Brett Bueker is not the typical team captain: He is not the 400-yards-per-game starting quarterback or the nobody benchwarmer. To the ISU football team, he is a leader and coach-like figure.

The place holder for PATs and long-snapper for punts, Bueker’s role on the team far exceeds the jobs that he holds on the field. Bueker’s story begins as a walk-on in 2008, when he got the call that told him he would have a chance at the quarterback position for Iowa State.

“It’s been my dream ever since I was a little kid to play big-time Division I football,” Bueker said. “Saturdays were always my favorite days because I loved college football.”

However, Bueker was somewhat shadowed by other talent from teammates Austen Arnaud and Jerome Tiller. Bueker was told he was good enough to play elsewhere instead of being the backup.

“I realized it wasn’t going to work out for me at quarterback, but transferring never crossed my mind,” Bueker said. “Once I start something, I just want to finish it, and that’s the mindset I’ve always had.”

Coaches and teammates have recognized Bueker’s work ethic on and off the field. Offensive coordinator Courtney Messingham praised Bueker on his ability to earn respect from his teammates.

“He’s a guy that everybody looks at and respects because of the way he goes about his business in our program,” Messingham said. “He’s a guy from day one that has been totally bought in and cares about nothing except us being successful as a program and works his tail off.” Messingham said if there’s something that needs to be done, or if Bueker talks, teammates are quick to listen, because he is such a highly respected player.

The weight room

One of Bueker’s closer friends and teammates is starting cornerback Jeremy Reeves. “It started two years ago when we were all working out together,” Reeves said. “He forced me into doing more stuff in the weight room than I ever have.”

That is what Bueker strives for: getting his teammates in the weight room with the attitude of wanting to be there, rather than feeling like they have to be there. 

“I love trying to get them better, trying to push them out of their comfort zones a little bit [and] trying to get them to achieve levels they didn’t think they could,” Bueker said. 

Bueker said ever since high school, he has had that love and passion for strength and conditioning. It started with his own personal passion for lifting. But after developing more of a leadership role on the team, Bueker said he takes it upon himself to look out for his teammates. “I’m not looking out for myself anymore,” Bueker said. “I want to be a great leader for these guys.” Bueker said he will go into the weight room two-to-three times a day if he has to. It all depends on his teammates’ class schedule.

After just starting graduate school, Bueker takes his classes online, freeing up his mornings and afternoons for his teammates.

“I’ll go in in the morning with guys that have class at 8 or 9 in the morning, so we’ll go in [the weight room] at 6 or 7 in the morning,” Bueker said. “And then some other guys will have a little break in the afternoon, so I’ll go in with them, too.” 

Messingham said doing the little, extra things are what set Bueker apart from the rest. “We’ve got a great staff that lays out the things they need to do for them to be successful,” Messingham said. “Then [Bueker] jumps on board with it, and he’s not afraid to do those extra things — the extra day in the weight room.” 

Post-Bueker

Once Bueker has graduated and set out to pursue a career as a strength and conditioning coach, he said he expects any number of his teammates to take over his role.

“There’s a lot of guys that will step up and will be great leaders in the weight room,” Bueker said. “The commitment level is night-and-day compared to what it was.”

Bueker said he wanted to list names of who those players might be, but it was too difficult for him, because there are just so many he believes will be leaders like him.