Robert Casey, WSU Athletics

OGDEN — Having changed from defensive back to receiver sometime in the odd mix between the spring and fall 2021 seasons, Jacob Sharp got a fresh chance to make his mark upon the hire of Mickey Mental as offensive coordinator ahead of the 2022 season.

Playing second fiddle to senior Ty MacPherson, Sharp still grew a fast reputation as a deep and big-play threat. He hauled in 116 receiving yards against Utah Tech, which included a 35-yard touchdown, and scored a 55-yard touchdown at Portland State — with a handful of missed overthrows after he beat his man downfield, too. Sharp up the sideline or over the middle on a slant was a staple of a strong offense.

That waned in 2023. After a 77-yard bomb set up a short rushing touchdown in an early-season game at Northern Iowa, Sharp’s impact wasn’t as strong with the quarterback position unsettled and after running back Damon Bankston went down injured.

Now a senior — the only one on offense — Sharp’s big-play impact appears to be growing again with sophomore quarterback Richie Muñoz getting more comfortable slinging the pill.

Sharp, who graduated with a degree in professional sales, knows it has to be that way for the team, especially as opponents try to stuff the middle of the field to keep Bankston from running wild.

ISAAC FISHER, Special to the Standard-Examiner

“It opens it up for everybody else. Banks is due for another 100-yard game … we’ve got a bunch of guys, guys at running back and receiver, who could go for 50-plus at any moment,” he said. “Week in and week out, I just want it to be where teams have to shift to keep track of me so everybody else can have the games they need to have.”

It worked out that way in the pass game last week at Northwestern State when, after Sharp had two 35-plus-yard receptions, receiver Jayleen Record made a move and ran free for a 33-yard touchdown strike from Muñoz.

Sharp also knows it has to be that way for himself.

“I’m trying to be like the people before me — trying to be like Jonah (Williams), get a Super Bowl ring; trying to be like Winston (Reid), getting out there and getting his shot; I’m trying to be like Rashid (Shaheed), he just got paid.

“I’m trying to get to the next level but I’m not too focused on it. Right now it’s just about getting better and winning games.”

The senior from California scored a 28-yarder to open the ledger in what became a blowout home win of Portland State earlier this month.

At Lamar, Sharp ran himself free on the right sideline for a 31-yarder inside the Lamar 5. It was ruled a 31-yarder out of bounds that set up a 2-yard touchdown — WSU’s only score of the second half — but what likely should have been a 33-yard touchdown as video replay doesn’t show him stepping out of bounds.

At Northwestern State, Sharp had two touchdowns he would have scored from anywhere on the field, but officially went down as a 35-yard touchdown and a 37-yard near-touchdown.

For the first, he beat coverage up the left sideline and caught a perfectly delivered ball over his shoulder near the goal line and, had the play started anywhere else, he could have run for as long as needed.

On the second, he again beat his primary defender with the ball in the air, put on the brakes after the catch and sidestepped a safety angling to help. He danced into the end zone — his literal dance/high step meant it was a 37-yarder with a penalty instead of a 38-yard touchdown.

Sharp totaled 119 yards on eight catches in that win. With an offense full of youth, such a big-play dynamic will impact Weber State’s goals.

“He’s come a long way since I’ve been here but I think he’s still got more in the tank,” Mental said. “He’s made some big plays for us and he’s got to continue making big plays for us and keep straining to play as high as I think he can play … there is growth there, and it’s got to be a day-by-day thing for him.”