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Roosevelt Nix
KENT STATE
Recruiters from BCS conferences had a book on Roosevelt Nix when he was playing in high school that might as well have began and ended with the table of contents. It was said the defensive tackle from Reynoldsburg had a high motor, but didn't fit into their plans because he was too small at 6 feet, 255 pounds.
Kent State quickly fell on him like a fumble, offering him a scholarship.
Those same major- college coaches that didn't give Nix so much as an on-campus visit are thinking twice.
"I've had a couple of Big Ten coaches call and ask if they missed on recruiting him,'' Kent State defensive coordinator Pete Rekstis said. "I tell them no because if they had gotten him, we wouldn't have him.''
Nix has been nearly impossible to block. He leads Division I players in forced fumbles with five, is sixth in sacks with 61/2 and is eighth in tackles for loss with 11. He has five quarterback hurries.
In a 28-17 victory over Akron, Nix forced a fumble by quarterback Patrick Nicely late in the fourth quarter that led to a recovery in the end zone by Luke Batton.
Nix, a true freshman, said he is just playing football.
"The recruiting process is the recruiting process, and I'm just glad that I'm at Kent State,'' he said. "People do underestimate you, but that makes you play that much harder.''
The key, Nix said, is that he doesn't have to be a one-man show.
"It's all about the entire defense,'' he said. "I am beginning to expect those double-teams, but that just means other D-linemen can step up. I know they will. I'm outweighed every game by 60 to 70 pounds, and all I am trying to do is utilize my natural speed. There's not a lot of room at all on the line, and you've got to do everything you can do to get around your man. I've learned moves through the coaches. I've watched a lot of film.''
Being able to pry the ball loose from the ball carrier has resulted from repetition in practice.
"You practice stripping the ball every day,'' Nix said. "The first man makes the tackle and the second man comes in and rips the ball out. We don't want to just make the tackle.''
What makes Nix a strong player, coach Doug Martin said, is that he is the same hard-working player on the practice field as he is during games.
"Roosevelt is the same player you saw in high school, and that is a strong, quick player,'' he said. "He came here strong because of the Reynoldsburg weight program. The speed of the game has not intimidated him, and I'm talking playing against Boston College and Penn State. The games are just like practice reps to him. He's just so explosive. He's a great team player, too. He's so humble.''
Others to watch
* Rodney Stewart, Colorado -- Stewart, a junior tailback from Brookhaven, leads the team in rushing with 618 yards. He has scored five touchdowns.
* Sam Kershaw, Mount Union -- Kershaw, a senior linebacker from West Jefferson, is third in tackles with 33 on a team that is ranked No. 2 nationally in NCAA Division III.
* Kyrell Crook, Baldwin-Wallace -- Crook, a senior tailback from DeSales and Westerville, has gained 1,541 yards in his career. He led the team in rushing his previous two years.
mznidar@dispatch.com
