Joe Southwick is everyone's presumptive Boise State starting quarterback. Is he yours?

The summer of Boise State's open quarterback competition seems to have become the summer of Joe Southwick. Preview magazines and websites have all but assumed he will be the starter against Michigan State and beyond, which is a fine proclamation based on his play in the spring game but still a false one based on Chris Petersen telling us a million times that no decision has been made yet and no decision will be made until Fall Camp. The Nick Patti fan club lives on!

For a few more days.

Fall Camp is less than a month away (camping starts August 4), and I would expect the giant industrial microscope that was focused on Boise State's spring practices to be a little more loosey-goosey come fall. People presume Southwick to be the starter. Are you one of them?

I find it hard not to be. Southwick played so well in the spring game that I allowed myself to get used to the idea of him as Boise State's starting quarterback. Every preview piece I have read since spring only served to further confirm the idea in my mind.

In many ways, it seems like Fall Camp will exist to confirm the inevitable. Joe Southwick is Boise State's new starting quarterback. The Idaho Statesman probably already has a dummy sports page made up to save time when the announcement comes down. This seems to be the unavoidable conclusion based on the momentum of an offseason of prognosticating.

But that's the thing about prognosticating. It isn't always right.

The fact that the media and fans have anointed Southwick as the man to beat has zero effect on Petersen's final answer. He and O-coordinator Robert Prince will make their decision separate from Athlon and Sporting News and Brian Murphy. The competition for Boise State's starting quarterback gig remains wide open, despite what you hear. Joe Southwick may be the assumed starter in July, but when August arrives, assumptions aren't going to mean anything.

Prepare yourself for a season of Joe Southwick, but set aside some prep time to prepare for anything. We'll all look pretty foolish with those Southwick jersey pre-orders when Jimmy Laughrea is calling signals in 52 days.

Your turn

How have your views changed this offseason about Boise State's starting quarterback? How do you feel about Joe Southwick? Who are you pulling for?