Jimmy Beal needed little time to know he could trust Isaiah Ifanse, who has been a babysitter for Beal’s son.
Beal, the Bobcats’ running backs coach, commended Ifanse’s maturity. When Beal took the job, he wanted to guide Ifanse toward performing at even higher levels than he already has. His development off the field, Beal said, should help achieve that.
“Really seeing him grow up in that way,” Beal said, “and really understand that there’s more than just football.”
Ifanse was a reliable running back immediately as a true freshman in 2018. As a junior, and now healthy, he’s seeking every way possible to improve.
“He’s a complete back. He’s an every-down back,” Bobcats head coach Brent Vigen said. “There’s things he definitely needs to work on, but his ability to run between the tackles and an ability to get outside, he’s got both the power and the blend of speed.
“Isaiah is a guy that we can count on to be productive.”
Ifanse broke the program’s single-season freshman rushing record with 1,057 yards. He appeared poised to top that total the following season.
A lower-leg injury ensured that didn’t happen. Still, he concluded 2019 with 813 rushing yards and six touchdowns, setting MSU playoff records for rushing yards in a game and career in the process.
And while he wasn’t on the field, he sought to soak up as much information as he could. He grasped why both run and pass plays are designed the way they are.
The injury proved frustrating, though. On top of rehab, he emphasized strength and conditioning following that season. He wanted to be ready.
He said that time “definitely” forced him to feel more urgent with every snap.
“I just realized that football can end at any point,” Ifanse said. “I don’t want to take anything for granted. I just want to give it my all, so that if something were to happen, I had given it everything I had.”
The coronavirus pandemic made Ifanse wait to play another game. He said that time allowed him to learn more about his fellow players and himself.
His love for his teammates and coaches, he said, kept him committed to the program. That was the case even when Vigen became head coach during the winter.
In 2020, Ifanse hiked – Drinking Horse is his preferred trail – to keep his legs strong. He also watched film of NFL running backs. He listed off several he studied, but Frank Gore is his favorite because of his style and how technically sound he is.
“It’s been a long two years,” Ifanse said. “I’m excited to finally have a game on the schedule and show the nation what we can do.”
Beal called Ifanse “one of the quickest, explosive backs I’ve ever had.” But Beal wanted to educate Ifanse beyond what he already knew.
Vigen noticed Ifanse is learning to block more effectively. Ifanse commended Beal for helping him improve as a pass catcher and “expanding my weapons” as a running back.
Beal, who played running back at MSU, also showed Ifanse the importance of tackling angles so he can avoid injuries.
Ifanse, Beal said, no longer is simply thinking about taking the ball, evading defenders and breaking tackles. He better comprehends opponents’ tactics and how to change his approach accordingly.
“I think the cool thing is him understanding conceptually what’s going on all around him,” Beal said. “Really becoming a master of the game is really helped him see the bigger picture of why things are going on.”
Beal has also tasked Ifanse with setting an example for the rest of the running backs. As a junior, he’s the most experienced one at his position group.
Ifanse believes he’s surrounded by other running backs who could be starting on other teams. He hopes every one of them will “just dominate” whenever they take the field. Ifanse tries to keep his younger teammates confident and motivated at all times.
MSU freshman running back Elijah Elliott, who earned the backup role behind Ifanse following spring practices, called Ifanse a “mentor” and “big brother.”
“I just want to be remembered for being a good teammate and someone that people could count on,” Ifanse said. “It’s important to me because I feel like you can be as good as you want, but if you’re not a good teammate, then it doesn’t really mean anything.”
Ifanse’s goals for this season have little to do with personal accolades. He wants the Bobcats to earn Big Sky and national championships. He hopes to win as much as possible, and then in his mind, everything else will follow.
“He’s done a great job of really figuring out what his next step is,” Beal said. “He wants to be a pro. He wants to be a guy that everyone sees. He wants to be remembered here.”
