Ben Deihl | sports editor

In his final game as a Duke, wide receiver Joey Isabella blistered past the defense for a 71-yard scorcher to give Duquesne an early lead en route to a victory over inner-city rival Robert Morris. The catch gave him his 30th career touchdown, the final milestone in one of the best wide receiver careers Duquesne has seen.

Isabella started as a standout at Mayfield High School in Mayfield, Ohio, playing baseball, basketball, football and running track. With his quick feet and elusive capabilities, Isabella became a target recruit for multiple FBS schools.

His brother, Andy, was tearing up the field at the University of Massachusetts at the time, eventually being drafted by the Arizona Cardinals in the second round of the 2019 NFL draft.

But even family prestige couldn’t carry Isabella all the way, and his health eventually led him down a different path. A serious ACL injury sidelined him for the majority of his senior year at Mayfield, erasing most of his FBS offers with one fell swoop.

“I had a very good junior year, and had some big FBS schools I had offers to,” Isabella said. “But in my third game of my senior year, I tore my knee, and that kind of shot all that.”

But where most saw inexperience and a gamble, Duquesne Head Coach Jerry Schmitt saw opportunity.

Now an overlooked but still versatile, talented player, the Dukes had a chance to land Isabella.

“He was a really good athlete,” Schmitt said. “Played multiple positions and sports in high school. The question for us was, ‘can he handle himself in college football, going against bigger, stronger and faster guys?’”

Although the questions about his size and capability to perform after his injury still lingered, Schmitt and the rest of his staff were ready to take a gamble on Isabella. They could tell he had the mechanics to be great, and above all else, a fantastic work ethic.

His true freshman season was shortened because of COVID-19, but he got reps in all five of Duquesne’s games in the spring season, including playing in the 2021 NEC title game against Sacred Heart.

Although Sacred Heart pulled out a nailbiting overtime win, Isabella proved that he could play at an elite caliber when his team needed him most. But once again, the tax football put on his body proved to be too much.

Lingering knee and hamstring injuries limited Isabella’s play in his early years. His redshirt freshman year and sophomore year saw limited snap counts due to his injuries, but he found the extra free time to be a blessing in disguise.

“You’d think injuries set you back and hurt you,” Isabella said. “But mentally, they helped me develop. They put me through some tough times mentally that help you grow as a person, a player and an individual.”

But during his battle with injuries, Isabella found a new sense of resiliency and confidence. He knew what he could achieve and how to achieve it, he just needed all the parts to fall in place.

“Around 6:30 every morning, even when we weren’t practicing, Joe was out on the field every day,” Schmitt said. “Either by himself or he convinced a quarterback to go out with him, he was there every single day. I knew from that point on, this young man had a chance to be really good.”

Fresh off of meniscus surgery, Isabella helped Duquesne go all the way in 2023, winning the NEC title.

Although the Dukes would become a first-round exit in the FCS Playoffs, a new era of Duquesne football had started, with Isabella at its center.

Isabella’s first full year playing for the Dukes came in 2023, and he made sure to make every moment count. He recorded 371 yards on only 18 catches, instantly turning himself into a top 10 wide receiver in the NEC.

“It was a weird season,” Isabella said. “It was my fourth year and I was coming off of an injury. I was like, ‘you know what? I’m just going to play it out and see where it goes.’ And it was a fun year. We won the championship. It was a very memorable year for me.”

If 2023 was his start, then 2024 was Isabella’s breakout year. 741 yards receiving, 11 touchdowns, 74.1 yards per game. Isabella elevated his game in every way possible, emphasizing his elusiveness and speed.

His workload increased, too, as he became one of the premier targets for quarterback Darius Perrantes.

The two built solid chemistry over the course of the year, becoming one of the top QB/WR duos in the NEC.

Isabella went on an eight-game receiving touchdown streak, the longest active streak in the NEC, earning First Team All-Conference. Isabella wasn’t just proving he wasn’t the injury prone, undersized kid other schools overlooked, he was blossoming into one of the most dominant receivers in the FCS.

Leading up to 2025, Isabella had all the hype coming his way. Now as a second-year grad student, he was one of the most experienced receivers in the nation. Starting with a preseason All-NEC selection and a new mentor role, he had big shoes to fill.

In his 2025 campaign, Isabella built off of his past two years to solidify himself as a premier receiver in the FCS. He went for a career-best 839 yards and an FCS-leading 13 regular season touchdowns in his final season.

When his team needed him most, Isabella responded. He started the year with 120 yards against FBS opponent Pitt, proving he can hang with the big dogs of college football.

“It was fun being in the spotlight like that,” he said. “All the game plans were on me, so it was frustrating at times, but it was a fun challenge. I remember against Akron, I had two guys on me, thinking, ‘what am I supposed to do?’ It was definitely a unique experience.”

Dominating the 2025 statsheet, Isabella was named to the First-Team All Conference squad as a receiver, while also earning a Second-Team nod as a punt returner. Most impressive of all, Isabella was announced as a finalist for the 2025 Walter Payton Award, given to the best offensive player in the nation.

“He’s right up there with the best of the best in the 21 years I’ve been here,” Schmitt said. “He’s a great example of how to be successful through combining your God-given talent, work ethic and football intelligence. I’m so happy for him to be able to play at his highest level.”

Off the field, Isabella has made sure to leave a lasting impact at Duquesne. Stepping into a mentorship role as the most experienced Dukes receiver, he was able to help multiple young teammates grow, including NEC Offensive Rookie of the Year Ryan Petras.

Even with such an illustrious career as Isabella’s and his name now permanently etched in Duquesne’s history books, the kid from Mayfield will miss the little things most.

“I’m going to miss the meetings,” Isabella said. “Even if they’re not that memorable. And lift, being in the locker room, just being with your friends. What’s most important to me is the connections and relationships I built, and those lasting forever.”

Ben Deihl can be reached at deihlb1@duq.edu