Twenty years ago, Tom Quick was wearing a Kansas University football uniform.

Ten years ago, Quick was officiating high school football games in Kansas and Missouri.

Last year, he was working games in Pittsburg and Emporia as well as other Mid-America Intercollegiate Athletics Assn. towns in Missouri, like Rolla and Maryville.

Now, Quick has become the first former KU football player to become a full-time official at the NCAA Division I-A level.

The Big 12 Conference hired him earlier this year.

“I feel very, very, very fortunate,” said Quick, who was a quarterback and wide receiver for the Jayhawks in the mid-1980s.

Quick, who lives in Shawnee and works in insurance, worked a couple of Big 12 games involving nonconference schools last season — Troy State-Kansas State was one — but he has been promoted to full-time status this year.

He’ll be the umpire in referee Steve Usechek’s crew, replacing John Davidson, a Texan who retired after 18 years blowing whistles and throwing flags at the major-college level.

“The competition is very stiff,” said Frank Smysor, head of the Lawrence Officials Assn. “These guys have put in years learning their craft. Tom’s no exception. He deserves the opportunity.”

Quick, who’ll turn 40 next month, will not work any KU games this fall, but that’s by chance. League rules prohibit Quick from revealing his schedule, but he said he would be working one or two early season televised games.

“It’s a big-time commitment, but it’s rewarding,” Quick said. “It’s a lot of fun, too, because the guys really care about the kids and about the game of football.”

Big 12 officials earned $750 a game last season, plus $250 per diem and travel. College officials can’t afford to give up their weekday jobs, but the extra money sure helps when you have children in school.

Quick and his wife, Michon, have four children. Their oldest, Ashley, is a sophomore at KU. They also have three boys — Austin, Andrew and A.J. — who attend parochial school in Overland Park.

“You can’t make a living at it, that’s for sure,” Quick said.

Quick played three varsity seasons for the Jayhawks (1984-86). During that span, he had 16 receptions. He also played briefly at quarterback in 1985, completing 8 of 17 passes for 62 yards. Quick never threw or caught a touchdown pass.

The closest Quick came to scoring occurred during his sophomore year, when he caught a 54-yard bomb from quarterback Mike Norseth against Oklahoma at Memorial Stadium.

“I came close,” Quick said. “I went out at the one-yard line.”

The Jayhawks scored moments later on the way to a 28-11 victory that ended the Sooners’ streak of 16 straight wins in Lawrence.

“I talked to coach (Mike) Gottfried about that game just last week,” Quick said. “I still keep in pretty close touch with him.”

Gottfried, who was head coach of the Jayhawks from 1983 to 1985, now is a college football analyst for ESPN.

Quick will be one of six Kansas residents on the Big 12’s 55-man roster of football officials. The other Kansans are Phil Laurie, Brad Horchem and David Oliver of Topeka; Duane Osborne of Seneca; and John Laurie of Overland Park. Horchem is a former Kansas State defensive back (1975-79).

Over the years, the old Big Eight Conference and the Big 12 have sent many striped shirts to the NFL, the highest level of officiating. Quick isn’t looking that far ahead, but he sure wouldn’t turn down the NFL.

“If I take care of my business and am successful, that would be great,” he said, “but at the same time working in the Big 12 will be a lot of fun, too.”