Bowling Green's Nacarius Fant racked up 1,335 receiving yards and 19 touchdowns as a junior last season.

Bowling Green’s comeback over John Hardin in the final minutes of last year’s Class 5A state semifinal will maintain a special place in Purples lore.

BG scores on a 74-yard hook-and-ladder play, then opts to go for – and succeeds with – a two-point conversion to pull out a 14-13 win, all with less than two minutes remaining.

On that touchdown play, quarterback Devin Hayes threw the initial pass, and running back Blake Pillow took the eventual toss and streaked down the sideline for the score.

But it was the middle man, the now-senior receiver Nacarius Fant, who caught the pass and made the most subtle – but one of the most pivotal – contributions to the play.

“His intangibles are extremely impressive,” BG coach Kevin Wallace said. “He’s just a good football player who sees things and puts himself in a good position to make plays.”

Wallace didn’t realize what Fant had done until he saw up-close photos of the play. The video film from high atop the press box wasn’t close enough to record such a small detail.

It was all about Fant’s eyes. The receiver, who’s since committed to Western Kentucky University, caught the pass in the flat from Hayes and had a host of defenders in pursuit.

Purely on instinct, photos show that Fant cut his eyes upfield as if he were going to turn and run with the ball, Wallace said. With the defenders already committed, Fant’s eyes darted back just in time to Pillow, who swooped in behind him for the toss with plenty of daylight ahead.

Those instincts have served Fant well throughout a record-setting career at BGHS.

“When I’m on the field, I feel like I see more things than a lot of people,” he said. “Even when it comes to where defenders are and their coverages, I look at all that and take it in. I’ve got a different type of instincts than some people.”

At 5 feet 10 inches tall and 170 pounds, Fant has needed those instincts to make a name for himself.

Whether it’s seeing where defenders are likely to move next or anticipating the need for a quick shift to avoid a tackle, Fant has been able to dazzle spectators despite a lack of height or overwhelming speed.

”I don’t think 40 times matter that much, but they tell a lot about a player to some college coaches, I guess,” he said. “I’m not a 40-yard dash guy. I’m a game guy. I’m not fast, but I’m quick, if that makes sense. It is what it is.”

Fant learned the hard way last summer how much physical measurements matter in the world of college recruiting. His statistics looked the part – 1,335 receiving yards and 19 TDs as a junior – but when he headed to team camps, he was shorter than the opposing cornerbacks and slower than other wideouts in sprints.

Fant picked up early scholarship offers from WKU and Illinois during his junior year, but some schools, such as Kentucky, kept close contact through the offseason without extending an official offer. 

UK offensive coordinator Neal Brown invited Fant to compete at an elite camp in June with an offer likely to follow, Fant said. That offer never came.

But one person who never wavered with his interest was new WKU coach Bobby Petrino, in desperate need of weapons for his “multiple” offense. Fant committed to the Hilltoppers on June 12.

”A lot of coaches told me offers were coming, and it got to the point where it was time for me to be in charge of my recruiting,” Fant said. “I went ahead and made that decision to stay home and go to Western, and now that I’ve done that, I don’t have to worry about it.”

Now, Fant’s main concerns are school and trying to help the Purples win a third straight state championship. 

By the end of this season, he’ll likely hold nearly all of Bowling Green’s receiving records. He’s caught 144 passes in his career for 2,774 yards and 28 touchdowns, along with nine scores on kickoffs and punt returns.

”I’ve taken a lot of coaching in,” he said. “I’ve been able to catch a lot of passes and be in a lot of fun and exciting games. Being able to be there and make the play for team that gives us a boost has been great. I plan on being there again for my team this year.”

Fant is ready to make plays wherever he’s needed. He’s been playing some in the defensive secondary during practice and could see situational time there, Wallace said. If Hayes were to ever get hurt, it’s possible Fant could also slide over to quarterback.

”I know the coaches depend on me to step in wherever they need me,” Fant said. “I’ve been playing ‘D’ a little bit because teams will air it out against us some. I’m making sure I know the things in case I need to be over there.”

That reliability is high on Wallace’s list of intangibles. You might not be able to measure dependability like you can a 40-yard dash time, but Hayes said it’s just as valuable a trait in his primary target.

”We’ve had some changes, but we’ve still got No. 12 out there, so that’s always going to be nice to have,” Hayes said.

— Zach Greenwell covers prep sports. Follow him on Twitter at twitter.com/zach_greenwell or visit bgdailynews.com.