Who is This Nick Calzaretta?

Nick Calzaretta is a junior running back for the College of Idaho who in two game has rushed for nearly as many yards as he dd all last year as a sophomore.

Last week at Montana Tech Calzaretta rushed for 247 yards and two touchdowns leading the Coyotes to a 28-14 win and a 2-0 record. He scored on a 58 yards touchdown run and set up another touchdown with a 61 yard scamper.

Calzaretta has now rushed for 371 yards in two games on 42 carries averaging 8.8 yards per run and his total yardage leads the NAIA. Last year as a sophomore he played in all 11 C.of I  games rushing for a total of 509 yards and this year has 371 through just two games.

His production may surprise some but others saw it coming. Calzaretta is 5-11 205 pounds out of Redwood High School in Larkspur, California. As a senior in high school he rushed for 2,738 yards and 43 touchdowns! That ranked his 24th among high school, running backs.

I know there must be a reason but how in the world did this talent land in Caldwell? However it happened Yote fans couldn't be happier.

His 247 yards vs. Montana Tech were the most by a Coyote since 1953 and the third-highest rushing total in program history. Ted Martin rushed for 267 yards in a 1953 win over Idaho State and Tom Winbigler rushed for 297 yards in a 1948 win at British Columbia.

The Coyotes host Southern Oregon Saturday at 1 p.m. a chance to see Calzaretta in person as the College of Idaho tries to run it's win streak to nine in a row.