MISSOULA — Nick Ostmo initially planned to end his football career after the 2023 season, but the Montana running back has changed course and will return to the Grizzlies for a fifth and final year in 2024.
Ostmo, who has fought through ankle, back and shoulder injuries during his career at UM, announced his decision in a video post to his Instagram account on Friday. Skyline Sports first reported Ostmo's intention to return in January.
"It's been tough these past few years with the injuries and the surgeries," he said in the video. "It's an opportunity I wouldn't trade for the world. The friends and the relationships that I've made have been really special. I'm not quite ready to give that up yet. With that being said, I'm coming back to do it one more time. Go Griz."
Ostmo appeared in all 15 games last season as the Grizzlies made a run to the FCS national championship game in Frisco, Texas. He rushed for 655 yards and eight touchdowns, helping the Griz to a 13-2 overall record, a 7-1 mark in the Big Sky and their first conference title since 2009. Ostmo also caught a career-best 24 passes for 224 yards.
For his career, Ostmo has rushed for 1,856 yards and 21 touchdowns on 382 carries, an average of 4.9 yards per attempt. He has caught 48 passes for 519 yards and three scores.
Ostmo initially planned to hang up his cleats following the 2023 season, telling MTN Sports, "I think that I owe it to my future self and my family and stuff to be able to have a good functioning body to be able to play with my kids, lift up my kids and stuff.
"And I think that some of the back and shoulder injuries I've had that kind of put me down, I don't want them catching up to me, so I think that played a big role in it, and also we have really good young running backs and I think that it's just a good time for them to be able to fill in and take the role."
Now that he's decided to return, Ostmo will be part of a backfield that also expects to bring back Eli Gillman, the 2023 Jerry Rice Award winner as FCS freshman of the year, as well as veterans Xavier Harris and Isiah Childs.
