We are excited to present a new piece of featured content for Fifth Quarter. We have always had a love for college football in its entirety, but we definitely have a soft spot for NAIA football. Everyone has heard of NCAA, but its alternative, the NAIA, is gaining traction yearly. The NAIA also offers athletic scholarships unlike NCAA Division III, and there are some DAWGS in this division. We will be releasing a daily interview from an NAIA All-Conference Player. We hope you enjoy their stories.
Nick Allsman Kansas Wesleyan
Coyote RB
First Team All KCAC
KCAC Champion
What was the best moment of your NAIA career so far?
My best moment in NAIA to this point are when we played at Bethel during Covid Spring and the following fall. Both times they were a top-10 team and were up at halftime. In both of those games, we overcame double-digit deficits and won. In the second game, I had a 45-yard run that sparked a late drive that ended up being the game-winning touchdown pass with only a couple of minutes to go.
What do you love most about the program you play for? Why should someone want to join your program?
The best part about our program is the love that all of our coaches show all of our players. They treat us like their own family and make it apparent they have our best interests at heart. On top of that, we do a great job recruiting and it allows us to compete for conference championships every year. We also sell out multiple home games every season as well which is a big part of our success. I think in the last 8 years we’ve only lost like 13 games including playoffs. When looking at prospective schools I’m not sure what a kid could want.
Can you tell us the amount of work and preparation it took to receive your All-Conference Honor?
I didn’t make All-Conference until my third season as a coyote. In my first two seasons, I was a backup and felt that I got snubbed from the list in year two. That was the primary driving factor in my motivation this past year. Every week I make time to study our in-conference opponents to better prepare myself for the looks I’ll see during the game. I also try to treat every practice rep like a game rep to mimic how I’ll react in a live situation. We lift as a team 4 days a week almost year round and I also make the decision to stay every summer to work out with the team as well. When you add running into that workout plan 2-3 times a week it adds up and our strength staff did a great job preparing me and our entire team to be successful.
Who would you say contributed to your success?
The staff here at KWU has been a major contributor to my success. This is a group of coaches that have shown that they believe in me and in turn I try to empty the tank for them consistently. Also, I have a great group of teammates that have my back, especially in our RB room. Those guys make every day enjoyable. We have 4 guys that could start at almost any team in this conference, so the constant position battles force us to always keep improving as a whole. The strength staff does a great job of keeping players healthy which makes post-season success possible. I think sitting back and having to earn my time when I first got here also helped me mature a lot as a player. And last, my family has always been a big supporter of me and that makes this all the more enjoyable.
What is your plan for life after football?
After football, I plan to enter a GA position somewhere for either Strength and Conditioning or as a position coach. I couldn’t imagine a life without football so I will be finding work to make sure I’m still in the game in some fashion whether that is coaching at the collegiate or high school level.
Can you tell us the best places to eat in your town/city? What else can you tell us about the town/city your campus is located at?
In Salina, Kansas the best place to eat is Hickory Hut, which is a BBQ place. That’s a place that you can go to every day and it doesn’t get old. The best late-night spot is Panchos, but that’s more because it’s the only late-night option available. Salina is a big small town the way I see it. We have a go-kart track, bowling alley, pool hall, and a trampoline park that gives us opportunities to get away from campus. Our campus is basically right in the middle of town so no matter what you want to do you’ll never have to travel very far. Whether that be food or extracurricular activities.
