Western Illinois offensive lineman Isaiah Foote (66) has started every game at right guard this season for the Leathernecks. (Photo by Barry Bottino, PrairieStatePigskin.com)
By Barry Bottino
Growing up in southern Maryland, Isaiah Foote was just miles from the beach. His home area is famous for oysters and various crab delicacies.
There’s just one problem.
“I’m actually not much of a seafood guy,” said Foote, a senior offensive lineman at Western Illinois. “I get picked on for that a lot. Maybe I’ll have a crab cake every once in awhile.”
Foote prefers his favorite pizza joint back home or a good burger instead.
At 6-foot-3 and 325 pounds, Foote has the prototypical build for an offensive lineman. He started his football career at FBS East Carolina, but his first love was basketball, which his mother was quite happy about.
Despite being from the East Coast, Foote has felt welcome in the Macomb.
It’s not surprising since he’s a car guru who loves big pickup trucks and all things camo. Yes, he even has camo Crocs.
Learn all about Isaiah Foote in our weekly Moving the Chains Q&A feature.
As a native of the East Coast, what have you noticed about people in the Midwest?
Everybody’s really friendly out here. On the East Coast, at times people can be more rude or just not care about you. But everybody in the Midwest is nice. I haven’t had any bad experiences out here.
What are the best and worst things about living in the DMV (DC/Maryland/Virginia) region?
I’ll start off with the worst thing. There’s always traffic, wherever you go. There are some crazy drivers around there. The good things are you go about an hour north from where I’m from and there’s Annapolis. That’s a real nice area, the water is nice. It’s a good area to be around. There’s a lot of scenery (in the DMV), a lot of nice places to visit. Being near D.C., there are a lot of museums to visit as well.
Are you more of a museum guy or a beach guy back at home?
I’d definitely say I’m a beach guy, more than a museum guy. If I have the time, I definitely go to Ocean City (Maryland). There’s a lot of things to do over there. There’s a really nice burger place in Ocean City that I like to go to.
There are so many pro sports teams to root for in D.C. What’s your favorite?
I’d say the (NBA’s) Wizards. Growing up, my favorite players were John Wall and Bradley Beal. I have two John Wall jerseys.
Is there a food or a restaurant you miss from home?
A specific restaurant I miss from home is called Ledo’s. It’s a pizza place. They make really good pizza, more of an East Coast style. It’s a thinner crust and it’s cut in squares.
Being from the East Coast, are you a fan of seafood?
(Laughs) The funny thing is I’m actually not much of a seafood guy. I get picked on for that a lot. Maybe I’ll have a crab cake every once in a while.
Your teammate, Cameren Smith, mentioned your appreciation for anime. How did that start?
In middle school, I started watching it. I found an anime of characters playing basketball and I thought it was really cool. I’ve stuck with it ever since. I have a certain show I like, an older anime called Slam Dunk.
Do you have other hobbies?
I’m very into cars. That’s one of my biggest hobbies. I used to go to the drag strip with my uncle. It was kind of a reward thing. My mother would tell me if I had a good week in school, then my uncle would pick me up and take me on the weekends to the drag strip. I’d spend the whole day there watching people race. It was called Budds Creek in Southern Maryland.
The sounds got me into it. I had to wear the big headphones as a kid.
Tell me about your first car and your current vehicle?
My first car was a 2011 Nissan Maxima. It was my brother in law’s car that he had for about nine years. We were looking for a car for me and we gave up. He had bought a new car, so he gifted me his older car. I think it had about 250,000 miles on it, but it was well taken care of.
The sad part is I only had it for about a month at my previous school (East Carolina). On my birthday, I got into a car accident. Somebody rear ended me. Everybody was fine, but I didn’t have a trunk anymore.
Currently, I have a 2013 Dodge Durango. After the accident, I was looking for something bigger and safer to drive. I was trying to find a truck but couldn’t find anything in my price range. But in the same town, I found this SUV. I test drove it and fell in love with it.
What’s your dream car?
Anything Cummins. A big truck. An F250, maybe a 350. It’s large and in charge when you’re on the road with that.
What’s the best movie you’ve seen in the last year?
I’m into scary movies. I liked “The Boogeyman.” It came out last year. You might want to bring somebody to watch it with you. (Laughs) It didn’t freak me out, but it freaked out my friends that I brought with me.
Tell us about your family back home.
I have two older sisters. I have my mother back home. My father passed away when I was younger. My oldest sister has two children. Her oldest child is closer to my age than she is. My niece gets mistaken as my sister pretty often. My nieces are 17 and 6.
What’s it like being Uncle Isaiah?
(Laughs) It’s pretty cool. I would say my sister is more of the serious aunt. I’m the cool uncle. We always go for ice cream when I’m in town.
You are 6-foot-3 and 325 pounds. What’s something you can do athletically that would surprise people?
I can still dunk a basketball. Every once in awhile, I’ll do it. I have to be careful now, especially during the season. If I’m ever out and about and see a basketball court, I see if I can still do it.
You have a basketball background. How did football come about in your youth?
The first time I played football, I was 11. I’ve always been a big kid, so instantly they stuck me with the 12- and 13-year-olds. I had no idea what I was doing, and I was just getting jacked up every day. I did not love it. (Laughs) My mother was never big on me playing football. She always wanted a basketball kid.
That’s what I played most of my life, up until my senior year of high school. A lot of my friends played football, and they’re the ones who really got me into playing once I started high school. I just did it to hang around my friends, and I started loving it.
I got really good at it, and I started realizing I’m not built for playing basketball. I’m built like an offensive lineman.
Have you always played offensive line?
Always. At my high school, we never had that many players so everyone had to play double duty, so I played defensive line, too.
As an offensive lineman now, what’s the worst thing about defensive linemen?
Oh my goodness. If you run into a defensive end who’s really good at timing the snap, it’s going to be a long day for you. Or, if you run into a defensive lineman that loves to stick his hands in your face and it doesn’t get called.
If you could have dinner with any former Western player, who would it be?
I would say (New Orleans defensive lineman) Khalen Saunders. I saw his interception against the Kansas City Chiefs. I didn’t know he could move like that. (Laughs)
Do you have a favorite place on campus to hang out and relax?
The University Union is a pretty nice place. Me and the other offensive linemen, we go in there every once in awhile to get some Qdoba. We do end up people watching while we’re eating our food. (Laughs)
Do you have a favorite uniform combination that the team has worn this season?
My favorite is the yellow jerseys and the camo pants. I’m a big camo guy. I’ve got camo Crocs, a camo jacket.
What was your best trait as a basketball player?
My rebounding, and I was always willing to take a charge. Not too many people like doing that. That was my role – rebound, defense and take charges.
If you had to pick five WIU football players for a pickup basketball game, who are you choosing?
Me, (senior running back) Torrance Farmer Jr., (freshman quarterback) Antwon McKay Jr., (senior wide receiver) Dallas Parker is a really good point guard, and I’d put (freshman offensive lineman) Holden Grieger at the five. I’m playing the four. Farmer could play the three. Antwon will probably be our two guy but he’d have a little freedom to do what he wants. Those guys are just fun to be around.
What’s the most interesting stadium you have played in during your career?
The Naval Academy stadium (in Annapolis, Md). We played them on their Senior Night (in 2021), so it was packed. Before we beat them, they hadn’t lost a Senior Night in about 20 years. We hit a 54-yard walk-off field goal to end the game. The whole crowd went quiet. A lot of my family members were there.
The stadium has a lot of history. Before kickoff, they had jets that flew over.
What are you studying and what’s a dream job after college?
I’m a communications major. My dream job would probably be working in the government. I’d like to work for the Secret Service. I’d be one of those guys standing outside of the White House.
Who is a teammate that inspires you?
That would have to be (quarterback) Nate Lamb. He’s always very level-headed. He’s never too high, never too low. He’s always in that right spot where you need somebody at who’s a leader.
Barry Bottino is a co-founder of Prairie State Pigskin and a 19-year veteran of three Illinois newspapers. He has covered college athletics since 1995.
Find us on social media!
Twitter/X: https://twitter.com/PSPigskin
Facebook: Prairie State Pigskin
Instagram: Prairiestatepigskin
Prairie State Pigskin 
Leave a comment