Terre Haute South grad Nic Yatsko, a redshirt freshman defensive back for the Indiana State Sycamores, is a finalist for college football's Jerry Rice Award.
The award is presented by Stats Perform annually to the outstanding freshman player at the NCAA Football Championship Subdivision level. Last year, another Missouri Valley Football Conference player, North Dakota State running back CharMar Brown, won the Rice Award.
AdvertisementAdvertisementAdvertisementYatsko is the lone MVFC player on the list this year, and is one of 25 finalists named.
He finished seventh in the MVFC in tackles per game (7.45) despite not earning a starting role until midway through the season. Yatsko took over the starting nickel back role in the Sycamores' 4-2-5 defense and capitalized with a nine-tackle game against Montana, while adding a career-high 14 tackles, 2.0 TFL, 1 FF, and 1 FR in the Sycamores' win over SDSU, according to ISU sports information.
In last Saturday's ISU home-field loss to Murray State, Yatsko was a bright spot, wrapping up the season with a seven-tackle, 1.5 TFL, 1.0 sack game. He added a fumble recovery and two quarterback hurries. Yatsko finished the year tied for third on the team with 6.0 TFL and was second on the team with five QB hurries.
Yatsko is the third Sycamore in the last four seasons to be named a Jerry Rice Award finalist and the first defensive player to receive the honors. He joins Elijah Owens (9th – 2024) and Cade Chambers (25th – 2022) as the Indiana State players recognized on the postseason list.
AdvertisementAdvertisementAdvertisementThe Rice Award, celebrating its 15th anniversary season, is named after legendary Hall of Fame wide receiver Jerry Rice, who starred in the FCS at Mississippi Valley State. The recipient, selected by a national voting panel, will be announced on Dec. 3 and honored at the Stats Perform National Awards Show on Jan. 3 at Nashville, Tenn.
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