Central Michigan Football Coach doing the right thing

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In 2012 as a high school senior, Derrick Nash led the state of Michigan in rushing. In February, the running back signed a National Letter of Intent to play his college football at Central Michigan in what he called “the greatest moment in my life.” Three months later, Nash received the worst news of his young life.

Leukemia, diagnosed following a trip to the emergency room for what was thought to be mono or the flu.

The prom, his graduation ceremony and even his first year of college football have been replaced by chemotherapy sessions at University Hospital in Ann Arbor. The good news is Nash was told by doctors that “everything would be fine. I would be able to get better” and play football again after sitting out the 2013 season.

Nash, though, wasn’t sure that would be with the Chippewas, telling Hugh Bernreuter of mlive.com that he was “worried [CMU] coaches were going to give up on me.” That was one fear in this whole process for which there was no need.

“One of the first things we told him was that he was going to play football again and that he was going to play for CMU,” Chips head coach Dan Enos (pictured) said. “Keeping him on scholarship was a no-brainer. It’s the right thing to do. That’s the philosophy from the president through the athletic director to the coaches. You do the right thing.”

Added Enos, “I can’t wait until he can run onto our field before a game wearing a CMU uniform. That’ll be a great moment for a lot of people.”

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