The University of Utah is an easy 660-mile, 10-hour drive due east from Davis.

But for former Blue Devil athlete Thretton Palamo, the journey to Salt Lake City took him several times around the world.

Now, the 23-year-old sophomore, who was the youngest rugby player in men’s international competition history, has earned a spot as a Ute running back and — if Palamo’s personal history tells his fans anything — the 6-foot-2, 242-pound tailback is about to make waves where there is no ocean.

“I’ve never been around anything like his journey back to football,” Utah head coach Kyle Whittingham told The Enterprise. “He’s a little behind because he’s been out of football so long, but he fits our physical profile to a T and his best days are certainly ahead of him.”

Until last spring, Palamo hadn’t played football since 2005 – his only year on a gridiron anywhere. During that experiment, as a fullback, he rushed for almost 800 yards, including 211 against Franklin and 221 in a game with St. Patrick/St. Vincent.

Upon graduation in ’06, it was back to all rugby, all the time.

Six months of playing for San Francisco Golden Gate led to Palamo being picked to play for Team USA. A year later, when Palamo stepped on the pitch in Montpellier, France, against England, he became the youngest man ever to play in Rugby World Cup play.

Traveling the globe for the next four years, Palamo and U.S. team colleague Blake Burdette became tight. It was a friendship that would lead to college and football.

“I told him I could get (him) connected with the right people if he ever wanted to play football,” said Burdette, a member of the Utes’ 12-0 football team in 2004.

Palamo was intrigued, but when he arrived in Salt Lake City he opted to play rugby for Burdette, who had become the Utes’ coach. Not surprisingly, Palamo led his school to the national sevens championship, beating Cal’s storied Ol’ Blue in the finals.

Then last spring — at almost everyone’s urging — Palamo picked out a helmet …

“Long story short, yeah, I just walked on, threw some pads on and I’m learning as I go,” Palamo says with a nervous chuckle.

So far, so good.

Impressive in May, Palamo got the green light from Whittingham to return during summer workouts. What has transpired has been the stuff of which movies are made.

Rock-solid with a gait that reminds one of a rhinoceros running like a gazelle, Palamo passed muster in the desire, physicality and mentality departments. He just has to adjust his game …

Because there are responsibilities in football that belie the often-wild approach of rugby, Palamo has had to rethink his aggressiveness.

“The toughest part of this transition for me is patience,” Palamo said after last Saturday’s workout. “Drills and conditioning are so different.”

Palamo says the patience will come: “I am learning a lot every day, trying to get better. I think I’ll get there.”

So does Whittingham:

“It’s a work in progress with Thretton,” the coach told Utah journalist Jeremiah Jensen. “He needs to continue to do the things he’s doing. He’s very attentive in meetings … a smart kid, but it’s all foreign to him. He has very little background in football.

“But I’m pleased with his progress.”

All Ute fans are. In the final summer scrimmage last month, Palamo broke off a 56-yard touchdown run and has moved from a nonroster player to being one of the top three running backs on a team that has national aspirations.

Burdette agrees with Palamo that his decision to play football was intelligent not only because he’ll help the team, but because scholarship grants will help pay for school.

“I think he’s gonna be good,” Brudette says. “He’s a great athlete and a great kid and he wants it. It’s a recipe for success.”

Palamo hints at a return to rugby after Utah football, but who really knows what the future holds? If things work out running with pads, there’s a little network out there called the National Football League — and it’s told those guys make big money.

Notes: Utah opens Thursday against Montana State (a team UC Davis plays on Sept. 10). Whittingham says Palamo is expected to see action behind starting tailback John White, a transfer from Harbor College in Southern California. … Palamo’s parents, Arona and Alofisa, still live in Davis. Arona, a scientist, is a rugby legend in his native Samoa. Thretton’s brothers Toshi and Seta Arona Jr. live in Washington, D.C., and sister Nicole is in New Zealand. … Arona Jr. holds the Davis High record for touchdowns in a season, 27 in 1995. …There’s terrific video of Palamo in rugby action at Utah: visit www.youtube.com/watch?v=oa3kuO6w_54&feature=related. … Thretton Palamo is a pre-business major.

— Reach Bruce Gallaudet at [email protected] or (530) 747-8047

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Thretton Palamo

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Former Blue Devil and current Utah football player Thretton Palamo shows off his world-class rugby skills during a 2008 game with Team USA. Courtesy photo

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