Colton Joseph Reveals The Biggest Challenge He's Faced So Far in Madison

Watch Colton Joseph play the past two seasons with the Old Dominion Monarchs, and his talent can appear effortless at times.

His dynamic mobility, his touch on deep balls, his ability to make off-schedule plays — it all looks as though it comes completely naturally to the Newport Beach, California native.

To an extent, that's true. Joseph is an undeniably gifted quarterback who possesses tools and traits that not many that play the position have.

But like any other quarterback, Joseph's success has also come from the work he's put in to put himself in position to thrive. Meticulous studying and endless reps are keys to success at the most important position on the field, especially when quarterbacks are tasked with learning a new system, like Joseph is now.

Offensive coordinator Jeff Grimes' pro-style scheme requires things that Joseph hasn't been asked to do in a long time.

Joseph learning Grimes' complex offense

“I came from an offense where we clapped," he said in a sit-down with head coach Luke Fickell. "Now this whole cadence thing, we call it setting the table, getting out of the huddle, getting everyone set, getting everyone in position whether we have a shift or a motion, timing that up with the snap count, timing it up with where he has to be on a route or something like that."

At Old Dominion, Joseph's offensive system was more rudimentary than Grimes' in that there was no audible cadence before the snap; he simply clapped when he wanted the center to snap the ball.

Now, the quarterback is tasked with using his voice pre-snap to facilitate the play. And with Grimes' robust system of motions and shifts, there's a lot for Joseph to internalize.

"The amount of different motions that we have, it’s all different timing with everything. Once we get the table set, that’s kinda the biggest thing I’ve had to learn to operate," he said.

The gunslinger also hasn't taken a snap from under center since high school, a formation the Badgers use heavily under Grimes.

Wisconsin offensive coordinator Jeff Grimes. | Mark Hoffman / Milwaukee Journal Sentinel / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images

“I did it a little in high school, so it wasn’t a whole new thing. But once you kinda figure it out first couple practices, it comes back. It’s like riding a bike," he said.

Joseph can call on his high school days for experience taking a snap under center, but operating out of a true huddle is also an adjustment for the signal-caller, who hardly even used a real huddle in high school.

“Like 50/50," he said when Fickell asked him if he huddled in High School. "We had like, little sugar huddles. The receivers would never be there, just the O-line.”

In modern college football, big-time transfers are expected to thrive at their new programs immediately, especially now that they're paid handsomely. But there's so much work that goes on behind the scenes as these players adjust to their new teams, especially at quarterback, the most complicated position on the field.

As Badger fans salivate with their expectations for Joseph, it's crucial to keep in mind the schematic and philosophical differences he's adjusting to in Madison.