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Isaiah Washington was aware of the possibility that Rutgers had a chance to receive a surprise bid to play in a bowl game.
But it took Rutgers’ wide receiver a minute to understand the significance when he saw it would be the Gator Bowl sending the invitation.
It meant Washington, who was back home in Jacksonville, Fla., when Rutgers officially accepted an opportunity to play Wake Forest in the Gator Bowl, would be playing in front of friends and family in his hometown.
“I had to do a double take at first because I was like, ‘Gator Bowl? That’s Jacksonville,’ ‘’ Washington said. “So it was excitement all around.’’
Washington’s phone buzzed not long after the news broke. It was from the quarterback who will be throwing the ball to him this Friday (11 a.m., ESPN) at TIAA Bank Field.
" As soon as I found out we were going to Jacksonville I texted ‘Zay’ and asked, ‘Hey, can I stay at your house?’ He said, ‘Absolutely,’ ‘’ Rutgers fifth-year senior quarterback Noah Vedral said. “He’s juiced up about it, and I’m excited for him.’’
The 6-foot-3, 210-pound Washington is four years removed from tallying 46 receptions for 924 yards and 14 touchdowns as a senior at Trinity Christian Academy in Jacksonville.
The 149th-rated prospect out of Florida in the class of 2019, Washington turned down scholarship offers from 19 FBS schools — including Wake Forest — in order to sign with Rutgers.
While Washington has yet to live up to the billing in his three seasons, the third-year sophomore could see an expanded role in the Gator Bowl due to the uncertain status of Bo Melton, the Scarlet Knights’ leading receiver who has been focusing on NFL Draft-prep training this month.
Washington has struggled to build on his breakthrough freshman campaign in 2019, when he hauled in 18 receptions for 272 yards and a touchdown while starting 11 of 12 games.
In nine games during a 2020 campaign played during the COVID-19 pandemic, Washington tallied 96 yards on nine receptions. And this season he recorded 17 receptions for 159 yards in 11 games.
But Washington is coming off the most productive game of the season, tallying 56 yards on four receptions in a 40-16 loss to Maryland on Nov. 27 in the regular-season finale.
It gives him hope that he might turn in a productive performance in his Jacksonville homecoming He has the distinction of being Rutgers’ only player to have been to a Gator Bowl.
As a fan, that is.
He was a high school sophomore who had tickets to see the Gator Bowl between Mississippi State and Louisville on Dec. 31, 2017.
Now, he hopes to play a starring role in it.
“Last time I played in Jacksonville I was a high school senior,’’ Washington said. “It means a lot to go back to my hometown and see what we can do.’’
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Keith Sargeant may be reached at ksargeant@njadvancemedia.com.
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