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SALT LAKE CITY — Jaylon Glover wanted to go big.
A small ceremony where he could announce his collegiate destination by donning a hat and simply declaring a commitment to a school wasn't going to do. So Glover decided to tell the world in a highly produced spectacle that was broadcast live on Instagram at his church in Lakeland, Florida, in August.
To add to the day's drama, as Glover was to about to announce his pick, the lights suddenly went out and a two-minute video recapped the running back's journey to become a Division I athlete. The video ended with Glover on a plane and the pilot declaring his next destination — or "next chapter" — as Salt Lake City.
The four-star running back, who was named Florida's 6A Player of the Year following his senior season and had 43 Division I offers, picked the University of Utah and wanted everyone to know that his decision and the destination he chose was a big deal — all before Utah won the Pac-12 championship or appeared in its first Rose Bowl later that year.
"I wanted everybody to know that Utah was a big program for me," Glover said as spring practices opened up for the Utes last week. "I had Florida, the Florida States where my name was on the list. But I wanted to show what Utah has to offer and I wanted social media to know; I wanted everybody in my community to know that my decision was a good decision and I wanted to go big and go home."
The message was received loud and clear.
"The biggest thing for me was, I knew what they had," Glover added. "I always would talk with the running back coaches, talk about the schemes. And for me, I wanted to go to a winning program. But for me, I just knew this was the place I wanted to be in win, lose or draw. I mean, I'm here now, I'm a die-hard Ute and I'm gonna keep it that way."
Even a shakeup in the coaching staff didn't deter Glover's commitment or mindset after he signed his letter of intent — a formal commitment of the Florida native to the Utah football program. Days after the Rose Bowl, running back coach Kiel McDonald, who was an integral part in getting Glover to commit to Utah, left the program to take the same position at USC.
The concern was that Utah's next star at running back would transfer to a division rival.
But Glover's commitment was never shaken and he assured Utah fans on Twitter that his home was in Salt Lake City. As spring camp kicked off, he further declared his commitment by saying he didn't make a "decision for the coaches." Glover said he even told Utah head coach Kyle Whittingham during the recruiting process that if he decided to retire, he would stay committed to the program.
"I'm going to stay even though you leave," Glover said of his conversation at the time. "And that was the biggest thing for me. Coach Kiel was a big, big, big help in me committing here, but other than that, I know it's a business and everybody has to do what they have to do best for their family. But I felt like this decision was best for my family regardless."
The Next Chapter… ⏰
— Jaylon "2 Piece" Glover 💨 (@officiallyyjay1) August 7, 2021
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•@polk_waypic.twitter.com/TeoIism1vV
Glover is a Ute and he's hoping to make a name for himself.
As an early enrollee freshman looking for playing time behind already established running backs in Tavion Thomas and Micah Bernard, Glover enters the program with the usual optimism and excitement that comes from a player realizing his dream at the collegiate level, but spring camp is just the beginning; the hard part hasn't even started yet.
But Glover doesn't shy away from the hard work or any critique to his game. It's all part of the process to showcase his talent — the type of talent that got him 6,096 rushing yards, 80 touchdowns and 32 100-yard rushing games in high school — in a program that features dominant running backs that go on to have a career in the NFL.
It's the next — or first, depending on how you look at it — step before fulfilling a lifelong dream of being added to an NFL roster. But before any of that can be realized, Glover is ready to showcase his talent — in spring, in fall, or whatever other opportunity he's presented with as a member of the Utah football family.
"I'm a big family guy," Glover said. "And with this coaching staff, they really made it about family. Now that I'm here, everything that they were saying in the recruiting process is true. And the biggest thing for me was an opportunity, and if you perform you play — that was huge for me. Just being here understanding that everybody here works hard.
"My biggest thing in spring is I want to make plays," Glover added. "I want to show that I'm established, I'm able to play, I can do good things and I can contribute to the team early — and that's why I'm here. I'm glad I've got the older guys in front of me so I can watch and learn from them. But the biggest thing for me, I want to show that I can play."
His intro to the team in spring started out by fumbling the ball during the team's first practice session — something he was quick to point out — but it's all part of the process in his new home. With the mistakes comes an opportunity for improvement. And if Glover can showcase any of what he showed as a running back at Lake Gibson High, there's little question Utah has a special talent on its hands.
He's a die-hard Ute who is ready to leave his mark on the team.
