Focused Ismail looks to have big season for Cowboys

There were some flashes. Ismail caught the game-winning touchdown pass in the final seconds of UW’s 17-14 victory over Wofford. He finished the season third on the team with 24 catches for 267 yards, and tied for the team lead with two receiving touchdowns.

But Ismail’s first year with UW coming out of Cisco College in Texas was full of ups and downs. Along with some success came struggles with focus and execution.

Aside from a sinus infection that kept him out last week, Ismail feels he has done a good job this spring of putting 2018 behind him and making his final season of college football his best.

“No matter what is going on outside of football, my focus this spring and moving forward is just on football,” he said. “It is about staying level-headed. Not get too high and not get too low. Trying to stay consistent throughout practice, and I am pretty sure that will follow into the games.

“Last year, I might have known the route, but the little intricacies of that was what I had to work on. I think I’ve had a pretty productive spring.”

UW wide receivers coach Mike Grant said Ismail has made a lot of progress with the mental side of the game.

“He already had the physical talent; now he can play faster and let his talent really stand out,” Grant added.

Ismail is one of four returning wide receivers who caught passes for UW last season. He also led all of the Cowboys’ returning pass-catchers with 11.1 yards per catch.

UW averaged just 131.3 passing yards per game last season, and there were not a lot of big plays made by its wide receivers. In the Cowboys’ run-first pro-style offense, it is important to – at very least – have the threat of stretching the field in the passing game to prevent defenses from crowding the line of scrimmage. Even then, receivers have to have the ability to get open in what often is man-to-man coverage.

Ismail may be UW’s best option to be that big-play receiver this season.

“I have a big-play mentality,” Ismail said. “When that opportunity rises, I am looking to step up. But it isn’t just about making big plays, it is about making all of the little plays that I am supposed to do that also will help me and this offense be successful.”

Added UW redshirt freshman quarterback Sean Chambers about Ismail: “He is a home-run threat every time he touches the ball. He had some plays last year that were iffy, but that’s behind him and all of us. I think we’re going to see something special from him this fall.”

Wide receiver assessment

Grant said it has been a good spring for his group, for the most part.

Senior Austin Conway missed some time with a pulled hamstring, and senior C.J. Johnson has battled an off-season ankle injury all spring, along with coming back after missing all of 2018 with a knee injury.

True freshman Devin Jennings, one of two early enrollees from UW’s 2019 signing class, missed the majority of spring with a foot injury. And sophomore wide receiver Gunner Gentry missed the last couple of weeks with an ankle injury.

Still, Grant has liked how many of those players fought through those injuries during the spring. And he has been pleased with the progress of junior Ayden Eberhardt and redshirt freshman walk-on Wyatt Weiland.

Spring game reminders

UW’s spring game is at 2 p.m. Saturday at War Memorial Stadium, and is open and free to the public. Parking at the stadium also is free.

Fans interested in purchasing season tickets for the upcoming season will receive a 25% discount Saturday. Ticket representatives will be near Gate 4 of the stadium from 1 p.m. through halftime.

There will be a UW football alumni flag football game at 11:30 a.m. in the stadium. Some of the former players who plan to attend include: Wade Betschart, Casey Bramlet, Brian Brown, Dave Clements, Ken Fantetti, Ty Muma, J.D. Wallum, Randy Welniak and John Wendling.