Indiana wide receiver Elijah Sarratt has embraced the nickname Waffle House.
“He’s open right now,” his father Donnie, who came up with the nickname, said of Elijah as he shot an interview with the Big Ten Network for an episode of the Journey about his son.
Donnie couldn’t have known whether Elijah was really open at that very moment, but that’s the whole point. Elijah, like Waffle House, is always open, you see.
And over his career, Sarratt has 228 catches, 3,535 yards and 41 touchdowns to back up that claim.
But did you know Waffle House also offers delivery?
It’s featured during clutch time.
And no matter how big the moment or how tight the window, when the game has been on the line this season, Sarratt has found a way. 13-0 and No. 1 in America IU football probably doesn’t happen without him.
On Sept. 27 at Iowa with Indiana tied with less than two minutes remaining, Sarratt utilized his precise route running skills. When Iowa went to zero coverage, Sarratt caught a shallow crosser and broke a tackle. He ran free down the middle of the field 49 yards through Iowa hearts for the game-winner.
At Oregon two weeks later, Sarratt utilized his size and physicality to create separation — and produced another game-winning fourth quarter score in a hostile environment on the road.
And then in the Indiana’s biggest moment of the season against Ohio State, Sarratt made a contested catch on a back shoulder throw in the end zone for what proved to be the difference in the Big Ten Championship game.
They were three different kinds of catches highlighting Sarratt’s best attributes as a receiver. And they were plays IU fans will remember for years.
“He always seems to be at his best in those big moments,” offensive coordinator Mike Shanahan said on Saturday. “I feel like he kind of has a clutch factor about him. His ball skills, he’s a really intelligent receiver. He can diagnose coverages, anticipates well, understands when to find voids in the zone, and then he does a good job separating versus man-to-man and making tough catches.”
Sarratt’s knack for rising to the occasion has been apparent before this season. Before the big moments, he had to silence the doubters. After receiving no FBS offers out of high school, Sarratt has capitalized on every opportunity on his path to becoming one of college football’s best receivers.
Each step up the ladder — St. Francis, James Madison, and Indiana — Sarratt has produced. He embodies Indiana coach Curt Cignetti’s production over potential mantra, producing on the field every chance he gets. That production led him to JMU and now IU, and now he’s delivering with the game on the line.
“When those moments come, I just take a little time to myself on the bench, take a little deep breath, maybe say a little prayer to the man above and then I’m ready to go,”Sarratt said Saturday.
“Really being in those moments is all about just trusting your training. I remember coaches have been preaching that to me for a while. Just trust your training and do what you do and go out there and it’s no different. You’re just still running the routes. You’re still blocking like it’s the first or second quarter. It’s just a little extra pressure on you.
“But I pride myself when the pressure comes making those plays. I put a lot of hard work in behind the scenes that allows me to be ready for those moments. My quarterback, my linemen, they’re ready for those moments too, and they allow me to succeed as well.”
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