Isaiah Gash’s amateur boxing skills are packing a punch for Michigan Football

Football is often compared to war, to fighting.

One Michigan player knows what it’s like to step into a ring and try to bludgeon his opponent — running back Isaiah Gash’s amateur boxing experience is serving him well in fall camp.

Head coach Jim Harbaugh was asked what players have been MVPs in camp thus far, one of the players he mentioned was Gash.

“Quite a few. A guy that really popped yesterday, day before yesterday, big scrimmage, was a guy by the name of Isaiah Gash who just did a tremendous job,” Harbaugh said on Wednesday.

Gash was a star at Bay Port High School, rushing for 1,916 yards and 30 touchdowns as a senior. Gash was a Scout Team Player of the Week on special teams last season, and appeared in two games rushing for 17 yards on six carries.

Gash’s role on special teams may be evolving and his utilization increasing as he’s impressing in camp.

“You know why boxers make good football players? They don’t blink, they don’t ever blink. If they blink they’re gonna get hit,” Harbaugh said. “Isaiah boxed all spring and winter, he was an amateur boxer. And now we’re watching him run through those holes as a kick returner. It’s been super fun, impressive. I could see him as somebody that’s really, really emerging.”

In the video below, Gash knocks his opponent down twice in the span of a minute, with the second knockdown becoming a knockout to win him the fight in February.

The 5-foot-10, 175 pound Gash can deliver decisive blows and he has some tenacity about him. Gash embraces his underdog status.

“I definitely agree with the term, ‘Chip on my shoulder,’” Gash said in 2020. “I feel like I was underrecruited a little bit. So, it is nice to get the chance to show everyone wrong. I’m the last person on the depth chart right now for Michigan, but just being able to prove to everyone that I am a Division I caliber player and you overlooked me if you didn’t look at me at all.”