Nissen solid option for Wolves

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CRYSTAL LAKE – Jon Williams learned his lessons with Bryan Bradshaw. Then, it was Williams helping Stephen Covalt. Then, Covalt assisted Nick Nissen.

Each of the past three seasons, Prairie Ridge has plugged in a senior one-year starter at quarterback and experienced great success, reaching the IHSA Class 6A football playoff semifinals each time.

Nissen watched patiently and soaked everything in last season when Covalt guided the Wolves’ option offense. Now that it’s Nissen’s turn, he has flourished, proficiently running the offense and helping Prairie Ridge get back where it has wanted to be since last season.

The second-seeded Wolves (11-1) play at top-seeded Batavia (12-0) at 1 p.m. Saturday at Bulldog Stadium. Nissen said he believes he is much more prepared than he was before his semifinal action last season in the final 5 minutes after Covalt suffered a shoulder injury in the Wolves’ 14-7 loss to Boylan.

“I definitely learned a lot from Stephen,” Nissen said. “He was really talented throwing and running the ball. I was able to pick up things in both aspects. He did a good job with fast reads and running low, like a fullback. He was huge for me learning the option.”

Nissen has thrown for more yards – 1,206, with 13 touchdowns and four interceptions – than Covalt, who had more yards rushing. Wolves coach Chris Schremp gives a lot of credit to assistant coach Joe Terhaar, who coaches the quarterbacks.

“We’ve been blessed with three talented and athletic kids who can run the option,” Schremp said. “It’s taken a lot of coaching [with each new starter]. We’re really fortunate to have three really talented kids. Nick has a good combination with speed and a nice touch on deep throws. He’s smart, and he understands the system.”

Before Williams, Schremp had the advantage of Bradshaw as a three-year starter. Still, Williams, Covalt and Nissen have made the most of their one season. Aside from watching and talking with Covalt, Nissen said running the scout team last year, giving the first-team defense looks in practice, acclimated him to the speed of varsity football.

“That was huge developmentally with the scout team,” Nissen said. “You try to give the defense a good look, and you get used to that speed. The coaches let us get a taste of what it’s like. It gets you up to speed.”

Nissen said he likes the way the option allows for some trickery with faking handoffs to fullback Connor Greenwald, or handing off and acting like he has the ball, or keeping the ball and possibly pitching to Jordan Getzelman or Steve Bashor.

“It grows on you after a while,” Nissen said. “Most every quarterback wants to pass every play. When I tell people I play quarterback at Prairie Ridge, they say, ‘Oh, it’s the option, it must not be that fun.’

“But it’s really fun running it. The better and better I get at my reads, it’s more fun. It wears down teams, and it’s hard for their scout teams to show how we look in practice. It’s about setting up those moments for yourself by carrying out your fakes.”

Schremp said the Wolves haven’t added any plays in six weeks, but hopes one big adjustment, starting with Nissen, makes it more difficult on opposing defenses.

“We just continually try to get better at what we do,” Schremp said. “That’s been one of the things that helped us get to this point the last three years. Some coaches may get away from the basics or getting repetitions on some things because they get bored. We always think we can get faster at what we’re doing. That’s what makes our offense go when we run it fast.”