Something to Prove in Provo : Former West Torrance and Carson Quarterback John Walsh Is Attempting to Succeed Ty Detmer as Brigham Young’s Quarterback

The mean streets of Los Angeles have little in common with the friendly paths John Walsh crossed during his freshman year at Brigham Young University in Provo, Utah.

“It’s a lot different than down here,” said the Torrance native. “There are no gangsters, no shootings. Everybody says hi and everybody is polite and nice. Everybody smiles.”

The only gang Walsh expects to encounter at BYU is the one fighting for the Cougars’ quarterback job.

Walsh, a former standout at Carson and West Torrance high schools, is one of five inexperienced sophomores competing to replace two-time All-American and 1990 Heisman Trophy winner Ty Detmer, the NCAA’s all-time passing leader. BYU went 28-9-2 the past three seasons with Detmer at quarterback.

“For the last three years we really haven’t had to worry about who our quarterback was going to be,” said BYU quarterback coach Robbie Bosco, a former Cougar All-American. “Now we’ve got to find a guy to play for us.”

Walsh feels he has as good a chance as anyone to carry on BYU’s legacy of outstanding quarterbacks. He backed up Detmer last season as a true freshman, appearing in six games and completing eight of 16 passes for 94 yards and no touchdowns. The No. 23-ranked Cougars finished 8-3-2 after tying Iowa, 13-13, in the Holiday Bowl.

“I’m in the position I want to be in,” Walsh said. “I want to go back and practice hard, and hopefully everything will work out. . . . My goal is to start the whole season.”

Walsh, who returns to BYU on Monday, left spring practice as one of the Cougars’ top two quarterbacks. His primary competitor is Steve Clements, a transfer from the University of Texas who sat out last season after he was redshirted as a freshman.

Both quarterbacks enjoyed productive springs. In the Cougars’ intrasquad game, Walsh completed all six of his passing attempts and threw for two touchdowns. Clements was four of eight for 134 yards and one TD.

“I was taking the first snaps in spring games,” Walsh said. “Right now I guess you could say I’m first string, but nothing is written in stone. If we had a game tomorrow, I guess you could say I’m first string.”

Bosco, though, said the coaching staff is a long way from deciding on a starter. Practice for all BYU players begins Aug. 12 and the Cougars’ first game is Sept. 5 at Texas-El Paso, a Western Athletic Conference opponent.

Joining Walsh and Clements in the quarterback derby are Ryan Hancock, a former prep standout at Monta Vista High in Cupertino and the top relief pitcher for the BYU baseball team;Brock Spencer, BYU’s junior varsity quarterback in 1990 who was redshirted last season, and Tom Young, brother of San Francisco 49er quarterback and former BYU standout Steve Young. Tom Young was the Cougars’ junior varsity quarterback in 1988 before serving a two-year Mormon mission. He was redshirted last season.

“Right now we have five sophomore quarterbacks,” Bosco said. “We gave them equal (playing) time in the spring, and we feel John came out close to the top, in the top three.

“We’re not giving out who’s going to be No. 1 or No. 2. A lot can happen in the summer. Hopefully they’re all working hard to get to the top spot.”

Walsh’s summer regimen has included daily runs on the beach and workouts designed to lower his body fat and improve his quickness. He has lost 15 pounds since last season, leaving him a leaner 6-foot-4 and 200 pounds.

That was good news to Bosco, who said Walsh needed to improve his footwork to compete with the more mobile Clements (6-2, 190) and Hancock (6-2, 205).

“(Walsh) may have slower feet than you would want to have as a quarterback, but if he works at it, he can have quick feet,” Bosco said. “By losing weight, he is showing everybody he is working on those things.”

Walsh also has been working on passing fundamentals with his longtime personal coach, Steve Clarkson, a former quarterback with San Jose State and the Denver Broncos. Many believed it was Clarkson, a former Carson High assistant, who orchestrated Walsh’s controversial transfer from West Torrance to Carson for his senior season in 1990. Walsh transferred back to West after the football season.

By changing schools, Walsh enhanced his position as a college prospect. He passed for a state-record 4,226 yards and 48 touchdowns to lead Carson to the City Section 4-A Division title. He was recruited by, among others, the University of Miami and USC before deciding to attend BYU.

Walsh said it was an adjustment going from 388 passing attempts as high school senior to 16 last season, but how could he complain? Playing behind Detmer, who set an NCAA record with 15,031 career passing yards, provided the freshman with a valuable education. Walsh took advantage of the opportunity, eventually working his way into the backup role by outperforming senior Joe Evans.

“(Detmer) was a big help,” Walsh said. “He knew everything. He knew just as much as the coaches. He was really smart at reading defenses and picking up blitzes. If you asked him a question, he was more than happy to explain it.”

Now that Detmer has departed for the NFL--he was drafted in the ninth round by the Green Bay Packers--Walsh feels his dream of starting for a major college team is about to come true.

“I knew Ty Detmer was leaving after my freshman year,” Walsh said. “That was part of my decision (to attend BYU). There are not too many places where a true sophomore can start for a national power.”

BYU insiders say the quarterback competition is essentially a two-man race between Walsh and Clements, with Hancock close behind. Walsh, a classic drop-back passer, reminds some observers of former BYU and Raider quarterback Mark Wilson. The left-handed Clements, a good scrambler, is similar in style to the rangy Steve Young.

As for personality, Walsh is said to be quiet on the field, whereas Clements is regarded as a more vocal leader. Clements’ ability to run and his knack for taking charge--two qualities Detmer possessed--reportedly have made the Texan the favorite among BYU players.

But Bosco said playing styles and personalities will not be important factors in picking a starting quarterback.

“We’ll put out the guy we feel can win games for us,” he said. “Whether he can talk a mile a minute or doesn’t say two words, it doesn’t mean that much. As long as he can take us down the

field, that’s the guy we’re going to pick.”

Walsh hopes to earn the job with his passing ability. He is considered to have the strongest arm among BYU’s quarterbacks.

“He’s got good size and good arm strength, and he’s a real accurate passer,” Bosco said. “His accuracy stands out more than anything. He does a nice job sitting in the pocket waiting to find a receiver to throw to.

“We have a couple of other quarterbacks who can really run well--Clements and Tom Young and Ryan Hancock. Ty (Detmer) made a lot of great plays because of his ability to avoid the rush. Steve Young was like that. But we’ve also had quarterbacks who weren’t like that and were pretty successful. Whoever it is, you have to fit the offense around his style.

“When camp starts, that will all unfold.”

Walsh agreed that how he performs in practice will make or break his chances of following in the footsteps of Virgil Carter (1964-66), Gifford Nielsen (1975-77), Wilson (1978-79), Jim McMahon (1980-81), Steve Young (1982-83) and Bosco (1984-85), all former BYU quarterbacks who went on to play in the NFL.

Does Walsh worry about being compared to those players?

Not in the least.

“I don’t think it’s intimidating,” he said. “It might be a little more exciting.”