Game log · Week-by-week
2026 season · 2 games
| Wk | Opp | TKL | SOLO | TFL | SACK | INT | PD | Note |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Wk 1 | L 20-30@ Michigan State | 12 | 6 | 1.0 | 1.0 | — | 1 | Season-high 12 tackles |
| Wk 2 | W 63-10vs Central Connecticut | 7 | 2 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 1 | 1 | |
| Total | 19 | 8 | 1.0 | 1.0 | 1 | 2 |
#44
Isaac Zay
Sophomore linebacker for Toledo. 2026: 2 games with a box-score line.
6′3″ · 225 lb · Fort Wayne, IN · Bishop Luers
Returning to Toledo for 2026
How he plays
Carries tight ends down the field in coverage.
Passes defended: 94th percentile.
The full scouting readThe numbers
19
tackles · 2026
1 TFL · 1 sacks · 2 PBU
2 games into 2026 so far -- Best game: 12 tackles, 1 TFL, 1 sacks, at Michigan State
His career numbers, season by seasonIsaac Zay
Carries tight ends down the field in coverage. Isaac Zay has been at Toledo through two head coaches in two seasons. The receipt: 12 tackles, 1 sacks against Michigan State — Week 1, 2026.
19 TACKLES · 1 SACKS
Low coverage — composed from the verified record.
- season totals
- positional archetype classification
- head-coach lineage
- game log
Career arc
HS
Recruit
—
CFB
College
Toledo
NFL
NFL Draft
—
Coaching lineage · 2025–2026
2 coaches2025
Robert Weiner
Toledo
2026era →
Mike Jacobs
Toledo
Coaching transition mid-career: Robert Weiner → Mike Jacobs. Worth noting in scheme + development context.
2026 snapshot
Season context · Team result + system
2025Toledo8-5HC: Robert Weiner · Run-leaning
2026Toledo1-1HC: Mike Jacobs · Run-leaning, slow tempo
Where this defender ranks vs the field
Box-score production percentiles vs the position cohort
Elite: passes defended (94th percentile). Strength: tackles (90th percentile).
Box-score production (7)
Percentiles are versus same-position peers with enough snaps this season, based on box-score production. There are no play-by-play efficiency bars here: CFBD's play-value model credits offensive players only, so no defensive EPA exists to rank.
Splits & context
Splits
Per-game splits
Through 2 games: 9.5 TKL/g, 0.5 TFL/g, 0.5 SACK/g, 1.0 PD/g — splits start at 3 games.
Supporting cast · Scheme
Staff and system around the player
Head Coach
Mike Jacobs
Scheme reads (pass share, tempo, sack rate) need at least 3 team games — 2 games in so far.
Awards
Player standing · 2026
Backup
Tackle volume for the position at the early end of the ladder.
Roster2-deepStarterRecognizedEliteApex
Career stats
Signature game
SIGNATURE GAME · Week 2 · 2026
W 63–10
7 TOT · 2 SOLO · 1 PD
Dominant 53-point win at home against Central Connecticut.
With J. Alan Richter — 252 yds · 3 TD · 0 INT · QBR 59.1 · 1 rush yds (1 car) · R. Bond — 4 rec · 135 yds · 1 TD
Game log
How he plays
Play style
Carries tight ends and patrols the middle of the field in coverage.
CFB Index positional classification
2026 Outlook
Toledo
2026 Depth chart
Projected starter
Linebacker · Toledo
Returning around him
- 2 Toledo players drafted to NFL
- Transfer portal: -5 net (33 in / 38 out)
2026 Award watch
No preseason watch lists yet (most drop June 15 – July 15)
Toledo · Last season: 8-5 · Talent rank #116 · 2026 recruiting class #121
DNA match
Player DNA
Coverage 'Backer
Carries tight ends and patrols the middle of the field in coverage.
LB
His 2026 production profile sits closest to Mason Posa’s 2025 season.
82%match
All-Big Ten
Matches Mason on
TFL rate
Sack rate
Hurry rate
Not enough data yet for this comparison.
As a sophomore, his production profile tracks closest to Drew Jensen's sophomore season at BYU (2020).
Matches Drew on
Weight
Tackle volume
Height
Differs from Drew on
PD rate (higher)
Sack rate (higher)
Background
2025 Played in all 13 games, recording seven tackles...Credited with a blocked kick vs. Akron...Academic All-MAC. 2024 Played in one game...Retained freshman eligibility. High School First-team all-conference as a senior...Helped lead team to state championship...37 receptions, 664 receiving yard...
The linebacker corps · Toledo
- #6Langston Long33 tackles · 2025
- #46Jeremiah Peters24 tackles · 2025
- #44Isaac Zay3 tackles · 2025
- #28Sam Smith Jr.3 tackles · 2025
- #31Maddox Arnold1 tackle · 2025
8 more on the roster · Toledo team page
Stats from CFBD · ESPN · fan discourse. Every figure computed from source tables — not invented. Methodology