Nathan Cisco came to Dean from the University of Idaho. (Photo Courtesy: Nathan Cisco)
If you follow Division I football, then you do not often hear about players quitting football. For Dean quarterback, Nathan Cisco, this nearly became a reality.
Before Dean, Cisco played at the University of Idaho at the DI level. Idaho had several new quarterbacks on their roster and a new coaching staff in the spring. When the new coaching staff arrived, they asked him to switch positions to tight end, and Cisco declined since he had been a quarterback his whole life.
This led to Cisco entering the transfer portal, also in part due to that Idaho was too far from home in Franklin, Tennessee. “It was really hard being that far away from home and my family, and it wasn’t a good fit for me athletically,” Cisco said.
When Cisco first entered the transfer portal, he was not responding to the colleges that were reaching out as they were either on the west coast or in the Midwestern United States. Cisco explained that while Massachusetts is still very far from Tennessee, it is easier to handle with shorter flights and driving distance.
“I was planning on attending the University of Idaho just as a student to get my degree. I am a junior now, but I was a junior last year, and when I transferred, not all my credits transferred, but I don’t care that it set me back a year since now I could be around a great culture,” Cisco explained.
Even though he started playing flag football at eight years old, and then tackle football at ten, Cisco had the plan in place to quit football until Dean's offensive-line coach, Mark Grocholski, reached out.
“At first, I didn’t take it too seriously and then I got to meet the coaches and I thought, wow, these guys are good people and they’re not just football coaches. I took a visit in late July, and it felt just like home,” Cisco said.
“I spoke to my parents, and they were OK with whatever I was going to do. They wanted me to keep playing but they wanted to see me be happy,” Cisco explained. “I also didn’t love the game at that point and had no motivation because of a harsh coach at Idaho, among other things, but the Dean coaches instilled that back into me,” Cisco continued.
Nathan’s mother, Judy Cisco, explained, “When Nathan told me that he was thinking about quitting football, I was heartbroken for him, but I understood and told him I would support him in whatever he decided. I knew he had lost his passion for the game, and I was prepared for no more football. And then came Dean with a coaching staff that renewed his love for the game. I am grateful that Nathan is here and has the opportunity to continue playing a sport that he loves. Plus, it is only a seventeen-hour drive from our home versus thirty-five hours before.”
“I told him that I didn’t want him to look back in ten years and regret not knowing if he can do it. I am pretty sure both Dean and I are glad he decided to find out. I am so proud that he stuck with it and that it is at Dean,” Nathan’s father, Bill Cisco explained.
“The culture on the team welcomed me in and made me feel at home,” Nathan continued. “I’ve never had coaches like these before where they care about you as a person and personal care comes first and then athletics second. The coaches are also a tight-knit group where they all respect and care for each other, which is rare to see in programs.”
While Cisco has enjoyed the transition to Dean, he also enjoys the classes. “It’s been awesome, and I am happy and enjoying the classes. Here at Dean, classes are smaller compared to Idaho. There were classes at Idaho where I never spoke to the professor one-on-one whereas here, I can do that.” The average class size in Idaho ranged from 50-120 students.
Having come from the Division I level, Cisco credits Idaho for being able to help him read the defenses, blitzes, tendencies and show command in the huddle as well as at the line of scrimmage. However, Cisco still believes that whether it is Division I or Division III, football is the same, and the players at the DIII level still love the game.
Having come from the South, Cisco has experienced a big culture shock coming to the Northeast. “I am used to southern hospitality and it’s different, but not in a bad way. It’s a nice change of pace. There are some Boston accents which I like. In the food industry, with servers up here, it is straight to the point whereas, in Nashville, they are interested in your day and what you’ve been up to.”
Cisco was also named ECFC Player of The Week back in week one. “It gave me a huge confidence booster and I didn’t even know they had awards like that. I wouldn’t have been able to do it without my teammates,” Cisco explained.