Smith signs with Mt. Mercy

FAIRFIELD — Fairfield senior Nolan Smith will be a Mustang next fall.

Smith, an offensive lineman for the Trojan football team, signed his letter of intent on Wednesday to attend and play football at Mt. Mercy University in Cedar Rapids.

“It was the place that felt like home,” said Smith. “The recruiting process is a difficult one, and finding the place like feels like home was kind of the big thing.”

Mt. Mercy brought five coaches to the signing, something Smith mentioned as a sign of how the school treats its players.

“You can see, they brought their whole coaching staff, and they brought jerseys,” Smith said. “They make it feel like the real deal.”

Included in the coaching staff was former Iowa Wesleyan player and coach Raul Lozano, who serves as the Recruiting Coordinator for Mt Mercy head coach MD Daniels, who will be the head coach in the first season of Mt. Mercy football next fall. Daniels was the final head coach at Iowa Wesleyan University, seeing success with the Tigers before the school closure in 2023.

Smith plans on majoring in Business and minoring in Finance when he gets to school.

Smith was a key part of the front line that led the Fairfield football team to 2,655 rushing yards and 32 touchdowns on the ground this fall.

“Being able to run the ball is a huge thing, and being a lineman that knows how to get down field and run block is huge at any level,” Smith said. “We didn’t pass much, but that’s one thing that I can pick up real easy on.”

The Trojans won three games this year, and came one game away from making the Class 3A playoffs. The Trojans scored 20 or more points in all but two games this season, and put up 30 or more points in all but three.

“My senior year of football was just so much fun,” Smith said. “That team was the closest team I’ve ever been on. It’s just a real brotherhood.”