Keith Nichol
{{Short description|American football player (born 1988)}}
{{Use mdy dates|date=July 2024}}
{{Infobox NFL biography
|name=Keith Nichol
|image=
|caption=
|image_size=
|number=7,6
|position=Wide receiver
|birth_date={{birth date and age|1988|12|24}}
|birth_place=Lowell, Michigan, U.S.
|death_date=
|death_place=
|height_ft = 6
|height_in = 1
|weight_lbs = 213
|college= Oklahoma (2007)
Michigan State (2008–2011)
|high_school = Lowell (MI)
|undraftedyear=2012
| highlights =
|pastteams=
}}
Keith Nichol (born December 24, 1988) is a former wide receiver and quarterback. He played college football for the University of Oklahoma and Michigan State University.
High school career
Nichol attended Lowell High School in Lowell, Michigan. After a good freshman season, Nichol was promoted to the varsity team for the playoffs and saw some playing time as a cornerback in a blowout. Nichol had a breakout season as a sophomore. He threw for 2,125 yards and 26 touchdowns in Lowell's veer offense and led the team to a state championship. His success led to him being heavily recruited by several teams in the Big Ten Conference as well as the University of Notre Dame. In July 2005, Nichol committed to play for the Michigan State University Spartans. Nichol also participated in the ESPN RISE Elite 11 quarterback camp. After his commitment, the Spartans went 9-14 and head coach John L. Smith was fired. As a result, Nichol backed out of his commitment with the Spartans and committed to the University of Oklahoma, a school that expressed strong interest in him after his de-commitment.{{cite web |first=Thayer |last=Evans |url=http://oklahoma.scout.com/2/603306.html |title=Opportunity Knocks |publisher=Scout.com |date=2006-12-22 |accessdate=2009-12-23 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110716021814/http://oklahoma.scout.com/2/603306.html |archive-date=2011-07-16 |url-status=dead }} In his senior year, Nichol passed for 2,225 yards and 31 touchdowns.{{cite news| title =The Detroit News Dream Team| newspaper =The Detroit News| date =2006-11-28}} As a three-year starter, Nichol won 33 games with three losses. He passed for 6,550 yards and 76 touchdowns and ran for 3,100 yards and 58 touchdowns in his high school career.{{cite web|first=Joe |last=Rexrode |url=http://www.lansingstatejournal.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20080521/GW01/805210338/1023/GW |archive-url=https://archive.today/20130127213732/http://www.lansingstatejournal.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20080521/GW01/805210338/1023/GW |url-status=dead |archive-date=2013-01-27 |title=Ex-Lowell QB decides MSU is the right place | lansingstatejournal.com |publisher=Lansing State Journal |date=2008-05-21 |accessdate=2009-12-23 }} He was an all-state selection three times.{{cite web|first=John |last=Slagter |url=http://www.mlive.com/spartans/index.ssf/2009/03/michigan_state_quarterbacks_ki.html |title=Michigan State quarterbacks Kirk Cousins, Keith Nichol engage in friendly competition |publisher=MLive.com |date=2009-03-25 |accessdate=2009-12-23}} Nichol was ranked as the sixth best dual-threat quarterback in the country out of high school by Rivals.com. Scout.com ranked him the 22nd best high school quarterback overall.{{cite web|url=http://recruiting.scout.com/a.z?s=73&p=8&c=1&nid=2309034 |title=Keith Nichol Profile |publisher=Scout.com |accessdate=2009-12-23}}
College career
=Freshman season=
At Oklahoma, Nichol competed against redshirt freshman Sam Bradford and junior Joey Halzle for the starting quarterback position during spring practices in 2007.{{cite web|url=https://www.espn.com/college-football/news/story?id=2818008 |title=Bradford, Halzle, Nichol competing in OU's QB race|work=ESPN.com|date=2007-03-30 |access-date=2009-12-23}} After a scrimmage game, Bradford was named the starter.{{cite news|url=https://www.usatoday.com/sports/college/football/big12/2007-08-21-oklahoma-bradford_N.htm |title=Bradford named starting quarterback at Oklahoma |newspaper=USA Today|date=2007-08-21 |accessdate=2009-12-23}} During the year, Nichol was the third-string quarterback, playing in three games and completing two of seven passes for 15 yards. After the season, Nichol transferred to Michigan State, the school he had originally committed to while back in high school. By NCAA rule, Nichol had to sit out the 2008 season.
=Sophomore season=
Before the 2009 season, Nichol competed against sophomore Kirk Cousins for the starting quarterback position.{{cite web|author=Ellis, Drew|url=http://www.themorningsun.com/articles/2009/07/02/sports/srv0000005741157.txt|title=Scouting Michigan State: Spartans bring back 15 starters|publisher=The Morning Sun|date=|accessdate=2009-12-23}}{{Dead link|date=May 2025 |bot=InternetArchiveBot |fix-attempted=yes }} Cousins started the first game with Nichol receiving playing time in which he threw two touchdown passes in a victory over the Montana State Bobcats.{{cite web|author=Martin, Tim |url=https://sports.yahoo.com/ncaa/football/recap?gid=200909050030 |title=Michigan St. cruises past Montana St., 44-3 |publisher=Yahoo!|accessdate=2009-12-23}} On October 10, 2009, Nichol made his first career start against the Illinois Fighting Illini. He completed 13 of 25 passes for 179 yards and one interception in a victory.{{cite web|author=Mercer, David|url=http://www.themorningsun.com/articles/2009/10/10/sports/doc4ad12e2c5b171937752051.txt|title=Michigan State beats Illinois 24-14|publisher=The Morning Sun|date=2009-10-10|accessdate=2009-12-23}}{{Dead link|date=May 2025 |bot=InternetArchiveBot |fix-attempted=yes }} In preparation for the 2010 Alamo Bowl, Nichol changed over to the wide-receiver position, catching two passes for 11 yards and also scored his first career rushing touchdown against the Red Raiders, with a 7-yard run out of the wildcat formation in the third quarter.
=Junior season=
He was an Academic All-Big Ten selection and appeared in all 13 games in 2010, including eight starts. Ranked fifth on the team with 22 receptions for 262 yards (11.9 avg.), caught at least one pass in 11 games, and also completed 4-of-7 passes for 62 yards and two scores. With Kirk Cousins and Andrew Maxwell sidelined with injuries vs. No. 15 Alabama in the 2011 Capital One Bowl, he took snaps at quarterback in the fourth quarter and hit 2-of-5 throws for 56 yards, including a 49-yard TD strike to Bennie Fowler, Keith also had three catches for 22 yards against the Crimson Tide. His 3-yard TD toss to Charlie Gantt with 8:31 left in the fourth quarter at Penn State gave MSU a 28–10 lead and proved to be the game winner as the Spartans held on for a 28–22 victory to clinch a share of the 2010 Big Ten Championship, caught three passes for 19 yards vs. Purdue, and set career highs in receptions (4) and receiving yards (51) at Northwestern, including two catches for 34 yards on MSU's game-winning touchdown drive in the fourth quarter. His career-long 42-yard grab from Cousins at No. 18 Michigan set up Larry Caper's 8-yard TD run late in the third quarter, hauled in three passes for 30 yards vs. No. 11 Wisconsin, caught two passes for 32 yards in the season opener vs. Western Michigan, including his first career touchdown reception, a 20-yard grab from Cousins early in the second quarter.
=Senior season=
Nichol played an important role as receiver for the Spartans during the 2011 season. He caught a hail mary touchdown pass on the final play against No. 6 Wisconsin, securing the Spartans victory and went on to win the Big Ten Legends Division and will have a rematch against No. 15 Wisconsin in the 2011 Big Ten Championship Game.[https://www.espn.com/college-football/story/_/id/7139889/michigan-state-spartans-final-play-ends-wisconsin-badgers-bcs-title-hopes Final play ends Badgers BCS title hopes] He help lead the Spartans to a comeback win against No. 16 Georgia in the Outback Bowl.
=College statistics=
| class="wikitable" style="text-align:center;" | |||||||||||||||||||
| rowspan="2"| Season
! colspan="4"| Games ! colspan="8"| Passing ! colspan="4"| Rushing ! colspan="4"| Receiving | |||||||||||||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| POS | GP | GS | Record{{efn|Accounts for only GS as a QB}} | Cmp | Att | Pct | Yds | Y/A | TD | Int | Rtg | Att | Yds | Avg | TD | Rec | Yds | Avg | TD |
| colspan="24" style="{{CollegePrimaryStyle|Oklahoma Sooners}}" | Oklahoma Sooners | |||||||||||||||||||
| 2007
| QB || 3 || 0 || — || 2 || 7 || 28.6 || 15 || 2.1 || 0 || 0 || 46.6 || 3 || 13 || 4.3 || 0 | |||||||||||||||||||
| colspan="24" style="{{CollegePrimaryStyle|Michigan State Spartans}}" | Michigan State Spartans | |||||||||||||||||||
| 2008
| colspan="24"| Ineligible due to NCAA transfer rule | |||||||||||||||||||
| 2009
| QB || 10 || 1 || 1–0 || 49 || 91 || 53.8 || 764 || 8.4 || 7 || 3 || 143.2 || 22 || 128 || 5.8 || 1 || 2 || 11 || 5.5 || 0 | |||||||||||||||||||
| 2010
| QB/WR || 13 || 8 || — || 4 || 7 || 57.1 || 62 || 8.9 || 2 || 0 || 225.8 || 4 || 9 || 2.3 || 0 || 22 || 262 || 11.9 || 1 | |||||||||||||||||||
| 2011
| WR || 14 || 5 || — || colspan="12"| || 26 || 352 || 13.5 || 3 | |||||||||||||||||||
| colspan="2"| [https://www.sports-reference.com/cfb/players/keith-nichol-1.html Career] | 40 | 14 | 1–0 | 55 | 105 | 52.4 | 841 | 8.0 | 9 | 3 | 142.2 | 29 | 150 | 5.2 | 1 | 50 | 625 | 12.5 | 4 |
{{notelist}}
Professional career
On May 3, 2012, Nichol joined with the Washington Redskins as an undrafted free agent on a try-out basis.{{cite news|work=DetroitNews.com |url=http://www.detroitnews.com/article/20120503/SPORTS0202/205030404/1004/ |title=Ex-Michigan State receiver Keith Nichol signs with Redskins |date=May 3, 2012 |accessdate=2012-05-03 }}{{dead link|date=May 2017 |bot=InternetArchiveBot |fix-attempted=yes }} The next day, it was reported that he was attending the Redskins' rookie mini-camp, which reunited him with Michigan State teammate, Kirk Cousins.{{cite news | work=Detroit Free Press | url=http://www.freep.com/article/20120504/SPORTS01/205040430/Michigan-State-WR-Keith-Nichol-on-Redskins-They-like-my-toughness | title=Michigan State WR Keith Nichol, on Redskins: 'They like my toughness' | last=Sipple | first=George | date=May 4, 2012 | accessdate=2012-05-04}} Nichol was not offered a contract at the end of the mini-camp.{{cite web|work=LansingStateJournal.com |url=http://www.lansingstatejournal.com/article/20120509/GW01/305090019/MSU-football-s-Nichol-pleased-Redskins-mini-camp |title=MSU football's Nichol pleased with Redskins mini-camp |last=Calloway |first=Brian |date=May 9, 2012 |accessdate=2012-05-09 }}{{dead link|date=May 2017 |bot=InternetArchiveBot |fix-attempted=yes }}{{Cite web |url=https://sports.yahoo.com/news/rookie-camp-washington-redskins-comfortable-familiar-former-michigan-003100689--ncaaf.html |title=Rookie Camp with Washington Redskins 'Comfortable,' 'Familiar' for Former Michigan State Spartans WR Keith Nichol - Yahoo Sports |access-date=2015-11-15 |archive-date=2013-11-03 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20131103112330/http://sports.yahoo.com/news/rookie-camp-washington-redskins-comfortable-familiar-former-michigan-003100689--ncaaf.html |url-status=dead }} He later attended rookie mini-camp with the Chicago Bears and worked out for the Detroit Lions, but wasn't offered a contract by either team.{{cite web|url=http://www.mlive.com/spartans/index.ssf/2012/06/after_several_tryouts_former_m.html|work=MLive.com| title=After several tryouts, former Michigan State receiver Keith Nichol confident he will get shot at NFL training camp|last=VanOchten|first=Brian|date=June 28, 2012|accessdate=2012-07-28}}
References
{{Reflist|2}}
External links
- [http://www.msuspartans.com/sports/m-footbl/mtt/nichol_keith00.html Nichol Bio at official web-site of Michigan State Spartans Football]{{Dead link|date=May 2025 |bot=InternetArchiveBot |fix-attempted=yes }}
- [http://hsmichigan.scout.com/a.z?s=207&p=8&c=1&nid=2309034 Nichol Recruiting Profile] at Rivals.com
{{Michigan State Spartans quarterback navbox}}
{{DEFAULTSORT:Nichol, Keith}}
Category:People from Lowell, Michigan
Category:Players of American football from Michigan
Category:American football quarterbacks