Isaiah Wright is being recognized nationally for something that Temple football and its AAC opponents already know too well.
The Sporting News named the dynamic return man Wright as its First Team All-American returner. Wright, who went to Holy Cross High School in Waterbury and Kingswood-Oxford in West Hartford, has returned three kicks for touchdowns this season, which leads the country.
“I am honored to be receiving first-team All-America honors,” Wright said in a story posted on the Temple football website. “I want to thank my teammates for putting me in a position to receive this recognition. The work we all put in at practice pays off when we play together on gamedays.”
One of Wright’s touchdowns was a 99-yard kickoff return against UConn in East Hartford. He’s the first Owl to earn All-American status since Tyler Matakevich in 2015. Matakevich first made his name as a standout player at St. Joseph High School in Trumbull.
“What great recognition for Isaiah and for Temple football,” Ed Foley, Temple’s interim head coach, said in the story on the Owl football website. “Isaiah is in a select group of players to earn first-team All-America honors for us. We pride ourselves on our special teams play and having a returner of Isaiah’s caliber makes everyone work hard because you never know when he’s going to break one for a score.”
Wright was already named AAC Special Teams Player of the Year, and his amazing season continues in the Independence Bowl against Duke. Ironically, Wright and the Owls will face Wright’s former Kingswood-Oxford classmate Koby Quansah when they take on the Blue Devils. Wright and Quansah are both juniors.
