When Northwestern’s football team flew to Colorado Springs, Colo., for its first game of the season, freshman Derell Jenkins had travel plans of his own.

The 6-foot-1 quarterback wasn’t on the Wildcats’ traveling roster, so he took the opportunity to drive home to Bolingbrook, Ill.,, 50 miles from Evanston, to see his family and friends.

But this Saturday, it will be Jenkins’ family and friends driving to see him.

After starting the year fourth on the depth chart, Jenkins made his collegiate debut Saturday against Indiana and expects to play this weekend in Iowa City, Iowa.

“At the beginning of the season, I hoped to play this year, but realistically I probably was thinking more about playing next year,” Jenkins said. “It was hard not getting much work in practice at the beginning of the season, and it feels good to be back where I’m used to being.”

Jenkins used to be everywhere in high school. He was the starting quarterback and defensive back for the football team, a starting guard for the basketball team and a relay anchor on the track team.

Recruiting expert Tom Lemming said Jenkins was the best athlete in NU’s 2002 freshman class, and coach Randy Walker likes having a quarterback who runs the 40-yard dash in less than 4.5 seconds.

“I’ve been impressed with his willingness to work, and his improvement is evident,” Walker said. “He’s made a lot of progress this year, and I’d be the first to say that when we recruited him I knew he had a long way to go to be a Division I-A quarterback. But he’s quickly closing the gap.”

Before his junior season in high school, Jenkins had never played quarterback. He spent more time playing basketball, his first love, than football.

But in his first year under center, Jenkins threw for more than 2,000 yards and was named a Chicago Tribune All-State honorable mention. In just two seasons, Jenkins set every game, season and career passing record at Bolingbrook High School, while also rushing for more than 1,700 yards.

“He’s the best quarterback I’ve ever coached,” said Phil Acton, who coached 24 seasons at Bolingbrook and produced 53 Division I football players in his 42 years coaching. “God didn’t make many like him with such natural ability and a great work ethic.

“He could run the ball, throw the ball and run the team. He never missed a practice and never complained about anything.”

The NU coaches also have no complaints about Jenkins’ efforts this season.

He started the year behind Tony Stauss, Brett Basanez and Alexander Webb on the depth chart. Webb suffered a season-ending injury Sept. 7 against Texas Christian. When Basanez was sidelined with a broken fibula on Oct. 10, Jenkins had a chance to work with the first-team offense as Stauss’ back-up. After Stauss led the offense to just 13 points in two starts, Jenkins supplanted him as the back-up when Basanez returned last week.

“It has all been a blur the past couple of weeks and extremely fast because a lot things were thrown at me,” Jenkins said. “This year I have learned more about being a quarterback than my two previous years because the college game is so much more advanced.”

In his first collegiate game — and only series of action — Jenkins ran four times for 27 yards in the second quarter.

The Cats picked up a first down behind him, but the drive stalled when a first-down snap flew through Jenkins’ hands for a 13-yard loss, and his third-down pass to Jeff Backes was knocked away by a defender.

“It felt great to be out there and the adrenaline rush,” Jenkins said, trying to hold back a smile. “I dreamed every night about playing, and the day before the game, I had this feeling I was going to get in. I just wanted to make the most out of the opportunity.”

Jenkins needs to continue to prove himself to the coaches, but he knows no matter how he plays, his mother will be waiting for him outside the locker room after the game.

Jenkins chose NU over Virginia Tech and Michigan State, and although he said distance was not a factor in his decision, he’s glad to be so close to home.

This week, when Nina Jenkins and Jenkins’ friends drive to Iowa City, Derell will be preparing to play in a nationally televised game against the No. 6 team in the country.

“I wouldn’t mind getting in the endzone,” Jenkins said sheepishly. “But as long as we win and I don’t have to step on the field too much, I’ll be happy.”