Mizzou Senior Feature: Tyler Hanneke
10/25/2016 2:46:00 PM | Football
From walk-on to scholarship, Hanneke's toughness helps his childhood dream come true
Tyler Hanneke always knew that coming to Mizzou was something he wanted. Growing up in St. Charles, Missouri, he loved the thought of going to a school where his family could come and watch him play in every home game. That dream became a reality, this season.
He was redshirted after walking on in 2013. He worked tirelessly to earn his spot and play for the Tigers. This year his efforts did not go unnoticed. Coach Barry Odom decided to put Hanneke on scholarship and give him the opportunity to represent the Tigers on the field.
"He (Odom) told me they were going to put me on scholarship, and I was pretty much speechless. There was a lot going through in my head, but nothing came out really. That's something I'll definitely never forget, and I'll always be grateful for and be appreciative of. That was a really cool moment that I will never forget."
It meant a lot to both Hanneke and his family that the coaches noticed his hard work.
"From the four years of really, really hard work, and trying to get to where I am now, it's almost like an affirmation of your hard work. You've earned this in a lot of regards. It was really cool talking to my parents and stuff. They were really proud of me."
Hanneke's hard work did not stop there. He continued to strive to better both himself and his team. In the home game against Delaware State, Hanneke bulldozed a defender for gain of 10 yards. This marked his first career reception. He was happy his family was there to share in his success.
"The first person I saw in the parent section was my mom. She was just waving and going crazy, and that was pretty cool to get to see her reaction."
In addition to having the support of his family, Hanneke has the support and guidance from the Mizzou Football Program. This support and guidance, along with his persistence and drive has helped him grow both on and off the field.
"I think it has really instilled the work ethic and the drive. Me being a walk on, I had a lot of tough days. You deal with stuff, and you do things because they are good for the team not because you enjoy doing them. That kind of taught me that things aren't always going to go your way, but you just have to keep your head down and keep working. Eventually if you do everything you're suppose to and then some it will work out for the best in the end."
His skills and athleticism have continued to flourish. Hanneke set a new career high with a reception of 16 yards in the game against LSU.
Hanneke is happy with the progress he has made, and is grateful that Odom saw something in him and gave him the opportunity to carry out his dream of playing football for Mizzou.
"I appreciate that he (Odom) saw how I did things and he was willing to give me a chance. Put me on the field in my last year. That's something I'll always be grateful for."
Looking forward to the rest of the season, Hanneke wants to make sure his team is living up to their full potential. He wants them to give their best effort and make sure that they are doing everything they can to have a winning season.
"Biggest thing for me is, not wanting to be in the loss column. I'm not trying to leave anything on the table anymore. That's something that really eats at me. I want to know, no matter the outcome, that it wasn't something we did to ourselves. If we know we did everything I can live with it."
Hanneke graduated this past spring with a degree in Marketing. He is now a graduate student taking classes in Positive Coaching. He is eager to get out into the working world to see what opportunities are out there for him, but he is going to miss his teammates and the friendships he has gained through his experience with Mizzou Football.
"I'm definitely going to miss my teammates for sure. No doubt about it. I love this group of guys. Knowing that you always have 120 friends around is probably the biggest thing I've gained."
