When they were youngsters growing up in Springville, just down the road from Provo, Todd Jackson and Darren Walker used to dream about someday playing football in Cougar Stadium.
The two friends played little league together over the years and alongside each other on the line at Springville High School. They both attended BYU games with their families on Saturday afternoons and cheered for the men in blue.Their dream of playing at Cougar Stadium will finally be realized Saturday when Jackson and Walker line up together in the Utah-BYU game. The only thing is, don't look for Jackson and Walker on the Cougar side of the field. Nope, they'll be wearing red-and-white uniforms as starters on the Utah offensive line.
Snubbed by BYU out of high school, Jackson and Walker headed north, passing Provo on the way and never looking back. Both went on LDS missions, sat out as redshirts last year; this year are both starting as 22-year-old freshmen.
"I couldn't have asked for anything more from them," said Ute offensive line coach Don Eck. "They're great kids, hard workers and getting better every week. It's exciting for me to look ahead to the next three years."
Neither player had a lock on a starting position coming out of spring ball. Jackson was one of several young players trying to win a job on the offensive line, while Walker was penciled in as the backup to JC all-American Chad Folk.
But Jackson "had a great summer," according to Eck, getting his weight down, improving his foot speed and becoming stronger, which earned him the starting left guard job.
Walker was expected to be the caretaker at the center position until Folk arrived, but he held on to the No. 1 spot and wouldn't let go. Although Folk has played a lot this year, he was hampered by a foot injury last month and he hasn't been able to displace Walker from the starting spot since.
"He's tough, has a lot of desire - I love the kid," says Eck of Walker. "He's going to be a better center than (two-year all-WAC center) Lance Scott before he's through."
Walker leads the O-line in "de-cleaters," and both he and Jackson have graded out at 85 percent in their play on the line this year. Along with seniors Chris Rae and Chad Ventriglia and Utahns Barry Sims and Nathan Sybrowsky, Jackson and Walker have been part of an offensive line that has made major strides this season.
So how did these two buddies from Utah County end up playing for the Utes? They said they didn't come as a package deal, but both were sold on the coaches, particularly Ron McBride. Both felt like they were taken for granted by BYU, at least until they showed a lot of interest in Utah.
"I was a season-ticket holder at BYU for 12 years," said Walker. "My dad and I used to go to all the games."
"I grew up a BYU fan, but I'm all red now," said Jackson. "I bleed red." Neither player holds any bitterness toward BYU, but they wouldn't mind showing off a little this weekend.
"I'd like to show them what they missed out on," said Walker.
"This should be something special," added Jackson.
Jackson and Walker aren't the only two Utes from Utah County on the roster. Backup guard Danny Davis prepped at Mountain View in Orem as did backup safety Toby Richards. Others on the Ute roster from Utah County include quarterback Ryan Engemann (Timpview), guard Brett Cook (Timpview) and linebacker Jared Ostler (American Fork).