When members of Clark Atlanta University’s football coaching staff asked to meet Oglethorpe County defensive back Nicah Pass, he didn’t expect much.
The coaches reached out to OCHS coach Michael Holland and arranged to visit the school. After watching film and a brief phone call with the defensive backs coach, the NCAA Division II program offered Pass his first collegiate scholarship.
“I thought he was just gonna talk to me about the college thing,” Pass said. “But it was, ‘We’re gonna offer you.’ It was really cool.”
The Panthers aren’t the only ones interested, though.
Pass also is being recruited by Berry College, a Division III program in Rome. He and Holland visited the school two weeks ago.
“I thought I was gonna be more nervous, but (the Berry coaches) broke my shell instantly,” Pass said.
Former OCHS running back Jake Turner plays at Berry. They played together at OCHS when Pass was a freshman, but he didn’t get to see Turner during his visit.
The two have been in contact.
“I want to go somewhere where I know somebody or go somewhere with somebody,” Pass said. “Having Jake there made me feel better.”
Berry has invited Pass and his family to attend a football game this fall. Pass plans to do the same at Clark Atlanta, where he’s yet to visit.
Holland plans to reach out and send film to coaches at Georgia State, Georgia Southern and Andrew College, among others. Pass said he’s also in contact with coaches at Kennesaw State and Reinhardt University.
Pass joined the football team as a freshman before stepping away during his sophomore season, joining track and basketball. During the gap, Holland stayed in contact with Pass and encouraged him to come back for his junior year.
Last year, Pass led the Patriots in receiving yards per game and had 26 tackles in nine games. He scored the winning touchdown in the historic upset over Rabun County in October.
“When the game’s on the line, he wants to be the guy,” Holland said. “If I said, ‘Hey, we need you to guard their best player all night,’ you know, he would jump at that opportunity, whereas sometimes people shy away from that opportunity. It’s just kind of the way he carries himself and the way he practices and the way he plays.”
That competitive spirit is amplified by his younger brother, Zion, who plays running back for OCHS.
The sibling rivalry keeps both sharp. During the offseason, the two can be found lifting weights and running drills together in their front yard.
“He was talking junk,” Pass said. “But you know, he was proud of me to get offered.”
Both brothers were voted onto the team’s leadership council by their teammates for the upcoming season. As members, Nicah and Zion help lead practices and hold weekly meetings with coaching staff.
“The kids really respect him (Nicah) and all that kind of stuff,” Holland said. “He's really accepted and embraced that role, and he's been working hard to be better and better in it… He's really matured in the past few years, and just being honest, one of the reasons I'm so proud of him is because of how much he's grown.”
That evolution is exactly what stands out to Holland, not only on the field, but in the classroom as well.
“It's not a story of a guy who’s always been great, it’s the story of a guy who’s realized the importance of it (maturity) and has worked to improve, and continues to improve,” Holland said.
However, athletics is only part of the equation. Pass plans to study engineering or business in college.
“I’m looking for a great program, obviously, and a great education,” he said. “Education is everything. So that’s what I'm really looking for; education and somewhere I can fit in and play first day off the rip.”