Utah running back Wayshawn Parker aims to create a family legacy

Wayshawn Parker, a junior running back for the University of Utah, is playing to establish a generational athletic legacy for his family.

Parker spent his recent bye week with his parents and relatives, noting that being with his family provides the motivation to work harder on the field. He wears hot-pink cleats during October to ensure his niece can identify him during games, a tradition that began after he met a performance goal set by former coach Kyle Whittingham.

Parker moved to Utah after a successful stint at Washington State, where he developed a close bond with running backs coach Mark Atuaia. The coach acted as a mentor to Parker during his high school years and eventually helped facilitate his transfer to the Utes. Parker now serves as a team captain and leads the team in pregame chants.

He also focuses on unselfish play, often sacrificing his own statistics by performing heavy blocking duties to open lanes for quarterback Devon Dampier and other receivers. The running back currently ranks among the top players in the country for rushing touchdowns and yards per carry. He is known for his ability to break tackles and his reliability in the passing game.

Parker plans to continue his pursuit of 1,000 rushing yards this season while preparing for a potential career in the NFL. He stated that his goal is to succeed so that future generations of his family can follow in his footsteps.