Lott Profiles, 2008
Jorgensen: A Cougar With Claws
There are two kinds of football fans in Utah.
Those who love and root for BYU. And those who hate and root against BYU. Fans of Utah and Utah State are always in the later group.
Think Alabama-Auburn, USC-UCLA.
So it was for Jan Jorgensen, growing up in a Utah State household that despised BYU.
Jorgensen’s father, Jeff, had played at Utah State and rooting against BYU was expected and natural.
Following a stellar four-year prep career at Carbon High School in Helper, Utah, Jorgensen, who had initially favored Utah but changed his mind when head coach Ron McBride was fired, signed with Kentucky early in 2003.
But during his two-year mission in Idaho, he re-considered and thoughts of playing in Provo for the powerful BYU Cougars became an option.
“My dad raised me to hate ‘em,” Jorgensen told Dick Harmon of the Deseret Morning News. “He played at Utah State and had a great dislike for BYU. I was actually scared to tell my family, and the funny thing is, when I told them BYU was an option, I’d already made up my mind that I’d go to BYU.”
Jeff Jorgensen’s reaction was expected: “My son cannot go to BYU. My son cannot go to BYU.”
Three years later, Jan Jorgensen is one of the stars on a very good BYU team, one that has BCS aspirations, and Jeff Jorgensen is now one of the teams’ biggest fans.
As well he should be since son Jan is showcasing his considerable skills as a pass rusher, run stopper and even as a kick blocker.
It was Jorgensen’s block of a PAT that would have tied the game in Week II against Washington that kept the Cougars undefeated.
For his contributions on and off the field, Jorgensen has been nominated for fifth annual The Lott Trophy.
Named after Hall of Famer Ronnie Lott, The Lott Trophy is awarded to college football’s Defensive IMPACT® Player of the Year. The Lott Trophy is the first college football award to equally recognize athletic performance and the personal character attributes of the player.
Sponsored by The Pacific Club IMPACT Foundation®, the award is given to a player who exhibits the same characteristics Lott embodied during his distinguished career: Integrity, Maturity, Performance, Academics, Community and Tenacity.
David Pollack of Georgia won the initial Lott Trophy in 2004. DeMeco Ryans of Alabama won the award in 2005 Dante Hughes of Cal was the recipient in 2006 and Glenn Dorsey of LSU in 2007. Georgia, Alabama, Cal and LSU each received $25,000 for their general scholarship funds. In four years, the Pacific Club IMPACT Foundation® has donated more than $450,000 to various charities, including the four universities.
Voters for the award include selected members of the national media, previous finalists, the Board of Directors of the Pacific Club IMPACT Foundation®, The IMPACT Foundation Board of Advisors comprised of retired NFL players and Legends Coaches, a distinguished group of former head college coaches.
Jorgensen sums up his approach to football – and life – thusly:
“Work ethic,” he says. “The person who works the hardest is the one who will do it on the field. Almost everyone is equal physically, but the edge comes in who will work the hardest to improve.”
BYU Head Coach Bronco Mendenhall is one who really appreciates the efforts of his 22-year-old junior defensive end: “Jan epitomizes BYU defense. He’s much more mature than the kids he’s lining up against, he’s quick and he’s strong and he’s successful because he’s so detail oriented. His technique is tremendous,” Mendenhall told Sports Illustrated.
Mendenhall, Jorgensen and the rest of the Cougars (5-0) will not be satisfied with just a Mountain West Conference championship this time around. “Our goals have to be higher than that,” says Jorgensen.
Please visit our website at Thelotttrophy.com for a complete watch list, updates on those players and the history of the award.
Pete Donovan
Media Director, The Lott Trophy
760/360-0414