NorthWood's Tuggle named 2023 South Bend Tribune Football Player of the Year

After it seemed like he was going to play his senior year in Florida, NiTareon Tuggle announced the day before practices began that he’d be returning to the NorthWood football team.

The decision proved to be huge for the Panthers, as Tuggle would go on to lead the state of Indiana in receiving yards, putting on a dazzling display every time he played.

Due to his individual success this fall, Tuggle has been named the 2023 South Bend Tribune Football Player of the Year.

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Tuggle had a strong junior campaign for NorthWood, catching 40 passes for 792 yards and 15 touchdowns. He also had two rushing touchdowns, two passing scores and one punt return for a touchdown as the Panthers went 11-1, falling short in the Class 4A, Sectional 18 championship game to Northridge.

Tuggle’s play on the field caught the attention of colleges across the country. After picking up some offers from midsized Division-I programs, larger powerhouses of college football started extending scholarship offers to Tuggle in the spring. One of those schools was Georgia, the two-time defending national champions.

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A week after the Bulldogs offered, Tuggle announced his commitment on social media.

With his stock rising, an opportunity came along for Tuggle to transfer to IMG Academy, a perennial powerhouse in high school football based in Bradenton, Florida. Tuggle announced the move in late April, seemingly ending his time at NorthWood.

Things changed late in the summer, though, and on July 30, Tuggle posted on social media that he’d be returning to the Panthers’ football team.

“Life is full of twists and turns that we cannot anticipate until they actually happen,” said Tuggle on social media. “Our response to these unexpected hurdles is what will ultimately determine the quality of our life. After the private equity firm BPEA EQT’s acquisition of IMG Academy in April, I was informed in July that IMG will no longer be accepting one semester senior transfers.

“Therefore, it is with great excitement that I am announcing I will be playing my senior football season back where it all started … NorthWood High School.”

Tuggle started the year strong, hauling in eight passes for 145 yards and two touchdowns in a 42-22 win over Jimtown in the season opener. He would go on to have 100-plus yards receiving two other times in the regular season, catching 10 touchdown passes in those nine contests.

His impact was felt even more in the playoffs, as NorthWood would make it all the way to the Class 4A state championship game. Tuggle caught at least one touchdown pass in each of the six postseason games, including two against South Bend Washington, New Prairie and East Central. He had 687 receiving yards in the playoffs, giving him a state-best 1,449 for the season overall.

Tuggle now holds the NorthWood program career records for receptions (173), receiving yards (2,866) and receiving touchdowns (41). He also finishes his high school career with 46 total tackles and three interceptions on defense, plus three kickoff returns for touchdowns.

This article originally appeared on South Bend Tribune: NorthWood's Tuggle named 2023 South Bend Tribune Football Player of the Year