Photo by Caleb Williams, d3photography.com

By Brian Lester
D3sports.com

Nile McLaughlin is best known as the Wartburg quarterback and as one of the nation’s top Division III signal callers.

But the 2022 D3football.com third-team all-region pick is also a punter. Although he’ll be the first to tell you that while it’s a skill he appreciates, calling it a ‘good weapon to have,’ he’s not a fan of putting it to use.

“I’ve always done kicking things here and there just for fun, but I never played soccer. In high school, I started punting and became alright at it,” McLaughlin said. “Not that I love to punt, obviously, because when I do, it means (the offense) is coming off the field.”

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A fifth-year player for the Knights, McLaughlin tends to be on the field more often than not and is coming off a breakout year where he helped lead Wartburg to the national semifinals.

That final four game against Mount Union, a 34-31 loss on the road, ended a season where he threw for 3,046 yards and 27 touchdowns, including 334 yards and three touchdowns against the eventual national runner-up.

It was his first full season as a starter and he credits the team for helping to elevate his play to another level after playing in 10 games during his first two seasons of action.

“I think the buy-in from the team was big. Even the scout guys gave great effort week in and week out,” McLaughlin said. “We were willing to fight for each other. I knew I didn’t have to go out there and be superhuman. I just have to go out and trust myself, work together and things will work out.”

His confidence also received quite a boost and that has carried over into this season as he has the Knights off to a 2-0 start.

“My confidence in general changed,” McLaughlin said. “Coach says confidence comes from demonstrated ability, and I truly believe that.”

His coach, Chris Winter, agrees that McLaughlin’s confidence has grown, and he’s seen that transform him into quite the leader as well.

“No. 1, he has great leadership. His leadership skills have really developed,” Winter said. “I’d say at this time last year he was more of a quiet leader, that lead by example kind of guy where you just go out and compete. He didn’t have the confidence to speak up the way a quarterback can, but as the season went along he gained confidence in himself and the way he was playing.”

And his teammates have responded to the change.

“When Nile says something, guys listen,” Winter said. “He’s not the guy that’s going to talk all the time, but when he sees something that needs to be fixed, he is going to fix it. I like that about him.”

McLaughlin has completed 32 of his 54 passes so far this season for 447 yards and three touchdowns.

McLaughlin is pleased with the start but is hardly content.

“I’m shaking the rust off. I still have things to work out,” McLaughlin said. “I feel more confident than I did at this time last year, but there is a lot I can still work on, and a lot we can still do as an offense. We are not where we want to be yet, but we are getting better each day.”

Winter likes the fact that his team has been able to find different ways to win. It rolled past Monmouth 62-35 and then held off Bethel 16-2.

“I was concerned about us becoming complacent after last year, forgetting where we came from, but I remind the guys we didn’t magically just show up here,” Winter said. “We put in a lot of work to get to where we are, a lot of time and effort, and we can’t skip over the process that got us here, We have a mature team. They understand how to handle success.”

And helping the Knights maintain that success isn’t all on the shoulders of McLaughlin.

The Knights have a running game anchored by Hunter Clasen, who has already rushed for 351 yards and six touchdowns, an experienced offensive line and a cast of talented receivers.

“Nile is a great quarterback, but it’s not all about us being able to win with our quarterback throwing the ball around the yard,” Winter said. “Our running back might be the best in the country, and having him back there allows us to do some things from a play action standpoint. We have a veteran line and a receiver crew where it seems like someone new steps up each week. It takes a lot of pressure off Nile.”

McLaughlin certainly appreciates it.

“We have some great skill players and a great line that has been kicking butt lately. It takes pressure off me," McLaughlin said. "I don’t have to go out and make everything happen myself. I can get the ball to others and they’ll make plays. It’s a special group to work with.”

Winter points out that McLaughlin really gained a lot of respect last season in the playoffs when he battled through an ankle injury in a quarterfinal game against Aurora. He threw for 136 yards and two scores that day in a 45-17 win.

“He was able to get out there and fight through it. His toughness showed up that day,” Winter said.

That effort also ties back into the confidence McLaughlin has learned to put on display.

“Early in the season last year, he was still doubting whether he had the right read, and maybe he didn’t always get the ball out on time, or make the play that needed to be made," Winter said. "But as the season went along, he gained confidence as a full-time starter. He sets the tone for the offense and knows exactly where to go with the ball.”

For McLaughlin, who ranks 10th in passing touchdowns (31) and 10th in completions (285) at Wartburg, he’s thankful to have the chance to make those plays for one more season, even if there are high expectations on his shoulders.

“It’s a pretty special thing to be here,” McLaughlin said. “There is a lot going on as a quarterback. I put pressure on myself to get this team to where we want it to be, but I enjoy it all. Times like this aren’t going to last forever. I’m going to make the most of it.”