STEPHENVILLE – When Dawson Hearne walked off the field after the week four win against Central Arkansas, he didn’t even realize he’d just etched his name into Tarleton State’s record books.
“I’m just now finding out,” Hearne said with a grin after learning he’d broken the school record for receiving touchdowns by a tight end with five. “I’m very honored to have that. I’m thankful for my coaches and my teammates for allowing me to be put in that situation. I’m just glad I could execute and get it done.”
The junior tight end’s breakout season has been a long time coming. In his first two years with the Texans, Hearne found the end zone only twice, one touchdown each season. Now, through just the early part of this campaign, he’s surpassed those totals several times over, becoming one of the team’s most reliable red-zone targets.
Hearne’s record-breaking start hasn’t just come from big plays, it’s been consistent execution week after week. Through the first half of the season, he’s hauled in eight receptions for 93 yards and a record breaking five touchdowns. His presence in the red zone has made him one of the Texans’ most dependable weapons, and his versatility as both a blocker and receiver has helped open up Tarleton State’s offense.
Much of that success stems from the connection he’s built with quarterback Victor Gabalis.
“We have good chemistry,” Hearne said. “We joke around ’cause when we first got here, I had one touchdown my first year here and one touchdown my second year. We were laughing the other day about how far we’ve come with each other. We’ve now got five touchdowns already this year, and our connection’s just grown throughout the years. He trusts me, and I think we have a 100 percent completion rate when we connect, so it’s a pretty good connection.”
Despite his record-breaking performance, Hearne insists personal milestones weren’t on his radar when the season began.
“It was not even on my mind in the slightest,” he said. “I was just doing what my coaches told me to do, and it turns out I broke it myself. I’m glad I got it.”
For Hearne, football has always been a family affair. He credits his parents, especially his father, for instilling the discipline and love for the game that’s fueled his rise.
“Definitely my parents,” Hearne said. “Specifically, my dad. He spent a lot of time with me and my brothers playing, and no matter what we needed, he always made sure we got it done. He always spent extra time practicing with us, and I’ve always looked up to him.”
Though his hands have drawn attention this season, Hearne takes just as much pride in his work when the ball isn’t coming his way.
“I’m really a blocking tight end, that’s what I focus on, that’s what I pride myself on,” he said. “I try to model myself after Rob Gronkowski. I mean, what tight end doesn’t? I just try to get in the run game, get nasty blocks, and help however I can.”
Hearne’s combination of humility, physicality, and growing chemistry with Gabalis has turned him into one of Tarleton State’s most dependable offensive weapons, and a record-holder who didn’t even see it coming.
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