Benedictine grad Demchuk transfers to Gannon

Nick Demchuk is ready to play football again.

As a preferred walk-on at Akron last year, the former Benedictine standout got plenty of work as the scoutteam quarterback, emulating the quarterback the Zips would be facing that week.

His education as a predental major was going just fine, too.

He was just ready to actually PLAY again.

So with that in mind, the 6-foot-2, 205-pound signalcaller has left Akron and signed as a scholarship player at Division II Gannon University.

“Every kid at a Division I, whether you’re a walk-on or scholarship player, was a star at their high school,” said Demchuck, a North Royalton resident. “I was a preferred walk-on. I missed playing. We were 0-12 last year. Watching and not being able to make a chance or make a difference, that weighs heavy on your mental side. “I wanted to play again.” A 2019 graduate of Benedictine, Demchuk was highly productive for the Bengals. He threw for 5,375 yards and 50 touchdowns as a Bengal, capping his career there by throwing for 2,404 yards and 25 touchdowns in his senior season.

His 5,375 yards trails only Brian Schoeffler (5,642 yards) and Larry Wanke (5,480 yards) on the Bengals’ all-time passing list.

Demchuk is also in the Benedictine record book for his 92-yard pass to Christopher Gales (second in school history by a yard), and for the 373 yards passing he had in a win over Youngstown Ursuline, the best in school history.

He will take that talent to Gannon, where he joins a Golden Knights team that struggled last year at 2-9. Among those Demchuk will battle for the starting positing is Jimmy Keefe, former quarterback at St. Edward.

How Demchuk got to Gannon is interesting.

Upon entering the transfer portal, Demchuk was contacted by a coach who recruited him when he was a senior at Benedictine.

“He said, ‘Hey, we don’t need a quarterback, but Gannon does and is looking for one,’” Demchuk said. “The Gannon coach called me within a few days.”

Findlay was also in the picture for Demchuk’s services, but “Gannon offered a really good scholarship and there is an opportunity to play,” so Demchuck went in that direction.

“Gannon also has a really good pre-dental program,” Demchuk said. “They are affiliated with Case Western Reserve, so I can go right from Gannon to Case for dental school.”

The coronavirus has made the transition from Akron to Gannon, with whom he signed in May, a little different. Normally, he’d be on campus in Erie, Pa., working out, having meetings and getting acquainted with his new teammates.

Instead, he’s been on Zoom meetings with teammates and coaches, working out on his own and throwing with a few teammates who are from Greater Cleveland.

Rest assured, COVID-19 or not, Demchuk is going to be ready to go when camp does open - whenever that might be.

“Gannon had a tough year last year, but 80 percent of those who started were underclassmen,” he said. “That was another recruiting point, how much upside we’re going to have. I think we’re going to have a breakout year.”