The Miami redshirt senior linebacker and former Lakota West standout recorded a game-high eight tackles in Saturday’s win over Ball State. He now sits at 87 tackles on the season — second on the team — while reaching 101 for his Miami career.
Kuwatch also owns five sacks and 9.5 tackles for loss, both second on a RedHawks defense that is again playing championship-caliber football.
And yet, the path that finally led him to the heart of Miami’s front seven began far from Yager Stadium.
“Coming out of high school, I was a little under-recruited,” Kuwatch said. “Recruiting was kind of crazy at the time.
“I basically ended up taking a preferred walk-on offer from Ohio State.”
He graduated from Lakota West in 2021 with first-team All-Ohio honors, two sacks, 53 tackles and the Southwest Ohio Defensive Player of the Year award.
Still, the Power Five offers didn’t flood in.
He spent two seasons at Ohio State, redshirting as a freshman, practicing through 2022 and spring ball in early 2023 — but never saw the field.
“I wanted to play,” Kuwatch said. “I was just urging to get on the field. So after that spring in 2023, I entered the portal.”
The school that jumped first was the one closest to home.
“Miami was the first to reach out,” Kuwatch said. “I had a connection through Coach (Tom) Bolden, and his son Luke was already here. I came down a day or two later, absolutely loved it.
“It was bang, bang — I just made the decision to come here.”
For Miami coach Chuck Martin, the Buckeyes’ loss quickly became the RedHawks’ gain.
“He’s been awesome,” Martin said. “I wish we had another year with him. He was always playing behind a couple good guys, and this year he finally stayed healthy. He’s played high-end, difference-making football.”
Becoming a defensive anchor
When the 2025 season opened at Wisconsin, Kuwatch wasn’t a household name, much less a defensive centerpiece.
But that Thursday night in Madison — his first career start — changed everything.
“In my mind, I’m thinking if you play in that atmosphere, you can play anywhere,” Kuwatch said. “We lost a lot of production from last season, and there were a lot of new faces out there — including myself.
“It was eye-opening. It was like, ‘Hey, we can be really good.’”
Kuwatch held his own, and Miami’s revamped defense showed flashes of the disruptive unit it would eventually become.
“That was a cool experience,” Kuwatch said. “A night game, Big Ten program — I’ll remember that one.”
From there, each week became another layer of confidence.
Kuwatch earned some snaps across 2023 and 2024 — mostly special teams — but 2025 has become the year he stopped waiting and started owning his role.
“I always had confidence in my abilities,” Kuwatch said. “I knew there were things I needed to work on, but going into this year I was like, ‘This is my last year. I want to leave a mark.’
“I loosened up. I wasn’t so worried about mistakes.”
That clarity helped him emerge as one of Miami’s most consistent performers.
And his teammates took notice, especially the one he shares a room with — current Miami safety and former Lakota West teammate Silas Walters.
“Knowing Si made the transition a lot easier,” he said. “That was a big advantage for me.”
As this season has progressed, Kuwatch became not only a sure tackler and confident blitzer but also a stabilizing presence in the RedHawks’ defensive communication.
His growth helped answer the biggest question Miami entered the year with — how to replace the production of standouts like Matt Salopek.
“You don’t always have one guy replace a great one,” Martin said. “… I’m proud of that whole group. And Jackson? He just goes hard, everything he does, all the time.”
Even Martin laughs at how much the staff counts on him.
“He plays every game, he plays special teams … no complaints. He’s good to have on your side,” Martin said before joking. “We might need to look and see if there’s a way to get another year out of him.”
Lakota West roots
It was well before the season opener at Wisconsin. Well before the brutal MAC schedule. And well before his senior-year surge.
Kuwatch’s football identity was molded at Lakota West, under longtime coach Tom Bolden.
“I’m so grateful for Coach Bolden,” Kuwatch said. “He’s done so much for me. He was the first guy I called when I wanted to leave Ohio State. Great coach, great person. I love seeing him at the games.”
Bolden’s imprint remains evident in the way Kuwatch tackles — downhill, technically sharp — but also in how he leads.
“Coach Bolden watches us in the stands every week. He’s here to watch us and his son Mitch,” Kuwatch said. “That’s special. I owe him a lot.”
The Firebirds reached the Division I regional finals in 2020 during Kuwatch’s senior season.
He learned how to command a defense, how to practice with urgency and how to build the kind of bond that sustains a locker room through adversity.
That background helped him unlock a final-year jump few linebackers make at the collegiate level — from role player to centerpiece, from depth-chart name to 87-tackle enforcer.
And through it all, Kuwatch never lost sight of the simplest responsibility.
“I’m just trying to be one-eleventh of the defense,” he said. “Just do your job. Week to week, keep getting better.”
With Miami heading to its third straight MAC Championship Game, Kuwatch’s emergence has become one of the defining arcs of the RedHawks’ season.
What began as a walk-on’s search for a home has become the heart of a defense playing its best football when it matters most.
“It’s been great,” Kuwatch said. “In the humblest way possible, it hasn’t surprised me. I always knew I could do it. But to finally get here and help this team — it means everything.”
And for Miami’s coaches?
They wish there was more time with Kuwatch.
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