Every Sunday morning at 9 a.m., no matter how late the team gets back or the outcome of the game on Saturday, Tucker Knupp ’25 meets a group of players for one of his mandatory times in the weight room.
But he is used to long nights and early mornings as he balances his life on the field and the demands of his engineering major.
The pandemic slowed the recruiting process when he was hoping to be noticed on the gridiron, so he shifted his focus to finding degree programs in material science engineering at top colleges where he might also attract some interest from coaches.
Lehigh more than fit the bill, and the walk-on was soon attracting attention as he helped play different positions as part of the scout defense.
“I put in the work and gave the offense the looks they needed to prepare for each opponent’s scheme,” he says. “It also helped my game and showed the coaches my fundamentals.”
That work earned him the Nick Timko Award as a freshman at the annual football banquet. He came to Lehigh as a linebacker. While he still practices with that unit, he also puts in time as a long snapper.
That position demands extra. He arrives to the field early, before the standard three-hour practices, and works on field goal and punt formations.
“You practice the form, take the feedback, and practice again,” he says. “There is not much glory for long snappers — just know that fans can sure hold you accountable if something goes wrong in a game.”
Accountability seems to be something he likes as he works in his material science engineering program.
He has lots of homework and labs, but he has gained the trust and flexibility needed from his professors because of his transparency and honesty.
There are four areas of specialization in material science, but Knupp has focused on metals thus far.
“We study the properties of various types in order to prevent critical failures during application and ensure perfect performance,” he says.
It sounds a lot like watching game film in preparation for the big game.
He found this field back home in Latrobe where he shadowed an engineer at the steel mill where his father works.
“My parents work hard, and I appreciate all that they do to help make the Lehigh experience possible,” he says. A few scholarships help fill the crucial gaps and have made it possible for Knupp to anchor himself in two well-respected programs.
“I have 70 brothers on the field who I can count on. They are focused on what’s in front of us. The Rivalry is like an added bonus that just gives us more juice to win,” he says.