There are athletes that come around once in a lifetime that have the ability to elevate athletic programs onto a national stage and put them in the forefront of everyone's mind. Prime examples are athletes like running back Erik Dickerson and what he did for SMU, Bo Jackson and what he was able to accomplish both on the football and baseball fields for Auburn, Michael Irvin and the Miami Hurricanes, or more recently, De'Anthony Thomas' exploits on both the football field and track for the University of Oregon.
The University of Utah just so happens to have been lucky enough to attract one of these types of athletes. Kyle Fulks originally committed to Baylor in 2013 but transferred to Blinn Community College in order to work on his grades. Now, with his grades up and with three years of eligibility left, Fulks has signed with Utah and is expected to play either wide receiver or cornerback for the Utes this coming season.
What makes Fulks such a special athlete? As a senior in high school Fulks ran a 10.21 in the 100 meters and 20.86 in the 200 meters. That's faster than De'Anthony Thomas ever ran while in college. That 100 meter time would make him the second fastest duel sport athlete in all of national college athletics!
To put that kind of speed into more perspective, those times in high school were good enough to give him 3rd place in the 100 meters and 4th place in the 200 meters at the 2015 PAC-12 Championships. What's even more intriguing about that concept is the fact the Fulks believes that he is much faster now than he was back in high school. With the growth and development from high school to college that every normal athlete experiences, it's entirely reasonable to think that Kyle Fulks could easily win PAC-12 titles in both the 100 and 200 meters.
Need more proof that Fulks is the ultimate duel sport threat? Check this out:
The kind of speed that Fulks possesses doesn't just have the ability to make waves in the PAC-12, it has the ability to make waves on a national and even world stage! If he indeed is even faster now than he was in high school, Fulks owes it to himself to try out for the U.S. Olympic team. Even more so, the University of Utah owes it to him to provide him the opportunity to showcase his abilities in track and field's most prolific college conference. University of Utah Track and Field has a unique opportunity with Fulks. Remember my previous post about Utah football's ultimate 4x100 meter relay team? Ladies and gentlemen, meet the ultimate anchor leg of that (or quite frankly ANY) relay team.
If Utah is looking to make an immediate splash in PAC-12 track, Fulks could easily be the cannon ball that makes that splash. In my opinion, if Kyle Fulks shows even a remote interest in running track again, Chris Hill and Kyle Kepler should drop whatever they're doing, muster up a Utah Men's Track uniform, and get him into his spikes as soon as possible. The opportunity to have a potential Olympic quality athlete competing for your university is something that should never be overlooked or passed by. If there was ever a reason for the University of Utah to implement the Oregon State model for men's track and field, Kyle Fulks is it!
So Kyle, how bout it? Want to start running track again? How would you like to beat out USC's Andre De Grasse for the title of "Fastest Man in the PAC-12?" Like I've said before, you, along with many other Utah football players, have the opportunity to walk right into the 2016 PAC-12 Track & Field Championships and pull the rug out from under the University of Oregon as they pursue their 10th consecutive PAC-12 team title. How sweet would it be for you guys knock the king off the mountain?
Photo credit Diana L. Porter
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