Sam Frasco started as the small kid who could not make his eighth-grade football team. Now, he is Augustana’s starting quarterback for the second year in a row.
In the first three games of the season, Frasco has a cumulative 217 yards rushing  and 586 yards passing. Frasco has 10 touchdowns on the season splitting passing and rushing the ball in evenly. Although Frasco’s stat line may look promising, the team is currently 1-2. After two losses in a row the Vikings had a win on Saturday on their home field against Loras College with a final score of 34-17. Frasco threw four touchdown passes, which is a career high and rushed in a fifth one.
While Frasco also had 209 passing yards and had 24 rushing yards last Saturday, there was a time when he was not thinking about playing college football.
When Frasco was in eighth-grade, he was so upset that he had wanted to quit. Only through his parents encouragement did he decide to stick it out until high school when his situation changed.
“Sam was always the smallest one in the group,” said Frank Kalble, a teammate that has been playing with or against Frasco since 2004. “He has always been competitive but could not keep up at a young age. In high school, after he grew, he got better. But, I think being little in grade school helped him as a player.”
Size has proven to be an advantage to Frasco with the type of offense that Augustana plays. They run a triple option which allows Frasco to utilize his speed. Frasco’s football interest came from his dad who encouraged his son to play.
“When we were younger, we played football and basketball against each other,” said Kalble. “Sam would keep a record of every single win and loss. I wouldn’t because I did not care enough but Sam would. One basketball game he said he would score on me three times in a row, and then he did. I sat out the rest of the game with him waving to me from the court.”
Now, Frasco is a leader on the team, serving his third year on the leadership council, which he was nominated to by his fellow juniors on the team. The council  meets with the coaches periodically and helps build team morale.
“I strive to be a player who works hard, strives for perfection, and pushes others to do their best.” said Frasco. “What I really look to do is to make my family proud of me. I truly value my family, and I am thankful that they have always been supportive of me in all I do. They get me through those tough days and have got me to where I am today.”
Not only does Frasco have a competitive nature and hard work ethic on the field, but he also has it in the classroom.
Frasco is majoring in business marketing and finance with a minor in communication studies. He hopes to go into pharmaceutical sales, an interest that sparked after his friend’s dad told him he thought he would be a good fit.
“I hope to intern in Indianapolis this summer,” said Frasco. “Having some work experience will help me in the long run.”
Frasco and the Vikings are headed into conference play after their bye week  in a game against Elmhurst College in Elmhurst, Illinois. The team was ranked to finish conference in fourth place but hope to finish out the season better than they started.