Another Special K Making His Name in Ongoing Serial : Receiver Kyle Is the Fourth Member of Jan Clan to Play on the Football Team at Granada Hills

The most common listing in Granada Hills High football programs over the past decade is Jan, K.

Four Jan brothers, all with first names starting with the letter K, have played for Granada Hills, starting with Keith, a fullback and defensive lineman on the 1978-80 teams. Kevin Jan, a two-year starter at quarterback, passed for nearly 2,000 yards in 1981 as a senior.

This season Granada Hills has two more additions from the Jan family, twin brothers Kyle and Kenneth.

Ken, a reserve wide receiver, has not seen much action this season, but Kyle has emerged from the shadows cast not only by his successful brothers but by teammates. Last season, quarterback Jeremy Leach and tight end Sean Brown received most of the attention.

Jan, a 6-4, 190-pound senior, is the leading City Section receiver in the Valley with 20 catches for 295 yards and 5 touchdowns in 3 games. Brown also has 20 receptions, for 245 yards and 2 touchdowns.

“Sean’s gotten all the press over the last two years, but it’s hard to compare the two since they play different positions,” said Tom Harp, the Highlanders’ offensive coordinator.

Jan has not let lack of attention bother him.

“I did think I was overshadowed for a while,” he said. But more people are looking at me, paying more attention.”

Jan, who was a reserve last year and caught 13 passes for 165 yards and 1 touchdown, is the team’s most improved player, according to Coach Darryl Stroh.

“He’s been catching a lot of passes, and he’s just beginning to show what he can do,” Stroh said.

Jan, who also plays basketball, has benefited from the emphasis Granada Hills places on the passing game. The Highlanders, whose list of alumni includes NFL quarterback John Elway, are averaging 292 yards a game through the air.

And the Granada Hills passing attack has benefited from Jan’s height. When the ball goes up in a crowd, more often than not, Jan is the player who returns to earth with the reception.

“The odds are he’ll come down with it because of his height,” Harp said. “It’s rare that you have two receivers, Kyle and Sean Brown, who can both slam dunk a basketball,” Harp said.

“I’m taller than probably every defensive back in the league,” Jan said. “All Jeremy has to do is throw the ball high.”

Said Leach: “He wants the ball so much, more than any other receiver up there. When the ball’s in the air you know he’ll come down with it.”

As did his brother, Keith, Jan plays offense and defense. Since Brown injured an ankle in Granada Hills’ opening-game loss to Alemany, Jan has started in his place at cornerback. He has three interceptions and returned one 32 yards for a touchdown in a 30-7 win over Chatsworth two weeks ago.

Jan also shows no fear of contact. In last weekend’s 49-14 victory over Canoga Park, he leveled running back Mike Conover, sending him temporarily to the sideline.

Jan’s abilities have caught the attention of recruiters from Washington, Stanford, Nevada-Las Vegas and Brigham Young. But decisions about the future can wait: He is more interested in making a name for himself in the ’87 season.

“I want people to remember me as a receiver,” he said. “I don’t want to be remembered as someone’s younger brother or as the other receiver.”