Bruce Wayne, Clark Kent, Joe Wiser

So maybe the quarterback of the football team is not hiding the Batmobile in the basement of his student-housing building. Maybe he doesn’t wear the Flash’s red spandex jumpsuit under his street cloths. But that doesn’t mean he is not a superhero. Gotham City has Batman, Metropolis keeps Superman, and Portland State Football gets Joe Wiser.

If you have ever been to a Portland Sate football game, you have probably seen Joe. He is the quarterback out in the middle of the field, smacking helmets and firing up his teammates. What you might not know about Joe is that he is more than what meets the eye; in fact, it is almost as if he has a secret identity. Along with his dedication to being a leader to the football team, Joe is also dedicated to other things, like his family and future.

Despite his 253-yard-per-game passing average, Joe still knows how to prioritize his life. Joe’s number-one priority, even before football, is his family. Having grown up in Tigard, Ore., Portland State University was Joe’s school of choice because of its close proximity to his hometown and family.

“I see a lot of my family,” said Joe. “I know that they are the people who are always going to be there for me. I try to keep in touch with my family as much as I can. I have an older brother who is a good person to talk to about football, because he played football, and I enjoy that.”

Joe has led Vikings football to a 3-3 record so far this season. He shows his superhuman strengths out on the field when completing almost 60 percent of all his attempted passes. His skills and his dedication to his teammates are what make him the sound leader for the Viks.

When asked about Joe’s skills as a leader, freshman quarterback Garrett Hanson said, “Not only does he work hard, but he’s always encouraging people and congratulating people. He never really cares about how good a person is. They could be a walk on freshman, and he would still encourage them.”

When asked about Joe off the field, Hanson replied, “I don’t really know him off the field.”

Wiser may lead a life away from football; in fact, he may be a mystery to most of his teammates. However, if you ask him to explain the team’s dynamic, he will tell you, “The team is like a brotherhood. We are family. We have conflict at times, but we look above it and know that we are a family.”

Part of what makes Wiser such an inspiration is the way he is inspired by the people around him.

“I get inspired by my teammates,” Wiser said. “I am inspired when I talk to guys in the locker room about how much they love the game of football. I am inspired because they feel the same way I do. It fires me up.”

Joe is more than a football player. He is a student, a son and a mentor to his teammates. He lives his life with his priorities in check, and football always in the back of his mind. No matter if he is Barry Allen or The Flash all week long, on Saturday night, Joe plays his role as the lead Viking.