It’s not an understatement to say that this season has been challenging for all involved.
There has been adjusting to a new normal amidst the COVID-19 pandemic and all that has brought, schedule shakeups and plenty more hurdles for college football players to navigate. That doesn’t even include adversity on the field which is what wide receiver Isaiah Esdale had to overcome.
After catching the game-winning touchdown in the season finale against TCU a season ago, it was expected that Esdale would make the next leap as a redshirt junior.
That wasn’t the case as he was limited to only 70 snaps over the first six games of the year. There was a reason for that, too, as Esdale wasn’t meeting the standard that his position coach Gerad Parker demanded on the practice field.
It’s always an adjustment playing for a new coach, but Parker wanted more out of Esdale on a day-to-day basis and that was something he was forced to fall in line with.
“We had several tough conversations earlier in the year and him being able to stay the course,” the offensive coordinator said.
That meant coming to work on a daily basis and putting in maximum effort on the practice field. Working harder, holding yourself accountable and finishing plays each and every time. It wasn’t easy, but it was necessary for all of the wide receivers if they wanted to see the field.
For some, like Esdale, that took some time.
“It was definitely frustrating. I wanted to be out there making plays with my team like I know I could do but I just had the mentality that you keep your head down and keep moving,” he said.
That effort began moving things in the right direction for Esdale and is a reflection of how he has matured in that department. The development certainly wasn’t lost on Parker.
“I think it’s a true testament to him and how he’s grown,” Parker said. “He’s learned that being able to do that actually does end up working out for the better.”
The results have been obvious as Esdale has played 81 snaps over the past three games alone and has caught 11 of the 12 passes he’s reeled in this season over that stretch.
The versatile wide receiver can play several different spots for the Mountaineers and has put himself in position to serve as a spark for the group. Esdale has a background in baseball, and his hand-eye coordination helps him reel in the ball when it’s in the air.
“I’m a little bit bigger than most players but I can still run,” he said.
It’s not the road he envisioned, but it’s the one he’s traveled and it has made him more appreciate for his opportunities and the work required to earn those chances in the first place.
Now, Esdale is hoping to close this season in a possible bowl game the way he did the last one with a renewed focus on doing the little things to keep him in position to stay there moving forward.
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