Story by Kellen Hansen. Photos and Video by Katrina Huhtala.
Tucked away on the border of Huntington Beach and Westminster is Golden West College. The public community college, just off of the congested lanes of Interstate 405, holds a stark contrast to the buzz and business of much of its Orange County surroundings. On the northern end of the quiet and somewhat subtle campus is a well-maintained turf football field without any bleachers. It is the home of the Golden West College Rustlers, who have compiled an impressive 28-6 record over the past three seasons. It is also here that, on any given morning, you can find some of the elite quarterbacks from the NFL, college, and high school levels looking for ways to improve their skills. The reason why many of them travel from all parts of the country is simple: John Beck.
On this particular morning, Beck can be found in sweats, a ball cap, and a blue 3DQB sweatshirt. While the cloudy morning weather might not seem ideal for a vacationing California beachgoer, it is the perfect backdrop for the quarterbacks and coaches warming up for an 8:30 a.m. training session. College quarterbacks Noah Fifita, Davis Warren and Taelen Green have come from different Division I programs with similar goals in mind. They each aspire to play at the highest level of football, and Beck has become known nationally as a quarterback guru. He, along with his fellow 3DQB associates, have consistently been credited with the development of the NFL's elite quarterbacks, and these young signal-callers hope that he too will help them reach their NFL aspirations.
To BYU fans, Beck is known for much more than just his quarterback training acumen. To them, he is remembered as the young man who, nearly 18 years ago, in a stadium 697 miles from where he currently stands, delivered one of the most memorable plays in BYU football history. The same young star that led a storied program from mediocrity to an outright conference championship while garnering conference Offensive Player of the Year honors, a final No. 16 ranking in the A.P. polls, and finishing his career as the No. 2 all-time career passing leader.
Yet, Beck's journey from Provo to the elite ranks of quarterback coaching has been full of obstacles that have shaped the man whose expertise is so highly coveted. His is surely a journey of the road less traveled, and according to him, a road unforeseen.
A rough start
It was in the BYU athletic building that 3-year-old John Beck had his first interaction with legendary coach LaVell Edwards. When the famed coach bent down to his eye level and asked what he wanted to be when he grew up, John confidently replied, 'A BYU Cougar quarterback.' A surprised Edwards, looking to John's mother, Julie, asked, 'What did he just say?' to which Julie replied, 'He just told you that he was going to be the BYU Cougar quarterback.' To this, Coach Edwards replied, 'Well, if he keeps growing like he is, I'll give him a shot.'
Almost 20 years later, on September 20, 2003, Beck was preparing for his first collegiate start in the stadium named after the same man with whom he had spoken years earlier. As a recently returned missionary, Beck was to become only the second true freshman to start a game at quarterback in BYU history. Despite what many saw as a pressure cooker for the young player, Beck looked at the opportunity with excitement.
'I just remember thinking that it was going to be so fun to have my first college start,' he said.
The Cougars lost the game to Stanford that day, but it was the catalyst for one of the greatest careers in BYU football history.
Despite flashes of brilliance, Beck's BYU career started on rocky terrain. After two losing seasons, a coaching change, and an array of off-the-field issues within the BYU program, his impressive play was mostly overshadowed.
'I always had a hunger to improve as a player, but there's this responsibility on you as a BYU quarterback that, when things aren't going right, it feels like it's on you to change it,' Beck said.
Despite these challenges, Beck's teammates were deeply impressed by their young leader.
'From the start, it was evident that John was our leader,' said former teammate Austin Collie. 'He set the standard and made the standard known of what was expected of everyone on the team.'
In his junior season, with a new coach and a new system, BYU took a step forward on its way to a 6-6 record that included a Las Vegas Bowl appearance.
'We had some flashes in 2005 where we played really well,' said former BYU tight end Jonny Harline.
Despite the improvements, the Cougars felt that they had much more to show.
A magical run
Going into his senior year, Beck was named the Preseason Mountain West Conference Offensive Player of the Year. At that point, he had thrown for 7,136 yards and 47 touchdowns in his career. Yet he had a 12-14 record as a starter, without a winning season, and a 0-2 record against the rival Utah Utes. The pressure was high, but so was the optimism.
'There was a lot of confidence going into my senior year because I was seeing a lot of the guys that I had played with over the years still there with me,' Beck said.
His teammates also sensed that the 2006 season would be different.
'It had to start with the leaders in building the right culture, and John was the ringleader in that,' said former BYU running back Fui Vakapuna.
After a disappointing 1-2 start, in which the Cougars lost by a combined 10 points, BYU began one of its best stretches in program history.
The Cougars rattled off eight straight wins by an average of 30 points on their way to clinching the Mountain West Conference Championship. Yet, there was still one win that John and his teammates were anxious to achieve.
In 2005, BYU fell in overtime to Utah at LaVell Edwards Stadium. On that day, the game ended as Beck's final heave to Michael Reed fell incomplete in the south end zone.
'I watched that play over and over, wondering what I could have done. Did I have to throw that ball when I threw it? Could I have made somebody miss?' Beck said. Upon reflection, he identified what he would have done differently. 'When I watched it, I thought I could have extended this play.'
Then 371 days later, Beck and his teammates found themselves 11 yards from the south end zone of Rice-Eccles Stadium with three seconds on the clock and a chance to take down the Utes for the first time in five years. In a moment that held Cougar fans hostage to anxiety and fear, the senior quarterback felt nothing but excitement.
'I just remember that calmness of thinking this is what I want. There wasn't pressure. There wasn't fear,' Beck said.
Drawing off of his experience from the year before, Beck was prepared for the moment.
The play has become a legend for all BYU fans. In a sequence that lasted over 12 seconds and has been described by Beck as a backyard football scenario, he evaded backfield pressure before firing a pass through contact across his body. Waiting alone on the left side of the end zone was his All-America tight end.
'As soon as he threw, I thought, 'yeah, we're going to win,'' said Jonny Harline.
As Harline secured the ball on his knees to win the game, his quarterback was still on his back, awaiting confirmation as to the final result of the play.
'It wasn't until I saw him stand up with his hands up that I knew we had won,' Beck said.
The play, which has become immortalized in BYU football history, was a perfect capstone for a quarterback hoping to solidify his legacy among the greats.
Four weeks later, Beck put on a bow on his BYU career with a 375-yard and three-touchdown performance in a 38-8 Las Vegas Bowl blowout over the Oregon Ducks. For his efforts, he was named the Mountain West Conference Offensive Player of the Year. His 11,021 yards were second most all-time in BYU history, and BYU finished the season ranked No. 16 in the final A.P. poll.
The NFL experience
With his BYU career in the rearview mirror, Beck turned his focus to the fulfillment of his childhood dream.
To prepare for the NFL Draft, he turned to former Philadelphia Eagles offensive coordinator Rod Dowhower to assist in his quarterback training. The training, which Beck admitted was much different than today's standards, prepared Beck for his own combine and draft experience.
'I just remember the excitement of knowing that life was taking the next step,' he said.
On April 28, 2007, Beck was selected with the 40th pick in the NFL Draft by the Miami Dolphins.
'Getting drafted by Miami was awesome,' he said. 'It was a dream come true. I got down there and was throwing to receivers that I had watched on television. All of that was awesome. And you never could see that it was going to be a really bad season.'
What lay ahead for the 2007 Miami Dolphins was one of the worst seasons in NFL history. With a brand new coaching staff and a depleted roster, the Dolphins dropped their first 10 games and six of their losses by 10 points or less.
By week 11, the coaching staff was searching for answers and turned to their rookie quarterback with hopes that he could spark a victory. The task was a tough one, as he was slated to face off against a talented Philadelphia Eagles team in a venue that is largely recognized as the most hostile in the NFL.
'I just remember feeling like I'm just going to do my best,' Beck said. 'I'm going to do what I can. I'm going to be confident. And whatever happens happens.'
Unfortunately for Beck, the team's fortunes did not improve. Despite a Week 15 win, the Dolphins closed out the season with a 1-15 record.
The end of the season brought massive changes to the organization. After firing both the head coach and the general manager, Beck's young career was in a state of limbo after one season in the league. With a new staff and a new general manager, it was made clear to Beck that his opportunities in Miami would be extremely limited.
'I remember thinking, I cannot believe that 8 months ago it was like a dream come true, and now it literally feels like I got tossed into a gigantic hole,' he said. 'And now I have to climb out of it.'
Beck spent three seasons in the NFL without seeing the field in a regular-season matchup. After being traded to the Baltimore Ravens and later the Washington Redskins, Beck was finally given an opportunity in the 2011 season under legendary coach Mike Shanahan.
Beck saw action in four games while making three starts in 2011, but with another inexperienced roster, the Redskins finished the season with a disappointing 6-11 record. Beck was released at the end of the season in order to accommodate new draft picks. A five-month stint with the Houston Texans ended with Beck being cut, thus ending his career in the NFL.
After being away from the game for a year and a half, Beck was given an opportunity to play in the CFL for the BC Lions. In two seasons, he threw for 785 yards and nine touchdowns, along with four interceptions. After eight professional seasons, Beck decided to call it a career with a new focus in mind.
3DQB
When Beck was a young boy, he was always looking for new, innovative ways to improve as a quarterback. His father, Wendell, was a chemical engineer with a knack for researching and analyzing. This proved especially helpful as John began to express interest in quarterbacking at a young age. A collegiate track and field athlete himself, Wendell began to create a number of different drills and techniques to develop his extremely self-motivated son.
'I didn't have any experience with football, but I would just watch, and we would figure out things to do that could help John,' said Wendell.
This proactive approach to improvement led John to pursue the best, most expansive training that he could find. It was through this search that John came into contact with Tom House.
Tom House was a former MLB pitcher who, through his expertise in throwing, became connected with several Hall of Fame quarterbacks. As more quarterbacks began expressing desires to train with Tom, he approached John with an intriguing prospect.
'I don't know anything about quarterbacking, but I know throwing. Do you want to go into business together?' said Tom to John.
The opportunity to train quarterbacks in a way that had never been done before was an exciting one.
'I felt like this was innovative. I love being on the forefront of innovation, and it felt like this was me,' said John.
The collaborative efforts of Tom and John's expertise would revolutionize quarterback training. However, John knew that he himself would have to evolve from a mental aspect as well. One of Tom's requirements was that John seek out further education. As a result, John went back to school and earned a masters of arts in performance psychology as well as a masters of science in sport conditioning and performance.
'That mental and emotional side of the game really always had me, but I didn't have the education. So when I went back to school, that was the whole idea—to help me grow as much as I possibly could,' said John.
This innovative union between a legendary throwing coach and a brilliant quarterbacking mind has led 3DQB to the top of the quarterbacking world. In the past decade, they have aided in the development of dozens of the world's best quarterbacks. Tom Brady, Drew Brees, Lamar Jackson, Justin Herbert, and C.J Stroud are among the massive names that have trained under the banner of 3DQB. John's official title as 3DQB's Director of Combine Preparation and NFL Development has made him especially popular in conversations surrounding the NFL Draft. In the 2024 NFL Draft, three of the first five quarterbacks were trained by John and the 3DQB team. Both of the starting quarterbacks in the College Football National Championship were trained by John and the 3DQB team. And two of the four starting quarterbacks in the NFC and AFC Championship games were trained by John and the 3DQB team.
Impressions of John
John Beck's success in recent years has not been a surprise to those who have spent a significant amount of time with him.
'It's exciting, but it's not surprising,' said Austin Collie. 'When you get a guy like that, it was only natural that he would roll into what he's doing now.'
His college tight end, Jonny Harline, cites that his level of effort and intelligence are second to none, but that there is another factor in his success within the industry. 'Being a very genuine and good guy with integrity is something that elite players look for, and they have found that in John,' said Harline.
Beck has also continued to endear himself to the BYU community, as he has mentored and trained the past three starting quarterbacks for the Cougars. The connection to BYU runs deep in his soul, even now.
'Helping BYU football has always meant something to me,' Beck said. 'I used to be the guy that put the helmet on, and now I'm helping the guy that puts the helmet on.'
The current BYU quarterback has also been able to benefit from John Beck's Cougar Football connection. 'It was kind of a no-brainer to go train with John because it was kind of like, who doesn't train with him?' said Jake Retzlaff. 'But the dude is so tapped into BYU that it makes it so much easier to train with him.'
John's character and easy-going nature have also stood out to Retzlaff.
'He's so easy to be around and talk to, which makes it so easy to go back to him for training,' said Retzlaff.
His accomplishments outside of football have also made an impression on many of his former teammates. 'I'm so proud to first and foremost be his friend and brother,' said Vakapuna. 'He is the kindest, most giving friend that you could have.'
Lessons from the journey
Beck would be the first to tell you that his football journey did not go as he had foreseen or hoped for. However, he has been able to see God's hand in his own path throughout the ups and downs of his career.
'I think there's times in life where good things are happening, and it feels like God's plan is to continue to have those good things happen. And when something at the end of the road doesn't work out like you thought, you wonder why?' Beck said.
However, Beck has come to the realization that his journey through life is defined by much more than just his accolades as a gridiron hero.
'My journey through football, life, parenting, marriage, and all other things is just about becoming,' he said. 'It's just about turning my heart over to God.'
This perspective on faith has been the driving force in a life lived in pursuit of Christ-like attributes. 'I have a love for the gospel and how it helps people navigate through the struggles of life,' Beck said. 'And I think that because of my tie to the Savior, it makes me want to be there for other people as well.'
Because of his professional trials, Beck has been able to be a resource to other young quarterbacks facing similar obstacles.
'When it comes to that whole experience from the NFL, I just try to take lessons learned from it,' he said. 'So much of what I help my young quarterbacks through as they head into that process is the things that I learned from that experience.'
Now, nearly a decade after John took his final snap as a professional quarterback, he is starting to see how his incredibly difficult career can benefit a new generation of quarterbacks who anxiously seek his tutelage and advice.
'Despite the fact that the dream didn't work out like I wanted it to,' Beck said, 'there are moments when I get off the phone with a kid and I get the feeling that I'm grateful that I went through the crappy stuff because I can help this guy as he's trying to navigate it.'
An elite mentality
Beck's parents have known longer than anyone that their son possessed an elite mindset.
As a premature baby, doctors delivered the news to John's parents that his survival was unlikely. However, after a priesthood blessing in an intensive care nursery, John proved that his journey would be one of overcoming odds.
'In his heart, John is a fighter,' said his father, Wendell.
This indominable spirit carried John as he developed a love for football at a young age.
'I remember that as his dad, that kid would be waiting for me when I would get home from work to throw the ball,' said Wendell.
John's mother, Julie, remembers a note that he wrote in the seventh grade that said, 'Impossible is a limit set by someone else. If you believe you can achieve.' This note remained in his wallet throughout his high school and college years as a reminder of the vision he had for his own future.
'Even at that young age, he understood what it would take to get to the next level,' said Julie.
Now, nearly 30 years later, the note remains in John's possession. It is tattered and worn, but the message still permeates through John's being.
It is that same grit, energy, and passion that convinced LaVell Edwards to follow through on his promise of giving John Beck a shot as the final high school signee of his Hall of Fame career.
It is that drive that helped him lift BYU football from what many people consider to be the darkest hours of the modern era to the elite ranks of the college football landscape.
It is that persistence that has allowed Beck to overcome the unfair circumstances of his own unforgiving NFL career to now be on the contact list of some of the most acclaimed quarterbacks in NFL history.
But perhaps most impressive is that Beck has found a way to accomplish all that he is while still maintaining humility and kindness that are as genuine as his passion for life.
These characteristics were on display as he worked with high school-age quarterbacks at Corner Canyon High School on Memorial Day weekend. Employing techniques and lessons from his days in the yard with his father, Wendell, to his time in the largest stadiums of the NFL, Beck is completely focused on forging connections with each eager teenager. His expectations are clear, but they are less about perfection and more about growth. His message to the group seems to be the key to Beck's success.
'I'm more concerned about your effort than the result,' he reminds the group of young QBs. 'It may look rough at first, but if you keep with it, the results will come.'
Nobody knows that better than John Beck.