For Ben Nikkel, it was just another Monday.
Nikkel knew he’d be giving a senior speech during his team meeting. It would be his final season playing college football. However, he didn’t show one ounce of sadness; he was just grateful for having the chance to play football at Iowa State.
“I don’t care if I play a snap on the field, what I’ve learned as a person, I’ve grown as a person, what I’ve learned in the world of football, I would do it 100 times out of 100,” Nikkel said in his senior speech. “It’s cliche, but it’s really a dream come true.”
Nikkel wasn’t playing on scholarship or playing on the starting lineup. He was a special teams player through and through.
Campbell said that only 17% of plays during the game are special teams plays. That may be a small number, but the impact of that 17% could not be understated.
Nikkel knew what it took to be an elite special teams player and knew how important his role was on the team. Coming from a small school to play at Iowa State, Nikkel knew how hard he had to work to impact the team.
That hard work didn’t go unnoticed.
It was a no-brainer for Iowa State head coach Matt Campbell that Nikkel deserved to be on scholarship. Campbell said it himself by describing Nikkel as “one of the hardest-working kids” on the team.
When Campbell made the announcement, the room erupted in cheers. Nikkel’s teammates swarmed around him hugging him and congratulating him for the achievement.
Nikkel still shocked by the news was washed away in the sea of excitement. As he picked up his jaw off the floor, a smile formed across his face that wouldn’t leave for days to come.
“It was crazy. I didn’t expect it at all,” Nikkel said. “But to have all my teammates there and all of them supporting me, it’s a moment I’ll never forget.”
It was a “total surprise” according to Nikkel, but a good one at that.
Nikkel said it’s every walk-on’s dream to earn a scholarship and he’s no different. The journey was long but it was worth the struggles in the end.
To cap off his fantastic day, he got to break the news to his biggest supporters along with Campbell, as he called his parents with the news. They were there every step of the way and stayed with Nikkel through thick and thin.
“I had a lot of long phone calls with them during the process when things weren’t really going my way,” Nikkel said. “So having them know what I’ve gone through to get here is very special.”
Nikkel started his college football career at his hometown college. Nikkel is from McPherson, Kansas, and from the second he stepped foot on the Bulldogs’ field it was clear that he was special.
Nikkel played wide receiver at McPherson and earned his way to a role as co-captain of the football team in his sophomore season. Nikkel finished his Bulldog career with 107 catches for 1,570 yards and 10 touchdowns.
Nikkel’s efforts on the field earned him all-conference selections twice. He finished his career at McPherson with 333 yards in the shortened 2020 season.
With the COVID year in the rearview mirror, Nikkel was faced with a tough decision. He could finish out his football career at his hometown college or he could take a gamble and move on to bigger and better things.
In the end, Nikkel made the call and joined the Iowa State football team. However, it was clear that his path to the field would be tougher than he thought.
Iowa State was stacked in the wide receiver position and after playing some snaps in camp, he decided to redshirt his first year as a Cyclone. Having the year to himself, he could focus on becoming a better all-around player.
Also having a redshirt season would help him focus on being a better teammate. It can be hard for new players to get comfortable and fit in with the team, especially for older players or transfers.
However, Nikkel made a name for himself right away.
Nikkel earned himself a nickname during winter conditioning. When they were doing jumping drills, assistant strength and conditioning coach Trever Ryen called him a name that would stick with him for the rest of his Cyclone career.
Pogo.
From that moment on, Nikkel would be referred to as “Pogo” by the coaching staff. It was also early enough in the year that when Campbell called him “Pogo” during a team meeting, Nikkel would be known more by his nickname than by his actual name.
Nikkel didn’t mind the nickname. He liked that he was already fitting in with the team.
“I think at that time, half the team didn’t know my actual name,” Nikkel said. “They just knew me by ‘Pogo.’”
Also having a year off would give Campbell time to decide what he wanted to do with Nikkel. It was clear from the jump that he could impact more than just the offensive side of the ball.
“We were like, ‘Man, can this guy maybe help us on defense?’” Campbell said. “He’s gonna be an elite special teams guy.”
Nikkel became just that. Over the 2021 season, he worked his butt off to earn a spot on special teams and never looked back.
By the 2022 season, Nikkel would become a star on special teams. He played in all 12 games and was second on the team in tackles. Only two players played more snaps on special teams than Nikkel.
“Pogo” jumped at any opportunity to make an impact and helped those around him become better along the way. Nikkel’s love of football was what pushed him to better himself and others, and it was a huge reason why he earned his scholarship.
“Really it’s just I love football,” Nikkel said. “I don’t really see myself as a one-position guy. I just love football. I love the team. When I came here I knew I was gonna be a walk-on and do whatever I could for the team. I see myself as a football player, and I’ll do whatever it takes for the team.”
