Matt Weiner (@mattweiner20) – Football Beat Reporter
Less than 48 hours after having his best game as a Spartan, fourth-year wide receiver Isaiah Hamilton entered the transfer portal.
Hamilton’s decision comes just two days after posting five catches, a career-high 137 receiving yards and a touchdown in SJSU’s 40-27 loss to Eastern Michigan in The Famous Idaho Potato Bowl.
He entered with six catches for 91 yards in eight games on the season. Which makes his outstanding day truly stand out.
In the first seven games of the season, Hamilton totaled eight receiving yards, 11 rushing yards and 34 punt return yards and didn’t register any stats in four of them.
The Famous Idaho Potato Bowl was his first game with more than 45 all-purpose yards.
SJSU football head coach Brent Brennan takes full advantage of an NCAA clause that allows teams to not disclose any information related to injuries.
So, there’s no confirmable information as to why Hamilton was unable to play and the severity of an injury if he had one.
Spartan fans will forever remember his clutch touchdown in the 2020 Mountain West Championship Game:
The nifty back shoulder grab put SJSU up 27-13. An impactful touchdown, as Boise State scored a touchdown four minutes later.
Hamilton, a member of SJSU’s 2019 recruiting class, had his best year as a true freshman. His 43 catches and 718 receiving yards were the third-most on the Spartans and his four touchdowns was second-most.
The SoCal product, who’s only offer came from SJSU, failed to hit those same marks again.
In eight games during the 2020 COVID-19 season he registered 13 catches, 206 receiving yards, two touchdowns.
His numbers improved the following season, 31 catches, 414 receiving yards and two touchdowns during 11 games in 2021.
His catches and receiving yards were second-most behind Derrick Deese Jr. and his two touchdowns placed him in a three-way tie with Nevada-transfer Charles Ross and Malikhi Miller.
In the 2022 off-season wide receivers coach/passing game coordinator Eric Scott brought some of his former Wolf Pack counterparts in wide receivers Elijah Cooks and Justin Lockhart.
Scott, who fulfilled the same role at Nevada from 2017-20, also brought wide receiver Ross in his first offseason as a Spartan in 2021.
While Cooks and Lockhart were valuable additions – Cooks an All-Mountain West first team selection and Lockhart an honorable mention – Hamilton’s usage dipped.
There are two pass catchers of the 13 early signees featured in the Spartans 2022-23 signing class:
Wide receiver Kenyan Higgins, a Bay Area product from Antioch who comes from Pittsburg High School, and tight end Kamaehu Kopa-Kaawalauole from James Campbell high school in Ewa Beach, HI on the island of Oahu.
Although unlikely, it’s important to note Hamilton can return to SJSU for the 2023 season. But there’s the running chance that his spot will already be taken by then.