Champions' TriBUne Archive

By: Sam Tecklenburg       

Champions' TriBUne is a special feature through Baylor Athletics that gives you the student-athlete's perspective and the chance for them to share their own story. Sam Tecklenburg, a converted tight end and former all-state defensive lineman from Plano, Texas, has made 25 consecutive starts for the Bears in the offensive line. He graduated last December with his undergrad degree in sociology. Baylor opens the 2019 season at 6 p.m. Saturday at McLane Stadium with a matchup against SFA.:
           
Growing up in Plano, football has always been a big part of my life. Like many towns in Texas, Plano is all about its football. From the time I could walk, I was out in the yard playing. My parents instilled a belief in me from a young age that I could do anything I wanted in life, as long as I put in the work. All the lessons I learned on and off the field as a kid prepared me for my next step: college.

With my dad being a former linebacker for the Texas Tech Red Raiders, I was sure for most of my childhood that I, too, would be wearing the red and black one day. When it came time for me to decide where I wanted to go, though, the answer was easy. My whole life, I've always wanted to win, and going to Baylor University was going to give me the best chance to do that. At the time, the Bears had just come off their first Big 12 championship, and it was clear there would be more to come. I wanted to badly be a part of that, so on April 16, 2014, when they offered me a scholarship, I committed that same day. As I finished out my senior year of high school, the Bears went on to win another Big 12 championship, yet lost their second bowl game in a row. There was a lot to be proud of, but I knew I was going to be joining a hungry football program.


           
During the summer of 2015, I packed my bags and made my way to Waco. Like many freshmen, my head was spinning. It was my first time away from home in a new place, around all new people. At the conclusion of fall camp, it looked as though I was going to redshirt for the year. That was certainly a change for me and the other members of the 2015 class. The majority of us ended up redshirting that year. After being used to being the guy, I had to embrace my role on scout team. At the time, I was playing tight end, but I was needed on the scout team defensive line, which is where I spent the entire 2015 season. Nobody likes not playing, but looking back that year was so valuable for me. It gave me an entire year to prepare my body to begin my eligibility the next season. It gave me a chance to be a part of a 10-win, bowl championship team. It also fueled my hunger to get back out on the field and play the next season.
           
Before the start of the 2016 football season, many changes took place, and many more were still to come. I've never been a part of a team that was under as much fire as we were the months leading up to the season. With the national media writing us off, the people of Waco and Baylor fans everywhere did an unbelievable job supporting us and having our backs the entire year. By the time the season came around, we were ready to play some ball and prove everyone wrong. After starting the year 6-0, we stumbled on the back half of the schedule and lost six straight games. Heading into the Cactus Bowl, we had a big decision to make. With everything that had gone on in the past year, we very easily could have folded and extended the losing streak to seven. Knowing things would never be the same again after that year, we went out and dominated Boise State, bringing home the win. I haven't been a part of too many wins as meaningful as that one. With so much adversity against us, we found a way to end it the right way. To this day, that year might have been the most fun I've ever had playing football. The tight end room that year was a special group. I'm very thankful for coach Jim Grobe coming in and doing all he did for us on and off the field. With everyone counting us out, we had nothing to lose, and we could just go have fun out there. Knowing changes were on the horizon, I can look back on that 2016 season with a smile, and be at peace with how it ended.
           
With Coach Rhule and his staff arriving in early 2017, I did not know what to expect, but I was excited for the future. There were some trying times for me personally that offseason. Having to adjust to a change like that was something I was not used to, but it also marked the beginning of some great changes in my life. There were some hard days leading up to the 2017 season, but looking back I know all of them made me tougher. Before the beginning of the season, I moved from tight end to offensive line. While I wasn't quite sure how I felt about the switch at first, I trusted that it was going to give us the best chance to win. After getting used to the new position all fall camp, I felt ready to go for the season. As a team, we were ready to get out there and show the world what we were about. Unfortunately, we lost our opener to Liberty. What felt like a nightmare turned out to be our reality the rest of the season, as we went 1-11. While that was never the record I imagined us having to start the year, I'm grateful for that year. At the end of the season, it seemed like all was bad, but every painful loss that year made us all tougher. It made us that much hungrier the next offseason. I hope every senior from that team knows that they laid the foundation for our program, and they should be proud of what is going on here. They didn't get another year, like most of the rest of us, but the success I know this program will have will be because of what they started.


           
Although we had a losing season the year before, our confidence did not waver in 2018. After an offseason of pushing myself to new limits, I felt as prepared as I have ever been. Getting that first win was definitely a relief, and made us all realize that this was a new year. We were not last year's team. Though we lost some tough games last season, it did feel good to win again. 2018 was filled with some exciting wins, and also some heartbreaking losses. It's always great to end your season on a win, especially in a bowl game. Sending those seniors out with a bowl win was one of the highlights of my football career. My biggest takeaway from the 2018 season was that it was a step in the right direction. It was a good improvement, but still not where we want to be.
           
It's hard to reflect on past seasons with a new one coming up here soon. It certainly makes me grateful when I look back on my journey. Through the ups and the downs, the one constant has been my teammates. No matter what has gone on, we have gone through it together. I've been so lucky to have so many older teammates show me the way when I was the young guy, and hopefully my younger teammates now can say the same thing about me someday. To my fellow seniors, I can say it's been quite the journey, and I hope this season is the best one yet.

I don't know what the 2019 football seasons holds for us, but I do know everything up to this point has prepared us for it. Becoming a Baylor Bear has been the best decision of my life. I've grown so much as a man in my time here. I've built relationships with my teammates and coaches that will last forever, I was able to get a world-class education, and I met my fiancé all here at Baylor. With just a few months left on campus, I hope we can accomplish everything we want as a team. Baylor will always have a special place in my heart.
 
Sic 'Em,
Sam Tecklenburg



Previous Champions' TriBUne Features
Men's Golf - Cooper Dossey (July 11, 2019)
Baseball - Richard Cunningham (June 27, 2019)
Men's Tennis - Jimmy Bendeck (June 14, 2019)
Baseball - Shea Langeliers (May 30, 2019) 
Track & Field - Kiana Horton (May 22, 2019)
Men's Golf - Garrett May (May 9, 2019)
Women's Golf - Maria Vesga (May 2, 2019)
Acrobatics & Tumbling - Camryn Bryant (April 25, 2019)
Equestrian - Shannon Hogue (April 16, 2019)
Women's Tennis - Angelina Shakhraichuk (April 9, 2019) 
Women's Basketball - Lauren Cox (March 22, 2019)
Track & Field - Wil London (March 7, 2019)
Men's Basketball - Jake Lindsey (March 4, 2019)
Softball - Nicky Dawson (Feb. 21, 2019)
Baseball - Josh Bissonette (Feb. 14, 2019)
Men's Tennis - Will Little (Jan. 31, 2019)
Men's Basketball - King McClure (Jan. 17, 2019)
Women's Basketball - Chloe Jackson (Jan. 3, 2019)
Football - Blake Blackmar (Dec. 13, 2018)
Volleyball - Braya Hunt (Nov. 29, 2018)
Soccer - Jackie Crowther (Nov. 16, 2018)
Cross Country - Alison Andrews-Paul (Nov. 8, 2018)
Football- Ira Lewis (Nov. 6, 2018)