Future Schedule Note: Indiana State and Purdue announced today the resumption of their series on Sept. 10, 2022. The Sycamores and Boilermakers last met in 2015 in West Lafayette, Ind.
 
TERRE HAUTE, Ind. – It's Nov. 21, 2015, and the field at Memorial Stadium is covered in snow. It's the first year of the Bo Pelini era at Youngstown State, and the Penguins come into Terre Haute for the final week of the season looking for one win to solidify their playoff resume. With the wet and windy conditions, passing is at a minimum. Enter redshirt freshman quarterback Isaac Harker.
 
The Lebanon, Ind., native began the season on the outside of a two-way battle for the starting QB position, and yet, he was voted a team captain by his peers. Throughout the season he continued to prove his worth in practice, eventually receiving some playing time at QB the week before vs. Western Illinois in rushing situations – recording his first career TD against the Leathernecks.
 
And following a fourth-quarter injury vs. YSU, Harker got his chance to prove how good a leader he is with the game on the line. Trailing 24-21 with 8:59 to play, Harker led the Sycamores on two consecutive drives totaling 21 plays, 66 yards and 7:28 that each ended with an Eric Heidorn field goal – the last one coming as time expired to give ISU a 27-24 win on Senior Day to end Youngstown's playoff hopes.


 
In a game filled with so many oddities due to the sudden onslaught of two inches of snow, it was easy to overlook how big a moment that was for the future of Sycamore Football.
 
Now, after winning two straight quarterback battles in training camp, it should have been obvious that was a sign of things to come.
 
Harker now takes hold of a revamped Sycamore offense following a very strong opening campaign as the starter in 2016. Harker earned Second-Team All-MVFC after putting up the third-best passing season in school history with 2,559 yards and 19 TD. His list of accomplishments from his sophomore season is lengthy – including nearly breaking the single-season school record for 300-yard passing games with five – but what matters most heading into this season is the experience he gained.
 
"You can tell he has game experience, you can tell he's been around," said offensive coordinator and QB coach Jeff Hecklinski. "He's got some moxie, and really (at the scrimmage) on Saturday that's what he showed."
 
One of the prime examples came at Southeast Missouri in 2016. Down 24-13 with only 5:19 to play, Harker led the Sycamores on two drives yet again to win the game 27-24 – culminating with a 15-yard TD pass with 10.8 seconds left to play. The proficiency with running a two-minute offense is something the current coaching staff stresses daily at practice, and something Harker relishes in leading.
 
"I learned how to lead 10 guys and yourself in the right direction," Harker said. "I think our two-minute drill was one of our stronger suits, and I feel like when it gets tough and the going gets rough, we're always ready to step up."
 
As far as the weapons around him, Harker has to feel like a kid in a candy shop. A near-endless supply of talented running backs to take the load off, an ever-improving offensive line and a decent mix of talent – young and old – at the receiver and tight end position.
 
"The one thing that gives me confidence about our team is we can move the ball in so many different ways," Harker said. "We've got such a great group of backs that are running downhill so hard, and our line has been unbelievable this fall. We've got playmakers going down the field left and right. For me, it's just distributing the ball to the fast guys who are going to get it in the endzone."
 
One of those offensive weapons just started playing tight end less than 48 hours ago, and is trying to emulate Harker's selfless style of leadership. Redshirt freshman Zach Larkin was in the QB battle just last Saturday, but after Harker was named the starter he walked into Hecklinski's office and asked where he could contribute. Come Tuesday, Larkin was running routes and making leaping catches in the endzone as a tight end.
 
"There is a perfect example," said ISU head coach Curt Mallory. "There is a guy who is a student of the game. He knows. He jumped in, got lined up, ran the routes, and that's a quarterback knowing what all 11 guys do."
 
"It's about playing, and it's about doing what's best for the team and putting yourself in that situation and putting the team in that situation, and that's the culture that Curt's created," Hecklinski said.
 
Stay tuned to GoSycamores.com – as well as our Facebook and Twitter pages – for extensive coverage and position previews this season, including video content courtesy of Luke Martin.