FORT COLLINS — Tyson Liggett scanned the packed crowd in BYU’s LaVell Edwards Stadium last week and something clicked.
“We don’t even have that many people in my town (compared to those) who were at the stadium,” said Liggett, the walk-on Colorado State receiver from Limon who stunned BYU with 11 catches for 156 yards and a touchdown in a 42-23 loss.
BYU’s full house represented more than 30 times Limon’s population of less than 2,000. That’s give or take a few dozen stranded motorists seeking shelter during an Eastern plains blizzard.
The Denver-Boulder area has two area codes. Limon has two prefixes — one for land lines and one for cell phones.
“Unfortunately they lost, but we’re very proud of Tyson,” Limon football coach Mike O’Dwyer said. “What it says is a lot to do with his work ethic. He was one of the hardest-working kids. It’s one thing to have a lot of athletic ability, it’s another to work at it.”
Given the exposure in summer camps on college campuses and the convenience of highlight DVDs, it’s easier for small-school athletes to draw a look by colleges. Liggett said he had an invitation to walk on after a summer camp at CSU.
Still, the small-school brand is attached.
“They don’t get the looks they deserve,” O’Dwyer said. “They are always pushed to the back of the bus.”
Liggett became one of those small-town athletic legends, excelling at every sport every season, including a spring double in baseball and track.
As a three-sport all-state standout, Liggett once scored 57 points in basketball against Strasburg.
A quarterback at Limon, the 5-foot-9 Liggett has moved ahead of much taller redshirt freshmen from big cities: 6-4 Marquise Law of Miami and 6-3 Byron Steele from Arlington, Texas.
Of the junior-college transfers on scholarship, Jyrone Hickman is ready to contribute, and Ryan Gardner has been MIA since spiking the ball after a catch against Colorado.
“Tyson doesn’t get all the meals we do,” starting senior wideout Dion Morton said of Liggett’s walk-on status. “Tyson does a tremendous job when his number is called.”
CSU has had a long history of success with walk-ons, going back to the school’s all-time career rushing yardage leader, Steve Bartalo, in the 1980s.
Current defensive starters Ty Whittier, Nick Oppenneer and Alex Williams were walk-ons. Grad assistant Jason Gallimore was one of the most successful walk-ons, along with his twin brother, Justin. Liggett fits the small-town mold of ex-receiver Dustin Osborn of La Junta.
Liggett insists if a scholarship in the cards, fine.
“I don’t care what my part is,” Liggett said. “If it’s catching 11 balls for 150 or going out to make a block on special teams, winning is the biggest thing.”
Natalie Meisler: 303-954-1295 or nmeisler@denverpost.com
