The most difficult aspect, you can’t just (learn) what you have to do. You have to know what everyone has to do. – Josh Nurse
SALT LAKE CITY — Josh Nurse could have let the first two years of his college football experience convince him that it wasn’t meant to be.
Instead, one of the newest members of the Ute roster said he chose to always surround himself with people who inspired him to keep working, keep dreaming and keep pursuing his dream.
“You’ve got to surround yourself with people playing at a higher level,” he said. “It forces you to elevate yourself.” Changing schools isn’t the only change Nurse will be dealing with this season as the wide receiver moves to defensive back for the first time in his football career.
“This is my first time playing defense,” he said after camp last week. “I’m actually pretty much liking it. It’s a lot of fun.”
Nurse committed to Utah without even visiting the campus after walking on at Blinn College in Texas last season. He relied on another Blinn transfer — safety Corrion Ballard. Using his redshirt last season, Nurse just practiced with the Blinn football team and tried to keep himself sharp for his next opportunity.
“Through sheer determination,” he said of how he kept himself positive while redshirting at the junior college, which followed a disappointing freshman year at Georgia Military College. “Even though you may not be playing, I cannot let that (deter) you. I kept my drive up, kept myself conditioned.” And as for trying to stay sharp while not competing, he said coming to Utah has helped him find levels of his game he hasn’t yet achieved.
“Being here just the first few days, I could see guys working hard,” he said. “I chose to surround myself with those at a higher level.” He not only asked teammates to help him, he sought extra help from coaches.
“I asked them to stay late, watch film, asked them what I needed to learn,” Nurse said.
Morgan Scalley was key in him coming to Utah, and Nurse said he’s teaching him how to adjust to life on the defensive side of the ball.
“Looking to those guys,” he said of his more experienced teammates, “it makes things easier. The most difficult aspect, you can’t just (learn) what you have to do. You have to know what everyone has to do.”
Contributing: Dirk Facer