Chestnut powers Pioneers into NEC title game
The numbers for Sacred Heart’s Julius Chestnut are simply dazzling — 544 rushing yards, 699 yards from scrimmage and 10 touchdowns in just three football games this spring. That’s on top of a 1,674-yard season in 2019.
However, the impact of the Pioneers’ 6-foot-1, 232pound junior running back goes well beyond the statistics, according to SHU coach Mark Nofri.
“Julius is a tremendous individual,” Nofri said. “The kid is always smiling. He does everything right on and off the field. He’s earned the respect of his teammates. He’s a rah-rah guy and he’s going to pick people up. A lot of his actions are lead-by-example and the kids feed off of that.
“They see the time and effort, they see what kind of person he is and how much he cares about football and his teammates and it translates.”
Chestnut, who is from Bowie, Md., will of course be key this weekend as the Pioneers square off against Duquesne for the NEC championship at 2 p.m., Sunday, in Pittsburgh.
It’s the second meeting of the season between the two teams, and Duquesne won, 30-27, in the season-opener. It’s also a match-up which hits home for Chestnut and the rest of the SHU seniors and juniors, who were part of a team that tied Duquesne for the 2018 NEC title based on matching 5-1 conference records, but was kept out of the FCS playoffs thanks to a regular season loss to the Dukes.
“Now that we’re actually able to play for the championship and there will be a true winner, I think everybody on the team knows this is a very big opportunity for us,” Chestnut said.
“We haven’t beaten Duquesne in quite some time. This is a beauty — Duquesne is very good and very well-coached, so it’s going to be a wonderful game.”
Chestnut followed a freshman season in which he won NEC Offensive Rookie of the Year honors with a magnificent sophomore year in 2019. He was one of 26 finalists for the Walter Payton Award, presented to the FCS offensive player of the year, and was an AP third team All-America player.
Chestnut’s mix of size, speed and an ability to shift while seeing the field has impressed Nofri.
“He can cut on a dime and not change speed,” Nofri said. “His vision is outstanding and then he can make that cut to bring it to the second level and he doesn’t change speed or his stride. Not to mention that he’s 232 pounds and he still pulls away from people.”
“When he gets into the second level and he gets into the open field, I haven’t seen anybody this year catch him. I still say he’s the best back in all FCS and I’ll put him up against anybody.”
After the 2020 fall season was canceled due to COVID-19 pandemic, playing at all this year was in doubt, but the NEC put together a four-game schedule for the spring with a championship game to follow.
Getting ready for the spring was challenging due to the time spent separated, but the Pioneers were able to redevelop their chemistry.
“It was almost 500 days since we played an actual football game, so just being out there with your brothers and friends, that was the most important part,” Chestnut said.
In three games this season, Chestnut has been unstoppable, amassing more than 200 yards from scrimmage and winning NEC Player of the week honors in each game.
His performance had included six receptions for 155 yards and three TDs, a facet of his game in which Chestnut takes great pride.
“Most coaches recruit a guy to be able to be that dual threat,” Chestnut said. “You can put him in the slot or put him at running back to get that one or two yards you need. I feel like being a bigger back, most people think that I’m just a downhill guy, but I practice and develop my skills to do different things.”
Chestnut gave credit to the Pioneer’s offensive line, led by center Josh Sokol and tackle JD DiRenzo, as a key to his performance.
“That’s two big stout guys up there getting the job done,” Chestnut said. “The offensive line has done a great job and it’s allowed me to get (699) yards.”
No matter the outcome of Sunday’s final, when it comes time to get into the fall season, Chestnut feels the Pioneers will be ahead of the game with what they’ve accomplished this spring.
“We have a lot of freshmen getting playing time, so when we get to fall, they’ll know what college football is like,” Chestnut said. “They’re not going to be coming into something new. You’re getting to know other people, you know how things work and you know how we roll.”
For the time being, coach Nofri is hoping for a big weekend from his star running back.
“He’s had a great three games so far,” Nofri said. “And hopefully, he has another great game this coming Sunday.”