Southwick Excelling as Backup to Heisman Candidate for National Title Contender, Boise State

Joe Southwick will always be remembered in the East Bay as one of the region's best high school quarterbacks of all time.

Despite redshirting last year at Boise State, the 2009 graduate of San Ramon Valley High is starting to make a name for himself as the backup to Heisman trophy hopeful Kellen Moore on a team which opens its season Monday against Virginia Tech and is ranked No. 3 in the Associated Press Top-25.

In his redshirt season, Southwick was listed at No. 3 on the depth chart, prepared to play and traveled to every away game. He also went through a strict regiment meant for redshirts, which included 5:45 a.m. workouts four days a week, and earned the team's Scout Team Offensive Player of the Year Award.

The potentially overwhelming workload is paying dividends now.

"I came in with a pretty unique situation," Southwick said. "I practiced by running the scout team and had to be in all the meetings. It definitely excelled my progression. The speed has really slowed down and I've learned a lot from Kellen. Now I'm excited to get into a game."

With Moore ahead of him, Southwick knows his opportunities will likely be limited, but said there are some packages that will allow him to see the field this year.

"It's great learning experience learning from best (Moore)," Southwick said. "It's been above and beyond what I expected. He's brilliant, a great person and really approachable. Being behind him has definitely made me a better player."

Southwick's athleticism and ability to make plays outside the pocket — something he made a living doing for the Wolves — would allow Boise to show a different look from Moore, who is primarily a pocket-passer.

Boise State coach Chris Peterson listed Southwick and senior Mike Coughlin co-backups on the depth chart, but most reports out of Boise indicate Southwick outplayed his counterpart through the spring and summer.

In a recent article for the Idaho Statesman, Brian Murphy writes:

"The prediction of future greatness stems not only from what Southwick has done on the field, where he has been extremely impressive throwing the ball, particularly his ability to dodge the rush and find receivers. But it also comes from the reports of his extensive work away from it. Football, for all of its violent hits, speed and toughness, is a thinking man's game - particularly at Boise State and especially at quarterback."

With the No. 3 preseason ranking, Boise has a realistic shot at reaching the Bowl Championship Series championship game, but despite the national buzz and lofty expectations, Southwick said the team is able to stay fairly even keeled and is focused on Monday's opener against Virginia Tech.

"We're all about all about Virginia Tech," he said. "It's going to be insane. It might be bigger than (last year's) Fiesta Bowl, which was also completely insane. At the Fiesta the fans were 50-50, but, while I think we'll have a pretty good turnout, fans at stadium in Washington D.C. are going to be for Virginia Tech. It's going to be a pretty hostile environment."

It remains to be seen if Southwick will see playing time, but if he does, he is confident he'll be ready.

Somehow, the former North Coast Section championship-winning quarterback still finds time to keep tabs on the prep scene at home in Danville.

"I definitely keep close tabs on San Ramon," he said. "I'm always checking the write-ups to see what's going on in the (East Bay Athletic League). Honestly, it's a lot of fun. I miss high school football a lot. I look back and wish I had one more game, my best memories from high school were definitely on the football field."

"What we were able to achieve (an NCS 3-A title and an NCS 4-A semifinals appearance) was pretty significant," said Southwick, who replaced Nevada's Corbin Louks, who is now playing safety, as the starting quarterback at San Ramon. "Beating Monte Vista twice was super special. Definitely a highlight going there twice and winning there twice, when no one thought we would in my senior year."

Southwick's backup from 2008, Chris Comes, earned a scholarship to North Dakota and replacing him at San Ramon this year is junior Zach Kline, another Danville-bred signal-caller blessed with Division-I talent. 

"Kline is going to be an outstanding player," Southwick said. "He's got the talent to be a great one, now he just has to go out there and prove it."

The same can be said for Southwick, but for now, he's content waiting for his turn.

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