And since Wolfe went on to be a record-setting quarterback for the Hearts, those plans were pushed back for two years. In fact, as a junior, he played wide receiver and defensive back, plus he returned kicks and punts.
“At that point, I was just happy to be on the field,” Nate noted. “I would have rather been playing quarterback, but playing receiver was some of the most fun I ever had playing football – until this past year.”
That’s when Nate was given the opportunity to be the EHS quarterback and he made the most of it.
He helped the Hearts to an 11-2 record and into the semifinal round of the Class 4A playoffs. He used his arm and his feet to create nightmares for opposing defenses. He accounted for more than 3,000 offensive yards and 45 touchdowns and was selected as the All-Apollo Conference first team quarterback.
He established five single season records: Most Combined Yards – 3,484; Most Passes Attempted – 235; Most Passes Completed – 158; Most Yards Passing – 2,685; and Most TD Passes – 34.
“I had been waiting four years to get my shot and I was determined to run with it,” Nate said. “I expected myself to make plays and I expected us to win a lot of games. With the amount of talent we had coming back, I thought it was possible to make a special run and that we’d have a special season.”
That level of success generally draws interest. Nate was contacted by 13 colleges and received eight offers. He first narrowed the list to three schools – that included Aurora University and McKendreee University.
“I didn’t want to rush anything,” Nate said. “I knew right away that a few schools wouldn’t work. I knew I wanted to play at the highest level I could, so I took my time and weighed my options.”
But on his initial visit to UW-Platteville, “I knew that’s where I wanted to be. I received a warm welcome from the coaches and the players. Everybody showed a real interest in me.”
The Pioneers have a strong football program. They were 7-3 a year ago and featured a high-powered offense that averaged 400 yards and nearly 35 points a game. They compete in the Wisconsin Intercollegiate Athletic Conference (WIAC), ranked No. 1 among all football conferences in Division III.
And their offense is very similar to the one Nate ran in high school.
“Coach (Mike) Emendorfer was running the spread offense almost before anybody else,” Nate explained. “He likes to throw short to intermediate passes with designed quarterback runs. That’s very appealing to me. Plus, their facilities and the campus are hard to match.”
Coach Emendorfer was the only coach to actually sit down and watch film with Nate during his visit.
“He would show me plays and ask me what coverage the defense was in or ask me what I would have done in that situation,” Nate added. “He wanted to know if I understood the game and what I was seeing on the field.”
The Pioneers will return an all-conference quarterback, so Nate understands his freshman year could be focused on learning and adapting to the college level.
“He’s probably going to be their guy,” Nate said. “My plan is to put my head down, shut up and work hard. My goal is to be the starting quarterback as a sophomore. I know I’ll be one of the smallest guys on the field (5’11” and 180 pounds), so I’ll need to out-work everyone.”
But working hard is something he was used to at EHS.
“Coach (Brett) Hefner’s attitude toward hard work will definitely help me,” Nate said. “I will benefit from that toughness. The way he did things, I believe that gives me an advantage. I feel like I’m prepared because of how he coaches and I’m grateful for that.”
Nate plans to major in Social Sciences with a History emphasis. He wants to follow in his father’s footsteps and be a teacher and coach.
He also realizes there are some things he needs to work on when he’s on the gridiron.
“My footwork, plus the way I throw isn’t ideal,” Nate noted. “I need a higher release point and it’s something I have to work at.”
But he also believes he brings something to the Pioneers program.
“I have the ability to make plays with my feet,” Nate said. “I also know the game well, plus I want to compete and I enjoy doing whatever it takes to be prepared. But I think it all comes down to my love of the game and how badly I want this.”
Nate is already looking forward to his first year on campus and competing on the football squad.
“I’m pumped,” he said. “Having the opportunity to compete at this level is another dream come true. I’m excited about that. Not everybody gets that opportunity.”
