From Quad Cities Grids to Mountain West Dreams: Joey Pechmann's Unstoppable Rise

Ah, the classic underdog story—or, perhaps more accurately, the unwavering pursuit of a dream against all perceived odds. You see it play out often enough, but it never really loses its luster, does it? This time, it's unfolding for Joey Pechmann, a name that might just ring a bell if you’ve followed high school football in the Quad Cities, or even the college scene just down the road at Augustana.

Pechmann, a Davenport Assumption and Augustana College alum, has just taken a rather significant leap, landing a coveted spot as an offensive graduate assistant at the University of Wyoming. And make no mistake, that’s Division I football, folks—the very big leagues. For a young man who once called the shots as a quarterback for a Division III program, it’s a trajectory that’s both inspiring and, well, frankly, pretty darn cool to witness.

It wasn't a straight shot, of course. Rarely is, for anyone truly driven. Before Wyoming beckoned from the rugged beauty of the Mountain West, Pechmann cut his coaching teeth—two seasons, in fact—as a graduate assistant at Central Missouri, a Division II powerhouse. There, he honed his craft, working diligently with the wide receivers and tight ends, absorbing every nuance of the game from a coaching perspective.

His roots, however, run deep in the Quad Cities. Mentors like Paul Rudolph, his former coach at Assumption (now making waves at Valley High), and Steve Birely from Augustana, truly helped shape him. These were the formative years, you could say, where the passion for football—not just playing it, but understanding it, dissecting it, teaching it—really began to solidify. Augustana, for instance, isn't just where he played; it's where he learned to think like a coach, even while still in uniform. Division III, as he’d tell you, forces a certain kind of "learn by doing" mentality. And honestly, there’s no better teacher than getting your hands dirty, is there?

Wyoming, in the grand scheme of things, is a different beast entirely. They’re a significant player in the Mountain West Conference, fresh off a respectable 7-6 season that culminated in an Arizona Bowl victory. It's a program with momentum, and now, Pechmann gets to be a part of that engine. It's the kind of opportunity he’d always envisioned, the pinnacle he'd been quietly (or maybe not so quietly) working towards.

“This is the goal,” he shared, a sentiment echoing the ambition of countless aspiring coaches. “This is what I always wanted to do.” And for once, it’s not just a cliché. This isn't just about moving up; it's about realizing a dream born on the fields of Davenport and nurtured through countless hours of study and dedication. It's a testament, really, to what a Quad Cities kid can achieve when they set their sights high and just keep pushing.