Dolincheck nominated for NFF Campbell Trophy

Morningside University senior football student-athlete Joe Dolincheck has been named the program's nominee for the prestigious National Football Foundation William V. Campbell trophy, commonly referred to as the "Academic Heisman." A profile of Dolincheck follows below.

Joe Dolincheck had a mentor few could match in 2018 when it came to understanding the ins and outs of being a Morningside University quarterback.

Current National Association of Intercollegiate Athletics record holder and national champion Trent Solsma would be someone any potential quarterback candidate could learn from.

"It meant and still means the world to me," the senior from Bellevue, Neb., noted. "Trent was and is a great guy and player. To be able to have conversations with a guy like him was so special. I knew he had learned what it was to be a Mustangs quarterback from guys before him like Ryan Kasdorf and Craig Fobbe. It's a continuing cycle from one person to the next. I understand not to take that for granted."

Better than 13,000 yards passing and 130 touchdown connections, a National Player of the Year award and two national championships later, and Dolincheck, the former student following in the footsteps of someone with a similar resume, has become the teacher.

"We've got a young set of quarterbacks behind me," he admitted. "I'm the only upperclassman, so it's time for me to pour as much information as I can into who the main back-up or back-ups will be."

"Trent did such a good job feeding me knowledge," he added. "It's my turn now. I need to relay the intuition that's developed on the field and hope they can learn from my experience from and years as a starter."

His leadership skills aren't just in the form of the offensive backfield, either. With former wide receiver star Reid Jurgensmeier now off into his personal and professional life, Dolincheck knows he has to divulge the paths of success to pass catchers like Caleb Schweigart, Austin Johnson, Sione Tuifua and others.

"The connection Reid and I had was something that just doesn't happen every day," he admitted. "I've got to make sure I'm able to disseminate key route information to our receivers in every practice and game. I feel like there are incredible possibilities with what Caleb and Austin, as examples, have done before. The on and off the field relationships with those two and many others will be so very important to build so we are on the same page."

He isn't alone in sending out the 2022 leadership vibes. Head coach Steve Ryan's acumen with quarterbacks is the stuff legends are made of. Dolincheck constantly leans on his head coach for information and tricks of the trade even in the wake of what he's accomplished.

"Coach has long told me that as long as he sees progression, he, the coaching staff and my teammates will have confidence in me," he said. "I'm going to deliver that same message to the new guys. They have to be able to trust everyone around them."

"In my mind, leadership skills just don't happen," he added. "I've talked with Coach Ryan about that. He told me a simple fact that being a better leader means being the best teammate I can. A good example of that was last year's national championship game against Grand View. Our entire team was a big family. While some of us didn't play our best, we all believed in each other, and, in the end, the connection with teammates and the leadership we had through that led us to the win."

Among the new names Dolincheck shares with on and off the field is a burgeoning standout from his alma mater of Bellevue High School in the form of Luke Johannsen.

"It was cool, because he reached out to me in the summer and asked me what it was like to play quarterback for Morningside," Dolincheck remembered. "I told him 'Get ready because it will be one of the most fun offenses you will ever play in. I told him it was a lot like what he saw in high school. He was ready to jump at the chance to come here after we talked."

Another quarterback student ready to take his role of pupil head on and someday possibly be a teacher for the next cycle of Mustangs standouts.