Growing up in the land of the Cowboys, this Dallas, Texas native feels right at home when considered an “Outlaw” for the Bearkat defensive unit.
Although starting off his Bearkat career strong, receiving All-Southland Conference honorable mention honors in 2004, then selected as 2005 Pre-season All-Southland Conference, Braylon Linnear watched from the sidelines after suffering an ACL tear during the second game- missing the remainder of the 2005 season.
Last week during the game against the Missouri State Bears, Linnear might have to sit out a few more games, this being his senior season after re aggravating his recovering knee.
“I wouldn’t say its a chip on my shoulder. The first game it was real tough going out there being back from my injury, an injury that not too many people recover from” explaining his comeback game, the home opener against Arkansas-Monticello. “I injured my knee last week in the game. I’m just waiting on the response from the doctor to see what’s wrong; hopefully it’s nothing to bad that will keep me out for the rest of the season.”
Although Linnear is considered tough on the football field, his off the field adversity helped build his strong character before he was suiting up for games in the orange and white. Number eight for the Bearkats, was forced to become mature at an early age, having the responsibility of raising a child at the age of 16.
“That forced me to grow up real fast. At that age, I didn’t know what to expect about father hood and raising a child, but luckily I had the support of my mom and grandmother along the way,” said Linnear. His son, Braylon Linnear Jr., is now six years old.
Last week Linnear missed most of practice so that he could be in Dallas for the birth of his newborn son on September 18th, Bryson Linnear. “It was a beautiful thing, my first son allowed me to know what it’s like to raise a child and how to be able to be a great father, I know what to expect now,” said Linnerar.
The recent undergraduate turn graduate student after receiving his bachelor’s degree this summer stuck around for his last season and is focused on going out on top and handling his priority of raising two kids.
“I’m happy about it; I can’t wait to go back home to Dallas and be the good father I know I’m going to be, finding a job and being with my family,” elaborating on his love for his two sons and family.
For now Linnear is focused on the task at hand, to end his Bearkat career with a bang and bring back a Southland Conference Championship to Sam Houston State University, by overcoming his injury.
“Hopefully I’ll still be able to go out there and still be a leader and help out my teammates by staying positive and trying to bring back a championship for my senior year,” said Linnear.
“Knowing that the clock is ticking, I want to go out there with the intentions of playing my hardest every down, every play, in every game.”
Sam Houston plays Texas this Saturday in Austin. It will be their first meeting ever.