NICK MIZAUR-CREIGHTON PREP - NEBRASKA'S TOP PREP RUNNING BACK?

[Bobby Mills Jr. (1000 Yard Guy)]

Prior to last season, I remember seeing something in a publication that later would make me chuckle. However, when you think of who Creighton Prep usually lines up in their backfield year after year, maybe that reporter had just flat out failed to realize ANY Running back mentioned in Prep’s pre-season report has the possibility of rising to the top in a heck of a hurry. That’s the way they do it that institution at 7400 Western Avenue in Omaha. If you carry the ball, you have automatically gone though all the steps necessary to prepare for the possibility being handed the ball over 30 times in a game…..ANY game.
Last season, the Junior Jays returned 1000 Yard Rusher Brad Heldt, who had blasted his way for 1,059 yards in 2007. That pre-season capsule I spoke of had briefly mentioned that a junior named Nick Mizaur COULD provide some depth at RB. Yes, they should have capitalized COULD. With Heldt injured part of the time, Mizaur stepped in and ran for 1,347 yards including a workhorse-like 32 carries against Bellevue West. Heldt did return and together with Mizaur, helped Creighton Prep reach the Class A Semifinals. Guys like Mizaur just seem to appear out of nowhere to many of us, but those close to the Creighton Prep football program know this happens more often than not………….that’s just CP Football.
Nick Mizaur grew up in Chicago as a kid, where the “big city” youngsters knew how to play the game. Nick’s Dad was an all-conference linebacker in high school in that rough-tough land of high school football, leading his team in tackles his Jr. and Sr. seasons. Strangely enough, the elder Mizaur ended up not playing football, but wrestling at Illinois State before calling it quits because of a back injury. All I can figure out is that hard-nosed style of play and the Wrestling must have rubbed off on a young Nick Mizaur, because entering his Senior at Creighton Prep, he may just be the TOP Running Back in this State, bar none. Even as a Sophomore, the Prep coaching staff knew number 21 was going to be an electric type of player. Now, two seasons later and a whole bunch of experience behind him, Nick Mizaur is poised for a banner football campaign in 2009.

Mizaur, to this day credits his father with being the main source in teaching him the game of football. Nick’s father coached him from the 3rd through the 8th grades and then the masters at Prep took over. Last season Mizaur played at 195 pounds, but still possessed the quickness and speed to break the long gainer. The thing that is amazing about this young man is that he RARELY loses yardage. Even after initial contact, Nick Mizaur is always driving, always churning for extra yards, and ALWAYS FALLS FORWARD. He may have the best combination of talents of ANY Running Back I have seen in Nebraska going into 2009. It’s all there……vision, tremendous balance, leg drive, power and speed, and like most successful big-time Backs who get the extra yards, Mizaur is low at the point of attack. Most D-1 universities have a category that lists “Yards-After-Contact”. If Creighton Prep has one, Mizaur’s total should be mind-boggling.

When asked if the fact he is following in the footsteps of Backs like George Achola, Shane McClanahan, Jason Williams, Dion Lasole, 2000 yarder/Jeff Wellwood, and Stevie Hicks leaves him in awe, Nick simply states “To be honest I never really thought about it.” “I think it’s an honor to be put in a (1000 Yard) list of players like that, but I really never set out to be on a list of great players, I just like to play the game of football and what happens, happens.” Sounds like a winner and an unselfish one at that, huh?
Nick Mizaur knows how important the weight room is to a player who has to withstand the rigors of Class A football week in and week out. He also credits his gift of “balance” to the sport of wrestling. You see, Mr. Mizaur is pretty accomplished at that sport also. He qualified for State as a Freshman and won a match there, ended up runner-up at 171 as a Sophomore, and was 4th this Spring in the 189 pound class. This also brings to light another strong point, in my opinion. Mizaur plays football at 195 lbs. and wrestles at 189.……looks like most of that football weight is pure muscle, not pads. With a strong summer work-out schedule, this young man may pose even bigger problems to defenders this fall.
In 2009 Creighton Prep should have a good surround cast for Nick Mizaur. State Champion wrestler/fullback Cody Hobbs will be plowing open holes for him to dart through, plus having a D-1 recruit like Jeff Uher up front doesn’t hurt either. The “O” does look pretty salty for the ‘Jays, and the defense is always a CP trademark. Speaking of D-1, Mizaur is getting serious looks from Ohio, Iowa State, Vanderbilt and Wyoming. Nebraska, Kansas, and Northwestern seem to want to wait and see how his Senior season develops. Also expressing interest are the Dakota schools, Brown, Columbia, Dartmouth, and Penn from the Ivy league………oh yes, did I mention Nick is also very bright scholastically (hence the Ivy League interest)? So, does Coach Jaworski plan on giving Nick the pig 25 times a game? Probably not. The staff at CP seems to think it works well to alternate Running Backs and past successes have proven that to be a pretty slick idea. Speedy, slippery Richard Wynne Jr. may be sharing the load with Mizaur, who will be a force on defense as usual. This could spell extra headaches for opposing foes, given the fact number 21 will be able to catch his breath on a few plays.

Nicholas Mizaur of Creighton Prep is just one of those special football players in an exclusive fraternity. You don’t see ’em all that often. This young man has a great understanding for this game, which in turn makes him a better leader. As Asst. Coach Jonas Luedke puts it “Nick just has that great understanding of the game of football, a quality you just cannot teach.” “Some players have it, and Nick IS one of those players.” Amen brother.
Nick Mizaur is projected to be a Defensive Back in college and hence has been selected to play in the prestigious Max Emfinger All-American Bowl in January in Texas on SMU’s field. Mizaur is one of only TWO selected at Strong Safety for his team so playing time should be abundant, creating an opportunity to showcase his talents on a National level. Somehow, I’ll just bet this young man isn’t even thinking that far down the line at this point, though. Come the middle of August there won’t have to be a ton of motivation from the coaching staff at Prep for players like Mizaur. They know just putting on that Blue Jersey is enough. They just understand that Creighton Prep teams are supposed to make a run and a State Championship is the goal EVERY year….nothing less. Makes good sense to me.

There are those (including myself) who say that Nick Mizaur will leave a big impression in Creighton Prep’s tradition rich football history. Even some talk of him being the most gifted Running Back at CP since Stevie Hicks……they may be right. The Junior Jays will have some holes to fill this Fall, but if the younger players develop like they usually do, Prep could be headed for a deep playoff run come November. Whether they are or not remains to be seen, but with number 21, Nick Mizaur in the lineup, my guess is that chances are good……..very good.