Former BYU Cougars cornerback Corby Eason now a principal
Corby Eason, former BYU football cornerback and current North Layton Junior High principal, poses for a portrait in his new office at North Layton Junior High School in Layton on Tuesday, June 13, 2023.
Kristin Murphy, Deseret News
Bronco Mendenhall promised Corby Eason 14 years ago that he could nurture his faith, fulfill his athletic and professional goals and literally stretch his intellect and soul if he played football in Provo for BYU.
Sold. The young athlete from Columbus, Georgia, believed him and moved to Utah in 2009.
He might as well have been dropped off on another planet.
A kid who grew up playing playground football on a gravel lot found himself a Black student in a predominately white campus culture. But, Eason used every ounce of that opportunity.
This spring, a decade after finishing his football eligibility at BYU, Eason was appointed the principal at North Layton Junior High after working as an assistant principal at Layton High School.
“Oh, I love it,” said Eason. “And I never thought of ever doing this in my life, but I love being able to make a positive impact in students lives, just like all my coaches have done in my life.
“I always knew I wanted to help people, but I never thought it will be this way.”
When Eason arrived in Provo from Erie College in Buffalo, New York, he was a 4.4 speedster and became a hard-hitting cornerback in BYU’s secondary, but he also quickly became a beloved figure around the team for his humility, kindness and faith.
Raised by his mother, he was a church-goer and faithful Christian who was unafraid to express his beliefs. His eagerness to accept teammates, be supportive and work hard was impressive.
Eason played in 38 games in his three-year BYU career. He joined The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints before graduating from BYU.
He worked for First Colony Mortgage before and after graduating, earned his Master’s Degree from the University of Phoenix and Educational Leadership Endorsement from Southern Utah University.
These days, Eason is focused on getting to know his students and is studying test scores and behavior. He’s trying to establish a culture of learning and student safety while instigating leadership training as teachers go through professional development with seminars and conferences.
There’s summer school where students are trying to recover credit and he’s trying to do what a football coach would do — examine where things went wrong and where improvements at the school could be made.
“We’re reviewing policies and procedures and our academic framework to see if it meets our expectations, which are very high,” he said.
Principals are community leaders as well as administrators and set the tone and agenda for what happens inside the brick-and-mortar of a school.
As for Mendenhall’s promises?
“My life has changed a lot,” said Eason since he moved to Utah. “First and foremost, I got a different perspective from the world I grew up in in Georgia where I’d spent the majority of my life.
“Moving outside Georgia, I was able to connect with different people, different cultures and different backgrounds, which allowed me to expand my perspective more than what I saw in Georgia. I would definitely say my relationship with Father in Heaven has dramatically changed as well. I’ve always attended church, and religion has always been important in my life. As I got older, I sought out lessons that my mom taught me, that it is my responsibility to care for others and care about the relationship that we have with Heavenly Father and Jesus Christ.”
Corby Eason, former BYU football cornerback and current North Layton Junior High principal, poses for a portrait in his new office at North Layton Junior High School in Layton on Tuesday, June 13, 2023.
Kristin Murphy, Deseret News
Corby Eason, former BYU football cornerback and current North Layton Junior High principal, shows a ball and helmet from his last BYU football game, which he keeps on display in his new office at North Layton Junior High School in Layton on Tuesday, June 13, 2023.
Kristin Murphy, Deseret News
Corby Eason, former BYU football cornerback and current North Layton Junior High principal, shows his BYU football alumni game dog tag in his new office at North Layton Junior High School in Layton on Tuesday, June 13, 2023.
Kristin Murphy, Deseret News
Corby Eason, former BYU football cornerback and current North Layton Junior High principal, shows a Maaco Bowl ball, which he keeps on display in his new office at North Layton Junior High School in Layton on Tuesday, June 13, 2023.
Kristin Murphy, Deseret News
Corby Eason, former BYU football cornerback and current North Layton Junior High principal, poses for a portrait in his new office at North Layton Junior High School in Layton on Tuesday, June 13, 2023.
Kristin Murphy, Deseret News
Eason said he simply grew up.
“It changed my maturity level, but also gave me the ability to connect with others and push myself out of my comfort zone,” he said.
“I felt like I was very comfortable in Georgia. Leaving Georgia for the first time to go to school in Buffalo was the first time being away from home. Coming to Utah helped me tremendously.”
During his college days, Eason credits Scott and Jamie Shelley of Provo for their love and belief in him, almost like a family away from home — folks he became close to and who remain a big part of his life today.
He also credits Davis School District Superintendent Dr. Dan Linford.
“He recognized my potential and talents and sought after me to work in Davis School District. He also put me with an amazing leader who was my first principal in Davis School District — Chadli Bodily — who helped me develop as the school leader I am today.”
Eason and his wife Becca have three children, Christian 15, Hank 9 and Quinn, who is 7.
Eason said he keeps in contact with Mendenhall and other defensive coaches who coached him at BYU, including Kelly Poppinga and Nick Howell.
Mendenhall, he said, had his back.
“He took a chance on me and was great at connecting with me. There were many times that we had conversations about making me a better person and football player. He spoke about improving my spirituality, my mental health and my professional future.
“I don’t know if other players took advantage of these things the way I did. For some reason, we gravitated to each other not just as player and coach but as one person to another.”
Eason is now rooted as a Utahn, about as anchored as one could be. He said he’s tried to get his parents and other relatives in Georgia to move to Utah, but it hasn’t happened yet.
What Eason has found in his journey so far from the Deep South is that he has become a man for all seasons. He now gets a chance to teach his life lessons in Layton as a principal and he’s anxious and humbled by the opportunity.