FZN Senior Tim Nessalge recently committed to Drake University located in Des Moines, Iowa. Nesslage was a two-year starter for the Panther football program. The team compiled a 22 – 3 record over the course of the last two seasons, seasons in which the Panthers won both district and conference championships. The 2019 Panthers finished the season with a 12 – 1 overall record, matching the school-record (with the 2016 and 2017 squads) for most wins in a single season and advanced to the state semi-finals for just the 4th time in school history. Nesslage, described as hybrid wide-out/tight end, caught 32 passes for 428 yards and 4 touchdowns in the Panthers run-heavy offense the past two seasons. He was an excellent blocker, often springing open avenues for the vaunted Panther rushing attack. Nesslage was also a situational defensive player for the Panthers, recording 10 tackles from the line-backer position in 2019. An excellent student, Nesslage sports a lofty 4.1 GPA while carrying a full course load of AP classes. Scoring a 33 on his ACT, Nesslage has qualified for “Bright-Flight” status. Nesslage continues his family’s strong athletic lineage. His sister, Tori (FZN 2017), currently plays basketball at William Woods University, his father Craig was a member for the 1994 NCAA D2 National Championship baseball team at Central Missouri, and his mother Jeannine was a member of the cross country/track teams at SIU-E.
Drake is a NCAA FCS (formerly 1AA) institution that competes as a member of the Pioneer league. Last season, the Bulldogs finished with a 6 – 5 overall record. At Drake, Nesslage is expected to be used as a tight-end/receiver. He plans on studying Pre-Law/Political Science with eventual plans of attending Law School.