The News Herald (Willoughby, OH)
Isabella helps mold JCU duo
John Carroll quarterback Jake Floriea is a big fan of Andy Isabella, who starred at Mayfield High School then went on to an All-America career in college.
It’s not just because Isabella is ultra fast and talented. It’s also because of his work ethic, desire to be great, and with a storybook football career to boot.
Shun by all FBS colleges except one — U Mass — coming out of high school, Isabella transformed himself from running back entering college to a second-round pick of the Cardinals as a wide receiver by the time he was done.
So when the opportunity arose this summer to train and work with Isabella, Floriea — who starred at Mentor — jumped at the chance. Eventually, JCU’s Michael Canganelli joined for one session and the standout running back said it paid off in big.
Hopes are high for the 2019 Blue Streaks football team. Two players, among others, leading the way will be Floriea and Canganelli, who had 1,905 all-purpose yards and scored 18 touchdowns in 2018. Floriea will be a first-year starter in 2019.
Floriea and Isabella became friends when they were high school seniors and members of the NorthSouth Ohio all-star football game. They stayed in touch through the years as Floriea made two college stops before settling in at John Carroll.
After Isabella was selected in Round 2 of the NFL Draft in April, Floriea reached out and let him know he was available to throw with him before the start of camp.
Isabella, who bought a JUGS machine prior to the draft to stay sharp, was interested. Floriea said the two worked out “six or seven times” at Mayfield’s Wildcat Stadium. Canganelli joined them for one of their last workouts in July. On other occasions, so did Floriea’s younger brother Luke, who’s a standout senior receiver at Mentor and committed to play at Boston College.
“What a great guy,” said Floriea about Isabella. “It’s easy to like someone like that. He wasn’t a five-star guy coming out of high school. Just a humble guy. His story — that’s an ESPN 30 for 30. What he did only happens so often.”
When Isabella arrived at UMass, he was a 5-foot-9 running back who converted to wide receiver and by his senior season led the nation in receiving.
Beyond just working with an NFL wide receiver, Floriea said spending time throwing to Isabella had many benefits. He threw with an NFLsized football, which measures 11 inches long and 22 inches in circumference. A college ball is about a halfinch smaller in length and 1 inch in circumference.
“Throwing a college ball after that felt like throwing around a baseball,” said Floriea.
Beyond that, the biggest impact working with Isabella came from the shoulders up. Floriea’s road to college starter has been long. After his stint at Mentor, he committed to Penn, then transferred to Toledo before finding a home at JCU.
“The most beneficial thing is when he told me, ‘You’re bigger than (No. 1 overall pick) Kyler Murray (of the Cardinals),’ ” said Floriea, who’s 5-foot-11. “It gives me that confidence that it doesn’t matter how big you are. Guys like Drew Brees, Russell Wilson, Kyler Murray prove you don’t have huge to be an effective quarterback. When you hear things like from a guy like Andy it helps a lot with your confidence.”
Canganelli’s summers are usually busy. He helps with his father’s cement business, which entails excavating and replacing driveways. After hauling concrete in the mornings, the Mayfield resident finds time for workouts, and the one with Isabella is one he won’t forget.
“It was just one day, but he taught me a lot,” said Canganelli. “Things like how to break off from a defender, swiping away from a defender’s hand, taking angles … Whenever you get a chance to work out with someone like Andy, you have to be there. He makes me better and pushes me.”
Canganelli was fourth on JCU in 2018 with 20 receptions and hopes to improve on that this season.
“When we go empty backfield, it usually means a linebacker is on me, and I like my chances with that,” he said. “So, yeah, I hope I can be involved with the passing game a little more.”