Joe Fields, SU Quarterback (January 16, 2004)
“It wasn’t as difficult as people make it seem. I took one course in summer school. Prior to my junior year, me and my high school coaches thought about the situation and if I wanted to excel as a college quarterback and sharpen my game, then to go to college and go through spring ball would be a great thing for me to do. I basically took a class in summer school and doubled up on my courses in economics and government. It wasn’t hard. I’m not saying it came easy, but it wasn’t hard. I had an A average.”
Did the expectation of starting at quarterback at Syracuse is what pull you to SU?
“Yes, that’s the advantage for me to come early. To be able to compete and get to know the guys and get a chance to work hands-on with the coaches and learn the playbook.”
What is your style of play?
“Well, my role model is Donovan McNabb, so that should say it all right there. I feel if can make all the throws. If something breaks down, I can make things happen. I adapt to the offense. I prepare well. I try to find the advantages with the defense and try to attack them.”
Did the fact that Donovan McNabb played at Syracuse meant a lot to you?
“It had a little impact, but I came here because it was a good situation for me.”
What role did Coach Pasqualoni and Coach DeLeone play in your choosing Syracuse?
“Coach P and Coach DeLeone were the two guys who recruited me very hard. I had built up a trust with those guys. So, for me to come here in January with a new coach who I hadn’t been communicating with, that would have been hard. Coach P and Coach DeLeone here – that was the deciding factor.”
What are you hoping to learn before practice starts in August?
“I’m hoping to get a concept of the playbook. To know what’s going on, so when I get out there, I can ask questions and try to interact with the guys.”
Do you know anyone else who left high school early to come to college and did you turn to them for advice?
“Bobby Reed, the quarterback for Oklahoma State, we’re pretty good friends. We talked about doing it. I know Chris Leak. He also did it. It’s growing. With the speed of the game and how much it’s growing, I think if you want to come in and compete as a freshman, that’s the step you’ve got to make.”
What is the bigger advantage of coming here early – learning the X’s and O’s or getting acclimated to the college atmosphere?
“The biggest thing is education because the classes, they’re pretty tough right now. So, I get a chance to get a feel for them and get an understanding for them, then I think football will come naturally once I get in and apply my work habit, I think that will come easy.”
What does it mean to you to hear Coach P say that you will compete right away for the starting quarterback job?
“It was a big deciding factor. No disrespect to (current SU quarterbacks) Perry (Patterson) or Xzavier (Gaines) or Matt (Hale), I just feel that if I get a chance to compete with those guys, why take a back seat to them? I feel like my ability is just as good as theirs. So, if I get a chance to come here and work just as hard as those guys, why not give me a shot at it?”
Why did you choose Syracuse?
“Syracuse put me No. 1 from the beginning. I felt with Tennessee and Arkansas and Wisconsin, those guys were waiting on another guy. They weren’t putting me first. Syracuse showed my family so much love and so much support. Syracuse has the perfect pair for me with education and football.”
Did the change in conference membership affected your decision?
“I wasn’t really concerned about the conference because I had totally bought into Coach P and Coach DeLeone, so wherever we would be playing, I would be fine with that.”
What do you think it will be like to play with a running back like Walter Reyes?
“When you talk about coming in and playing as a freshman, you’ve got to have a guy who can take some pressure off, so I hope Walter and I will become good friends.”
What have you been doing since your arrived on campus?
“Basically, I’ve just been trying to get my schedule together and get to know some of the guys.”
How do you feel about missing your senior prom and high school graduation?
“I get to go back for my prom and graduation because by the time final exams here are over, I can go back and catch up with all of that.”
Have you met a lot of guys on the team yet?
“I’ve met quite a few. I met Perry (Patterson). We have been working out a little bit. I’ve met Xzavier (Gaines) and Tommy Harris and Steve MacDonald.”
What is your impression of the SU playbook?
“I haven’t had a chance to get into it yet, because Coach D and Coach P just came back from recruiting. So hopefully I can get into it sometime today or sometime this week.”
Do you feel any pressure coming into a program that has had Donovan McNabb and Marvin Graves?
“I don’t feel as though I’m coming in here trying to be Donovan McNabb. I’m Joseph Fields and I’m trying to make a name for myself. If people want to compare me to Donovan McNabb, that’s fine with me. I’m not going to say I’m scared of it. I’m not going to shy away from that role either. By doing the math I knew that by the time R.J. (Anderson) left, that the door would be open. I thought there might have been another recruit in sometime by now, but I guess it all worked out for me.”
Are you worried that another quarterback recruit will show up at SU?
“I feel as though my ability will speak for itself. Those guys have to come here and compete, just like I have to compete, so that doesn’t scare me.”
How would you introduce yourself to people who have never seen you play?
“My style is entertaining. But, it’s team first. I’m going to do everything for the team. If the play breaks down, I’ll get it in the right play. If everything breaks down, I feel like I’m going to be the leader, regardless of my classification. When I’m in the huddle, I take control. I think I’ll be somebody you’ll want to come see.”
What is your biggest strength – your arm or your legs?
“In high school, I’d say it was either. I think it has to be my brain at this level. I think I have to get in and know the X’s and O’s and know what all 22 guys on the field are doing.”
Can you make all the throws?
“Yes, sir.”
What is your biggest weakness coming in?
“Probably inexperience.”
Have you thought about wearing the No. 5 jersey?
“That was my high school number and I got it in high school because Donovan (McNabb) wore it. I would like to wear that number here.”
How did your high school basketball coach feel about your leaving early to come to Syracuse?
“He wasn’t too fond of it, but he knew my career at the next level would be football and he supported me.”
Do you already know about the lifting program at SU?
“Yesterday was my first day in the weight room. It’s different from high school, but I have to get in there and get more strength to compete at this level. I know that, so I’ll be in there faithfully everyday.”
Were you surprised by the size of some of the guys at SU?
“There’s some pretty big guys here, but like you said, in Texas, when you get into the playoffs everybody is like a college player, so the size isn’t really surprising.”
Do you think it will help having played against big guys like the size of the players in Texas?
“Yes, sir. I think it gives me a great advantage.”
