Isaiah Rodgers

Photo by: THOM KENDALL FOR UMASS ATHLETICS

Isaiah Rodgers vs. Coastal Carolina (2019)

Photo by: Thom Kendall - UMass Athletics

Position:
Cornerback
Height:
5-10
Weight:
175
Class:
Sophomore
Hometown:
Tampa, Fla.
High School:
Blake

2019 • Senior

• PFF College All-America First Team (Kick Return)
• PFF College All-Independent Team (Kick Return)
• NEFWA All-New England (Defensive Back)
• All-ECAC (Defensive Back)
• All-ECAC (Return Specialist)
• Phil Steele All-Independent Second Team (Cornerback)
• Phil Steele All-Independent Second Team (Kick Return)
• Paul Hornung Award Honor Roll (9/30)
• Finished his 12-game senior season with 42 tackles including 3.0 TFLs, four interceptions, 10 pass breakups, one forced fumble and a fumble recovery
• Started each game at cornerback while simultaneously serving as the team's top kick and punt return specialist
• Fielded 53 kick returns for 1,295 yards, both of which rank as the No. 1 totals among all FBS players during the 2019 season
reset the UMass single-season and career records for kick returns and kick return yards during his senior year
• Led the team in all-purpose yards per game with an average of 122.8 per outing
• Returned 11 punts for a combined 120 yards, including a 42-yard touchdown at Charlotte (9/21)
• Posted 100 or more kick return yards against Rutgers (4-125), Coastal Carolina (6-240), FIU (3-101), Louisiana Tech (8-187) UConn (6-141) and Army West Point (8-159)
• Totaled a single-game season-high of 62 punt return yards on three returns at Charlotte
• His four interceptions came against Rutgers (2), Akron (1) and UConn (1)
• Spread his 3.0 TFLs across three games: Southern Illinois (1.0-3), FIU (1.0-6) and Northwestern (1.0-1)
• Notched a season-high six tackles against Southern Illinois (9/7)
• Posted five-tackle outings against Liberty (11/2) and at Army West Point (11/9)
• Also provided a single-game career best four pass breakups and recovered a fumble against Liberty

2018 • Junior

• Phil Steele Preseason All-Independent First Team (Cornerback)
• Played in and started 10 games on the season at cornerback
• Posted 56 total tackles, including 41 solo, four pass breakups
• Also had two interceptions and 3.0 TFLs for 10 yards lost
• Made five tackles at FIU (9/15)
• Totaled six tackles and a pass breakup during the win over Charlotte (9/22)
• Had a career-high 13 stops, including 2.0 TFLs, two pass breakups and a 55-yard interception returned for a touchdown at Ohio (9/29)
• Provided three tackles, including a three-yard TFL, against USF (10/6)
• Tallied six takedowns, including five solo stops, in the win at UConn (10/27)
• Notched six tackles, returned an interception 34 yards, and broke up one pass in the three-overtime win against Liberty (11/3)
• Capped the year with nine tackles, including seven unassisted takedowns, at No. 5 Georgia (11/17)

2017 • Sophomore

• Phil Steele All-Independent First Team (Cornerback)
• All-ECAC Second Team (Cornerback)
• Produced 50 tackles, including 3.0 TFLs, the second-most by a defensive back on the team
• Broke up 14 passes on the season - double the tally of the next Minuteman - and ripped down three interceptions, including one returned for a touchdown
• Ranked tied for 11th in FBS for passes defended on the season (1.4; 17 total) with his 14 breakups and three interceptions, which also put him second among underclassmen
• Had five games with six or more tackles on the season
• Picked off Hawai’i quarterback Dru Brown and had six total tackles against the Rainbow Warriors (8/26)
• Accumulated 149 all-purpose yards (145 kick return, four punt return) and had seven tackles at Coastal Carolina (9/2)
• Broke up one pass and had three tackles against Old Dominion (9/9)
• Posted seven solo tackles, including a five-yard TFL, broke up one pass and blocked a field goal at Temple (9/15)
• Broke up a pair of passes and made four tackles at Tennessee (9/23)
• Forced a touchdown-saving fumble against Georgia Southern (10/21) and had two total tackles
• Recovered a fumble, broke up a pass and made one stop against Appalachian State (10/28)
• Provided a pair of interceptions, including one returned for a touchdown, and made three tackles, including a TFL, at No. 21 Mississippi State (11/4)
• Produced four tackles and logged three pass breakups against Maine (11/11)
• Broke up a career-high-tying three passes and notched seven tackles, including assisting on a TFL, during the win at BYU (11/18)
• Forced his second touchdown-saving fumble and returned the loose ball 38 yards at FIU (12/2), while he also had six tackles, including an assisted TFL

2016 • Freshman

• Appeared 11 games and started eight at cornerback
• Saw extensive time on the special teams unit as a kick and punt returner
• Recorded 40 total tackles, with 21 unassisted and 0.5 TFLs of two yards
• Had two interceptions for 36 total return yards
• Broke up three passes and made four tackles in the win over FIU (9/17)
• Tallied six stops, broke up one pass and blocked an extra point at Old Dominion (10/7)
• Notched three tackles, forced a fumble and recovered the loose ball for a six-yard gain and broke up a pass at South Carolina (10/22)
• Set a single-game career high with nine tackles, including an assisted TFL, and picked off one pass in the win over Wagner (10/29)
• Returned an interception 36 yards and made two takedowns at Troy (11/5)

Before Massachusetts

• Three-time football and two-time track and field letterman and team captain for Blake High School
• Averaged 17.2 yards per reception while recording 10 touchdowns as a senior
• Also had four interceptions, including one for a score, 34 tackles and four blocked field goals as a senior
• Two-time all-conference honoree
• Selected to play in the Hillsborough County All-Star Game
• Finished fourth in the 400 meters and fifth as a member of the 4x400-meter relay (anchor leg) at the state championships

Personal

• Son of Craig Rodgers and Kelly O’Neal