"I can remember those plays exactly," says BYU quarterback John Beck. "The first one was an option to the left, then there was a Y-option X-shallow, and the other one was a seam ball. I threw it up, and they picked it."
The day was Aug. 28, 2003. The game was BYU's season opener against visiting Georgia Tech. The plays, which appear to be firmly seared into Beck's memory bank, were his first ever as a college freshman quarterback.
The 6-foot-2, 212-pound senior from Mesa, Ariz., doesn't have to reach deep into his soul to recall that disastrous series. In fact, all he has to do is simply open up the BYU football media guide and turn to his own bio. Skip down to Beck's freshman summary and there it is:
"...saw his first collegiate action in the first half of the Cougars' 24-13 win over Georgia Tech...sacked for a 10-yard loss on his first play from scrimmage...was credited with a fumble (recovered by BYU) on his second play from scrimmage...threw an interception on his first collegiate pass attempt -- his third play from scrimmage..."
Fortunately for Beck, the power went out in the television truck when he took the field, and only those in the stands saw his performance. But, Beck still recalls stepping onto the field that day wide-eyed. The opposing players looked huge, "even though," he says now, "they weren't." BYU ended up winning the game behind then starting quarterback Matt Berry, but Beck's personal defeat -- not the team's victory -- was what stuck with him that night.
"I remember driving home just furious," Beck said. "I lost my parking pass for the year because when I got in my car I was so mad, I yanked it off my window, crumpled it up and threw it on the ground. I ended up throwing it away, and I went to our secretary and asked for a parking pass for the next game. I thought they went weekly, but they were actually for the whole year."
That night when Beck's girlfriend, Barbara (now wife), called to console him, Beck was less than grateful.
"I got all mad, and I didn't want to talk to her," he says sheepishly. "But I knew, even though that happened, I could do great things. Stuff happens in football. I wasn't going to let that get my confidence down because I knew that as I matured as a quarterback that we could get back to this point."
Records Within His Sight
Beck has certainly matured, and his numbers prove it. Going into his senior season, Beck is on the verge of cementing his place in BYU football history by shooting up the charts on several lists. Among them, Beck has a chance to leave BYU at second place in passing yards, total offense, and completions. He may also become BYU's third-most-prolific-touchdown passer.
The Mountain West Conference's record books could be headed for a little editing as well. That's because Beck has a legitimate shot at finishing his collegiate career as the MWC's all-time leader in passing yards, completions, touchdown passes and total offense by the end of 2006. However, in stark contrast to Beck's freshman year, the star quarterback is dispassionate about his personal production and very passionate about his team's production, which points further to Beck's maturity.
"I was just talking to my dad," Beck said, "and he made the comment, 'You know, I never thought back when you were 10 years old that you'd be in this situation where you've already played for three years, and you're going into your fourth season with the opportunity to finish second on the career passing list in BYU's history.' I told him, 'Dad, it doesn't mean a dang thing to me because it feels like I haven't done anything yet.' "
Beck's sentiments to his dad refer to BYU's two consecutive losing seasons before pulling off a .500 record in 2005. Beck elaborates by recounting his Pop Warner days in which he played on teams that won city and league championships. He goes on to talk about the city and state championships he won at Mountain View High School in Mesa -- a football team that experienced all of two losses during Beck's tenure as quarterback.
"I was always used to winning," Beck says. "It hasn't been that way [at BYU], and in my mind, it's the winning that matters. If I didn't have this senior year and I walked off this campus and looked back, maybe I'd find some things I'm proud of. But, as of right now, I really don't look at the past at all. And that's why I'm looking forward to this year because we can be great this year."
Beck's declaration of potential greatness comes at the heels of the Cougars' first winning regular season and first bowl appearance since 2001. Behind newly hired offensive coordinator Robert Anae's system and Beck's arm, BYU ranked fifth nationally in 2005 with a MWC-best 309.1 yards per game. By Beck's estimation, with a year's worth of experience, the only way to go from here is up.
"Last year, we had new coaches," Beck explains. "We went into that Boston College game almost curious, trying to find out for ourselves how good we could be. When we walked off the field against Cal [in the Pioneer PureVision Las Vegas Bowl], even though we lost, we had a good performance. That should be a platform to this season. We should be able to be confident when we step on the field at Arizona, knowing that we're going to go out and have an even more successful season than last year."
MWC Title Hopes
For Beck and the rest of the seniors, it's the last chance for success. In fact, it's the last chance to do a lot of things that Beck says have been left undone. First and foremost is winning the conference title, something Beck envisioned doing multiple times when he first arrived at BYU.
"There hasn't been one yet, and it's really hard to think that a couple plays here and there last year and we have a conference championship trophy sitting up in the football office," Beck says. "I feel for the guys in the NFL who go to the Super Bowl and they don't win it, and they never go back. We have a chance to 'go back.' I'm really looking at this season to be able to have a trophy sitting up in that football office, so when I come back in five years and bring my kids to a BYU football game, I can walk by and say, 'I was a part of that trophy.'"
A not-so-distant second on Beck's priority list is beating the University of Utah. In three seasons at BYU, Beck has failed to beat the Cougars' eternal nemesis in each try. Not counting 2003's 0-3 loss in which Beck did not play because of a broken hand, Beck's best opportunity to beat Utah came up short in last year's 34-41 overtime defeat.
"If we had beaten Utah last year, they wouldn't have gone to a bowl game," Beck said. "That would have felt great to have kept them out of a bowl game."
The road to achieving a team's goals starts in spring and summer training, which Beck spent this offseason with his team's goals in mind -- along with the knowledge that this is his last hurrah.
"I've always prided myself in the way I train in the offseason, but there's a difference this year because it's my last year," Beck explains. "I've got six more games to play in LaVell Edwards Stadium for the rest of my life. That stadium is a huge reminder to me of that."
With more games played at LaVell Edwards Stadium on his resume than games left to play in the stadium on his schedule, Beck believes the experience he and the rest of the team have gained will amount to a sky's-the-limit attitude in the locker room. But, spend a few minutes talking to Beck and you'll get the impression that maybe even the sky is no limit.
"I think we can do anything we want," Beck says. "For us seniors, we've been through so much. We've played against No. 1 USC. We've played against Notre Dame. We've played against Georgia Tech. We've played against a lot of big teams that have done well. I think we saw how good we could be last year, and I really think we can go out there and win every game."
Those who witnessed Beck's first collegiate series against Georgia Tech might not have ever expected the same quarterback to utter those words in a BYU uniform. However, the road Beck had to take to get to this point wasn't an easy one. It was filled with frustration, criticism, losing seasons and seeing the departure of a coach. But, the road Beck took is also one he does not regret.
"I never expected it to be this hard," Beck admits. "I never imagined that I'd have to go through all that stuff. But, I've gone through it, and it's made me a tougher quarterback."
Beck continued, "It would be nice to be sitting in this interview saying 'We've won 30 games in the last three years, we've had two conference championships and everything is great.' But, I sit here today unable to say that. But, I can say that even though it's been a tough road, I'm glad for where I'm at right now because it's made me a tougher person and a better player. Heading into this season, there are going to be situations where we're going to need to make a play. I feel confident that I will make those plays because of the lessons I've learned."
So, what will the media guides say about Beck's last collegiate series?
"I don't know," Beck says. "I just hope when we walk off the field after my last game we walk off champions -- conference champions and bowl champions. But, no one is going to hand it to us. It's not enough for us to want it to happen. We need to make it happen."
Beck Within Reach Of The Top
Only 10 football games remain in John Beck's BYU career. What Beck does in those
games could go a long way toward sealing his legacy as an all-time great
quarterback at a program known for producing great quarterbacks.
"It's funny because I don't even think about it," Beck says. "Someone will bring
it up to me, but when I watch film I don't think, 'Geez, if I would have hit
that, then I would have had this many yards and I'd be that much closer.' When
it comes down to it, there's no fun in having records. The fun comes from winning."
It may not be fun for Beck, but for the rest of us it sure is. Here's a look at
where Beck currently ranks in BYU and history as well as where he could end up
when it's all said and done.
BYU Career Completion Stats
RankName, Years Games Comp.
1Ty Detmer, 1988-91 46 958
2Jim McMahon, 1977-81 36 653
3*John Beck, 2003-2006 33 640
4Robbie Bosco, 1981-85 31 638
5Kevin Feterik, 1996-99 39 613
6Steve Young, 1980-83 31 592
7John Walsh, 1991-94 38 588
8Marc Wilson, 1975-79 32 535
9Steve Sarkisian, 1995-96 25 528
10Gifford Nielsen, 1973-77 25 415
11Gary Sheide, 1973-74 20 358
12Virgil Carter, 1964-66 30 327
13Brandon Doman, 1998-2001 32 313
* Needing 58 completions to pass Jim McMahon for second all-time at BYU, Beck
has averaged 199 completions per season.