One Goal

Veterans Tristan and Colton Nutt want to help Airedales return to gridiron glory days

By Kevin Taylor

Alma Schools 

Easy come, easy go. 

First-year Alma defensive coordinator Joshua Salisbury is what his players call “chill.” 

But that doesn’t mean he isn’t trying to coach them up. And for twins Colton and Tristan Nutt, that’s all they need to hear.

“With the new coaches, there are a lot of expectations, but they’re good expectations,” Colton said. “I think they’ve changed things for the better. I think we’re heading in a really good direction, and I’m also really excited to see where the program will go after the coaches have been here for a few years and see what happens after I’m gone.”

Salisbury takes over as the team’s defensive coordinator this season. There are a handful of new faces as well, including offensive coordinator Joshua Barrett, cornerbacks’ coach Drake Snyder, and wide receivers coach Shadwick Vaughan. 

“We have a brand new coaching staff, and we have a lot of young kids stepping up,” Tristan said. “I really think we have a great team dynamic that really wants to win. We’re excited for this season. I’m really excited to see how it goes.”

Constant reminders of the tradition line the walls of the fieldhouse and surround Citizens Bank Field at Airedale Stadium. 

But the Airedales have had only two winning seasons (2022-23) over the past eight years. And for the faces from the past who pile into the school’s sprawling stadium, that’s not the standard. 

“We want to go far (this season),” Colton said. “We’re shooting for the playoffs this year. I mean, we say that every year, but this year it would really be something with all the new coaches. There’s a lot more drive, such as kids who want to be here.”

“You have to have a good attitude to do everything,” Tristan said. “If you come out here and don’t want to be here, it’s not going to go well. You have to come out here with a good mindset, whether it’s with a film session, lifting weights, or practice.”

The Nutt brothers have worn Alma Green and Gold since they were old enough to walk. By their own account, they grew up in a sports family. Their dad, Toby, won two state championships (Fordyce) back in 1990-91, and eventually parlayed that into a college football career at Central Arkansas, where he’d eventually meet the twins’ mom, the former Sarah Dodgen — a former 3-point specialist and all-conference and all-regional high school basketball standout at Conway’s St. Joseph School. 

“Sports have taught me a lot growing up; it’s a big part of who I am,” Colton said. “My dad and I have always shared a special bond with it, because he’s really into football. It’s really special for him to be able to watch me. I’ve played ever since fourth-grade Little League.”

The Nutts have a great off-the-field family dynamic as well, Tristan said. 

Back in the summer, players met up at the high school to have senior pics with their moms. Toby Nutt tagged along. 

“Every day he does something funny,” Tristan said. “He showed up with our senior pictures with mom, because he wanted to take a picture with us, too. I said, ‘What are you doing here, Dad?’

“He just couldn’t stay away.”

All kidding aside, it didn’t take the Nutts long to announce themselves on the field. 

“I came in when they were sophomores, and we had four seniors who were starters, but they picked it up pretty fast and by the end of the year they turned into starters for us,” Salisbury said. “Last year they had a big season, which is incredible, because they do a lot outside of football … dance, cheer, and stuco (student council), as well as some other things.”

Three years later, Salisbury can only identify them by their jersey number — Tristan is No. 57, and Colton wears No. 58. 

“They’re alike, but they’re not alike at the same time,” Salisbury said. “Figuring out which one is which, I’m trying to figure them out to this day. (But) Tristan and Colton are both similar on the field. It’s kind of weird, too, because when one does good, the other one does not. So, they’re not identical.”

“He (Salisbury) came in my sophomore year, and he’s been here ever since,” Colton said. “He really just sort of redefined our D-line and taught us the baseline technique. We have a really good D-line coach.”

Tristan acknowledges that playing for the Airedales means playing for those who played before him. 

“It means a lot, having the Airedale across your chest,” he said. “You have a lot of people that depend on you, so you want to do right.”