No wonder it appears New Mexico State wide receiver Isaiah Garcia-Castaneda is pursuing a degree in perseverance.

NMSU’s 2020 football season was canceled because of the pandemic. Garcia-Castaneda missed half of the Aggies’ two-game spring season because of a groin injury. And then in late August — four months after receiving Johnson &Johnson’s COVID-19 vaccine — he began experiencing sore-to-the-touch aches and fatigue.

“I had every symptom you could think of,” he said. “I lost my sense of taste and smell. I had chills, and a fever. Everything you could think of. I was hurting pretty bad.”

He said he was surprised when he tested positive for the Delta variant.

“Being vaccinated, it was shocking to me,” Garcia-Castaneda said. “I was following protocols, wearing masks when I needed to wear them. I honestly don’t know where I caught the virus.”

Garcia-Castaneda said the symptoms eased and eventually disappeared during 10 days of isolation. He has since tested negative.

“I got my taste and smell back,” he said. “That was rough. I couldn’t enjoy food. I was just eating to stay healthy and fuel my body. I couldn’t taste anything. I had to make sure I was eating meals and stuff. It came back probably a week after having it.”

Garcia-Castaneda is expected to be an important part of the Air Raid offense when NMSU plays host to Hawaii in Saturday’s homecoming game at Aggie Memorial Stadium.

Garcia-Castaneda, who missed the San Diego State game while in quarantine, returned to throw an 11-yard touchdown pass and score on a 75-yard, catch-and-sprint play against New Mexico. Last week, he caught a 41-yard scoring pass in a rout of South Carolina State.

“It was really exciting,” he said of his dual performance against New Mexico. “I definitely didn’t think I was going to throw a touchdown before I caught one. We practiced that (option) play all week. And for that to transfer to the game and work out the way it did, it was a fun experience.”

Garcia-Castaneda grew up in Twentynine Palms, Calif., which is one of the entry points to Joshua Tree National Park and home to Marine Corps Air Ground Combat Center. His father served 15 years in the Marine Corps.

“It’s an everybody-knows-everybody type of place,” he said. “Really hot out there in the (Mojave) Desert. It was rough in the summers. I grew up with the same kids from the time we were little until we graduated from high school together. I enjoyed. It’s what I called home.”

He played at Saddleback College in Mission Viejo, Calif., before accepting an offer NMSU. He said he was sold on the Air Raid, a spread passing attack that benefits receivers, and the Aggies’ independent status. In addition to a home-and-home series against UH, the Aggies also play at Alabama and Kentucky this season.

“If you have a good game against those guys — you’re playing future NFL guys — that only helps your stock as an individual,” Garcia-Castaneda said. “It sucks not being able to play for a conference title, but I definitely think there are tons of positives that come with being an independent. Being able to schedule, really, whoever you want, I enjoy it.”