Head football coach Jay Thomas set up an account two weeks ago to provide monetary aid for the family of former Colonel football player and coach Kyle Acosta, who died on Jan. 3.Thomas said he asked former Nicholls player and coach Jonathan Terrell, who also wanted to help the family out, to set up the account. The account at Hibernia National Bank benefits Acosta’s wife Jennifer and his two children-Elijah, 5, and Olivia, 3.
“We want to help the kids-that’s the bottom line-and his wife,” Thomas said. “Obviously at this time she’s working, but she’s got two babies at the house who are five and three years old. This account is for her and the kids however she feels she needs it.”
If someone would like to make a donation, Thomas said they can go to any Hibernia in Louisiana and ask about the account in memory of Acosta. He said people can have their donation taken from their check every month if they do business with Hibernia or can make a single donation.
According to 2theadvocate.com, deputies discovered Acosta dead in a pickup truck from a shotgun wound on Jan. 3.
Thomas said he was stunned to find out about Acosta’s passing.
“I was totally caught off-guard by it, as everyone was,” Thomas said. “He’s going to be a guy that I’m going to think about every day for as long as I’m here. At some point in time something’s going to make me think of Kyle Acosta. We were that close.”
Thomas said he and Acosta’s wife have to talk about how long the account will be open, but he said it will be open as long as she wishes.
Thomas said he is in the middle of recruiting for his upcoming signing class; when recruiting is done, he will try to spread the word about this account.
“We need every avenue,” Thomas said. “It’s one of ours. I think that’s part of our responsibility within the Nicholls State family: to make sure those kids are taken care of.”
Thomas coached Acosta when Thomas was a part-time assistant coach of defensive ends. Thomas said Acosta played defensive tackle for the Colonels before a knee injury ended his career. Acosta was a student coach at Nicholls in 1993.
After Thomas left Nicholls in 1993 to coach the defensive line at Southeast Missouri State University, Acosta joined him a year later as a graduate assistant coach of the defensive ends. Following a fall in Missouri, Acosta returned to his alma mater Jesuit High School as an assistant football and track coach.
He later coached at Brother Martin as defensive coordinator before coming to Nicholls, where he served as both secondary coach and recruiting coordinator for two years.
Linebackers coach Steve Ellis played under Acosta when Ellis was a defensive back for the Colonels. He said he remembers Acosta’s door always being open and his willingness to listen to players’ problems or concerns.
“If you needed to talk (about) any family problems, any girlfriend problems or any football issues, his office was always open,” Ellis said. “His telephone line was always convenient.”
After leaving Nicholls, Acosta served as defensive backfield and recruiting coordinator at Northwestern State for one year. Acosta later returned to the high school ranks at East St. John in Reserve as a defensive coordinator before assuming the position of head football coach at Woodlawn High School in Baton Rouge, where he served until his death.
