Central Michigan University Athletics
Naz Right At Home At CMU
9/12/2000 12:00:00 AM | Football
Sept. 12, 2000
Playing for Central Michigan has always been a dream of Scott Naz.
After starring for 1996 state champion Walled Lake Western High, Scott continued to pursue a career in football by accepting a scholarship to Boston University. After his first season, BU unexpectedly dropped its football program. However, the demise of one program brought good fortune to Naz as CMU offered him a chance to play for the Maroon and Gold.
"I always liked CMU from the beginning when it recruited me," Naz said. "I wanted to come here in the first place but I accepted a scholarship from BU. When it dropped the program out there, I had had a good year and CMU offered me a scholarship. It was nice to come home."
His football career was held in jeopardy during his senior year of high school when Naz suffered a torn ACL in a skiing accident.
"It was a big set back for me," said Naz. "Going to BU I had to go through surgery and rehabilitation. I had to sit out for awhile and wasn't up to my potential."
His greatest on-field thrill came in his sophomore season with the Chippewas when a third quarter interception against Eastern proved crucial to the outcome of the game. In 1999, the cornerback totaled 50 tackles in 1l games.
While Naz has always been a Chippewa at heart, it's the people he's encountered during his tenure at CMU that have had the greatest influence on a successful college career.
"Bonding with teammates and making new friends through football that you normally wouldn't get a chance to meet have been some of the greatest memories I'll take away from CMU," he said.
A marketing/logistics major, Naz points to his gridiron experiences as a key to becoming successful in his post college endeavors.
"There are so many things you learn from football you can take to the classroom," he said. "You learn the determination and drive to become successful. The coaches are like drill sergeants sometimes, which force you to become disciplined in all aspects of life. Going through that, when I get out, I'm going to have a lot of things under my belt."
As Naz approaches his final football season at CMU, he's quick to remind me of the team motto, "Win Today." This seems well-fitted to characterize the attitude of this individual.
by Ryan Meister, Sports Information Assistant
