At the end of the season, there is a time when senior student athletes have to hang up their jerseys, graduate, gain their diplomas, and move on with their lives but the Saturday nightlights still shine in their rearview.
As a member of the Southern University football team since 2010, for the 6’1 213lbs man from Edgard, La, his time is now up.
As commander of the gridiron in the previous season, he set the expectations high entering the season.
There have been moments such as the first conference game against Prairie View A&M when Joseph threw the record for 480 yards with 62 percent accuracy to attribute for the 62-59 win in overtime. This game opened up a series of high marks because he was seen as a “bullet” in the pocket.
Two weeks later, the respected Head Coach of the Jackson State Tigers, Rick Comegy came with an impressive defense that set Joseph and Southern Head Coach Dawson Odums at their limits and at that point, the Tigers won 14-19 to almost close such a rivalry.
He then went on to make history for Southern University when Clark Atlanta came into town; he shredded the defenses to accost an absolute blowout of 53-0. In the game he became the school’s all time leader with 3,000 passing yards. He is the second quarterback in history other than former quarterback Bryant Lee to throw more than 3,000 passing yards in a single season. In 11 of the 13 games, he threw for more than 200 yards a game.
Head coach, Dawson Odums, could attest to the fact that the record didn’t faze him at all.
“If you could ask him, wins means more to him than an all-time passing record,” said Odums, “I applaud his character and I think it’s a great achievement.”
After that, it’s the time of the year when the Jaguars would face against the Grambling Tigers in a bout called the Bayou Classic in its 40th year anniversary. Joseph would once again surmount to the occasion and step up to the plate. With three touchdown passes in the first half, it was known the tourney was done but at the end of the night, the Jaguars took the 40-17 win in the bowl and also Joseph was awarded the Most Valuable Player award.
Many moments before the Southwestern Athletic Conference Championship game, Joseph along wide Alcorn running back, Arnold Walker, was named the SWAC co-offensive player of the year.
Joseph was then to go to Houston in the Reliant Stadium and on the grandest stage of them all, captured the trophy after taking slight revenge on JSU on the first loss that was at home. It was a nail-biting, tear-jerking score of 34-27.
In his entire career of football, he had 57.5 percent throwing accuracy for 8,745 passing yards and 75 touchdown passes.
He still feels the drive to step out onto the field and continue but alas it is for naught.
“I wanna be out there,” said Joseph as he was reminiscing about his glory days, “But I’m here to do whatever I can for the team.”
Even though he is not in the pocket throwing passes, he became a student assistant to help those continue what he started
Odums believes that he has high aspirations for the future
“I believe that he has high aspirations to be a coach and if not then he will get his degree and I believe he will have a very bright future ahead of him.”
With his college career over he now begins to become a beacon for the future.
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The end of an Era: Joseph continues to aide Jaguar offense.
August 27, 2014
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