team.

We have had the time of our lives attending home games with tailgating, and all the anticipation of a win. I have not missed one game in six years. Nothing has prevented me from watching my boys play at another level because I know the work and determination it took to actually play college ball.

Mike my middle child starred in high school at linebacker and fullback. Although he was recruited at linebacker, you basically play where the team needs you. He played defensive end his freshman year with very little time on the varsity team, although he was the back up de. A very frustrated boy found himself at tight end his sophomore and junior years which offered some additional playing time as needed from game to game. The spring prior to his senior year, a new o-line coach , an ex Ball State player found Mike's blocking skills to be his strong point. He was moved to an offensive tackle that year, was told to gain 20 pounds, and started every game that senior season. He was named to the first team all conference, was a team captain, was the DC lineman of the week a number of times and received the most improved offensive player award. The head coach at the banquet confessed that he should have been moved to that position two years prior.

My youngest son Nick was being heavily recruited by Wayne State his senior year in high school. WSU stopped contacting him in December that year and the handwriting was on the wall. They recruited one lineman that year who was 6'7 300 lb. Nick had options such as Tiffin and Hillsdale, and a host of smaller colleges. He remarked on his visit to Defiance that he felt like he was home. A number of football players were eating lunch as he entered the cafeteria that day and they all got up and came over to talk to him. He was Mike's brother at DC but he would carve his own path. Nick was recruited as a center on the o-line and his positions varied from center to guard to tackle his junior and senior years.He was named to the second team all conference as a tackle his junior year and was a pre season All Ohio pick his senior year. Nick never had the struggle his brother had for playing time but was injured his sophomore year and missed quite a few games and never really came back a strong player the remainder of that season.

Defiance College has molded my boys into strong and confident young men. Their teammates over the years have become a second family as well as the coaches. There is an unbroken bond there. I am grateful.

Coach McCord once commented to me that watching Mike and Nick line up next to each other took his breath away. I felt the same.