Countdown to Kickoff: 17 Days (Isaac Griffith)

Isaac Griffith is one of many younger players at wide receiver who will be vying for time this fall. Photo Credit - IDS/ Ben Mikesell

Written By: Nick Holmes (@HoosierHolmes)

Good morning Hoosier fans and welcome back to our daily Countdown to Kickoff. You've officially made it halfway through the work week and are now just 17 days away from the Hoosiers getting their 2015 season started. There are a lot of reasons to be optimistic about this upcoming season, including a very exciting home slate.  Today we will be taking a look at sophomore Isaac Griffith, who could be in line for some snaps at a position where the Hoosiers are in need of playmakers, wide receiver.

It could be said that the native of Fort Wayne excelled on the gridiron at Homestead High School, but that is certainly selling him short. He set single-season records for points scored (162) and receiving TDs (22). He also owns single-game records, including most scores (six), most points (36) and most receiving touchdowns (five). He also holds the record for the longest punt return for a touchdown (80 yards). When his career came to a close, he held school records in receptions (119), yardage (2,453) and touchdowns (37).

Not surprisingly, he received numerous accolades during his career with the Spartans, including being named Indiana Associated Press Class 5A All-State and Indiana Football Coaches Association Top 50 and all-state as a senior and honorable mention Associated Press All-State as a junior. He was also a  two-time all-area and All-Northeast Conference selection. And he helped his team win four straight conference championships. He was also the Hoosiers very first commit in their 2013 recruiting classes, which is one of the highest rated classes in school history. 

The 6'0", 195-pound athlete redshirted his first season with the Hoosiers, but still helped them prepare for upcoming opponents, getting named scout-player of the week twice during the year. The following season (2014) he saw action in two games and was named scout-player of the week once. 

Future Outlook

While the young pass catcher has not had an ideal start to his career, there is still plenty of time to have impact on the team, at either wide receiver or on special teams.