Nussmeier has close ties to latest Sports Illustrated cover subject -- Seattle WR Jermaine Kearse
Friday, January 23, 2015 | Football, Scott Carter
GAINESVILLE, Fla. – Gators offensive coordinator Doug Nussmeier has been on the road recruiting all week and has not seen the latest edition of Sports Illustrated.
When informed that Seattle receiver Jermaine Kearse was on the cover for his game-winning catch Sunday in the NFC Championship Game, Nussmeier let out one of those gratified chuckles.
“Gosh, that's great,'' he said. “It couldn't happen to a better kid.”
While America is just getting to know Kearse in the lead-up to Super Bowl XLIX, Nussmeier got to know him very well six years ago in his first season as offensive coordinator at Washington. Taking over a program that finished 0-12 the previous season, first-year Huskies head coach Steve Sarkisian tabbed Nussmeier to run his offense.
One of the first things Nussmeier did was make sure that Kearse was a featured part of the offense.
“He became our guy,'' Nussmeier said. “Jermaine was really a guy we counted on. He was just a reliable player, a really good player. It doesn't surprise me that he has made the big catches he has.”
In three seasons playing in Nussmeier's offense, Kearse caught 160 passes for 2,570 yards and 27 touchdowns. He finished his career as Washington's second all-time leading receiver.
Following Kearse's senior season in 2011, Nussmeier left to become offensive coordinator at Alabama and Kearse joined Seattle as an undrafted free agent. A native of Lakewood, Wash., a Tacoma suburb about an hour south of Seattle, Nussmeier understands how big a story Kearse's big moment Sunday is back in the Pacific Northwest.
“Anytime a guy gets to grow up in Tacoma, went to Lakes High School, and then to play in his backyard at Washington, and then to stay in his backyard to get to play in the NFL, that's a big impact in your local community,” Nussmeier said. “Good for him. He's one of those guys you like to root for. He was a great player when we had him.”
Nussmeier was recruiting most of Sunday and missed the majority of Seattle's 28-22 overtime win over Green Bay. However, he did get to see Kearse make his now-famous 35-yard touchdown catch on a throw from Seahawks quarterback Russell Wilson.
Running a straight Go route to the middle of the end zone, Kearse caught the pass with Green Bay cornerback Tramon Williams wrapped around him. He unwrapped himself and immediately tossed the football into the stands of a trembling Century-Link Field.
It was Kearse's only catch of the game after being targeted five times by Wilson. The first four of those passes toward Kearse were intercepted, including two that ricocheted off his hands.
"That throw was more so just a sign of frustration," Kearse said Monday. "Just letting a lot of frustration throughout that whole game out, just trying to throw it as far as possible. It's just something that happened in the moment.”
As Nussmeier watched, Kearse's game-winning catch brought back memories.
“I remember one specifically he made for us our [second] year against Washington State to get us in a bowl game,'' Nussmeier said. “Late in the game he caught a touchdown sort of like he did the other night, in tight coverage, just a phenomenal play. We win the game.”
The catch Nussmeier recalled was a 27-yard touchdown reception by Kearse on a throw from former Huskies quarterback Jake Locker to defeat Washington State, 35-28, with 44 seconds left in the game.
Kearse isn't the only connection for Nussmeier on the Seahawks. Seattle quarterbacks coach Carl Smith was Nussmeier's first quarterbacks coach in the NFL with the New Orleans Saints. Also, Seahawks quality control assistant John Glenn worked with Nussmeier during his time at Washington.
