PISCATAWAY, N.J. – Head coach
Greg Schiano and Rutgers value players who not just like football, but love the sport. Team captain
Isaih Pacheco, who is climbing the program's all-time rushing yards list, certainly fits into the mold.
In a game at age nine, Pacheco didn't have his cleats. That didn't stop him from playing and succeeding.
"I didn't have my cleats with me, not sure where they were, but my Dad had a brand-new pair of sneakers in the back of the car," Pacheco recalled. "He said, 'are you going to play?' And I'm like, 'yeah I'm playing,' and I put the sneakers on and still ended up scoring touchdowns. It was a great feeling."
Fast forward to high school, Pacheco starred at Vineland South as a quarterback, running back and defensive back. All over the field as a senior, he rushed 154 times for 1,414 yards and 18 touchdowns, threw for 598 yards and three touchdowns on 43-of-81 attempts, all while posting 28 tackles, two interceptions and one safety on defense with a punt return score on special teams.
As one of the top players in the state, Pacheco had numerous offers, but it was a simple decision to attend Rutgers.
"Representing my hometown was something big for me," Pacheco said. "My parents just an hour and 30 minutes away is perfect for them to see me representing our hometown, Vineland."
And the Pacheco family and Vineland are certainly proud of how Pacheco has represented. He made an immediate impact in finishing second on the team as a rookie with 910 all-purpose yards (551 rushing, 348 kickoff return, 11 receiving). That included a 142-yard rushing performance versus No. 4 Michigan, ripping off an 80-yard touchdown for the longest run by a true freshman in program history.
"As a running back, you have to be tough," Pacheco said. "You have to be aggressive, but patient, and understand the blocking schemes."
Continuing to improve, Pacheco turned in a career-high 156 rushing yards with four touchdowns in the 2019 opener against Massachusetts, ending the year with 729 yards on the ground, ranking sixth in the Big Ten with 66.3 per game overall.
Pacheco's game became even more well-rounded in 2020, picking up 19 receptions for 130 yards to go with 515 rushing yards in the nine-game season within the Big Ten. The performance earned Fourth Team All-Big Ten by
Phil Steele.
"It's been awesome playing for coach Schiano and Hoffmann," Pacheco said. "They want what's best for me. They show you how much they care with how hard they coach. That makes me want to play even harder for them. I'm always listening and willing to do whatever they want to help the team be successful."
Now in his fourth year, Pacheco recently became just the 15
th player in school history to reach 2,000 career rushing yards following a 107-yard outing at No. 19 Michigan, his seventh career game in triple figures. He now sits in 12
th place in the program listing at 2,109 yards. He passed Bill Austin (1946-49, 2,073) last week and is within striking distance of catching Henry Benkert (1921-24, 2,124) and Robert Martin (2014-17, 2,256) to move into the top 10.
"It means a lot to be on the list, but I haven't focused on that," Pacheco said. "I just kind of leave it all out on the line, just keep trying to get better every week and focus on our opponent."
In addition to focusing on the next opponent, Pacheco also takes the responsibility of being a captain seriously. This is a role he has wanted since stepping on campus.
"It was a great feeling to be voted a captain, this is a feeling I've wanted since I was a freshman," Pacheco said. "I've always just stuck to the script and keep leading the guys even if I wasn't a captain in the past. Leaders lead from the front.
"There's a lot of responsibility. Like Coach (Schiano) said, you got to lead even outside the building. Like be the first guy to class, that's why I'm the first one in the classroom. And try to be the first one to the meetings, and at practice, first in the drill to set the example for the guys that are looking up to me. I have to show them how it's done."
With the second half of the season beginning Saturday at Northwestern, the Scarlet Knights are taking it one game at a time. While Pacheco has his cleats, the mentality of doing whatever it takes is still there.
