For junior Tony Romo, football wasn’t his first choice. If things had gone his way, he’d be playing college basketball right now.

Fortunately for the Panthers, Romo chose football, a sport which he has only been playing since his junior year of high school. Romo was a basketball and golf star in Burlington, Wis., before he ever took a snap on the football field.

Last week in the Panther’s season opener against Indiana State, the quarterback could have been called Robo-back. Like a robot, he was perfect with a 16-for-16 performance for 240 yards and three touchdowns. For this, Romo earns Top Cat of the Week.

Perfection was Romo’s intention, but he never expected to fulfill that goal. After all, he’d never come close to that before.

“One of my teammates came up to me and told me about it during the game,” Romo said. “He said, ‘I’m staying away from you.’ It was like having a perfect game in baseball, you don’t want to jinx anyone.”

The showing caught national attention as Romo received co-offensive player of the week honors from Sports Network and offensive player of the week in the Ohio Valley Conference.

Romo is also on the short list of players being considered for the Walter Payton Award, which is given to the top athlete among Division I-AA schools.

But he isn’t concerned about any of that. For him there’s no pressure. Instead, he said the honors and praise he’s received so far this should be bestowed upon his teammates.

“It feels really good to receive those honors,” Romo said. “But it’s all about the team. If we play well as a team and win, all of the individual honors will follow. You can’t ask for much more.”

Win at all costs is Romo’s mantra. Whether it requires a perfect performance or a throwing for six touchdowns, as he did in a game last season, Romo is up to the task.

That’s an attitude head football coach Bob Spoo wants to see in all of his players.

“Opponents are going to try to accomplish a lot of things too,” Spoo said. “Things aren’t always going to go our way, but our players have to adapt to that, they have to finish the job. It’s something we talk a lot about, want to finish the job, finish the game with everyone going at 100 percent.”

Spoo said the key to Romo’s success so far this season is a result of the work he’s done in the off-season. He has also changed his grip on the football. When he throws, his index finger is closer to the point of the ball, allowing him to throw a tighter and faster spiral. He’s also tried to improve on the fundamentals of throwing.

“He’s always throwing the ball to someone,” Spoo said. “He’s always working on passing. He’s gotten in a lot of throwing on his own in the off-season. Even though last year he was the offensive player of the year in the OVC, he’s still looking to improve. He’s the kind of player who’s always looking to improve.”

And Romo wouldn’t have it any other way.

“If I didn’t have football I’d just go nuts. I’d be really bored,” Romo said. “I love to play and I love to compete.”