The first touchdown of Isaiah Esdale’s college career didn’t happen quite like he imagined.

That’s because the redshirt sophomore wide receiver didn’t catch a pass for six or even run it into the end zone. No, instead Esdale was the one doing the throwing on a 24-yard score against Texas Tech.

The play had Esdale aligned as the bottom receiver in a three-man stack to the left hash and when the ball was snapped he moved backwards as if to catch a screen. He hesitated for a moment before launching the ball down the right sideline to a wide open Kennedy McKoy who got into the paint.

It was the first read of Esdale on the play, but not the only as he also had a wide open Jovanni Haskins streaking down the middle of the field as well although he admittedly didn’t see him.

It was a play that the Mountaineers had saved for that type of situation and Esdale didn’t let the opportunity to take advantage of it go by the wayside.

“I was locked in on scoring that touchdown. I knew he was open, knew he would catch it,” he said.

It’s not an accident that Esdale was the one throwing the score, as he practically auditioned for the role in practice earlier this year when Brown was looking for a receiver or running back to throw the ball.

That’s because each of the skill players had opportunities to showcase their quarterback prowess, but it was Esdale that emerged from the pack after impressing the coaches with his arm. But how?

From the opposite 40-yard line, Esdale launched not one but two passes that hit the goal-post on the other side. That was enough.

“They said yeah we can use him,” he said.

In high school he played the position some and also doubled as a shortstop and left fielder for his baseball team so he had the arm. And now opponents know it as well.

The play was something that they worked in practice a “few times,” according to Esdale and each time it resulted in a touchdown. It was not something that the coaches discussed leading up to the game, but when it was called, Esdale knew what to look for once it was in his hands.

“Hopefully there is no safety there and hopefully I just make that throw and score,” he said.

Had it not been there, the design was for Esdale to tuck and try to get as many yards as possible on the ground but fortunately for him it again resulted in not one, but two players running free.

Aside from his role as a trick-quarterback, Esdale continues to emerge at wide receiver for the Mountaineers and has hauled in 5 passes over the past two games. He admittedly struggled with the jump from junior college last season after arriving in August.

“Whenever I had a chance to do something in practice that’s when I’d have to show so mainly one on ones and stuff is when I showed off what I could do,” he said.

Now, the Delaware native is starting to find himself and his role on the football team even if it means some potential spot duty at quarterback, too.

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