Nix has brought a lot to Jax State, but here’s betting there’s more. (Includes video of Jax State football coach Charles Kelly, defensive lineman Quay Hood and wide receiver Darius Cannon talk Gamecocks’ victory over Georgia Southern, coming CUSA opener against Middle Tennessee State)
Joe Medley
JACKSONVILLE — Caleb Nix’s game-changing punt return in Jax State’s come-from-behind victory over Georgia Southern on Saturday led to more than special recognition.
It makes one wonder, what have we not seen from the Paul Horning Award Honor Roll addition?
What more is there for a guy whose name is now associated with an annual college football award that emphasizes versatility?
We know he’s a starting safety and has a way of getting his hands on the ball that way. He’s returned interceptions for touchdowns.
He just returned a punt for a touchdown to give Jax State its first lead in a game that saw the Gamecocks trail 17-0.
The man has 155 return yards this season off of interceptions and punts.
He’s on the kickoff team and holds for kicker Garrison Rippa.
“I wouldn’t trade Caleb for anybody else,” Jax State coach Charles Kelly said Tuesday. “First of all, he’s a super young man, really smart. He’s a really good leader. He plays everything. …
“If you ask him to, he could be a backup quarterback. He threw for over 3,000 yards in high school. That’s just what kind of athlete he is.”
Hmmm.
Doesn’t it make one wonder what more there could be in that bag of Nix’s tricks?
The first and most realistic possibility would be the fake field goal. Surely, a holder who’s run a thousand RPOs in his life would give Jax State intriguing options in an opportune time.
Bet there’s one in the special-teams playbook.
Bet there are a few.
Why not give a former quarterback, whose brother is an NFL quarterback, automatic reads and the chance to audible from a field goal to a fake, or vice versa.
Might there also be a scenario where Nix would appear on offense?
Somewhere along the way, bet that will get a chance to add a carry or a pass to his modes of ball handling for Jax State. Really, how many Hornung Award candidates would have a punt-return touchdown, a pick-6 and maybe a touchdown run or pass?
It would seem almost a waste to not give Nix that chance at some point, maybe when it’s needed most.
That would at least draw an afterlife wink from Hornung, a halfback/safety who led Notre Dame in passing, rushing, scoring, kickoff and punt returns, punting and passes broken up and ranked second in interceptions and tackles as a senior in 1956.
