BYU’s all-time leader tackler tackling life like he did opponents — one hit at a time

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He holds BYU’s career and season records for most tackles, marks that have stood for 34 years despite players like NFL stars Kyle Van Noy and Fred Warner passing through Provo.

Shad Hansen tells his kids of this, and they couldn’t care less.

Even he shrugs it off, laughs a bit.

“I don’t know. I always just kind of blow it off and say when I was playing, it wasn’t an official stat, so maybe it wasn’t as strict back then as it is now, because I don’t think it became an official stat until later in the 2000s,” said Hansen, who today lives outside Tampa Bay, Florida.

The former middle linebacker who played in the Ty Detmer era, played at 6-foot-1 and 230 pounds. The Danville, Calif., native played one year at Air Force Academy Prep before enrolling at BYU in 1989.

Hansen’s 193 tackles in 1991 is one more than teammate Rocky Biegel for most in a single season. Hansen had 407 tackles in his BYU career, which is first all-time in the BYU football record book, ahead of Rod Wood’s 394.

Others in BYU’s top 10 career tacklers list include Larry Carr, Glen Redd, Biegel, Dan Hansen, Marv Allen, Bob Davis, Shay Muirbrook, Cary Whittingham and Rob Morris.

Hansen had 19 tackles against UTEP Sept. 5, 1992 and 18 in a game against Hawaii on Oct. 19, 1991.

These days, Hansen works as vice president of field sales for Tectonic Industries (TTI), which owns tool brands Milwaukee, Ryobi, Dirt Devil and Hoover.

So, if you go to your local Home Depot or Lowe’s and see a Milwaukee or Ryobi truck with a salesman wearing their company shirt and ask them if they know Shad Hansen, chances are the do — or know who he is.

Shad and his wife Lori, whom he met at BYU, have three children, Jake, Jessica and Lane.

Both Jake and Lane played Big Ten football for Illinois with Jake following in his father’s footsteps as a linebacker. Lane was a deep snapper. Jessica attended BYU and worked in BYU’s athletic department with academics and football. All have graduated from college.

Jake and Lane are still pursuing NFL careers. Jake has been with the Houston Texans for four seasons and Lane has been invited to rookie mini-camp with the Chargers and is trying to get on a short list for an opportunity.

Shad and Lori have spent a lot of time following their sons in Big Ten play, pouring a lot of time and travel into supporting their careers. So much so, he hasn’t had the chance to peek in on his alma mater that much in the past decade.

He wanted his sons to follow in his footsteps and play at BYU. “For whatever reason, that opportunity never came, but they had very good careers and experiences playing at Illinois,” Shad said.

Shad and Lori have lived in Florida for 20 years, longer than he’s lived anywhere in his life.

He still keeps in touch with his BYU teammates Biegel, Josh Arnold, Lenny Gomes, Scott Sralla, Bill Bryant, Jared Leavitt, and Detmer.

“A lot of us have had kids that have been playing or playing in college or playing in the NFL, and so it’s been kind of fun to keep track of all those guys and their kids,” said Hansen.

One BYU person from the past he has constantly been in contact with is former offensive coordinator Norm Chow. “His son Carter is a sports agent and has represented my sons.”

Now in his 50s, Hansen has had both knees replaced, not unusual for a man his age who has played college football.

He fondly remembers his playing days, the friends, his teammates who played with great confidence in the early ’90s.

“I remember when I got there, I believe it just became part of our mindset that it wasn’t where we were going to a bowl game. It was when we were going to a bowl game and not if we were going to win, but when we won the WAC championship,” Shad said.

“So I think that mindset was the standard, and just what was expected, and people rose to the occasion and challenge.”

Shad Hansen: BYU’s single-season and career tackle record holder for the past three and a half decades.

To put his 1991 season of 193 tackles in perspective, this past year’s Cougar leader in tackles was safety Faletau Satuala with 84, followed by Tanner Wall (71), Isaiah Glasker (67), and Jack Kelly (55).

Maybe Hansen’s observation that there’s far more scrutiny as to what counts for a solo or assisted tackle today compared when he played is legit.

But regardless, he posted a monster number back in his day.

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