Julie McCombs
Quez Nesbitt signed a football grant-in-aid with Georgia Military College Thursday. Left to right: Jay Nesbitt (uncle), Jakeicha Nesbitt (aunt), Quez, and James Woodruff (uncle) attended the signing.
Julie McCombs
Greer Head Coach Will Young tries to hold onto the star running back Quez Nesbitt just a little bit longer.
Nesbitt, Greer High School’s most prolific running back with yards gained (more than 5,000), average per carry (10.5 yards) and touchdowns will join a football program that finished the 2013 season ranked No. 3 and lost to No. 1-ranked East Mississippi in the national championship junior college game in the Mississippi Bowl.
“It feels good to go to college and play football,” Nesbitt said. “I want to study business management, graduate and go to a four-year school.”
GMC has had 436 student athletes, 288 of those, earn scholarships to continue their education and football career at all levels of the NCAA since the school reinstated football in 1991. GMC plays as an independent.
“This gives Quez a chance to get academically ready to play. He has the ability to do that, he’s a smart kid,” Greer Head Football Coach Will Young said.
Jay Nesbitt (uncle), Jakeicha Nesbitt (aunt) and James Woodruff (uncle) attended the signing that featured the No. 20 jersey folded neatly on a table with a Greer helmet and football. Quez’s mother, Shalita, missed the signing when she had to cover for an employee who got ill.
“(Quez) is growing up. I think the discipline will be good for him and to go away to college,” Jay Nesbitt said. “I think he will continue running the ball the same way since he was young.”
Quez Nesbitt reminisced on a couple of plays that signaled his determination to finish a scoring run. A Greenville player clipped Nesbitt on the back heel almost bringing him down. Nesbitt kept his balance with his knee inches from the ground. “I was determined that I wasn’t going down,” Nesbitt said.
Jakeicha Nesbitt laughed when asked where Quez got his moves. “It’s natural,” she said. “He plays a lot of video games and I guess he sees some there.”
“Quez was born to play football,” Young said. “Everybody knows about his speed. I don’t think I can ever remember, in the three and a half-years, that he ever took a big shot. He’s a great competitor. When he came in at halftime mad, we knew we would have a good second half.”
Nesbitt said GMC Head Coach Bert William planned to use the North-South All-Star and All-State running back in the slot in the school’s spread offense. GMC was No. 1 in the National Junior College Athletic Association in offense, points per game and rushing per game.
“They will find it hard not to give him the ball,” Young said.