ALBUQUERQUE, N.M. (KRQE) – Trace Bruckler burst on the scene with Lobos football as a freshman in 2020. His fast rise as a freshman hit a snag in a game on the road at LSU. Bruckler was injured only four games into the 2021 season. His tricky shoulders that always seem to pop out did so for the last time without repair. Bruckler had the labrum on both of his shoulders surgically repaired while he took a redshirt year.
Bruckler has returned to the field for 2023 and the red-shirt sophomore is grateful. “I haven’t played football since last week and 11 months, you know, and I was dying to get back in,” said Bruckler. “Missing spring, it makes you never take anything for granted, you know. Take one day at a time and just really just love what you do every day.”
As a freshman in 2020, Bruckler led a Lobos team that didn’t throw the ball much, with 15 receptions, 194 yards, and 3 touchdown catches. He is enjoying the Lobos new look under first-year offensive coordinator Bryant Vincent and really likes the role of the tight end. “Oh, I’m loving the offense right now, you know. We’re tight ends, on the field 99 percent of the time, at least one,” said Bruckler. “We got 12 personnel two tight ends on the field, you know, fifty percent of the time. It’s a super tight end friendly, tight end driven offense, is what they like to say. I’m super excited to see what all of us can do this year.” The Lobos start the 2023 season on the road at Texas A&M on Sep. 2.
