Copyright Chicago Tribune
It’s safe to say football is a labor of love for Stevenson senior tight end Zach Becker. That the Ball State commit gets to play for his father, Brent Becker, who is in his seventh season as the Patriots’ coach, makes the sport even more special for him. “It’s been amazing having him as my coach and to be able to share something we both love so much,” Zach Becker said. “I’ve learned a ton from him, not only football stuff but life lessons too.” Knowing most parents with teenagers don’t have the chance to do both, Brent Becker is grateful that he does. “The opportunity to coach Zach is something I wouldn’t trade for the world,” he said. “As a parent, I would have been happy for him to have found any activity that he enjoys. “I got extremely lucky because he truly loves to play the game. It’s easy to see how happy he is when he’s playing.” The 6-foot-3, 205-pound Zach Becker certainly enjoys his role for the 24th-seeded Patriots (6-3), who will play ninth-seeded Lincoln-Way East (7-2) in the first round of the Class 8A state playoffs in Frankfort at 7 p.m. Friday. He has 22 catches for 358 yards and four touchdowns and has also been credited with 30 pancake blocks. One of Zach Becker’s favorite plays came during Stevenson’s 31-6 North Suburban Conference win over Libertyville on Sept. 12. “I caught a pass across the middle of the field and stiff-armed a kid and then just kept running,” he said. “Plays like that have the best of both worlds and are why I like tight end so much.” Despite Zach Becker’s success as a receiver, he went into the position as a blocker. “The receiving part has been something I’ve had to work pretty hard at because it didn’t come as naturally to me,” he said. In fact, Brent Becker had always pegged Zach as a defensive player. “When he got called up as a sophomore, he fit what we were looking for as the prototypical tight end in our system, and he naturally just took over the position,” Brent Becker said. “I coach our offensive linemen, and they might get mad at me for saying this, but he’s become one of the best blockers to come through our program. He craves physicality and loves doing the dirty work.” But Zach Becker has held his own as a receiver since making his varsity debut. As a sophomore, he had 13 receptions for 339 yards and six touchdowns, and he was an All-North Suburban Conference honorable mention. That’s also when Zach Becker had to get accustomed to playing for his father. He recalls one interaction during a practice early that season. “It was a little weird at first seeing him in a different environment,” Zach Becker said. “I went the wrong way on a block and started to argue with him. I thought I was right. He definitely coached me there. That was the first time he really got on me.” After that season, Zach Becker started to think that playing college football was an attainable goal. “I had pretty good numbers, and getting some recognition helped really flip a switch for me leading into that offseason,” he said. Zach Becker, who had 22 catches for 394 yards and was named all-conference as a junior, has also reinforced the notion that he earned his playing time under his father. “Starting as a sophomore, he always told me that if I was at the same level as another kid, he would play the other kid,” Zach Becker said. “There are always going to be ‘coach’s son’ comments. That was an added level of extra pressure but also motivated me to be a better player. That played a big role in how hard I worked to get to where I am.” Brent Becker said he thinks he has erred on the side of caution as Zach’s coach. “I’ve been a little guarded not to show favoritism,” Brent Becker said. “I told him the other night that I’ve probably not given him enough credit and I’ve probably not been as complimentary toward him as I should have been. “Because he’s a really good football player. I’m incredibly proud of him.” Steve Reaven is a freelance reporter.
