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Trace Bruckler takes pride in embracing special teams role at Ole Miss

11by: Jake Thompson9 hours agoJakeThompsonOn3
NCAA Football: Mississippi at Oklahoma
Oct 25, 2025; Norman, Oklahoma, USA; Oklahoma Sooners wide receiver Isaiah Sategna III (5) fumbles a punt return in fron tof Ole Miss Rebels tight end Trace Bruckler (85) during the second half at Gaylord Family-Oklahoma Memorial Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Kevin Jairaj-Imagn Images

Trace Bruckler was going through the first seven games doing what was asked of him and, really, an afterthought among the crop of transfers that came to Ole Miss this season.

That was until last Saturday in Norman when the tight end made the two most-important plays of the game in the Rebels 34-26 win over Oklahoma.

Mostly unassuming in his role on the roster Bruckler is a player that transferred in from New Mexico and was a depth addition to the tight end room. He never broke through the depth chart, even with an injured Luke Hasz, as Caleb Odom was getting reps behind Dae’Quan Wright during Fall camp.

So, Bruckler continued playing on special teams and waiting.

Then early in the fourth quarter Trinidad Chambliss found an open Bruckler on the left side and completed the eight-yard touchdown pass in what became the winning score for Ole Miss.

“It was an interesting play. It was a little wet out there and, I don’t know if you guys saw, I ran into (the Oklahoma defender) and ended up falling on the ground,” Bruckler said on Tuesday. “I got up, found myself wide open. Caught the ball, turned around and nobody was there. It’s interesting scoring away, like at another team’s place. Because you don’t know if there’s a flag on the play, because no ones cheering for you. I knew it was a touchdown, I knew I was wide open and it was an awesome feeling.”

The catch was Bruckler’s first touchdown as a Rebel and his third catch of the season, totaling 37 yards.

Though Bruckler views his role on the Ole Miss special teams as a badge of honor and showed it two drives later.

On a punt return Bruckler hit Oklahoma’s Isaiah Sategna III to force the fumble which offensive lineman Ethan Fields cleaned up and landed on the loose ball.

The Rebels cashed in the takeaway with Lucas Carniero’s fourth field goal of the day for the winning margin.

For Bruckler life as a special teams specialist is where he sees a path to be forged when it comes to playing on Sundays and a lengthy NFL career.

“My mindset is anything I have to do, offense (or) special teams, anything. I’m going to do it,” Bruckler said. “I’ve played special teams everywhere I’ve been. So I take pride because that’s your ticket to the NFL. There’s only so many guys that get drafted in the first round. They really look for guys on special teams who are selfless and just care about doing their one (of) 11. So that’s kind of my mindset.”

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