Nov. 9, 2005

Going into his fifth and final season playing with the Missouri Tigers graduate student Scott Wheatley is a veteran with experience in all aspects of the game. After gaining skill in the offensive line last season, Wheatley will be seeing action in his truest and original position as a defensive lineman. While he may not be the most referred to player on the team, Wheatley appears to have his focus more on the big picture, as he is in the midst of achieving a life long goal that many can only dream about. Wheatley cherishes being one of the few who get to relish in playing for their favorite Big 12 football team.

It all began back when Wheatley was in second grade, the year he first began playing football. Growing up, he had loved watching the sport so much that he eventually began to play. Who knew that a childhood past-time would eventually become a very influential factor in his life. He makes clear that his father also held a major part in his playing from the beginning. What fueled his inspiration to take on the sport stemmed from an early love for watching a favorite NFL team, the Kansas City Chiefs.

After playing nearly his entire childhood, Wheatley continued to play on a more serious note at Cass-Midway High School in Cleveland, Missouri. The small-town native was dubbed with several honors in his four years there, including Scholar-Athlete from the Kansas City Star, achieving two-time all-district and all-conference player honors and earning all-state and all-metro recognition as a senior. It was then that Wheatley decided to take his love and skill for the game of football to the next level.

Entering his sophomore year, he gained extra momentum from several individuals in making his dream of playing in college a reality. Wheatley's confidence in his own ability came from those who pushed him the most to pursue his talent. He gives a lot of credit to his high school coaches in getting him dedicated to and increasing his passion for the sport.

"That's when I realized I wanted to play somewhere," Wheatley reflects.

Wheatley had envisioned playing at Mizzou for a long time. So when the opportunity presented itself, he accepted graciously. Even when asked if choosing a university was a tough decision, he briefly mentions the difficulty in the options, but claims with a smile, "I`ve loved Mizzou since I was little; I've been watching them all of my life...so it was pretty simple and I felt more comfortable here."

As far as which position he would be placed in, that is a factor which has been left to fate. Due to his towering physical structure, his most frequently played positions in the game, have been along the defensive line, usually at tackle. This has not prevented him from gaining time in Mizzou's offensive line during the 2004 season, serving mostly at center.

Wheatley has been grateful for the diversity in playing experience for the team, however, and uses it as an advantage while being a walk-on for the Tigers.

Many may wonder what Wheatley's transition to a school with a student population almost forty times larger than his small hometown would be like. Wheatley is quick to note that college players are much bigger and faster in the game and mentions that adjusting to the college life can be "crazy," but it also serves as a necessity.

"You have to do it quick otherwise you won't survive," he said.

Wheatley has also had the help and assistance of family and friends throughout the many adjustments. "My family comes to all of the home games and they even go to away games."

He appreciates the impact of family and friends from home who have been by his side and given help with his choices and providing support. As part of being from a small town, many of its citizens have followed him throughout the years and also frequently come up to watch Wheatley in action.

One can imagine the pressure and difficulty in taking on a college education at a Big 12 institution as a freshman and as an athlete. As one of the few who have actually experienced it, Wheatley discusses these factors with certainty and humbleness.

He states that one of the more difficult aspects is handling personal time along with school.

"You have to treat football like a job," Wheatley said. "You have to be able to handle it and balance grades with school and traveling and tests and what is most important is that you get the work done."

Wheatley also discusses those who have gone through the process with him and have been able to help throughout his college years. Along with having a best friend from home attending the University of Missouri, he reflects on the importance of a strong friend base with those who have Been, "going through the same thing you're going through."

"My teammates and senior class have all hung out and gone through this together. Brad (Smith) is one of my best friends; we've been through everything together. We help each other along with hanging out."

In relation, when asked about some of his most memorable moments at Missouri, Wheatley initially talks about the experience of developing lifetime friendships with his teammates.

"We all come from different backgrounds but come together and play for Mizzou."

So what does a fifth-year veteran hope to gain from his last season in playing with Missouri? He retains a positive outlook and high hopes for the team he has been with since 2001.

"Hopefully we can do the best we can and take one game at a time to reach our goals and just enjoy it. It's the last one and it's going by quick, I just hope to cherish it as much as I can." -by Suzy Schilling