He left football, then walked on. Now TCU lineman is making the most of his chance.
Blake Hickey didn’t realize how much he missed football until being away from the game.
As a three-star prospect coming out of Godley in 2016, Hickey signed a national letter of intent to play at Kansas State. But, less than a week after arriving in Manhattan, Kansas, Hickey realized he made the wrong decision.
He returned home with plans to join TCU’s football program as a walk-on. But his passion for playing wasn’t there and he decided to just become a college student. Hickey didn’t play in 2016-17, going to school and also working at his family’s company, the Fort Worth-based A&C Cabinet Shop, for two years.
“I stayed busy,” Hickey said. “It wasn’t like I was sitting around doing nothing. I was helping as much as I could with my dad and grandpa.”
The football itch came back and Hickey walked on to TCU’s team for the 2018 season as a sophomore. He never played in a game in 2018 or 2019, and started this season as a reserve.
Hickey, though, finally found his way into game action. He made his TCU debut in the Oklahoma game and eventually cracked the starting lineup for the Kansas game. He’s stayed in that role, starting the final three regular-season games at right guard.
Hickey is now preparing for the Texas Bowl on New Year’s Eve. TCU takes on Arkansas at NRG Stadium in Houston. Kickoff is set for 7 p.m.
“It’s been awesome,” Hickey said. “I’ve been really appreciative to have the opportunity to be out there and play with all my buddies that I’ve come really close with over the three or four years I’ve been playing football. I’m just glad we’ve been winning. That’s the main thing.”
With Hickey in the starting lineup, TCU has won every game and topped the 200-yard rushing mark. More impressive is Hickey’s perseverance and patience in waiting for his opportunity to arise.
The time away from the game reinforced how much it meant to him.
“I realized how much I really love it,” Hickey said. “And how much I missed it. I really do appreciate and love the game.”
The proof is in Hickey going through a couple seasons without seeing the field. He came into this season not knowing whether he’d play.
But Hickey has always had a chance. He’s one of the strongest players on the team with a 500-pound bench press, a 640-pound squat and a 400-pound clean. As Hickey said, the cliche of being “country strong” from Godley rings true for him.
“I’ve always been naturally strong,” said Hickey, who is listed at 6-foot-4, 300 pounds. “Being strong doesn’t make you good, but it gives you an opportunity. If you’re stronger than the other guy, you’re going to have a chance.”
The other thing that has helped Hickey is facing TCU’s defensive line on a daily basis. When he walked on in 2018, TCU had a couple future NFL Draft picks on the edge in L.J. Collier and Ben Banogu. Another future NFL player, Ross Blacklock, was a defensive tackle. Corey Bethley has been a steady inside presence over the years too.
All of it had Hickey prepared for his starting debut against Kansas on Nov. 28. He recalled a conversation with offensive line coach Jarrett Anderson on the sidelines.
“Coach Anderson asked what I thought and I’m like, ‘Man, it’s nothing I haven’t seen in practice,’” Hickey said. “We go against the best defense in the Big 12 every day, so there’s nothing we haven’t seen or we’re not ready for.”
Hickey is one of those stories that TCU coach Gary Patterson likes to see come to fruition — a player who showed up in practice and is now being rewarded with game reps.
“He’s a walk-on that has stepped in. He’s a guy that just plays hard,” Patterson said. “That’s how you want to end your senior season and your career is getting a chance to play.
“Without the Blake Hickeys of the world, TCU wouldn’t be where it is today.”
