By Andrew Hartley(andrewhart1ey) – Spear Reporter
From left to right: Joshua, Marcia, Joseph and Jeremiah Scott. | Family photo via Scott family.
When San Jose State announced its first football game of the season came against USC April 28, some had eyes on revenge after falling to the Trojans 30-7 during the 2021 season. Others were eager to play reigning Heisman winner Caleb Williams and head coach Lincoln Riley.
But for SJSU tight end Joshua Scott, a different thing came to his mind.
“Playing in the same stadium that my dad played in and standing on the same field as him,” said Scott.
Joseph Scott was a linebacker for USC during the mid 80s and put a football in Joshua’s hands as early as kindergarten. Until Joshua’s junior year, Joseph Scott acted as a flag football coach, parent in the stands and even provided funding for his high school team.
In December of 2020, Joseph Scott was admitted into a hospital during a battle with COVID-19. His family was allowed to see him once during the month-long battle while he was sedated. The night after on January 26, Scott died due to a Covid related pneumonia.
“My husband was an awesome father and a tremendous role model to a lot of people, especially his boys,” said Joshua’s mother, Marcia Scott.
Marcia Scott said Joseph was always a smart man and tested as a genius in the second grade. In his senior season in high school, he broke his leg ending his chances at an athletic scholarship. But that’s never what he had his eyes set on.
“It was his desire to go to college on an academic scholarship and not on a sports scholarship. His dream came true,” said Marcia Scott.
Marcia said he met her at a friend’s social gathering where they both knew it was love at first sight.
“He told everyone that he knew he was going to marry me the first time he saw me,” she said. They had two sons, Jeremiah and Joshua, and became active members of the Long Beach community.
Joseph had an Evangelism ministry where he cooked his famous homemade chili once a month and served it to the homeless. “He was always in a suit and always professional with a fedora,” chuckled Joshua Scott.
Being an alumni, the family attended several USC games at the Coliseum decked out in cardinal and gold.
“We went to every home game,” said Joshua Scott. “JuJu Smith-Schuster and Iman Marshall, those were my guys.” Joshua wanted to be on the same field as the players he watched every Saturday.
But getting to the Division I level was difficult for Scott. Despite being 6-foot-6, 210 pounds, and being the Long Beach Wilson receiver of the year, he was only receiving offers from Division II schools. He had the versatility of a receiver, a tight end, edge rusher, even long snapper.
“From a coaches perspective, it was a bit confusing to see that Josh wasn’t more highly recruited,” said Long Beach Wilson head coach Scott Meyer. “They became more and more interested after the signing period as Josh expressed interest in staying in state and walking on at San Jose,” said Meyer.
Scott applied to SJSU for academics and when he was granted admission, he knew where he wanted to go. “I talked to a coach named Machado a lot, he recruited me and then I just stayed committed here.
Two years later, Scott finds himself getting ready to step on the same field his dad once played on. “It’s gonna be really emotional,” said Scott.
SJSU tight ends coach Matt Adkins shared a similar experience against his father. Adkins played quarterback at Shasta college in 2007 having an all-section season. Just a year later, his dad Doug Adkins, would join Shasta as the defensive coordinator. Injuries would prevent Matt from taking the field against his dad’s defense but it would spark battles with him at quarterback coach.
“It’s hard to differentiate out there because you have a lot of respect for your dad,” said Adkins.
After two years with Scott, Adkins knows he can handle his feelings and outside-world endeavors. “With Josh, I only have to talk to him about football,” said Adkins. “Whether it’s grades or going to class, I know he’s going to take care of whatever it is to stay focused,” he said.
Marcia, Jeremiah, other family members and friends will be attending the game As a redshirt, there are no plans for Scott to enter this Saturday’s game, but he’ll still be concentrating on the field.
“I just have to focus on what’s important, playing the game and winning,” said Scott.
In a story with CBS in 2021, Scott believed it was an easy choice to continue playing football after his father’s death saying, “I knew he’d still want me to.” Two years later, he may hold an even stronger sentiment: “even with him gone I still keep that going, I don’t ever wanna stop playing football.”
So while the Spartans kick off their season at 5 p.m. this Saturday against USC, Scott will continue his dream on his father’s old stomping grounds.
