Entering Sixth Season of College Career, 2-Sport Athlete Sets Record Straight on His Football Future

Imagine this: your whole life, you have dreamed of walking in the footsteps of players like Tim Howard. You practice kicking diagonal balls and deep balls and developing elite reflexes to become a solid soccer goalkeeper, with a dream to play in the MLS, and potentially in Europe in the future. But when the time comes to reap those rewards that you put in in high school? COVID-19 hits!! How would you react to your dream going into the abyss? Well, Indiana Hoosiers’ kicker Brendan Franke faced a similar situation, and his reaction was packed with grit and a ‘never give up‘ attitude.

For Franke, being a goalie and playing soccer was all he wanted from his career, but when his senior year came, it was either doing most of what he had or waiting for the storm to pass. And Brendan Franke, at the time, not having an illustrious high school resume for a footballing transition, chose Morningside College (NAIA) in 2020. The now-Indiana kicker began his journey to rise through the ranks and become a solid kicker for FBS teams. And mind you, it wasn’t an easy decision to make.

“I didn’t get a senior soccer season, which is what I was really banking on, like getting my recruitment. I didn’t plan to play football until well into my senior year, which is probably why I ended up at one of those smaller schools. Didn’t do a lot of reaching out,” reflected Franke in a recent press conference. Switching careers for Franke was probably the easiest part, since what lay ahead was a mountain to climb. But Franke? He started impressing at Morningside College in no time.

Franke at Morningside appeared in 9 games and notched up a decent 59.3% touchback rate as a freshman on 59 kickoffs. Moreover, he also converted 3 of 4 extra point attempts, showing his talent quickly, despite having no footballing experience beforehand. Except for his soccer skills, being a goalie helped him big time. “Being a soccer player and being a goalie, I basically kick every kickoff and every field goal like it’s a goal kick. So, it was a really easy transition for me, just naturally being able to swing like that, given my soccer background,” said Brendan Franke. And guess what? An FBS team took notice.

The Nebraska Cornhuskers came calling and roped in Franke on a transfer in 2021 as a sophomore. Franke joined the Huskers quickly, considering the FBS road opened for him. It was also a chance to stay close to his home in Gretna, Nebraska. At Nebraska, Franke’s journey continued for 2 seasons, appearing in all games in both seasons. And it was here that his career took a major upgrade.

Franke’s performance improved, getting a 61.3% touchback rate in his first season and a 66.7% rate in his second season. Also, against Purdue in 2023 and Oklahoma in 2024, all his kickoffs resulted in touchbacks, averaging 65+ yards. So, by the time the 2023 season came? Franke had become a hot commodity for teams, and after stints with Georgia Southern and Texas State in 2023 and 2024, respectively, the Hoosiers finally came calling in 2025.

Brendan Franke is still learning from the coaches despite spending 5 years in football

Now, in his sixth year, Franke is expecting the season to be pivotal for him and for Indiana as well. But at the same time, he calls for “having fun” while playing the game, while also being serious about the goals. That’s probably the approach that got him a stellar 82.1% touchback rate at Texas State in 2024, with Texas State being ranked 14th nationally in average opponent starting field position, at 24.67 yards. Naturally, then, in Indiana, Franke’s performances would definitely stand out, but he is still learning despite having spent 5 years in the game.

“At the end of the day, this is a game, and you’re supposed to have fun. So, I take it as seriously as I need to. To make sure I’m dialed in. And, you know? We just have to be; our coach always tells us to focus, not be concentrated, but be focused and not overthink. And that’s the biggest thing, cuz the more you think about it, the worse it’s going to go. So, you just let your leg do the work and it’ll all go the way it’s supposed to,” said Franke about how he is learning to adapt at Indiana.

Brendan Franke’s journey is a testament to how one can make the most of opportunities even with limited resources when faced with adversity. It was not easy for Brendan to make a transition from soccer, a sport he said he still loves deeply. “I still love soccer. It’s still like probably one of my passions.” But what mattered for him was the grit and hard work that he put in, and that stands out despite all odds. So, soccer might be Brendan Franke’s first love, but “at the end of the day, football is life,” said the player.