PROVO — Kellen Fowler grew up envisioning himself as a BYU quarterback. It made sense, considering he is the son of a former Cougar QB, Blaine Fowler.

After playing quarterback all the way through high school, Fowler found himself faced with a difficult decision. He was recruited by the Air Force Academy as a quarterback, and he was recruited by the Cougars as a safety.

"That decision weighed heavy on me," Fowler remembered. "I had always dreamed of throwing touchdown passes."

Now, years later, Fowler is a senior and BYU's starting free safety. "When it came right down to it, I think defense is a better fit for me," he said. "I've really found a home over here in the defensive backfield."

Not only that, but free safety is, in a way, the quarterback of the defense.

"It's sort of like that," Fowler said. "I don't know if you can compare it exactly, but as far as the vocal, pre-snap stuff, it's similar. The free safety in our defense has a significant role as far as making play-calls for the defense, making checks, to make sure our defense is the strongest to face the different formations and sets that we see."

With BYU's defense breaking in several new players, Fowler is saddled with an important job. Coach Bronco Mendenhall explained what Fowler brings to the Cougar 'D.'

"Intelligence. We can't play defense in this system without that player getting us lined up," he said. "Kellen's position is responsible for the calls. There's just a calm back there. The players know that he knows exactly what to do and why. They look to him, and he has the right answers. That, maybe even more than playmaking ability, his role and ability to do that is primary in that spot."

For Fowler, BYU football is something he's been passionate about since birth. It's in his blood.

"My grandparents volunteer here at the Student-Athlete Building," Fowler explained. "My dad played football here, and he met my mother here while she was a Cougarette. I was born in San Diego at the 1983 Holiday Bowl. You could say I've been growing up to do this. It's a great opportunity, and I'm loving every minute."

Fowler wears the same number his dad did when he played at BYU in the 1980s. "I wear No. 16 because he wore No. 16," he said. "When I got back from my mission, I decided that I would want to honor the tradition and legacy of our family name by picking up where he left off and try to keep up the tradition."

As a youngster, Kellen learned the game from his dad.

"It was nice growing up in a football home," Kellen said. "As far back as I could remember we were talking about how to dissect a cover-two defense over Sunday dinner. My family is definitely a football-crazed family. That breeds a deep love for the game. Some players may view fall camp as a torture you have to get through. I really love it. I don't think you can beat being out here in Provo, with the beautiful mountains around, and having the opportunity to play a game I just love. It's been a great thing to be trained to play this game and to have the opportunity to do it at BYU. I'm very fortunate and very grateful."