I think it's great because I've watched them go at it all their life. At least now they have pads on and a ref to referee them instead of me and Paul. – Mikki Kane-Barton, mother of Jackson and Cody
SALT LAKE CITY — For the next couple of years, anyhow, University of Utah football games will be a lot different for Mikki Kane-Barton and her family. Gone are the days when they won’t have a completely vested interest on both sides of the ball.
Kane-Barton has two sons on top of the depth chart as the Utes prepare for next week’s season opener against Southern Utah. Sophomores Jackson and Cody Barton are in the mix at offensive tackle and linebacker, respectively.
“It’s kind of exciting to watch both sides of the ball with someone you love out there,” Kane-Barton said. “I don’t have a break in the game, which is awesome. So we’re excited about that.”
After seeing a lot of duty on special teams as freshmen, the Barton brothers moved up the two-deep at their position groups in spring ball. Kane-Barton said it was a lot of fun for her and husband Paul to watch their boys compete. They took turns keeping an eye on how Jackson and Cody were doing individually — alternating their focus on each play.
“I just told them ‘keep your head down, work hard and if you deserve to be on the field you’ll be out there,’” Kane-Barton said.
The proud mama speaks from experience. She’s a former basketball and volleyball star at the U.
And extremely skilled in both.
Utah coach Kyle Whittingham noted that Kane-Barton may be the best athlete to every play at the university, citing her first-team all-conference accomplishments in two sports.
Jackson and Cody’s father was also a two-sport athlete for the Utes. He was a quarterback in football and a pitcher on the baseball team.
“Great Utah stock,” Whittingham said. “Especially mom.”
In January, the brothers will be joined on campus by their sister Dani. She’s following in her mother’s footsteps as a volleyball player.
“It’s just awesome. We love Utah and how they’re taking care of us,” Kane-Barton said. “It’s made a good life for us. It’s going to make a good life for my kids.”
Speaking of life, Kane-Barton made a humorous observation when it comes to Jackson and Cody squaring off on the football field.
“I think it’s great because I’ve watched them go at it all their life,” she said. “At least now they have pads on and a ref to referee them instead of me and Paul.”
Cody, who is 15 months younger than Jackson, acknowledged that things are definitely competitive. However, he added that it’s also fun.
“Going against him every day on the other side of the ball is a love/hate relationship. No, I’m just kidding,” Cody said. “You know what? Yeah. We’ll leave it at that.”
On a serious note, Cody said that it’s great and something he loves.
“It’s a different kind of competition when it’s actual brothers going against each other,” he continued.
Despite the common ground, there are plenty of differences between the siblings. Jackson, who redshirted his first season, is 6-foot-7 and 310 pounds. Cody, meanwhile, is 6-foot-2 and 232 pounds. He needed a late growth spurt just to get that close to Jackson’s stature.
While noting that Jackson is a big, tall offensive lineman and Cody is more of a compact linebacker, Whittingham said the brothers have very different personalities as well.
“Jackson is a little more reserved. Cody’s a little more flamboyant and outspoken,” he explained. “But the way they operate on the field, work-ethic wise, is very similar.”
Whittingham said the Bartons are very conscious about everything they do and praised them for having phenomenal work ethics.
“They’re both cut from the same cloth, the same mold, as far as how they approach the game,” added Whittingham, who considers it an advantage to have siblings on the team if they’re good players.
“Blood is thicker than water,” he said. “What can you say?”
Jackson and Cody are poised to play significant roles on a Utah team projected to contend for the Pac-12 South title.
“I absolutely love it. We do support one another. We always ask how we’re doing every day,” Jackson said. “We always look to each other and make sure we’re all good, make sure one another is doing their thing on the field and keeping each other up. So it’s been a good process so far.”
Kane-Barton admits it’s all still kind of surreal.
“It all feels like a dream sometimes. I’m very grateful about it,” she said. “It’s great. It’s a blessing for sure.”
The brothers, though, aren’t satisfied. They’ve got even more on their minds.
“My dream is to win a national championship with my brother,” Jackson said. “So we can look back at family reunions with rings on our fingers and we always have a big smile on our face about it.”
Cody is also determined to win it all together.
“I think it’s possible,” he said.
The quest begins soon.
Email: dirk@deseretnews.com
Twitter: @DirkFacer