Inside the lines with Miami Hurricanes commit Luke Nickel and Milton OC Stevie Jackson
After capturing the Georgia 7A state championship last year, Milton (Ga.) four-star quarterback Luke Nickel and his Eagles have not missed a beat as they work to repeat this season. Nickel has his Milton squad rolling under offensive coordinator Stevie Jackson, who has coached the Miami commit since his sophomore season.
This year Nickel, who is the No. 250 overall prospect in the 2025 class according to the On3 Industry Ranking, has thrown for 2,312 yards and 24 touchdowns.
“I think just getting it to my playmakers and knowing where to go with the ball,” Nickel said when asked where he thinks his game has grown the most. “That’s really been a big thing for me, and I’ve got to give a lot of props to coach Jackson. The progress that I’ve made these past few years has been a huge credit to him. I’ve been able to learn so much in the film room and just going out there showing my capabilities and feeling comfortable out there.”
While Nickel’s arm talent and overall ability as a quarterback have grown this year, Jackson believes his influence on his peers is where his game has grown the most.
“I thought his biggest step has been in his influence,” Jackson said. “He’s always been a great leader, by the way he played. But now there’s this influence piece that Luke has stepped into that all great quarterbacks have.”
Like Milton, Miami’s offense has been firing on all cylinders this year under second-year coordinator Shannon Dawson. Nickel has been paying close attention to his future program and is excited to be able to play in the Hurricanes system soon.
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“I just see the ability to get the ball out in space to the playmakers,” Nickel said. “I remember going through my recruitment and I was talking to coach Dawson and his philosophies and how he calls his plays. And when I started thinking about it, it was really similar to what I do and my play style. I feel like him and coach Jackson, I can relate to in many ways. The way they coach me is very similar, and I can tell they have the same demeanor.”
Earlier this spring, Jackson had the opportunity to make his way down to Coral Gables to watch Miami’s spring practice and believes the Hurricanes, Dawson, and Nickel are a perfect match. Since Miami first began recruiting Nickel his junior season, Jackson has believed that, and this season has just strengthened his conviction.
“In Luke’s spring during his junior year, he had a lot of traffic coming through the school with his recruitment picking up, and I can’t count how many guys we threw for,” Jackson said. “After coach Dawson came and saw him, I remember I talked to coach Dawson and said, here are the things about Luke Nickel. And then coach Dawson said these are the things I want in a quarterback. And then I just said that’s the guy. After a few more conversations with him, I just knew.”
In CaneSport’s latest installment of Inside The Lines, Nickel and Jackson talk the Hurricanes, his senior year, and more.
