Foster looks for healthy final season at Kennesaw State

KENNESAW — A key contributor for Kennesaw State’s offense and special teams for multiple seasons, Isaac Foster is looking to put together a strong season after an injury-plagued fall last year.

“I’ve had a healthy and great summer,” Foster said. “I’m feeling really good going in now. I’m at full-speed now.”

As a freshman, the 5-foot-10, 175-pound running back from Summerville was named the Big South Conference’s Special Teams Player of the Year after returning seven kickoffs for 272 yards and two touchdowns, and 20 punts for 164 yards. He also became the first player in Big South history to record two 100-yard kickoff returns for touchdowns in the same season.

After a strong start in the first seven games of his sophomore year, Foster’s season came to an abrupt end with a lower leg injury. Still, his performance was good enough to be named an all-conference second-teamer after posting a team-best 1,136 all-purpose yards.

In Kennesaw State’s shortened 2021 spring season, Foster played in all five games and registered 229 rushing yards. He also returned nine kickoffs for 208 yards.

However, in the fall, Foster played in just three games, battling injuries after being named to the Big South’s preseason all-conference first team for special teams and honorable mention on offense. He rushed the ball eight times for 51 yards and hauled in one reception for 12 yards, not returning any kickoffs or punts.

“There’s no better worker on our team than Issac Foster,” Kennesaw State coach Brian Bohannon said. “He’s just had some bad luck when it comes to injuries. I think the big thing is just keeping him healthy and keeping him out here so he can get into a playing shape that he’s comfortable with.”

With Foster’s footwork being a key part of his success, he hopes to regain what he once had before his injuries, as the Owls approach their first game of the season.

“Getting my footwork back to what I feel like it used to be,” Foster said. “I’m pretty close, we’ve got a great medical staff. That’s something for me. I want to get back to my old self with that.”

After sitting out a majority of the fall last year, Foster learned ways to contribute to the team, even as he sat on the sidelines.

“I’m so used to playing, you can think that’s all your worth is in,” Foster said. “Getting injured and having time off, you find other ways to help other guys out and have a bigger impact. That’s been big for me.”

Despite Kennesaw State heading into its first season in the ASUN Conference, Foster is looking forward to a season of firsts.

“Something we’ve gotten used to is firsts,” Foster said. “Starting up football at Kennesaw State, that was new. We’d never done that before. Now, going into a brand-new conference, it’s almost like we’re used to doing things for the first time.”

Foster and the Owls will face another first this season as they play Cincinnati, which is coming off of a College Football Playoff appearance.

“I can only imagine,” he said. “We’re excited about it. It’s going to be fun, going up there and playing against that type of crowd.”

As Foster looks to start his fifth year on the Owls’ roster, one experience he said he will never forget was building up the Kennesaw State football team and playing with players who served key roles in the program’s beginnings.

“I got to play with some of the (original gangsters), like Chandler Burks, Darnell Holland, Justin Sumpter, Bryson Armstrong,” Foster said. “Getting to play with them, that’s always something I’ll remember, and starting up with the brand-new football team at Kennesaw State is something I’ll take to the grave forever. It’s been unreal.”