HILLSBORO, Kan. (TaborBluejays.com) – Brooks Gardner is a familiar name around the small town of Hillsboro. As the son of Tabor College Head Football Coach Mike Gardner, it might have been easy for Brooks to be known based on the successes of his father, but he blazed his own trail, making a name for himself as a three-sport athlete, playing baseball, basketball, and football at Hillsboro High School prior to enrolling at Tabor in the fall of 2019.
When Gardner joined the Bluejay football program in the fall of 2019, he mainly played special teams, before switching to defense as a sophomore, taking on a new role as a linebacker. “My journey started as a freshman on a fairly older team where we had a lot of returners on defense, so I didn’t get to see much action as far as defense goes”, explained Gardner. “However, I played all special teams my freshman year and had really good production in that role. In my sophomore year, I started defense having made major improvements to my size and speed that summer in the weight room and on the field”
Gardner’s career wasn’t without adversity, “My junior year was supposed to be the year that I broke out and started my campaign for All-American as a Linebacker, I remember very vividly that, that fall camp seemed easier and I understood our defense and was reading everything the offenses were doing nearly perfectly, It was until halfway through our first game of that 2021 season that I tore both my ACL and Mencius. I was heartbroken, to say the least, but I had to be strong for my teammates who were still playing and still had to be a good teammate to them. In 2022 coming off a knee surgery, I questioned if I would still be the same player that I was before with a fully reconstructed knee this time around.”
Shifting away from the younger Gardner for a second, Head Coach Mike Gardner didn’t expect Jake Schenk’s all-time tackle record to be broken anytime soon. Schenk played for the Bluejays from 2002-05 and recorded 342 tackles over his career, an impressive number and not an easy one to attain. It wasn’t until after the first game of the 2024 campaign that Coach Gardner thought there could be a chance for the record to be broken.
Gardner came into the 2024 season with 258 tackles, so 342 was definitely within reach. Things looked even clearer going into the Bluejays game on November 9th, as Saint Mary came to town and Brooks needed 14 tackles. The press box crew started counting during the game, the number kept growing, 10, 11……15, 16. He had done it. Brooks Gardner broke Jake Schenk’s almost two-decade old record, after tackling adversity after adversity.
Ending his career as a staple in the Bluejay defense, Gardner could probably fill his own trophy case with the number of individual awards he has earned throughout his career; awards like First Team All-KCAC, NAIA All-American, etc., but his name will forever be immortalized in the Tabor College record books.
“His persistence, competitive spirit, and love for his teammates speak volumes”, remarked Coach Gardner. “As his coach I looked at His career as being all over the map. He played only special teams as a freshman, missed a game during 2020 due to our covid schedule, missed the entire 2021 season with knee surgery, four games in ’23 with two broken ribs and two others in ’22 with shoulder and back issues. He played hurt, never complained about anything. If he would’ve been healthier who knows how many more tackles he would’ve had.”
“He played all three linebacker spots, nickel at times, and a hybrid safety we created due to injuries with our defense. Coach Hill did an amazing job of placing him where we needed him. He also had teams run plays and shift formations away from his side. Which actually helped our overall defense. He led us in tackling in ’20, ’22, and ’23. To do what he did playing in a system where he was utilized in five different spots and still was around the ball all the time makes him one of the best players we’ve had here.”
“He did an amazing job of not making excuses, was a great teammate and separated being a player, a teammate, and a coach’s son. I didn’t think that record would get broken, but after the season he had in 23 Coach Hill asked if we should look at it, we did and realized he was close. Bottom line is he’s as humble as he is tough. He never asked me about the record, and it wasn’t until he was within five, I even brought it up. All he wanted to do was compete and win. The way he has carried himself over his career is what has made it even more special to see him do this.”
As to what’s next for Brooks Gardner, he plans to finish up his master’s in education in Neuroscience and Trauma next August. Following earning his master’s degree, Gardner is weighing several options, including pursuing a professional football career overseas and going in law enforcement.
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Tabor College is a Christ-centered institution located in Hillsboro, Kansas. The Bluejays are members of the National Association of Intercollegiate Athletics (NAIA) and compete in the Kansas Collegiate Athletic Conference (KCAC).
