The St. John Fisher University football team needed a spark in the second quarter of a game on Sept. 21, 2024. After nearly a game and a half of the young season, Fisher had been outscored by 68 points and were still searching for their first score. Senior wide receiver Jaylen Brantley answered, securing a 91-yard touchdown pass en route to etching his name in the record books.
Brantley recorded 249 yards on six receptions while scoring a pair of touchdowns in the 42-40 win against Keystone College. He now holds the St. John Fisher record for most receiving yards in a game, surpassing William Coon’s mark of 222 yards in 2016. In addition to the record, he was also dubbed the Empire 8 Offensive Player of the Week.
The game plan for Fisher heading into the matchup was to exploit Keystone’s secondary defense. The squad executed early, and after Brantley’s 91-yard catch, he was eager to pour it on. “I was telling everybody else on the team I was like, ‘Let’s get ready for a track meet boys, let’s get ready to run.’”
The chemistry between Brantley and quarterback Ryan Whitney continued throughout the game, as the pair connected on an 81-yard pass in the third quarter. Following the contest, Brantley received congratulatory messages from his mother and other family members.
Former Fisher students were in attendance for Alumni Weekend, including Joe Milanese, who last suited up for Fisher in 2023 as a defensive back. Milanese chatted with Brantley, his former teammate, before the game and perhaps predicted the stellar performance. “He was like, ‘I need 200 yards, Brantley, I need 200 yards.’ And I’m like, ‘Yeah I got you, bro,’” Brantley said.
“I want to just model that and be that guy for this team, like if you need a play, they can count on me.”
Holding a school record wasn’t something Brantley could’ve predicted, but he was ready to give it his all for his final season. “Being a senior this year, I knew this was my last chance to go out and make my name known. I wanted to at least have a great season, but I didn’t envision breaking a record,” he explained. “Going out there and doing that, it’s just a good feeling.”
Before his record-breaking game, the Syracuse, New York native was once a freshman getting used to the game of football at the collegiate level. “The transfer from high school to college– everything was so much faster, there’s a lot to learn,” Brantley said.
His sophomore season created an unexpected roadblock. During practice, Brantley suffered a back injury that would limit his ability to play the game at full capacity. “It did take a while to get back into the swing of things, just running full speed and being able to move how I did before,” Brantley explained. “Being able to fight through it and keep going on is another thing that’s very helpful for me.”
Since his freshman year in 2021, Brantley has also participated in Fisher’s basketball program. He explained that the injury made it more difficult to play basketball, but that he’s always had a passion for the sport along with football.
Brantley has admired many people during his time at Fisher, including wide receiver coaches Bradley Whitlock and Will Blake, as well as offensive coordinator Ryan Heasley. Referring to Heasley, Brantley said, “[He] always believes in us and the offense as a whole; knowing that we can win one-on-ones and believing that we can actually go out there and perform our best every weekend.”
Outside of Fisher, Brantley gets his inspiration from NFL receivers like former Detroit Lion Calvin Johnson and Davante Adams of the Raiders. He explained that he tries to model his game after the All-Pro wideouts, appreciating their ability to be playmakers. “I want to just model that and be that guy for this team, like if you need a play, they can count on me,” Brantley stated.
As for the rest of the season, Brantley has one main goal in mind: winning. His eyes are set on the playoffs, as he has not yet been a part of postseason football for Fisher. When asked about making the playoffs in 2024, Brantley responded, “Hopefully this is the year, it’s definitely looking good for us.”
Currently majoring in interdisciplinary arts, Brantley wants to land a career that he can be comfortable in. However, he hopes to continue his playing days after school, playing either football or basketball.
Catch the 2024 Fisher football team in action in an upcoming game on campus.
