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PLEASANT GROVE - One year ago, Dallas Lloyd was fighting to become the Pleasant Grove Vikings starting quarterback. Once he earned the job, it didn't take long for his coaches and teammates to see he was special.
"I tell you what, in the open field he can hurt you," said Pleasant Grove Head Football Coach Dale Sampson.
"He's a dual threat quarterback," said Vikings tight end Bryan Sampson, who has committed to BYU. "Great runner, great decision maker, smart kid, doesn't ever make mistakes."
"He can throw the ball, he can run the ball, he can kill kids," said Vikings running back and linebacker Joey Owens, also committed to BYU in 2010. "So really, there is nothing he can't do."
"I'd sacrifice my body for Dallas," said offensive lineman Bryce Walker, who is committed to Gary Anderson and the Utah State Aggies. "I love that guy. He's my quarterback. I love my boy. That's all I gotta say."
Bryce isn't the only one who loves Dallas. Eleven college coaches around the country were not only impressed by his athleticism and skills but also his 4.0 grade point average.
"He put himself in position academically," said Coach Sampson, "then, obviously, he's got great tools and size."
Once one offer came, 10 more quickly followed.
"When one school offers you and shows interest, then it makes everyone come to you," Lloyd said. "It's a big recruiting game."
Back in June, just two days before Jake Heaps held a press conference to announce his commitment, Lloyd made his decision quietly in a much different setting.
"Yeah, it was a big deal with eleven offers," Lloyd said. "I just felt I didn't need a press conference. We made it quiet. We went down with the coaches and had a visit and had dinner."
It was at that dinner with Stanford Head Coach Jim Harbaugh and his staff that Dallas made an announcement.
My dad was talking about it, and I said, 'Dad that's enough,'" Dallas remembers. "And I stood up and said 'Coach I'm comin' to Stanford' and then he stood up and everyone was excited."
The decision wasn't easy. He had to turn down offers from Nebraska and Miami, as well as the Utes and Cougars.
"Oh my gosh! It was so hard. I loved Utah. Utah's been great to me. But living in BYU's backyard and going to their games my whole life it was really hard to talk with Coach Doman and Coach Mendenhall, but they understand."
Now, with his college decision behind him, he can focus on leading a very talented Vikings team to a state championship.
"Ever since you're little you think about your senior year, and that's what you've been dreaming about. I think we've been doing a great job of working hard, and everyone has the same goal. We want a state championship, undefeated season, similar goals like that but we've been working harder than ever and I'm really excited."
E-mail: jjensen@ksl.com
