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College Insider is a periodic compilation of notes, quotes and inside information from the college athletics scene and curated by Forum sports reporter Eric Peterson ([email protected]).
VALLEY CITY, N.D. -- Valley City State wide receiver Jake Deutsch is a few years removed from a partial hip replacement, but you wouldn't be able to tell from his production on the football field.
Deutsch is the top receiving target for the Vikings with 31 catches for 391 yards and five touchdowns through eight games. He had hip surgery in November of 2022 after it was discovered he had a condition in which there was no blood flow to his right hip socket.
That was during his freshman year at VCSU.
"You don't think an 18-year-old would have to have a hip replacement," said Deutsch, who graduated from Central Cass High School.
The Vikings next play at 2 p.m. (CT) Saturday, Nov. 8, against Montana State-Northern in Havre, Montana, in Frontier Conference play. They have two games remaining in the regular season. VCSU (5-3, 2-2 Frontier) is coming off a 29-21 victory against Dickinson State.
The 6-foot-1, 170-pound Deutsch had a career game with eight catches for 145 yards and two touchdowns. That performance helped the Vikings earn a victory against DSU for the first time since 2019.
Deutsch credits junior quarterback Joey Cave, along with the offensive line, for his stellar receiving statistics against the Blue Hawks.
"Some of those passes he threw, caught me, I didn't catch it. Those balls caught me," Deutsch said. "It was a complete team win."
Deutsch had caught TDs in four different games this season. Vikings head coach Dennis McCulloch appreciates the determination it took for Deutsch to come back from hip surgery.
"That really makes him special I think," McCulloch said. "To go through all that and to get himself to 100 miles per hour is pretty unique."
Deutsch was a multiple-sport athlete at Central Cass, competing in football, basketball, wrestling, track and golf. As he was preparing for his freshman football season at Valley City State, he said there was pain and swelling in his hip. After an MRI, he eventually learned of the lack of blood flow to his hip socket.
That led to a partial hip replacement in which he needed a cadaver donor. While he wasn't forbidden to return to the football field after the procedure, he said it wasn't necessarily recommended.
"When you love something, you only get to play football for so long," Deutsch said. "I never allowed doubt to creep in. My mindset was I'm going to work my tail off to try to get back on the field. If I'm back at 80% of what it was, then so be it. I can't control that. The only thing I can control is my effort and attitude."
Deutsch redshirted the 2022 season, had three catches for 44 yards as a redshirt freshman in 2023. In 2024, he had 30 receptions for 385 yards and two touchdowns in 10 game. This fall, he has career highs in receptions, receiving yards and TD catches.
"He's a special player," McCulloch said. "He's definitely our top wide receiver. ... He works really hard on his craft. He's a pretty complete wide receiver."
While it took time to bounce back from the surgery, Deutsch this year his hip feels the best it's ever been since the procedure.
"It's kind of like a pride thing," Deutsch said. "We all have our own battles."
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