GREELEY — The most highly respected college football player in Colorado is a senior fullback whose career stats consist of two receptions for 26 yards and five special-teams tackles. He didn’t get a scholarship until this summer, and Saturday’s opponent, Michigan State, has no earthly idea who he is.
And neither do you. Yet when you read the following line, you will join his teammates, coaches, family and friends in lauding an athlete living a life that leaders of men might bow toward.
Northern Colorado’s Derek Palmer, 22, has a wife and three kids, goes to school full time, plays college football, and until receiving his scholarship, worked a full-time job, and sometimes two, all at the same time.
Feel free to exhale.
“I respect him more than anyone on our team,” senior safety Max Hewitt said. “He’s the epitome of a man taking care of his responsibilities. Our defensive coordinator always talks about being uncommon. He said it’s common for a man to get divorced and leave his children.
“Derek’s the epitome of uncommon.”
Said UNC student body president Matt VanDriel, one of Palmer’s best friends: “I look up to Derek more than anyone else in the world. I’m student body president and a triple major, and people wonder how I do it. But my schedule can’t compare to his.”
In an era when college football players are robbing fraternities and running at the snap of an agent’s diamond-laden fingers, Palmer is as dependable and sturdy as a blocking sled.
His life needs more hours in the day, yet Palmer has often been let into the weight room before it opens, at 6:30 a.m., to lift. Then he’d run. Then he’d go to his dad’s construction site and work a 90-pound jackhammer in a concrete ditch in 100-degree heat. Then he’d go work as a manager at a local Sonic Drive-In.
That’s in the offseason. During the season it gets worse.
“This guy works 40 hours a week, takes care of a wife and kids, goes to school full time, plays football, works and never misses anything?” coach Scott Downing said. “I know he’s shown up for a 6 a.m. workout with maybe two hours’ sleep. He never says anything about it.”
Yes, this life was all planned. He’s not grudgingly clinging to his responsibilities purely out of a sense of duty.
He met Jayna when they ran track at Greeley’s University High. They started dating as sophomores, but this wasn’t normal puppy love. They married six days before he turned 18.
“I never really pushed it until Jayna and I met and it was like, I met the right girl,” Palmer said. “In high school, people were more shocked because we were so young. But everyone who knew us knew that it would work for us.”
He’s sitting on the bench after Thursday’s practice, looking a little less tired since the scholarship allowed him to drop the Sonic job. His blonde goatee and short-cropped hair give him an air of maturity but not nearly as much as his stories.
Pre-scholarship, here was his average daily schedule: 6-7 a.m. lift; 7-8 a.m. meetings, 8-1 p.m. class, 1-2 p.m. lunch, 2-6 p.m. meetings and practice, 7-midnight, manager at Sonic.
On quick breaks he’d run home and see his two boys, Dante, 4, and Brogan 2. Nevaeh was born four months ago. For those college guys whose biggest worry is who they’re taking to the dance, please meet Mr. Responsibility.
“I had a helluva week, in my opinion,” Hewitt said. “I had a couple tests. I have a couple when I got back. I honest to God woke up this morning, hit my snooze button and, honestly, I thought he probably got up a couple hours ago. My life is a breeze compared to his.”
Palmer won’t steer anyone wrong. It’s not easy. There was the one night he drove to his shift at Sonic after working construction three straight days. He started nodding off while driving.
Yet he never nods off at work. Sonic even offered him a regional manager’s job. He turned it down to play football. He’ll have great references, if not press clippings.
“When I’m at a job or I’m doing something, I’m there and I’m concentrated and focused,” Palmer said. “I kind of feed off it. I’m a manager to people, so if I’m not doing my job they won’t do theirs. And if I’m a leader in the weight room, I have to push myself to show that everyone needs to push themselves so we can get better.”
Said Jayna: “He’s always had such a good, strong work ethic. He just never wants to do anything less than best. He really is an amazing man.”
Apparently it runs in the family. His father, Rick, and his mom, Cheryl, are both from tiny Osborne, Kan. They had Derek’s oldest sister when they were about Derek’s age. His mom ran her own business, and his dad owns Johnson-Palmer Construction.
To the Palmers, this life isn’t newsworthy. It’s life, period.
“When you become a parent and you have that responsibility, you want to be the best you can be,” Derek said. “I had to develop those skills so I could take care of my family. I attribute that to my father. He’s been a big inspiration. I feel he still works harder than me. Every day.”
Go ahead and look for Palmer’s name in the box score Sunday. Maybe he’ll make a tackle in what will likely be a lopsided loss. But if life had a box score, Derek Palmer would be in boldface every week.
“If I can have half the work ethic and be half the man of him,” said VanDriel, the student body president, “I’ll be a success.”
John Henderson: 303-954-1299 or jhenderson@denverpost.com
He won’t be denied
Derek Palmer was put on scholarship this past summer at UNC. It was more about his work ethic than his on-field stats:
• 2006: Redshirted.
• 2007: Did not play in game.
• 2008: Scout team only.
• 2009: Moved from defensive end to tight end during the season. Caught one pass for 13 yards and had one tackle.
• 2010: Now playing fullback, has one catch for 13 yards.
