Both are one in the same, according to actor Kevin Costner in the epic baseball movie, “Field of Dreams,” and also according to Kansas University football player Zack Hood.

Hood, a freshman, is from Creston, Iowa. Population: 7,597.

“My hometown is small-town Iowa,” Hood said. “It’s pretty much what you’d imagine in the movies. Everybody knows everybody. It is really close-knit. If anything happened to a neighbor, we’d all gather and help out.”

Hood, a 6-foot-4, 255-pounder who snaps on extra points and field goals, made his collegiate debut Saturday at Colorado as the KU coaching staff continued to try to improve the place-kicking game.

Hood, who chose KU over Iowa State, Bowling Green and New Mexico State, wasn’t disappointed about giving up a red-shirt season.

“When I was growing up, I used to follow the Nebraska-Colorado rivalry,” Hood said. “I’m used to watching Nebraska teams play some great games at Colorado. For me to get to play at Folsom Field … it just kind of took me a couple minutes to soak it all in, to say, ‘Wow.’

“To be honest, I will look back and always remember this. Hopefully, it’s something I’ll tell my grandchildren. My children will say, ‘Your grandfather played at Folsom Field,’ stuff like that.”

He’s the fourth player to snap this year. Tony Coker, Justin Henry and Kevin Kane preceded him; Kane still snaps on punts.

“Zack did a better job,” KU coach Mark Mangino said. “During the course of the game his operation time slowed up a little, but he’s fine and he’s working at it. He wants to do well, and he has been studying himself on tape.

“During practice he snaps a zillion balls. He’s going to be OK. Are we going to go through some growing pains? Here and there, but in the long run he’s going to do it. He’s doing a good job and will do a great job in the future.”

Of his snaps, Hood said: “I think looking at the tape there’s a lot I can improve on. I will do whatever I can for KU, to help the team win.”

Several Creston residents contacted Hood after KU’s victory Sept. 27 over Missouri was televised in the region.

“A lot of people were able to see the game on TV,” Hood said. “I got a lot of calls and letters from teachers, people who go to my church, a lot of friends.”

Some of those individuals who support Hood, who earned 12 letters in football, wrestling and track at Creston High, root for other college teams.

“You look around Creston on Saturday and you see fans waving their big red N’s (for Nebraska) outside their homes or big Tiger-Hawks (for Iowa) or their Iowa State flags,” Hood said.

Creston is 79 miles from Des Moines, 100 miles from Omaha, Neb., and 149 miles from Kansas City, Mo.

“My mom said they were the only ones on the block to have a big Jayhawk fly out on Saturday. Pretty much what I’m trying to do now is convert everybody in Creston to KU fans.”