Jordan HammThere were few things Isaiah Oliver couldn’t do while at Brophy.
According to MaxPreps, the wide receiver, defensive back and returner accumulated 15 total touchdowns, seven interceptions and five blocked kicks his senior year.
“Isaiah is unique and special in the way he does things,” Brophy football coach Scooter Molander said. “We’ve had players that have been able to do something that well defensively, some that well offensively, special teams-wise. From a pure athletic standpoint, nobody has ever done in better in all three phases of the game.”
Oliver’s versatility also showed up on the track. He was a decathlete in the regular season and won three state championships his senior year in the 110-meters, 300-meters and 4X400 relay.
“It was a great four years definitely, with that football program at the school in general,” Oliver said. “I had a lot of fun, I learned a lot from Coach Molander and those guys over there with that coaching staff. It’s something that I’ll take with me forever. I feel like it made me the football player I am today.”
Oliver’s success on the track was also incredibly impressive, but the way he carried himself is what made him stand out to his high school coach.
“He’s always had a great spirit and a grat competitor and great attitude to be a leader and a caring person,” Brophy track coach Bill Kalkman said. “He works well with other people and his teammates. With his maturity, he continues to be more and more of a a team guy and (promote) a lot of the values that we try to promote at Brophy.”
Despite filling the stat sheet and “willing” Brophy to a state semifinals appearance according to Molander, the offers were not coming in. Mike MacIntiyre and the Colorado Buffaloes offered Isaiah to play football and run track, his only Pac-12 offer, and the Brophy standout committed to the Buffs.
https://www.sports360az.com/2015/05/triple-threat-brophys-oliver-nabs-three-state-titles/
“At the time, it was something I didn’t really think about I knew that if an offer came, an offer came, if it didn’t, it didn’t,” Oliver said. “I was going to keep on playing football and keep on doing what I love to do. I got the opportunity to come to the University of Colorado. I’m grateful for that opportunity and it helped me put a chip on my shoulder really to see that they saw something in me and were willing to give me a scholarship. It makes me grateful and makes me work that much harder.”
If Oliver was frustrated with his recruitment, he even-keeled junior never let it show when he was a Bronco. Three years later, Oliver has tallied 76 tackles, three interceptions, a forced fumble and a kick return for a touchdown and helped the Buffaloes, who were 2-10 the year Oliver committed, to the Pac-12 championship game last year.
“I can’t speak for those college coaches (who didn’t offer), but I remind them of the screw-up every single time I see them,” Molander said. “There have been many people that have said, ‘Yeah, we missed big on this guy and we should have listened, Coach’ I’m not in the business of I told you so but I do remind them that when I tell you I have a kid, I got a kid.”
That was very frustrating but I think Colorado is a great place for him. He got to play early, and now it’s very likely that he is going to be playing on Sundays.”
Oliver is now terrorizing opposing offenses in the Pac-12 in a similar fashion he did with Arizona prep quarterbacks just a few years ago.
“It’s been a great fit with the school and football program, and what Coach Mac has been able to do. I feel like it has been great. I feel like I fit into the defensive scheme very well,” Oliver said. “Things have been rolling in my first three years here and I hope to continue it.”
What’s Next
The 5-6 Colorado Buffaloes are coming up on a bye week and will wrap up their regular season against Utah on November 25th. Isaiah Oliver has been featured in multiple 2018 NFL mock drafts and has been tabbed by Pro Football Focus as a first round prospect.
