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QB, 6'4, 205, 4.78, 280 BP
Crawfordville, FL
Nickname: Parker
Birthday: 9-10-80
High School: Wakulla
HS Mascot: War Eagles
HS Coach: J.D. Jones
HS Position: QB
HS Number: 12
AL Number: 12
Official Visits: Alabama
Host During Alabama Visit: Paul Hogan
Committed: 11-15-98
Academic Status: Qualified
Stats
HS Senior Season
Passing
Career
Passing
Honors
- All-State
- Two-time All-Big Bend
SBR Scouting Report
Has all of the physical tools desired in a quarterback. Great size and good arm strength. Effective mobility. Appeared to be capable of making every throw in the film we observed. Projects as a quarterback.
[Observation: senior game film.]
Stories
Parker Learns From Tough Freshman Season
It didn't take Josh Parker long to win his position at Wakulla. He started the first game of his freshman season against Madison County.
"I wasn't nervous because we had a senior offensive line and two seniors in the backfield," recalls Parker. "My only concern was getting all those seniors to listen to a freshman quarterback."
Parker can't recall his statistics against Madison County, but he does know that he had a bad game and that his team lost 31-13.
Through the first six games, things got worse. The young quarterback threw six interceptions, and his team lost five of its first six games.
"It was very frustrating, but I learned something from it," Parker says. "Regardless of what's going on, I have to keep my poise, my confidence, and continue to work hard. If I do that, things will work out."
And after the sixth game, things got better. Parker didn't throw another interception, and his team won three of its last four games.
Parker finished with 960 yards passing and five touchdowns, and Wakulla ended with a 4-6 record.
"It was a bad season," Parker says. "But the way we rallied together at the end set the tone for us to have a great team the next season. It was a tough year, but it was a great learning experience."
The Junior Jinx
Following his sophomore season, Josh Parker was on top of the world. He had passed for 2,086 and 19 touchdowns and had led his team to a 10-2 record and a berth in the state playoffs.
Parker |
"I was feeling pretty good," Parker says. "Maybe a little too good."
Parker was enjoying his great season so much that he forgot about the most important thing.
"Everything was going good for me," Parker says. "Then all of sudden my grades slipped. I wasn't paying attention to school like I should've been."
In order to improve his grades, Parker did not play football his junior season.
"Man, was it tough," recalls Parker. "I was looking forward to having a great year. I let my teammates and myself down. It was the worst feeling I've ever had."
Now Parker has a 3.0 GPA.
"It taught me a good lesson," Parker says. "I realize that it's important to keep my priorities straight."
Parker thinks that missing his junior season cost him in the recruiting process.
"I'm thankful for the opportunity to have a chance to go to Alabama. It's the greatest thing that's ever happened to me," Parker says. "But if I wouldn't have screwed up, a lot more schools would've been interested in me. I think I would've been rated much higher."
Alabama and UCF were the only schools to offer Parker a scholarship.
Not The Spurrier Type
Last summer Josh Parker showed out at the Steve Spurrier Quarterback Camp. He shared the camp's Most Valuable Quarterback Award with Prep All-American Rex Grossman. But at the end of the camp, Grossman got a scholarship offer and Parker didn't.
"Maybe I'm not the Spurrier type," Parker says. "He's particular with the way his quarterbacks throw the ball. He likes them to hold it a certain way and throw it in a certain way."
Did Parker feel shunned?
"At first I kind of did because I'm very confident," he says. "I think that I'm as good or better than him [Grossman]. I've got the size and arm strength on him. He had better stats in high school because he threw the ball more."
War Eagle!
Josh Parker is a War Eagle.
"That was our mascot in high school," he says. "We used to be the Rebels, but they changed it back in the 70s."
Next season Parker better remember that he has a new battle cry.
"That won't be a problem," he says. "Roll Tide sounds much better."
Parker Lets One Fly
At a practice during his sophomore season, Josh Parker was throwing deep post routes to his favorite receiver, Darrell Cook.
"I was feeling pretty good," Parker says. "I felt like seeing how far I could throw it. I setup on my 30. The ball hit two yards behind the end zone."
That's 82 yards in the air!
"Everybody on the team saw it. My coach said he didn't know I could throw it that far. I didn't either."
Parker hasn't tried to air one out lately.
"I haven't tried since then," he says. "But I'd say that consistently I can throw it 70 to 75 yards in the air."
Q&A
TI: After sitting out your junior season, did you feel a little rusty this year?
JP: Overall, I wasn't totally satisfied with this season. I think the layoff hurt me. My timing was off. And we didn't throw the ball as much as I'd like. I'm a lot better than what I showed this season. I just need to continue to working and I'll get back to my old self.
TI: Wasn't your best performance this year the game when Ronnie Cottrell and Charlie Stubbs came to scout you?
JP: Yeah, it was. I threw for something like 302 yards and five touchdowns. But the main thing that night was that we threw it about 50 times. All I needed was a chance to throw the ball. That I night I got the chance.
TI: A few days before signing day you injured a knee. What's the status of the injury?
JP: Yeah, I tore the ACL on my right knee playing soccer. I had to have reconstructive surgery, but it's coming along real well. I've almost already got the full range of motion back. I hope to be back to 90% by June 1st.
TI: How did the injury happen?
JP: I'm the goalie for my high school team. I jumped up to block a corner shot and a guy on the other team ran into to my knee. It was kind of weird because I was in the air and his shoulder went right into my knee. I felt it tear.
TI: How did you break the news to the Alabama coaches?
JP: Coach Cottrell and Coach DuBose came to my house the day after it happened. I told them that I thought it was torn. They were really good about it.
TI: Will the injury affect your status for next season?
JP: I'm not really sure yet. If it's 100% then I think there's a chance that I'll play. If not, then I'll definitely redshirt. The main thing is that I don't want to try to play until it's completely healed. I don't want to rush it and get hurt again.
TI: Considering that Andrew Zow will be a sophomore and Tyler Watts a redshirt freshman, you're coming into a very competitive situation.
JP: If you're going to be a quarterback, the most important thing is that you are confident. If I didn't believe in myself and have confidence then I shouldn't be a quarterback. I'm not intimidated at all by the competition at Alabama. I believe that I can go in and win the job next year. And if I don't win it next year, I think I'll win it the year after that.
TI: Have you set any goals?
JP: I need to go in and get the team to believe in me. I want to start by my sophomore season. My team goal is to help Alabama win a national championship.
TI: How did the offense you ran in high school compare to Alabama's?
JP: It really didn't compare much at all. We didn't throw the ball as much, and the formations were different.
TI: Do you think the transition to Alabama's offense will be difficult?
JP: I just need some time to learn more about reading defenses. In high school we ran the play that was called, so I didn't really have an opportunity to read a defense and call audibles. I can tell whether it's a zone or man defense -- it's not really that hard to figure out -- but there are a lot of coverages that I haven't seen.
TI: As a quarterback, what's your best quality?
JP: It's definitely my arm. I've got a strong arm and I'm very accurate.
TI: In terms of style, is there a quarterback that you'd compare yourself to?
JP: I've always liked Joe Montana, but I'd say that I'm more like Brett Favre. I've got the ability to make big plays with my arm. I can throw on the run, but I like to stay in the pocket.
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