FEATURED: Patrick Zeller
11/26/2018 12:58:00 PM | Football
By Kennedy Harvey, TCU Athletics Communications Intern
Fifth-year senior Patrick Zeller is the definition of what it means to love the game of football. You will have a difficult time finding a more dedicated player than he is.
From his first time taking the field at 7 years old, Zeller knew he wanted this game to be a part of his life.
"I fell in love with being part of a team and just the sport itself," Zeller said. "I had so much fun playing. Football stole my heart from the very beginning."
Specifically, Zeller loved the way that football embraces differences, bringing together people with all different backgrounds, from all walks of life.
"I love all different types of people," Zeller said. "People who are vastly different than me, I love understanding them and getting to know them, and sometimes becoming really great friends with them.
"Football and TCU gave me the opportunity to do that. It's hard to explain the kind of variety you get on a football team. In the locker room, we come from every single background you can think of. It is the coolest thing in the world for all of us to be on the same page and working together in pursuit of a common goal."
Valuing relationships, Zeller was thankful for the people brought into his life through TCU football. The friends he will have for the rest of his life are thanks to this program.
"My best friends in the world are not very similar to me," Zeller said. "We understand each other, and that is where we come together and we build such a great bond and a great relationship.
"With football, you have to physically put yourself in harm's way for people who are not similar to you. There is something really special that happens with the relationships that form because of that. You have to be completely selfless and put differences aside."
Growing up in San Diego, Zeller always admired the Texas sports culture, specifically how Texans viewed football. Each team had the support of their entire community. Committed to experiencing this football culture, Zeller devoted his time to growing his game.
"I never grew up going to the beach, never learned how to surf, all I wanted to do was play football to the highest of my abilities, and for the best team I possibly could," Zeller said.
When the offer came for Zeller to come to TCU as a preferred walk-on, he did not hesitate to accept. Despite not knowing anything about the Horned Frogs, he had the chance to live out his dream of playing for a Division I football program.
"I didn't know anything about this place," he said. "All I knew growing up in San Diego is I watched LT (LaDainian Tomlinson), and I am the biggest fan."
When he arrived in Fort Worth for the first time he realized he had truly lucked out. Zeller immediately felt at home.
"I showed up and it was the most beautiful place I have ever seen," Zeller said. "On top of that, I immediately fell in love with the people. Everyone is so genuinely nice here. They are such good people. And that's not just at TCU, it's the entire Fort Worth area. But especially the people here at TCU, they really take care of their own."
For his first three years, Zeller participated every single day as a member of the scout team. He could not be more proud of his contributions.
"That was my role," Zeller said. "People may think that is a bad thing, but I was in candy land every single day I showed up to practice, especially the first couple years. We had a really good defense with some guys who are in the NFL now, and I was able to run routes against them every single day."
Zeller embraced this opportunity to help grow the team's starting defense while also growing in his own game.
"I love just knowing what I can offer to the team, and knowing my role in order for the team to become the best they can," Zeller said. "Along with many other scout team guys, I really do believe we made a difference in those years. We really cared about making our team and or defense better every single day."
Zeller describes the offseason as bittersweet. While it is sad to see the seniors move on, the new freshmen and transfer players bring a new atmosphere to the team.
"It's the coolest thing where the dynamic is completely different every single year," he said. "Even if you keep most of the team, it's very different. You have to find a way to come together and win as many games as you possibly can. I love finding my role every single year."
Since then, Zeller's role has evolved from physically running routes on the practice squad to contributing in different areas of the game.
"Even though it has been similar from one year to another, from my first year to where I am now, my role could not be any more different in a good way," he said. "It was scout team my first year, where I was putting my body on the line every single day, and now my knowledge of being an experienced player is helping out the younger guys, as a mentor to those going through struggles I very clearly remember going through a couple years ago. Plus, I also signal during the games."
No matter what the future holds for Zeller, the memories and friendships he made at TCU will stick with him for the rest of his life.
"As you move up, you continue to meet so many amazing people," he said. "I never thought I would gain the relationships I have through this level of football.
"Coming here, this has always been my dream, I don't ever want to leave. This is what I have always wanted.
Between the people and the level of football, I couldn't have asked for more."
