Coming Attraction: Isaiah McKenzie
September 17, 2015 | Football
The Human Joystick Making His Mark On Returns
By Nicole A. Chrzanowski
If football doesn't work out for Isaiah McKenzie, he wants to own an aquarium and five laundromats. But football looks pretty promising.
McKenzie, a sophomore wide receiver, was recently named Southeastern Conference Special Teams Player of the Week for the second time in his career and currently leads the SEC in punt returns for touchdowns.
Two years ago, McKenzie chose the University of Georgia the morning of his signing day with some persuasion from high school and UGA teammate, Sony Michel. Ever since then, McKenzie has hit the ground running - literally.
"Coming to college, I always said I wanted to be the fastest man on the team," said McKenzie. "I never thought about breaking records, but now that I'm on that track I feel that it's possible."
McKenzie found his niche in punt and kick returning throughout high school and his freshman season. After a destined return against Vanderbilt this season, only one more punt return for a touchdown lies between him and tying the school record.
Vanderbilt served as the debut of the 2015 season for McKenzie after he was left unable to play against the University of Louisiana at Monroe due to a hamstring injury. His first first points came on a 77-yard punt return for a touchdown, a career long. Oddly enough, McKenzie called the play the day before it happened.
"I told Malcom (Mitchell) I was going to be the first touchdown of the game. I said it'll either be a punt return or kick return and then I'm going to score the first touchdown. Sure enough, the punt return came and I took it back," said McKenzie.
McKenzie considers punt and kick returning to be a gift that only some people are lucky enough to have. The return is one of few points during a football game where all 11 players on the opposing team have their eyes solely on you.
"Catching the ball and looking at all 11 people trying to tackle you is kind of nerve wracking at some points," he says. "Certain people can just do it, and I guess I'm one of those people."
At any point during the game, McKenzie is probably one of the shortest players on the field. Standing at 5-8, he is the shortest on the team. However, his size allows him to make quick plays and stay light on his feet.
Teammates, friends and fans have adopted the nickname "The Human Joystick" for McKenzie, which originates from a friend on an opposing high school team. Joysticks have a wide range of movement and ability, as does McKenzie. Along with returning the ball, he plays wide receiver and running back at various points throughout any given game.
"It's a craft," he said. "A lot of people can't play receiver and a lot of people don't have the skills for running. Playing everywhere is a good feeling."
This is only the beginning for McKenzie. He has two more years at Georgia to perfect his craft before hopefully moving up to play at the next level. In that time, he hopes for a few school records and a few more SEC Player of the Week honors.
McKenzie and the rest of the Bulldogs take the field this Saturday against the South Carolina Gamecocks at 6 p.m. EST in Sanford Stadium.
Nicole Chrzanowski is a junior from Peachtree City, Georgia, who is double-majoring in public relations and marketing and also is pursuing a sports media certificate in the Grady College of Journalism and Mass Communication. After working with the UGA Sports Communications office as a volunteer at events over the past two years, she joined the department as a student assistant this fall.
"Coming Attractions" is a weekly feature published on georgiadogs.com spotlighting a UGA student-athlete who will be competing in a key home event during the upcoming weekend. Previous stories from this year include:
August 27 - Jasmine Eaton (volleyball in the Benson Hospitality Invitational)
September 3 - Sydney Shultis (soccer vs. Clemson)
September 10 - Liliana Rios (soccer vs. South Carolina)
