When San Jose State hired coach Ken Niumatalolo, wide receiver Nick Nash was understandably skeptical. Niumatalolo had been a standout coach at Navy, winning more than 100 games and orchestrating three 10-win seasons with the Midshipmen. However, he also ran the option offense -- a nightmare scenario for a wide receiver.
After the hire, Nash entered the transfer portal to explore his options. He had excelled in his first full season as a wide receiver after switching from quarterback in 2023, posting 728 yards and eight touchdowns receiving. But before leaving a place that had become home, new offensive coordinator Craig Stutzmann and receivers coach Kevin McGiven convinced him to stay.
"It was a little bit scary to hear at first, to not know what we're going to be doing offensively," Nash told CBS Sports. "But when I talked to [Stutzmann], he eased my mind. We're going to throw the ball, that's what he said. Don't worry about that."
Stutzmann has lived up to his word. Nash has become one of the top receivers in America and a serious NFL prospect since the coaching change. He has spent most of the season leading every major receiving category in the country. He still tops the nation in both receptions (96) and receiving touchdowns (14) and is only four yards behind Bowling Green's Harold Fannin Jr., who leads with 1,291 yards in 11 games.
From part-time QB to alpha receiver
For Nash, this success is the latest milestone in what is shaping up to be a legendary career in the Mountain West. When he was recruited to San Jose State, he dreamed of playing quarterback like he had at Woodbridge High School in Irvine, California. The staff, however, saw him more as a safety. He eventually started five games under center in 2021, throwing for 971 yards and six touchdowns. Things changed when Chevan Cordeiro transferred into the program and solidified the quarterback position.
The staff opted to redshirt Nash during the 2022 season to retain his eligibility, but his potential as an offensive playmaker intrigued them. He played some receiver in two games in 2021 but didn't show much, hauling in five career receptions before making the permanent switch.
"It was kind of watching him mess around in practice," McGiven told CBS Sports. "We knew he was fast and had really good top-end speed. In a practice setting, we saw he had really good ball skills, but that was something he's had to develop. It just became pretty evident that this was something that we wanted to take a look at."
The Famous Idaho Potato Bowl in 2022 against Eastern Michigan was a major turning point, as Nash got his first significant action after redshirting. In only 29 snaps at receiver, he caught four passes for 51 yards and a touchdown in a 41-27 loss.
Entering 2023, Nash began to realize his potential at the position, developing both physically and mentally. In one offseason, he transformed from a converted quarterback to the alpha of the receiving room. After catching three touchdowns in the season opener against USC, he never looked back.
Adding rocket fuel to the fire
The arrival of Niumatalolo and his staff has only supercharged Nash's skillset. Stutzmann comes from the run-and-shoot mentality made famous at Hawaii. McGiven, the offensive coordinator on the previous staff, stayed on as receivers coach and passing game coordinator.
In the offense, the slot receiver can become a starring piece. With his 6-foot-3 frame, Nash initially seemed a better fit at outside receiver, but the staff continued to tinker. It quickly became clear that his experience as a quarterback made him a smarter football player, allowing him to use his agility and athleticism to thrive in the slot.
"In our offense, there's a lot of read on the run and a lot of decision-making for that position based on the coverages that we're getting," McGiven said. "So really, his ability to diagnose coverage and make the decisions that we need -- he picked up the fastest out of everyone. He grew into it at a point where we could say, 'He's really good there, and we're going to try to center this offense around him.'"
Behind Nash, San Jose State has been one of the surprise teams in the Mountain West. No one in program history had ever posted more than 15 receptions in a game. Nash hit 17 and 16 in successive weeks against Kennesaw State and Washington State. Outside of an outlier game against UNLV's tough defense, Nash posted at least 75 yards and a touchdown in every other contest.
This week, Nash joined Arizona's Tetairoa McMillan and Colorado's Travis Hunter as finalists for the Biletnikoff Award, given to the best wide receiver in college football. McMillan and Hunter were blue-chip recruits with major NFL Draft grades coming into the season. Nash was a relative unknown.
Now, he's on the game's biggest stages.
"It's a pretty crazy feeling, pretty surreal," Nash said. "I would have never imagined this, honestly. It's like a dream, and I'm loving every second of it. … This place has become my home. Six years is a long time to be at one place, and I love it here. I wouldn't have wanted to finish out my senior season any other way."
San Jose State closes its regular-season slate against Stanford in the Bill Walsh Legacy Game. The game will be broadcast live from CEFCU Stadium at 4 p.m. ET Friday on CBS.