Every now and then a player comes along that transcends a rivalry. Whether it's the quality of the player or the quality of the person, they stand apart. They are special. Aaron Rodgers has that now. Walter Payton had it before. He had it all. I had been amazed by Payton ever since he ran for 275 yards against the Minnesota Vikings in 1977. I enjoyed his career despite it being with the Chicago Bears. I would have preferred a little less success against the Vikings but you can't have everything. Many know of his wonderful professional career. Much less is known of his early life. As was his career, his college recruitment was unique.
Walter Payton grew up in Columbia, Mississippi. The south was a very different place in 1970. It was an especially challenging place for an elite black running back for Columbia High School. The SEC schools were dragging their feet in recruiting black athletes. They weren't recruiting black athletes. A Florida St. defensive assistant coach named Bill Parcells briefly stopped by Columbia to take a look at Payton. He saw a 5'9" 170 lb back when Payton was 5'10" 190 lbs. Parcells thought that Florida St. had about six backs better than Payton. This defensive coach would make some better decisions later in life. Kansas St. was the lone NCAA Division I school to recruit Walter Payton. Assistant coach Frank Falks recruited him heavily. "Once you saw him, there was no question he'd be great." Falks said, "No question whatsoever." Falks met with Payton's family and followed up with regular phone calls as did head coach Vince Gibson. They thought that they had him. They were sure that they had him when Payton signed a letter of intent to attend Kansas St. At this point the school made a mistake. They relaxed.
Jackson St. is a historically black college in Mississippi. They also wanted Walter Payton to play football for them. Jackson St. had a few advantages over Kansas St. Payton's brother, Eddie, was already playing football there. To make things even more like home they offered a scholarship to best friend Edward Moses. Jackson St. was also closer to home. Payton then accepted his brother's suggestion to come to Jackson for summer school. Moses came along too. They enrolled in classes. Payton was further set up with a "go-if-your-very-bored" job at a gymnasium. It was a different time. Head football coach Bob Hill made the mistake of checking on Payton a little too frequently. This drove Payton and Moses to check out Pearl River Junior College. That didn't work out and Payton headed home. Unsure of what to do next he found a one-way plane ticket to Manhattan, Kansas waiting for him. His dorm room and #22 jersey were waiting for him there. Kansas St. made the mistake of flying him out of Jackson. Payton packed his things and headed back to Jackson. He arrived five hours before his flight. This allowed him time to visit with friends, his brother and talk to coach Hill. He wasn't fully swayed but he missed his flight. Kansas St. was waiting.
Kansas St. was still waiting while Payton drove back to Columbia with coach Hill. The coach even let Payton drive his beloved car. Its fairly well known that Payton doesn't drive slow. This generosity of the coach was significant. Once at home and still undecided, his mother simply said, "You're going to Jackson St." That ended the recruitment of Walter Payton.
The administrators at Kansas St. were furious. President James McCain called John Peoples, his counterpart at Jackson St., threatening to report them to the NCAA. Claiming, of all things, that Jackson St. kidnapped Walter Payton. It didn't stick and an extraordinary career was about to take off.
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