Gameday Feature -- Luke Stice: For Jacob

The game of football, for Luke Stice, traces its ethos to a moment in 2011. It remains a fresh fragment, frozen in time, and more importantly serves as the force behind his style, purpose and passion still today. That scene took place inside Grande Communications Stadium in Midland, Texas, his home and the coliseum in which he forged a deep friendship with a fellow Midland Lee teammate, Jacob Power.

Jacob, like Luke, earned a reputation at the school for his fierce style of play and his uncanny leadership qualities. He played the sport with a relentless passion, eventually earning the status of team captain, a title he shared alongside Luke during their senior campaign.

Which sets the scene for this moment that Luke so often draws upon. It's a picture from one of the final games they shared together in their beloved hometown. Luke carries that moment with him in his heart, keeps it as the permanent wallpaper to his cell phone, and protects it as the everlasting imprint of his dear friend.

"I remember it like it was yesterday," Luke says. "That's how vivid it is."

In that moment, Luke and his best friend Jacob walked beneath the lights, arm-in-arm, while Jacob, No. 37, clung tight to his Midland Lee helmet. The pair were victorious; perhaps in more than just football that night.

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As the cherished moment faded into a memory, Luke went on to continue his football career as a walk-on at the University of Houston. It was after his first session of summer workouts, back home in Midland for a brief reprieve, that his life would soon change forever.

A phone call from his high school coach came just before 9:30 p.m. Luke answered, and on the other end in a solemn voice, he heard the news that Jacob had perished in an oil field accident.

"I'll never forget that feeling," Luke said. "I just dropped to the ground. I didn't know what to say. I was speechless."

Days later, he served as a pallbearer at Jacob's funeral where hundreds from the tight-knit community descended. All the while, Luke searched desperately for ways to comfort the family, and spoke with coaches and friends about just what he could do to carry on Jacob's legacy.

That's when he went to Jacob's parents and made a promise.

"I felt it in my heart," he said. "I knew I had a platform to impact people, and I promised his parents as long as I play the game of football I would play with No. 37 on my back and honor his legacy in every way I possibly can."

That moment forever altered the trajectory of both Luke's life and his football career. The walk-on at Houston quickly transformed into a key special teams player his freshman year. By 2013, as Houston's starting fullback, he was nominated for the Burlsworth Trophy – an honor reserved for the top walk-on athlete in the country.

He did it all while wearing No. 37.

"I knew a long time ago," Luke said. "If I'm going to take on that role, I need to do it the right way. That's the way he would have done it."

Luke certainly has done it the right way, taking the walk-on opportunity at Houston in full stride before helping the Cougars to a victory over Pittsburgh in the 2014 Armed Forces Bowl.

After three successful seasons at Houston, Luke made the decision to redshirt the 2015 season. And in a series of events that could only be described as fate, the doors to an opportunity in his home West Texas opened.

"He takes a lot of pride in his heritage as a West Texas kid," said Travis Stice, Luke's father.

In 2016, Luke joined the Texas Tech defense as a redshirt senior walk-on. Once again, the No. 37 was available, and the power behind the number fueled Luke to an impressive camp where he emerged with a starting role.

"He has been a real leader for us," said Texas Tech head coach Kliff Kingsbury. "The defense tends to lean towards him for energy and emotion."

But that wasn't all.

On a Thursday afternoon, shortly before the fall season, Luke was informed he had earned a scholarship.

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He was also bestowed, once again, with the honor of team captain. The moment is still something that brings raw emotion to his mother, Brenda.

"When he told us that," she said. "I was just bawling."

For Luke, it was a fitting bookend to his drive to honor Jacob, and the No. 37. So shortly after the news, he called Jacob's father, Lee.

"I told him 'No. 37 is going to be a captain again.'"

And yes, on Sept. 3, as the Red Raiders opened their 2016 season inside Jones AT&T Stadium, Luke once again walked out to midfield as a team captain, and did so with No. 37 on his Red Raider uniform. Jacob's sister, Kaylee, a student at Texas Tech, her mother, Casey, and Lee were in the stands that day.

"It's a feeling I can't really explain," Luke said. "Jacob was with me. I know he was with me on that field. I could feel him walking out there with me."

And he continues to be with Luke as he and the Red Raiders march onward in the 2016 season.

"To be able to carry on his legacy at Houston and carry on this fifth year at Texas Tech," Luke said. "Just really puts a value on how special each moment you get really is. You can't take anything for granted."

Texas Tech University Athletics

Gameday Feature -- Luke Stice: For Jacob

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