By Noell Barnidge, Savannah Morning News
Isaiah Osborne came to Savannah State to make an impact, and he made a difference in the Tigers' first football game.
Osborne, a 5-foot-11, 185-pound wide receiver, was SSU's leading receiver in a 47-7 loss at Morgan State last Thursday. The junior transfer from Vermilion Community College in Ely, Minn., made three catches for 60 yards, including a 45-yard touchdown from quarterback JaCorey Kilcrease with 8 minutes, 37 seconds to play.
Osborne's touchdown grab helped the Tigers avoid being shut out in a season opener for the first time since 1984.
When SSU (0-1) plays host to NCAA Division II Johnson C. Smith (1-0) at 1 p.m. Saturday at Memorial Stadium in the Joe Turner Classic, Osborne expects to continue producing.
The Detroit native also wants to help SSU avenge last season's 27-6 loss to the Golden Bulls, who beat NAIA school Edward Waters 24-0 in this season's opener.
"I just want to win," Osborne said. "It doesn't matter what I do as long as the team wins. It felt good (to score a touchdown), but it's no consolation. We lost the game as a team.
"Me doing what I was doing, it wasn't good enough for the team. We play as a team and we want to win, not just get good stats."
Michigan native
Osborne is accustomed to helping to rebuild football programs like SSU, which finished 2-9 last season and 0-11 in 2005.
During his junior season at Southfield-Lathrup High School in Lathrup Village, Mich., the Chargers finished 2-7. As a senior, he helped Southfield-Lathrup finish 7-3 and advance to the state playoffs.
During Osborne's freshman season at Vermilion CC, the Ironmen finished 6-4. As a sophomore, he helped Vermilion finish 10-2 and win the Minnesota Community College Conference championship. The Ironmen were 11th in the National Junior College Athletic Association's final poll.
Isaiah Osborne came to Savannah State to make an impact, and he made a difference in the Tigers' first football game.
Osborne, a 5-foot-11, 185-pound wide receiver, was SSU's leading receiver in a 47-7 loss at Morgan State last Thursday. The junior transfer from Vermilion Community College in Ely, Minn., made three catches for 60 yards, including a 45-yard touchdown from quarterback JaCorey Kilcrease with 8 minutes, 37 seconds to play.
Osborne's touchdown grab helped the Tigers avoid being shut out in a season opener for the first time since 1984.
When SSU (0-1) plays host to NCAA Division II Johnson C. Smith (1-0) at 1 p.m. Saturday at Memorial Stadium in the Joe Turner Classic, Osborne expects to continue producing.
The Detroit native also wants to help SSU avenge last season's 27-6 loss to the Golden Bulls, who beat NAIA school Edward Waters 24-0 in this season's opener.
"I just want to win," Osborne said. "It doesn't matter what I do as long as the team wins. It felt good (to score a touchdown), but it's no consolation. We lost the game as a team.
"Me doing what I was doing, it wasn't good enough for the team. We play as a team and we want to win, not just get good stats."
Michigan native
Osborne is accustomed to helping to rebuild football programs like SSU, which finished 2-9 last season and 0-11 in 2005.
During his junior season at Southfield-Lathrup High School in Lathrup Village, Mich., the Chargers finished 2-7. As a senior, he helped Southfield-Lathrup finish 7-3 and advance to the state playoffs.
During Osborne's freshman season at Vermilion CC, the Ironmen finished 6-4. As a sophomore, he helped Vermilion finish 10-2 and win the Minnesota Community College Conference championship. The Ironmen were 11th in the National Junior College Athletic Association's final poll.
"It's always time to rebuild and get better," he said. "This would be the time, right now."Last season at Vermilion, Osborne made 28 catches for 761 yards and 11 touchdowns in 11 games. He was named first-team All-Minnesota Community College Conference and an honorable-mention NJCAA All-American.
"He's a guy who's been under the lights and brings college experience," SSU second-year coach Theo Lemon said. "We've lost a couple of guys, so we're counting on him to come in and make an impact, and he's done that."
Lemon expects Osborne to emerge as a playmaker for SSU, which lost its top four receivers from last season. Lemon dismissed leading receiver Mark Williams, third-leading receiver Anthony Huntley and fourth-leading receiver Del Ben for violating unspecified team rules. Second-leading receiver Chad Cone was a senior last season.
"Isaiah has got the ability to get open and he's got great hands," Lemon said. "What I like about him the most is he's got game speed. He's actually faster in games than he is in practice."
Osborne never made a recruiting visit to SSU. He was discovered while SSU coaches were recruiting his Vermilion teammate, defensive back Javorris Jackson. The duo also played at Southfield-Lathrup.
"Savannah State wasn't recruiting me, but he was telling them about me," Osborne said of Jackson, his roommate at SSU. "They wanted me to come in and be a leader and show the guys how it is."
THE OSBORNE FILE
Hometown: Detroit
Position: Wide receiver
Year: Junior
Specs: 5-foot-11, 185 pounds
2006 statistics: Osborne had 28 receptions for 761 yards and 11 touchdowns in 11 games at Vermilion Community College in Ely, Minn.
Johnson C. Smith (1-0)
at Savannah State (0-1)
When: 1 p.m. Saturday
Where: Memorial Stadium (T.A. Wright Stadium is being renovated during SSU's first three home games)
Radio: WHCJ 90.3 FM (Savannah)
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