Isaiah Simmons has earned the title as the lead running back for the Brockport Golden Eagles this year, earning the Empire 8 Offensive Player of the Week for the second time this season. Simmons led the way for the Golden Eagles offense with career highs in rushing yards (259) and rushing touchdowns (2) in a 20-10 victory at Utica.
“It’s great,” Simmons said. “I worked really hard all off season, all summer. We’re always in the weight room training, so it’s great to be recognized for something like that.”
The first time Simmons won Empire 8 Offensive Player of the Week was back in week one when he rushed for 185 yards and two touchdowns in a 27-0 win over Buffalo State. Since then, the sophomore has eclipsed 1,061 yards on the season which is first in the Empire 8 and fifth in the nation for division III. The running back also racked up 14 touchdowns on the season as well for second in the Empire 8. Simmons credits the Brockport offense for his success.
“The line is doing a great job, Coach Potter has the offensive line executing at a high-level and I appreciate that,” Simmons said. “I can’t forget about my tight end Myles Goddard and my fullback. Then of course, my wide receivers too. A lot of wide receivers don’t want to block, but our wide receivers definitely do a great job of blocking. They’re committed to blocking and making sure we all get to eat.”
In Simmons’ freshman year, he recorded 593 yards and six touchdowns. The running back has doubled those stats this season, which comes from experience and learning the offensive scheme.
“It’s about learning the entirety of the offense,” Simmons said. “I always understood my part in it, but understanding how the blocking scheme is going to change depending on what defense we’re playing and where the hole is going to be. Understanding how they’re [offensive line] going to pull, who’s going to pull and understanding where my blocking is going to be set up makes it a lot easier for me. So, that’s helped me take a new step in the offense for sure.”
Brockport looks ahead to the Empire 8 regular season championship game this Saturday as they take on the No. 2 ranked team in the nation, the Cortland Red Dragons. It’s the biggest game of the year for Brockport, but Simmons and the Golden Eagles are ready for the moment.
“We understand that this is a huge game,” Simmons said. “It’s a big game and we have to do what we do. But it’s important for us offensively, a lot of it is mental and we need to stay composed and calm. We’re going to get up for this game of course, its championship week, there’s always an extra bit of excitement for it. I can’t speak for everyone, but for me it’s important to treat it like every other game. We approach every game with the same intensity, and we need to bring that intensity on Saturday.”
Kickoff is scheduled for 12 p.m. on Nov. 9 at Bob Boozer Field.
