Tyler Kozlowski doesn't need an alarm clock to wake up for morning workouts.
The Brigham Young walk-on freshman, who says he "eats, sleeps and drinks football," has routes running through his head all night.
"I actually have trouble sleeping because all I can think about is football and the plays I have to run," Kozlowski said.
With receivers Michael Reed and Ryan Neeley hampered by injuries this week, Kozlowski has been given a chance to display his fearless pass-catching abilities. The 5-foot-9, 170-pound Illinois native has impressed the coaches with his insatiable appetite to improve.
"He is kind of a football junkie, I would say," BYU coach Bronco Mendenhall said. "He loves the game and he is always studying. He has the mind-set for it, and I think it's his passion. What he lacks in size, he makes up for in heart."
Kozlowski's last name should ring familiar to BYU fans. His father, Glen, was an All-American receiver for the Cougars and played six seasons for the Chicago Bears.
While some may view a parental legacy as a burden, Kozlowski embraces his lineage. His father coached him throughout his career and instilled his fundamentals and his passion for the game.
I think of it more as an honor to be recognized as Glen Kozlowski's son," Kozlowski said. "I don't really think of it as pressure."
BYU recruited Kozlowski out of high school, but he went to work for Coca-Cola for a year to pay for his LDS Church mission to Brazil. He stocked shelves in the company's Chicago warehouse and drove trucks loaded with soda.
"It's always been a dream of mine to come to BYU," Kozlowski said. "As a little kid I remember watching my dad's highlights and stuff like that."
Although his father might not be able to attend every game because he's coaching a high school team in Chicago, Kozlowski's mother, Julie, already has booked several airline tickets.
"She is kind of my biggest fan. She is just a crazy lady," Kozlowski said. "The moment we step on the field, you will probably hear my mom being the loudest."
Kozlowski realizes BYU loyalists might expect big things from him based on genetics. But he just wants to do whatever is needed for the team to be successful.
"I know I have big shoes to fill with my dad and my last name and stuff," he said. "But I am just trying to make a name for myself."