As the spring football season marches on, the battle for the ISU starting quarterback position is up in the air. One newcomer gaining a lot of attention is Seneca Wallace. From Sacramento City College, the junior transfer has used his speed, his strong arm and his smarts to become one of the front-runners for the job. Wallace was a JUCO All-American last year when he passed for 3,675 yards and 22 touchdowns. He used his legs to gain 550 yards and nine more scores.

In his first day of practice, he launched a long touchdown pass on his first-ever throw with an ISU jersey on, ISU senior tight end Mike Banks said.

He proceeded to show that he belonged by toying with defenders. I watched on one play as he rolled to his right, avoiding the rush, he sprinted across the field and then tossed a perfectly placed ball into the hands of an ISU receiver. He put the ball where only the receiver could get it, safe from defenders, along the sideline.

Recently, I had a chance to sit down and talk to Wallace about football, himself, Ames and more.

Jeremy Gustafson: First off, let’s talk a little about you. Describe your style of play and what you bring to Iowa State.

Seneca Wallace: I just try to bring a whole different perspective at the quarterback. They’re used to seeing a more drop-back type of quarterback or a quarterback that’s not really that fast and if they are fast they really can’t throw. But I just try to bring that dimension – I can throw the ball, run the ball, do, you know, whatever it is that’s needed.

JG:Do you have anyone you model yourself after?

SW: Oh man, when I was growing up it was like Tommie Frazier (former Nebraska quarterback), but no, I’m just my own person, you know, I’m just Seneca Wallace doing what I can do to make the team better.

JG: On the field, it seems very hard for the defense to catch up to you, what is it that makes you so evasive?

SW: Maybe my quickness. Like I was saying about the whole dimension thing, they’re not used to seeing a quarterback who’s quick and can get out there and make things happen. I just try to be a playmaker, that’s all. Every time I go out there, I try to make plays and [the coaches] put me in the position where I can so I try to make it happen.

JG: Do you think you’ll be able to do that when it comes time for the season?

SW: Oh yeah, when it translates to the season, I’m gonna be ready to play. Hopefully I’m starting at the time and I’m just gonna try to make things happen. And I know once we start coming against these big teams, things are gonna start looking different, but I know I’m gonna be able to make those plays.

JG: Do you think what you’ve described about yourself, will that win you the starting job?

SW: I can’t say that it will win me the starting job, there’s a lot of things that go with it. You got to understand the offense. Right now, I’m battling a couple of other quarterbacks. I came in here, and I’m trying to understand the offense and get comfortable to a point where I can make those [abilities] and possibly help me win a job. But right now, I’m just trying to learn the system and not be worried about battling for a job right now.

JG: A couple of the quarterbacks already know the system, does that make it an uphill battle for you?

SW: A lot of the quarterbacks that are here were here last year, they all understand the offense. For them it’s easier to understand the offense and what’s going on and what the coach wants. Me I just gotta go out there and watch and understand what [the coaches] want.

JG: Did you come here to sit on the bench?

SW: Oh no, I came here to try and battle for that starting job.

JG: Would you ever consider doing what Derrick Walker did if you don’t get the starting job, switch positions?

SW: If it came down to it, yeah because I want to be on the field and be out there and make plays.

JG: What is the atmosphere of this team, even though you weren’t here last season, having the bowl championship?

SW: We have very high expectations for this season, we want to make it to a bigger and better bowl game and we got the chance to make it to a better bowl game. The expectations are real high.

JG: If you could choose any two receivers and a tight end in the world, who would they be?

SW: Randy Moss. He’s just a playmaker, basically. Maybe Jerry Rice or Peter Warrick. Maybe Peter Warrick because he’s real quick and he’s also another playmaker and I liked him in college. Tight ends, I’m not real sure, maybe Tony Gonzalez.

JG: Greatest quarterback to ever live?

SW: I say Joe Montana. He is so calm and poised in big games. He put some drives together, like the one he did against Cincinnati and he had some big, big games.

JG: What kind of shock is it coming from Sacramento to Ames?

SW: Big shock. I come here where it’s real small, coming from California you see a whole bunch of different diversities, coming here you see one of a kind, but it’s the first time I’ve been in a more college [type] atmosphere. It’s real small, but I mean, it’s Ames. It’s a real good atmosphere.

JG: What are the advantages of the small atmosphere?

SW: It keeps you focused. You don’t have a lot of distractions. Say if you went to some big college town maybe you have more distractions, females or whatever. You just want to go somewhere that’s not too big and not too small. Just go there and play ball and keep your mind right.

JG: What had you heard about Iowa State and what drew you here?

SW: I heard they had some pretty good running backs in the last couple of years and then they started to blow up a lot and then after that last year they had that put em on the map.

JG: Did knowing that Iowa State was a rushing school and you being able to run help make your decision to come here?

SW: They do a lot of things with the quarterback and running him a lot, and I liked that. And I knew they had great running backs with Ennis [Haywood] coming back so I knew it was going to be a good situation.

JG: Third-and-one, who runs the ball Ennis or Seneca?

SW: Ennis has gotta get it.

JG: What have you done for fun since you’ve been here?

SW: Went to UNI, that was probably the funnest thing I’ve done since I’ve been here.

JG: What do you do for fun when you’re in the dorms?

SW: Probably play video games, Playstation 2, and hang out with a couple of teammates. When I first got here I went to the rec and played basketball.

JG: What is your favorite Playstation 2 game?

SW: Madden [football].

JG: What do you do to get pumped up before a big game?

SW: I don’t really get pumped up, I just try to stay focused. Playing quarterback you can’t get too pumped up because you go out there too aggressive and that’s when mistakes start happening.

JG: Do you have any superstitions at all?

SW: I like to take showers before the game. I go out there nice and fresh and relaxed. I do that all the time. Before our scrimmage today I took a shower.

JG: Finish this sentence. Until I got to Iowa, I’ve never seen so much .

SW: So much flat land. There’s just so much land. It seems like when you get out there on that highway, man, everything is just flat. No mountains, no nothing.

JG: Thanks for your time Seneca.

SW: Man, all I got is time right now.