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12/19/2023 10:59 AMGrowing up, Morgan Huskies senior wide receiver/running back Jack Nye loved the game of football. In fact, the sport runs in the Nye family, as his brother Jason, is currently a tight end for Muhlenberg College, and his father played at Bowdoin College in Maine.
After a stellar four season-career for what’s now the Morgan-Old Saybrook-Westbrook football team, Jack is following in his father’s footsteps, and will further his football career at Bowdoin College next fall. In what had always been a desirable landing spot for him, Jack had a feeling of excitement and relief when he got accepted.
“Bowdoin was always a dream school, I didn't even think that I would really be able to make it there,” says Jack. “Getting that call from them telling me that they're going to offer me was like a dream honestly.”
MSW football Head Coach Kevin Sullivan has seen Jack grow in a variety of ways throughout his high school career, and is happy for him to continue the legacy his dad set.
“I'm super proud of him,” says Sullivan. “I think he'll do great things up there. I know it really means a lot to him that he's going to go to the school that his dad went to and played for.”
Jack had his freshman season stripped away from him, as the country was dealing with the global pandemic. As a sophomore, he started at cornerback for the team. Sullivan explains that Jack was still working on his craft as a wide receiver in his first season with the squad, and mainly played defense.
With constant grinding and the desire to always look for ways to get better, such as being the first one in the weight room, never asking questions, and looking for ways to make his team better, Jack became the team’s leader heading into his senior campaign.
Being looked at as a team leader can come with a lot of responsibilities, but Jack didn’t let that phase him, and only embraced the pressure that was naturally put on him. On the field, he led the team in receiving yards with 950 and also added 550 rushing yards, compiling 1500 total yards on offense.
He scored 28 total touchdowns, as he ran and rushed for 12 touchdowns each. Jack added three punt returns, and threw a touchdown pass this season. For his efforts, Jack was named All-Conference for a second-straight season, and earned Conference Player of the Year, while additionally being named Team MVP.
After facing some early season adversity, Jack continued to power through, despite being without another talented player and good friend of his.
“A lot of the stuff was unexpected,” says Jack. “Our starting QB went down in the third game. Me and him had our senior year circled, but after the third game, it was really unexpected. This whole year we hit a lot of adversity, and I feel like the biggest thing is that we bounced back from that. I was getting moved around, I played a little bit of running back, a little bit of quarterback, wide receiver, and that kind of represents the struggles that were the challenges that we overcame.”
Sullivan credits Jack for stepping up in a variety of ways after injuries continued to slow down the offensive approach.
“He stepped up big time for us this year, especially after our quarterback went down in week three,” says Sullivan. “He stepped up and took on a bigger role in the offense.”
No matter where he lined up, Jack made an impact on the gridiron. He showed that when he had monster games against both Coginchaug and Valley Regional. In the contest vs. Valley, Jack scored seven touchdowns and recorded 287 total yards. He displayed his versatility and skill set against Coginchaug, as he had two touchdown receptions, three rushing touchdowns, and a touchdown pass in the team’s 40-0 victory.
Jack helped lead the Morgan Huskies co-op football team to a 6-4 regular season record, which was good enough for the team to appear in the Class S State Playoffs.
“The impact Jack had on our team was second to none, we wouldn't have had the successful season making the playoffs without Jack,” says Sullivan.
As Jack prepares for the next chapter of his football career at the next level, he reflects back on his time at Morgan High School and looks back on it with pride and fulfillment.
“It's been a good ride,” says Jack. “There’s a lot of stories that will be told, I had a lot of fun times at team dinners and breakfasts, and it’s been a great four years.”
As Sullivan will be losing his leader and best player on the field, he also knows there will be a piece missing due to his positive energy and ability to do all the right things to help and support his teammates.
“I love that kid to death, he was a great teammate and a great player for me,” says Sulivan. “He's going to be missed, and that has nothing to do with what he did on the field, and it has everything to do with the type of person he is. He's a great student, he's a National Honor Society kid, so he goes about everything in the right way. I think that's what's going to help him out through life, and I couldn't be more proud of him for all that he's done for me, and all he's done for this team and this program.”