alt=Brandon GurneyPROVO — Don’t suggest to Dimitri Gallow any sort of benefit of waiting around and observing before strapping on his helmet to practice.
He doesn’t want to hear it.
Much like several other junior college transfers to the BYU football program, Gallow found himself needing to wait a couple of weeks to get officially cleared to practice. Doing as much put him behind where he feels he could be with the season-opener against Utah closing in.
“It was incredibly frustrating. I’m a competitor and I don’t like waiting around for anything.” — BYU cornerback Dimitri Gallow
“It was incredibly frustrating. I’m a competitor and I don’t like waiting around for anything,” Gallow said. “I mean, I did everything I could to get ready while having to wait — studying the plays, getting my body right, but nothing beats being out there to practice and play like I know I can.”
The good news is all the waiting is now behind the 6-foot, 190-pound cornerback from Mt. San Jacinto Junior College (Calif.) as he works to earn a spot with his condensed window of opportunity. In that time, the coaches have largely seen the same style of play from Gallow they thought they’d get when recruiting him.
What Gallow presents to the cornerback ranks is a physical and seasoned presence that at the very least will add depth to a typically thin position.
“Press coverage is what I do. It’s my strength and what I do best,” Gallow said. “The challenge now is learning how to do everything else within this defense. So it’s been tough. That first practice — man I thought I was so ready, but it was tough — tougher than I thought, but I’m definitely settling in now and learning as fast as I possibly can. I’m feeling closer and closer every day.”
Helping Gallow out are the same teammates that attracted him to Provo in the first place.
Gallow grew up in Moreno Valley, California, as a USC fan, not knowing all that much about BYU until taking a recruiting visit to the program. Initially he had reservations with regards to how he’d fit in with BYU’s unique environment, although that all changed quickly upon meeting his now teammates.
“That was the biggest thing — how I felt just being around the guys here,” Gallow said. “It wasn’t any just one player or even a few players. I just loved the team environment and that’s what convinced me to stay. At first I was skeptical, but just seeing how these guys act and how they are convinced me to stay. I felt like I fit in immediately.”
Gallow hopes to help all those teammates as best he can this year while competing for playing time at cornerback along with freshman Isaiah Herron (6-1, 175) and sophomore D’Angelo Mandell (6-1, 185.)
“I just want to be a great teammate and a better player each and every day,” Gallow said. “I’m excited to compete with these guys and to push one another the best we can. I’m excited to be here and fully intend to make the most of my opportunity.”