Coe’s Cedric Nah returns for fifth season with high expectations

CEDAR RAPIDS — Coe’s Cedric Nah returned for a fifth season.

Coming back demanded a big commitment, but he didn’t hesitate when the opportunity came to fruition.

“I was able to come back and I’m thankful for that,” Nah said. “It was really an easy decision as soon as I worked out the numbers and how to make it happen.

“It was never a question whether I wanted to. It was whether I could. I’m glad that I could.”

Nah was voted captain for the second straight season by his teammates and will lead Coe into the season opener against rival Cornell Saturday at Van Metre Field of Ash Park. The Kohawks lead the oldest football rivalry west of the Mississippi River, taking a 74-51-4 series lead entering the 130th meeting.

“We’re really excited to get back on the field and compete,” Coe Coach Tyler Staker said. “I think it has been over 600 days and we’ve had a game, a scrimmage and that’s it.”

Coe was selected fourth in the preseason by American Rivers Conferences coaches, but that hasn’t quelled Nah’s sky-high expectations. The Kohawks return a lot of experience, especially in the defensive front. Nah wasn’t satisfied with how last season unfolded, so he is on a mission for his final season.

“I’m looking to go out and dominate this fall,” Nah said. “I want a conference championship. Anything less than that, I’m always going to be thinking what if. That’s how I really want to cap it off.”

The 6-foot, 240-pounder came to Coe from Fridley High School in Brooklyn Park, Minn. Staker said the program doesn’t recruit Minnesota a lot. Coaches and Nah connected, leading to a campus visit with his parents.

“He was one of those guys we knew was a good football player,” Staker said. “He has continued to get better every single year. … He has improved his whole time at Coe.”

Nah has made strides each season. He was a junior varsity contributor as a freshman. He moved into the defensive rotation as a sophomore and became a starter as a junior. He was voted team captain last season, which was delayed to spring due to the pandemic. Even then, the season consisted of one game against Dubuque.

“He was our best defensive player last spring,” Staker said. “He was a guy that played lights out in the one game we had against Dubuque.”

He recalled the support from fans for that game, but wasn’t pleased with the outcome. It was not the way he wanted to cap his career.

“I had a lot of fun last year, even with only playing the one game,” Nah said. “We had the stands packed and that meant a lot to me.

“It just left me empty. It was not how I wanted to leave this. It isn’t how I want to leave this program or this school.”

The offseason was dedicated to getting better. The focus was to get stronger, quicker and fine tune the traits to help him on the field and wreak havoc on opponents.

“It’s just all the stuff behind the scenes, whether that’s in the weight room, working with our strength coach Matthew Walter,” Nah said. “All the practices, all the reps it takes and then it’s just the mentality.

“You go out there and it doesn’t matter who you are. You have to feel like nobody can block you. Nobody is going to stop you from doing your job and then believing the person next to you is going to do their job. It’s going to make us successful.”

Nah has captured the respect of his teammates. Staker said Nah is a leader on and off the field for the Kohawks, praising his academic performance. Staker said Nah has done well this fall and is excited to see what he accomplishes this year.

“He’s a hard worker,” Staker said. “Guys look to him as a leader on this football team. I expect a great senior campaign.”

Coe has won 20 straight games against Cornell. The Rams’ last victory over the Kohawks was in 1999.

“This is everything we’ve worked for,” Nah said of the prospects of a regular fall season. “All of the hours in the offseason, last year during the pandemic, practicing through the fall and spring to only play the one game, I know it took a lot out of guys. Being back out here with everybody, having a full incoming class, it’s everything we dreamed of. We can’t wait to get started.”