PROVO — As a youngster, Wyoming native Kelly Poppinga spent many a fall day in Provo, watching BYU football games.
His long-standing devotion to the Cougars was the main reason he transferred to BYU from Utah State last year. After a prolonged wait, the junior linebacker is finally making an impact on the field for the Cougar defense.
"My whole life I always wanted to play for BYU," he said. "I grew up coming to the stadium every Saturday in the fall, from the time I was five years old, sitting in Section KK with my parents. It was an experience I would never forget. I told myself I wanted to play on that field one day as a BYU Cougar."
Soon, Poppinga's goal will be fulfilled — after taking the long road to Provo.
Poppinga played two seasons for the Aggies in 2003 and 2004. As a sophomore, he ranked No. 3 on the team in total tackles and recorded five tackles for a combined loss of 22 yards as well as a sack for an eight-yard loss.
During those seasons, Poppinga's older brother, Brady, was heart and soul of the Cougar defense as a linebacker.
"Things weren't going the way I thought they would at Utah State. Having my brother here at BYU as a senior, he really got it going," Poppinga said. "I'll never regret it. I loved my time at Utah State. It made me a great player. But here, I've reached my potential and things are only going to get better here."
Another reason Poppinga opted to transfer was because of Bronco Mendenhall, who serves as the head coach and defensive coordinator. "It's how coach Mendenhall coaches and how much he expects out of players," he said. "That's the kind of person I wanted to play for."
After arriving at BYU, Poppinga had to redshirt the 2005 season due to transfer rules.
"It was one of the tougher things I've ever had to do," he said. "You come from a place where you're a starter and playing every down and then I came here, redshirting and being on the scout team. It was tough not playing in the games, not traveling with the team, staying home and having to watch the games on TV. It wasn't fun. But I learned a lot from it. I had a lot of different experiences to help bring me to where I'm at now, so it was good for me. I matured a lot and grew up as a player."
Then, the second week of spring ball, Poppinga injured his hamstring, forcing him again to the sidelines. But Poppinga says he's healthy now and ready to bolster the Cougar defense. During Wednesday's scrimmage, Poppinga was one of the stars, running all over the field, making big hits.
Mendenhall likes having another Poppinga on his roster. "Kelly is a different personality than Brady," Mendenhall said. "But there are some similarities. Both are excellent football players. I like Kelly's leadership and his presence."
Of course, there are natural comparisons between the Poppinga brothers. Brady now plays for the Green Bay Packers.
"Those who know Brady know he's a little different. But that's good," Poppinga said. "That's what made him the player he is. We're a lot alike off the field. On the field, he's a little more off-the-wall, and I'm a little more calm, cool and collected. I still get pumped up and get crazy and fly around as much as he does. We both have a good motor, flying around, making plays."
Kelly and Brady talk a couple of times a week, checking up on each other's progress. "He's coming back from a knee injury, but he was back to full pads on Wednesday," Kelly said. "He's flying around, bouncing off the walls, crazy as ever."
E-mail: jeffc@desnews.com