ATHLETICS
ATHLETE PROFILE
Tyreace House ’16 McMurry University senior football player Tyreace House ’16 would have made the Three Little Pigs proud. During his fouryear career with the War Hawks’ program – and even before – he has proven himself to be one House that is as solid as a brick. House was not exactly your typical incoming freshman when he came to Abilene in 2012. Before he set foot on Wilford Moore Stadium’s field, House was a sixth-round draft pick of the Oakland Athletics and played four seasons of professional baseball in the A’s minor league system. And not too many incoming freshman can boast of a younger brother who is a standout defensive back in the National Football League, either. And neither have many had to endure and adapt, as he has. Once House decided to give up his chase of a career in pro baseball, he eventually made his way to McMurry, thanks to connections he had to campus via his brother Davon (who currently plays for the Jacksonville Jaguars). Arriving in the spring of 2012 – prior to the fall season – House’s strength and faith was tested almost immediately. While on his way to longtime McMurry professor Bill Libby’s property south of Abilene to do some work – along with two teammates and a student assistant coach – his car had a high-speed blowout, rolling the vehicle and ejecting House from the car. The Lord was watching over House. Just a few moments earlier he
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THE MESSENGER / SPRING 2016
had rolled down his window because he heard a strange noise. Those assessing the damage say had the window not been down - and House tossed from the car - he would “have been gone.” House spent that summer prior to his freshman year rehabilitating for the most part. More evidence of God’s hand on him was that – even though he had over 100 stitches – he did not break a single bone in the accident. “(The accident) affected me a lot,” House reflected. “It affects me to this day. I always think back that I almost lost my life. I’m thankful to God, and my family praying for me; and the school was behind me.” House admitted he almost gave up on school and college football after that. But his brother’s encouragement helped him keep going. “I felt like that was it,” House said when assessing his return to college after the traumatic accident. “And then I talked to my brother and he was like ‘you can fight; you can do it’. So I took it upon myself to ‘fight’ the whole summer and keep working out. Once returning to the gridiron, House became the prototypical team player, doing whatever was necessary
for the good of the War Hawks’ program. He started as a running back, moved to linebacker as a sophomore and junior, while also assuming a kick return role. As a senior in 2015, he returned back to offense as a receiver/ running back and was also a returns specialist. And now as House finishes his degree work (he expects to graduate with a general business degree in the fall of 2016), he is also hoping to get the opportunity to play football at the next level someplace. But regardless of what comes next, House’s perspective since his accident has made him become more introspective and realistic. “I preach to everybody else and try to tell people that the ‘next day’ is not promised to you,” House said. “McMurry football gave me a chance from the beginning and I appreciate that. School-wise, McMurry gave me the chance to receive my education. I always thought ‘sports, sports, sports, sports’, and now I come to the world and it’s not ‘sports’; school comes first.” House has proven that he can stand up to just about anything and remain strong, weathering life’s storms with brick-like strength.
