Isaac Naasz - A Chip off the old block(s)
Issac Naasz will be looking to get Winner back to the Dome as Semifinal Saturday awaits!
By Rich Winter
So, the other day I shook hands with Dan Aaker, met Jayden Schroeder's father and leaned on the dividing wall of the Winner National Guard Armory to drink in the Winner football tradition. Got stuck looking at the All-State football players, ventured to 2015 and zeroed in on the name, Isaac Naasz.
Now, I've seen Winner live twice this season and each game I never come away noticing Isaac Naasz. And yet, in the first half of Winner's game with Tri-Valley, with the Mustangs moving the ball, Naasz moved from LB to DE and suddenly all of Tri Valley's offense went away!
Interesting to note that while I might not be noticing Naasz, the stat-keeper sure does. Seems like everytime I check a Winner box-score Naasz is right there with tackles, tackles for loss and sacks. While Winner doesn't have to throw the ball, (they can and Naasz is a big part of that scheme), seeing those long runs from Cameron Kuil and Kayleb Brozik with regularity, I can only assume that Isaac Naasz is out there punishing some would-be defender with a block that only the coaches, and Winner players notice and appreciate.
While height is not coachable in basketball, neither is length in football, and Naasz is long, really long in the arms, and defenders just can't seem to get into him when he's blocking because Naasz is in there first and doing a lot of 'Dirty' work that provides a vehicle for all of the Winner ground-game success. Good blocker because plenty fast enough to get to you and seal an edge, but with the long arms and leverage plays even faster because he "fools" opponents minds with his length.
See picture below: Kuil goes for the long run, and the guy who sprung him....Isaac Naasz.
Photo courtesy of Mitchell Daily Republic
Naasz was a pass rushing specialist as a junior but switched to LB this year and as mentioned, in the game with Tri-Valley, coach Aaker is quick to move Naasz back to DE and bring McClanahan in as LB. It's the rip and swim moves that give offensive players trouble and Naasz, like those in his family that have come before him knows exactly what he's doing out on the football field.
Guess the family knows a little something about football over there.
Has three brothers that played college football.
Son of former Winner coach and player, Brian Naasz who was a Backup JR 175 RB on the 81 Championship team...Injury to starting RTE and Brian jumped in and filled the role. Anyone who remembers those Winner team remembers Brian Naasz playing defense with a reckless abandon for his body as he tracked offensive players like a human missile.
And of course, Isaac is the grandson of HOF Winner coach Harvey Naasz.
Read another great article in the Mitchell paper this morning about the tradition of both Winner and Bridgewater-Ethan/Emery. BEE, formerly owned 9AA football, while Winner has owned 11A and now 11B football. Since 1981, the Seahawks have won six nine-man titles (2001, 2003, 2007, 2010, 2011 and 2013) and Winner has won six 11-man titles (1981, 1987, 1989, 2009, 2012 and 2015). Before co-oping with Emery and Ethan, Bridgewater won a Class 9B state title in 1981.
Tonight, gonna keep an eye on Naasz and see for myself what all the fuss is about!
