Photos Courtesy of Montreal Alouettes – Rogerio Barbosa

Neiswander threw for a staggering 8,212 yards and 61 touchdowns for the Rams, including throwing 27 touchdowns in his senior season and for more than 300 yards in eight games in his career. In his third season with the Alouettes, he has worked his way to second on the depth chart and is the holder on field goals and extra points.

A Winnsboro native who earned a master's degree in business administration from Angelo State, Neiswander threw for 2,983 yards as a senior at ASU including a 391-yard, five touchdown performance in a win over Central Oklahoma in his final game as a Ram in 2010.

Montreal hosts Edmonton tonight at 6:30 p.m. (CST) in a game which will air on ESPN2. During a busy week of preparing for the game, Neiswander took the time to correspond with AngeloSports.com to talk about his experiences playing football in the CFL and his reflections on his time in San Angelo.

INTERVIEW WITH JOSH NEISWANDER

AngeloSports: What has it been like for you adjusting to the professional level of football?

Neiswander: The mental preparation on a daily basis during the season has been the biggest adjustment for me since I've been in Montreal.  Mentally, I felt like I always made sure I was prepared for every game while at Angelo State.  Since I've been in Montreal, understanding the small intricacies of an offense and dissecting a defense have made me realize the competitive advantage you give yourself as a quarterback if you truly understand all the minor details of what you're doing offensively. 


AngeloSports: What are the biggest challenges you've faced going from college to the CFL?

Neiswander: The biggest challenge has just been understanding that, at the end of the day, professional football is a business first.  I've been really good friends with guys who are with us one day, and gone the next.  You have to understand and realize that football is based truly on what's best for the business side of football.


AngeloSports: Now that you're second on the depth chart, what is your mentality in practice and during games knowing that you could be called upon at any time?

Neiswander: Ever since I've been in Montreal, my mindset has always been to prepare like I'm the starter, regardless of my position on the depth chart.  Any quarterback who strives to be great will tell you the same thing.  Even if you're not starting, you have to prepare like you are because you're only one play away from being counted on to lead your team to victory.  There are no excuses.  No one cares if you're starting or you're a back up.  At the end of the day, if you're in the game, you're being counted on to be productive enough to win. 


AngeloSports: What is it like playing with a legendary CFL quarterback in Anthony Calvillo? Are you trying to utilize his experiences to help you in your own career?

Neiswander: Being around AC every day for the last two and a half years has been amazing.  I've learned so much from AC.  The number one thing that sticks out in my mind when you talk about AC as a quarterback is his relentless preparation as a professional quarterback should on a daily basis.  Watching film with him, talking to him, sitting in meetings with him...all these things have had such a positive influence on my career as a professional quarterback.  The foundation I've built from learning from AC early in my career will have such a huge positive impact on my career long-term.  I'm so grateful for the things I've learned from him. 

AngeloSports: How would you define your role on this year's team?

Neiswander: My role on this year's team is to prepare on a daily basis like I'm being counted on to go in and win games for us.  As holds true in life, whether you like your role or not is sometimes beyond your control.  It is my responsibility and obligation to prepare as if I'm going to play.  If something were to happen to AC, it's my job to step in and pick up where he left off.  If I never play a snap this year, it's still my job to prepare as if I will because I know I will be counted on one day to lead a team as the starter.  I will continue to build a solid foundation as a quarterback so that when I receive the opportunity to start, I will be ready. 


AngeloSports: Which areas of being a quarterback do you think you've improved upon the most the past two years and where is improvement still needed?

Neiswander: The number one thing I've learned from being around Coach Trestman and AC is how to prepare effectively the way a professional quarterback should.  The mental side of preparation is the most important thing you must be able to do as a quarterback.  At the professional level, every quarterback can throw the football like a pro.  The one thing that separates quarterbacks from one another is their preparation.  Coach Mike Krzyzweski said, "to not prepare is the ultimate sign of disrespect."  I firmly believe in this.  Success comes with effective preparation.


AngeloSports: Do you think there are any misconceptions about the CFL that people from Texas and the country have?

Neiswander: The CFL is very popular in Canada and there is a lot of talent here.  I knew absolutely nothing about the CFL before I came up here and quickly learned how high the talent level was here.  The fans here love football and are very passionate about it.  It's a very exciting game to watch and very exciting to play.


AngeloSports: What are your goals in your football career?

Neiswander: My goals as a quarterback are to continue to prepare mentally and physically the way I've learned from some of the best in all of football like Coach Trestman (who is now the head coach of the Chicago Bears and is known as a QB guru) and from AC (who is the all-time leading passer in pro football history).  I know my time will come to lead a team and I want to make sure I'm preparing every day for when that time comes. 

AngeloSports: What lessons or experiences at Angelo State do you think have helped you the most in your football career?

Neiswander: I had a great offensive coordinator in Scott Clough while I was at Angelo State.  He taught me so many things about football, being a quarterback, and leading our football team.  One of the things I respect most about Division II athletics is that you rarely see someone, if anyone, who is on a full athletic scholarship.  You truly learn life in the balance.  You have guys who are getting summer jobs just to be able to pay for the rest of their school that football or other scholarships don't cover.  If you're playing at the Division II level, you know an athlete is truly playing for the love of the game.  I believe there is a lot to be said for someone like that.


AngeloSports: Looking back, what was your time like going to school and playing football at Angelo State?

Neiswander: I truly enjoyed my time at Angelo State.  Even with the passing records I was fortunate to break while I was there (quite obviously because of the teammates that I had around me), the one thing I've always been most proud of while at Angelo State was earning my Master's Degree in Business Administration while finishing up my senior season.  Anyone that knows me knows how passionate I am about football and playing the quarterback position, but records are meant to be broken and soon will be I'm sure.  However, no one can ever take away the Master's degree I earned and the experiences I had that I'm truly blessed and grateful for.  
 

AngeloSports: Aside from football, what are some of the most exciting things you've experienced since graduating from ASU?

Neiswander: My rookie year, I got to see AC break the all-time pro football (NFL and CFL) passing yards, passing touchdowns, and completions record for a career.  That was truly amazing.  To see a guy who has been playing for 20 years and to break records like that...WOW!  His longevity, productivity, and consistency in pro football as a quarterback is spectacular.  
Being around Coach Trestman for the last 2 years has been amazing as well.  I have learned so much from him.  He was always willing to take the time for me to come in outside of football and ask him questions about some of the great QB's he's coached in his career, which has helped me learn and develop as a quarterback tremendously.