With 12 running backs going into the 2013 season it is going to be very hard for the coaching staff to land a high end recruit with promises of getting playing time early in his career. When looking at the 2014 season there are going to be 9 backs on the roster mainly full of juniors who have been working hard and waiting for their turn to show the Cougs what they can do.
A running back that Leach and crew are going after is Isaiah Brandt-Sims, a 6’0″ 180 pound back out of Wenatchee High School in Wenatchee, Washington. Isaiah is one of the fastest kids in the country as a junior and is only going to get faster with his last year of high school. Isaiah is an outstanding track athlete for Wenatchee and could be greatly beneficial to the track team as well as the football team.
Isaiah is a 2-time Washington state champion in both the 100M and the 200M in track winning his freshman year and his sophomore year. Isaiah holds the freshman record for the 100, 200, and 400 meter as well as the sophomore record of the 100 and 200 Meter dash. Oh, and he runs a 4.37 40. With speed like that and the knowledge that he has when it comes to football, Isaiah has the potential to be a great back in college. When he gets to the corner or breaks free he is gone and there is nobody who can catch him.
A back with that kind of speed in high school doesn’t really see the type of contact they would in the college level so that could be a downside to his game when it comes to hitting the hole hard or running into contact down the field. But at 6’0″ 180 pounds he has the stature and size to deliver the hits that could be that one thing that gives him that extra boost over the other running backs.
Isaiah is a player that could use a lot of work when it comes to catching the ball. His hands are not as good as they could be meaning he is going to struggle catching anything coming out of the backfield and it could relate into him fumbling the ball when he meets contact which is a downside to his game, but with time, experience, and coaching he could easily fix that.
Overall, Isaiah is a talented back with a few fixable negatives to his game. With the help of the outstanding staff that Coach Mike Leach has put together Isaiah could easily be one of the better backs in the PAC-12 competing with some of the fastest players in the country.
Isaiah is someone that could fit into the offense that the cougs run if he doesn’t have a problem getting few carries especially in his early years. An addition for Leach when it comes to him is he is in state and that could be a huge help when it comes to his decision on where he goes to play football.
Besides the Cougars Isaiah is highly interested in Arizona State, Colorado State, Southern Methodist, Washington, and Wyoming.
Below you will find the YouTube link to Isaiah’s 2011/2012 highlight film including some of his track highlights.
https://allcougdup.com/hub/offered-rb-isaiah-brandt-sims-highlight-tape/