Jack Kiser The Real Deal On, Off The Field
September 25, 2018 at 4:22 p.m.
By Aaron [email protected]
The Triton football team played Kiser and the mighty Pioneer Panthers last week, losing 56-6.
The Trojans kept their composure and played Pioneer tough early.
Their touchdown marked the first time someone scored on the Class 1A No. 1 Panthers since LaVille in Week 3.
Despite the lopsided score, the game remained interesting because of the electric play of Kiser, who is committed to play linebacker next fall at Notre Dame.
The 6-foot-2, 208-pound senior quarterback rushed 17 times for 111 yards and five touchdowns, while completing 5 of 10 passes for 73 yards and yet another score.
“I have a lot of respect for Jack,” Shumpert said. “He deserves everything that he gets. He’s a very good player.”
To simply cite Kiser’s offensive statistics doesn’t do the kid justice. He was all over the field, returning punts, running in two-point conversions, and flying around on defense making tackles and intercepting a pass.
“At a small school, to be successful everybody has to do everything that the coaches ask from them,” Kiser said. “So I’m just doing whatever I can to help out the team. If that means standing back 15 yards playing the pass or coming up on the run, or (on) kickoff running 40 yards down field, I’m gonna do it.”
I’ve seen a lot of great high school football players in western Pennsylvania. That includes a few who have gone pro, and another who might: Phil Jurkovec, a freshman quarterback at Notre Dame this season.
I don’t know if Kiser will go that far, but he stands up to some of the top players I watched while growing up.
That’s saying something. He’ll have to bulk up to play linebacker at Notre Dame, but his play Friday explained to me why the Fighting Irish are so interested in him.
The Trojans went into the game with a healthy regard for Kiser. Triton’s Tye Orsund said the Trojans ran plays to stop him during practice last week.
There was only one moment in the game when I saw a Triton player seem to show timidity against Kiser.
The Trojans punted the ball and he was back to return. The ball took a bounce in Triton’s favor, and Kiser was deep enough that the Trojans could have let it bounce another few yards before downing it.
It appeared as if the player didn’t want Kiser running with the ball, though he could have just been making a smart play.
Aside from that, the Trojans were aggressive without being senseless.
An admirable feat, considering Kiser is leading the undefeated Panthers on a 21-game winning streak.
Shumpert said the Trojans played Kiser like they would any other QB.
“Jack Kiser, he’s just another football player just like me and Tye here,” Shumpert said. “So we gotta treat him like everybody else.”
Playing someone like Kiser, even in defeat, is something the Trojans will remember long after they lace up their cleats for the last time.
The experience has added value in that they’ll see Kiser on national television – at least on the sidelines next year, and maybe even in games – for Notre Dame.
He’ll be easy to root for, even for a Pitt fan like me who has rooted against the Fighting Irish most of my life.
“He’s been going through a lot with his future in the last year, and he’s stayed the same humble kid,” Pioneer coach Adam Berry said. “(He’s) a great leader on the field (and) a coach on the field.
“He knows when to fire the guys up, but he also knows when to put his arm around them to keep them going.”
I’ll never be a Notre Dame fan. But, I have no problem cheering for Jack Kiser.
Tear it up, young man.
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The Triton football team played Kiser and the mighty Pioneer Panthers last week, losing 56-6.
The Trojans kept their composure and played Pioneer tough early.
Their touchdown marked the first time someone scored on the Class 1A No. 1 Panthers since LaVille in Week 3.
Despite the lopsided score, the game remained interesting because of the electric play of Kiser, who is committed to play linebacker next fall at Notre Dame.
The 6-foot-2, 208-pound senior quarterback rushed 17 times for 111 yards and five touchdowns, while completing 5 of 10 passes for 73 yards and yet another score.
“I have a lot of respect for Jack,” Shumpert said. “He deserves everything that he gets. He’s a very good player.”
To simply cite Kiser’s offensive statistics doesn’t do the kid justice. He was all over the field, returning punts, running in two-point conversions, and flying around on defense making tackles and intercepting a pass.
“At a small school, to be successful everybody has to do everything that the coaches ask from them,” Kiser said. “So I’m just doing whatever I can to help out the team. If that means standing back 15 yards playing the pass or coming up on the run, or (on) kickoff running 40 yards down field, I’m gonna do it.”
I’ve seen a lot of great high school football players in western Pennsylvania. That includes a few who have gone pro, and another who might: Phil Jurkovec, a freshman quarterback at Notre Dame this season.
I don’t know if Kiser will go that far, but he stands up to some of the top players I watched while growing up.
That’s saying something. He’ll have to bulk up to play linebacker at Notre Dame, but his play Friday explained to me why the Fighting Irish are so interested in him.
The Trojans went into the game with a healthy regard for Kiser. Triton’s Tye Orsund said the Trojans ran plays to stop him during practice last week.
There was only one moment in the game when I saw a Triton player seem to show timidity against Kiser.
The Trojans punted the ball and he was back to return. The ball took a bounce in Triton’s favor, and Kiser was deep enough that the Trojans could have let it bounce another few yards before downing it.
It appeared as if the player didn’t want Kiser running with the ball, though he could have just been making a smart play.
Aside from that, the Trojans were aggressive without being senseless.
An admirable feat, considering Kiser is leading the undefeated Panthers on a 21-game winning streak.
Shumpert said the Trojans played Kiser like they would any other QB.
“Jack Kiser, he’s just another football player just like me and Tye here,” Shumpert said. “So we gotta treat him like everybody else.”
Playing someone like Kiser, even in defeat, is something the Trojans will remember long after they lace up their cleats for the last time.
The experience has added value in that they’ll see Kiser on national television – at least on the sidelines next year, and maybe even in games – for Notre Dame.
He’ll be easy to root for, even for a Pitt fan like me who has rooted against the Fighting Irish most of my life.
“He’s been going through a lot with his future in the last year, and he’s stayed the same humble kid,” Pioneer coach Adam Berry said. “(He’s) a great leader on the field (and) a coach on the field.
“He knows when to fire the guys up, but he also knows when to put his arm around them to keep them going.”
I’ll never be a Notre Dame fan. But, I have no problem cheering for Jack Kiser.
Tear it up, young man.
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