Shane Buechele Wanted to Be Like His Father, Then Football Happened

When SMU quarterback Shane Buechele was younger, he wanted to be like his father. Steve Buechele was a third baseman for the Texas Rangers and Shane was looking to follow Steve’s path. Then football came calling and he’s gone from the University of Texas to become a star with the Mustangs.

Who is Steve Buechele?

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Steve Buechele made his Major League Baseball debut in June of 1985 as a third baseman for the Texas Rangers. The Rangers drafted Buechele in the fifth round of the 1982 MLB June Amateur Draft. He appeared in 69 games during the 1985 season and finished with a .219 batting average.

Buechele became the full-time starter for the Rangers in 1986. He collected 112 hits, including 18 home runs, in 461 at-bats, finishing with a .243 batting average. Buechele played the first six-plus years of his MLB career in Texas before being traded to the Pittsburgh Pirates at the trade deadline in 1991.

With Texas, Buechele finished 654 hits and a .240 batting average. He returned to the Rangers in 1995, playing the final nine games of his career. Buechele also played parts of four seasons with the Chicago Cubs.

Shane Buechele began his football career at Texas

Shane Buechele spent the first three years of his college career at the University of Texas. He started as a true freshman and, according to Pro Football Network, was the most productive freshman passer in Texas history. Injuries took their toll and Buechele was benched in favor of current Texas starter Sam Ehlinger.

Buechele decided to transfer to SMU and was outstanding last season, finishing sixth in the nation in passing yardage and touchdowns. It was tough for Buechele to leave UT, but he felt the move needed to be made. “I just wanted to get back to playing football again and loving the game,” Buechele said to the Tyler Morning Telegraph. “That’s what I did this year. It was a great season. I had a lot of fun with my teammates.

He’s thriving at SMU.  “It was a lot going through the whole recruiting process again when you go through the transfer portal,” he said. “I’m just glad what SMU has done for me, not only playing football but also being in their business school. It’s been really good for me.”

Shane Buechele wanted to be like his father

When Shane Buechele was growing up, he wanted to be a Major League Baseball player just like his father Steve Buechele. He played the game and loved it, but then football came along. Buechele was a four-star quarterback at Arlington Lamar High School and drew the attention of numerous colleges.

“Growing up, I always wrote in my yearbooks in elementary school that I wanted to be an MLB baseball player,” Buechele said to the Tyler Morning Telegraph. “It’s a little different playing football. But once I realized I could go to school and get (his education paid for) for playing football, that’s when I realized this game is going to work out for me. I also fell in love with the game, as well.”

In Pro Football Network’s scouting report, it says Buechele could be the first senior quarterback taken in the 2021 NFL draft. It looks like Buechele made the right moves in transferring from Texas and veering off his father’s baseball path.