The Nevada football team’s sophomore linebacker Colson Kermode is a true Reno success story. A Galena High School alumnus, Kermode had an incredible high school athletic career as a dual athlete playing both football and baseball.
Kermode started on the varsity football team as a freshman where he played as a quarterback, running back and defensive back.
As a senior, he helped the Galena Grizzlies football team earn a 9-3 record, take 18th place in the state and first place in the 5A Division III Northern League, with a 5-0 record.
On top of his success with football, Kermode also played varsity baseball at Galena, joining the team after playing the sport throughout his childhood. He played as a shortstop, pitcher and third baseman for the Grizzlies. Despite his success in both sports, Kermode chose the one he loved the most. After all four years of his high school career playing varsity football, the choice was clear.
“I’ve loved football my whole life. I’ve probably liked it more than baseball my whole life… it’s just more fun,” Kermode said. “There wasn’t an option to play baseball here; I took the biggest opportunity I could between baseball and football.”
Kermode’s talent earned him a scholarship to play for the Wolf Pack as a high school sophomore from former football head coach Ken Wilson. Wilson, however, was later “relieved of his duties” in 2023.
By the end of the year, coach Jeff Choate took over for the Wolf Pack, which left Kermode’s scholarship hanging in the balance. After the change in coaching staff, it was agreed that he would be able to play on the team as a walk-on.
Despite the disheartening situation, Kermode still gave it his all to be able to play for the Pack, and has since proven himself as a valuable asset to the team. During his freshman year as a walk-on player, he made three appearances and earned the title of Special Teams Scout Player of the Year from the coaching staff. This season, he has already appeared in all four games so far.
“[You] can’t really control that,” Kermode said. “Everything else is kind of out of my reach. So if I really think too much about it, it gets to my head. I’ve done a really good job … just staying the course and not really getting too much in my head.”
Kermode has always wanted to play in Mackay Stadium. Since his first visit at around eight years old, he remembers the tailgate, sense of community and, most importantly, the players.
“It was super fun to come out and then watch the game, and like, you see all the college dudes,” Kermode said. “You’re like, ‘oh my goodness, these dudes are so big’…but then you get here, it’s like, ‘all right, you know, I’m one of them now.’ It’s been a great experience, and I’ve loved every second of it.”
On top of being a rising linebacker for Nevada and a member of special teams, Kermode balances a little bit more than football: he’s studying to be a doctor. Even though his curriculum can be hard to balance alongside being a D1 athlete, he says that he “sees the light at the end of the tunnel” when it comes to his studies.
“[I] don’t really focus on the day-to-day grind,” Kermode said. “Just being like, all right, I know it’s going to get me somewhere good, and I know it’s all worth it.”
Kermode also says that the inspiration outweighs the hardships. His own mother, who is a nurse practitioner, and his personal experiences through injuries and surgeries with his doctor, Dr. Dolan, helped him find interest in the medical field.
“I got to follow him [Dr. Dolan] around a little bit, and I started watching him do stuff,” Kermode said. “I was like, this is really cool, really interesting, really fulfilling. You know… I like doing hard things, and I think it would be super cool to help people for the rest of my life.”
Kermode is set to take the field during the Nevada Wolf Pack’s next game on Saturday, Oct. 17 at North Dakota State.
