Nate Shreffler is in his first year as head coach. Courtesy | Hillsdale College Athletic Department

For 25 years, Nate Shreffler ’93 coached the Hillsdale football team’s offensive line.

He could have coached anywhere in the country, said former head coach Keith Otterbein ’79. But his love and passion for Hillsdale College has kept him coaching Charger football for a quarter-century.

After 22 years with Otterbein at the helm, Shreffler is stepping into a new role as Hillsdale football’s head coach. 

Hillsdale Athletic Director John Tharp said Shreffler’s passion for Hillsdale football has allowed for a seamless transition between coaches. 

“It’s gone incredibly smooth,” Tharp said. “Coach Shreffler knows and loves Hillsdale, and understands what we want to get accomplished from an athletic standpoint. He’s been terrific.”

Tharp said Shreffler has the ideal qualities for a football coach at Hillsdale.

“He’s a Hillsdale man through and through,” Tharp said. “He understands the mission of the college, and is fully aware of the strong tradition of Charger football and the challenges ahead.”

Prior to coaching, Shreffler studied secondary education at Hillsdale College, where he played as an offensive guard and long snapper. Before coaching at Hillsdale, Shreffler said he coached football at University of St. Francis and Olivet College.

Shreffler said he learned a lot from working with previous coach Otterbein. 

“I consider him a close personal friend and an outstanding mentor,” Shreffler said. “I had a front row seat watching one of the best head coaches in the history of our sport do this job on a daily basis, and I was blessed to be a part of his staff for as long as I was.”

This semester, Shreffler said he is preparing the team for the upcoming season by incorporating weight lifting and agility training into players’ workout routines.

“The personality and character of Team 132 will continue to develop over the next several months,” Shreffler said. “Through the work we put in and the bonds that develop, I believe we will be a championship contender. Our players work extremely hard and Charger Nation will be proud of their efforts.”

Otterbein said Hillsdale College has successfully recruited players who prioritize choosing a school that is a good fit. 

“One of the points that I always made to recruits and their parents was to really shrink their list. We always emphasized getting the right fit academically, athletically, and socially in what they were looking for,” Otterbein said. “If they did a good job of shrinking their list, they were much more efficient and effective in selecting the right school. That’s why I think our retention has been phenomenal.”

Shreffler said the transfer portal — a database that allows collegiate athletes to transfer between other universities of the NCAA — has allowed Hillsdale to gain students who value the type of education that the college offers. 

“We’ve lost some guys to the portal but we’ve also gained some good ones too,” Shreffler said. “We do a great job of finding and recruiting players that want a Hillsdale education. They see the value and want to graduate from here.”

Shreffler said the rigor and high academic standards at Hillsdale attract the most well-rounded and motivated recruits. 

“Through high standards, we attract the best of the best,” Shreffler said. “Recruiting student-athletes who are motivated and driven, on and off the field, helps us maximize their potential in all areas of their lives. We have great student-athletes who understand the value of hard work, commitment, dedication, and accountability. It’s a great environment to be in.”

Senior offensive lineman and Nick Affholter said he appreciates how Hillsdale stresses the academic success of players. Affholter said simultaneous success in academics and athletics is possible with hard work. 

“With time management it is doable, and with hard work, you can achieve a high level of success in both areas,” Affholter said. “The team also provides tutors and study tables for guys in need and stresses the importance of asking for help.”

Otterbein said the improvement of technology has placed more responsibility on players to be well-educated about the game, necessitating that players strike a healthy balance between academics and athletics.

“In my 45 years of coaching, technology has really changed the way that you coach, so we’re teaching the game of football at a much deeper level,” Otterbein said. “There’s much more understanding and much more information available to the players, so their knowledge of what’s going on has grown a great deal— which puts a little bit more of a burden on them.”

Otterbein said that players must balance the intricacies of football with the rigorous academic standards at Hillsdale College.

“The idea that strength rejoices in the challenge fits very well into being an intercollegiate athlete at Hillsdale College,” Otterbein said. 

Otterbein said academic standards have raised since his time at Hillsdale— and players have improved alongside these standards. 

Affholter’s twin brother Benjamin, a right guard for the football team, said playing football has positively impacted his academic experience. 

“Anything good is going to require work and be hard. I like football because it teaches you that truth. Thus, my education should be no different. It requires discipline and hard work to play a sport here at Hillsdale but it is so worth it to be at a place like this,” Affholter said.

Shreffler said he is grateful to have the opportunity to coach football at Hillsdale. 

“As an alumnus, I feel very blessed to be in the position I’m in,” Shreffler said. “This is more than just a job. I love Hillsdale College. This is my home – my wife, Jill, and I have raised our family here and we all bleed Charger blue. Leading this program is a dream come true and I’m excited for the future.”