An unlikely college football journey through Devon Blackmon's eyes


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PROVO — Tuesday's edition of "BYU Football with Bronco Mendenhall" was arguably the most memorable show of the season thus far. Player guest and wide receiver Devon Blackmon stole the show, staying for the majority of the show to answer questions off-air and share insights into his BYU experience.

Blackmon's road to Provo has been much different than that of most other players.

"I was at Oregon fresh out of high school. I was highly recruited. I could have gone anywhere – Florida, Alabama, etc," he said. "That's a lot for a 17- or 18-year-old to take on. I didn't really have any guidance coming out of high school. I was very arrogant and thought I knew it all."

His college career got off to a rocky start in Eugene, Oregon, though. That started a turn of events that eventually led him to coach Bronco Mendenhall and the Cougars.

"What propelled me to come here (BYU) was when I was at Oregon I was wasn't mature enough," he said. "College football is about coming to practice to work everyday. It's not like high school where you're the best. At Oregon, they knew I had talent, and I was showing them glimpses of talent, but my work ethic wasn't there."

Blackmon, a Fontana, California, native, came full circle, leaving his hometown to play for the Ducks, then coming back to play 30 minutes down the road at Riverside Community College.

Photo: Elora Grant, IMG College
Photo: Elora Grant, IMG College

"I had to re-evaluate everything and come back home to RCC," he said. "It was a humbling experience to be the No. 1 recruit coming out of high school, then to be back home where everybody thought you were going to be something."

His lone year of community college prepared him to get back to FBS football and to succeed this time around.

"At a junior college, you have to do everything on your own. You have to wake up on your own at 7:30 a.m., you have to register for classes at 3:30 a.m. on your own, and it's hard for me to do things on my own," he said. "So that was a humbling experience for me."

After catching 29 passes for 526 yards in his one season in Riverside, Blackmon, the No. 27-ranked junior college player on ESPN's 2014 Junior College Top-50 rankings started to receive scholarship offers again. Among those was BYU, which until that point was a complete unknown in Blackmon's mind.

"I started getting recruited again, and people told me about BYU," Blackmon recalled. "I said, 'BYU, what is that?' They said you're going to be up there at BYU with Jamaal Williams and Bronco. I said, 'Bronco? Is he a transformer? Is he a gladiator? Who is this guy?'"

The guidance that was missing during his time at Oregon came from a well-known source during his second recruiting process.

"I talked to my mom, and she thought BYU was an excellent choice," Blackmon said. "She said, 'Knowing my son, you ain't right.' My mom will tell you things straight up. So I think we made the choice for me to come to BYU collectively. I knew I wasn't mature enough, and I needed the guidance.

"I know myself. If coach gives me 3 inches, I'll take 10 inches and tell him I only took 3. I needed to come here and get right. I've grown a lot since coming here, and I love it. I was struggling at first, but the support I get from everyone is ridiculous, and I love it. It's an atmosphere I can thrive in."

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That decision has translated to success both on and off the field. Blackmon has been an impact player this season, leading the Cougars with 342 receiving yards through six games. Mendenhall has taken notice of his wideout's personal growth.

"I'm really glad Devon's here. It's so much fun to have him on the team. He's a really good player, but more importantly he's a really optimistic, positive and authentic person, who has really matured in a really unique setting," Mendenhall said. "I think he's handled it remarkably well. If I had the chance to recruit Devon 100 more times, I would do it for sure. It's been an awesome experience for us all. It doesn't mean it's easy, but good things aren't easy. It's been really rewarding and fulfilling."

Blackmon was a fan-favorite Tuesday, sticking around longer than players normally do. Following the show, he gave fans a taste of his well-known dancing prowess in the President's Loge. He also stayed behind to shake the hand of every guest at the show as they left. Among those, a lifelong BYU fan named Marge, who celebrated her 93rd birthday at the show.

In one of the most entertaining shows in recent memory, Blackmon gave fans a glimpse into the ups and downs many college football players go through. After enduring trials and growing pains, it's safe to say Blackmon is on the rise. Blake Dorton is a student at BYU studying broadcast journalism and French. He hopes to pursue a career in sports broadcasting following his graduation. Follow Blake on Twitter @BlakeDorton.

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