Grad Transfer WR Brenden Schooler

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The Schooler brothers’ wild month-long journey from the Pac-12 to the Big 12

By Max Olson Sep 24, 2020 10

Colin and Brenden Schooler have achieved so much in just four weeks. There’s just one little thing they’re still working on: They do not know anybody’s names.

It’s not just a matter of becoming familiar with 100-plus new teammates. It’s all those assistants, staffers, trainers, tutors and strength coaches. When Brenden walks through Texas’ north stadium building, everyone seems to know about the new receiver with the long hair. He wishes he knew more about them.

“When they say my name, I look over and I’m like, ‘Dang, I really wish I knew your name. I feel so bad about not knowing your name,’ ” he said. “I’m slowly learning.”

Colin is going through it, too, at Texas Tech. Both brothers confess they’re not good with names. At a press conference earlier this month, he was asked how many defenders on the Red Raiders’ depth chart he could name. “That’s...

 

Edited September 25, 2020 by LTtxfan

[Junior Bonner 6242]

Schooler will start against Tech, not Money, says FCB. 

https://www.burntorangenation.com/2020/9/24/21455354/jake-smith-hamstring-injury-out-texas-longhorns-texas-tech-red-raiders

 

[LTtxfan 49141]

2 hours ago, LTtxfan said:

Schooler, who wore No. 81 in UT's opener but has changed his jersey to No. 14, could get his first start at Texas on the same night his younger brother, Colin, is expected to start at middle linebacker for Texas Tech after both were graduate transfers from Arizona in August.  Colin Schooler is currently the nation's active leader in tackles for loss (46) after starting three seasons at middle linebacker at Arizona. He missed Tech's season-opening win over Houston Baptist due to COVID-19. 

Former Kansas coach David Beaty told AM 1300 The Zone in Austin on Thursday he's a big fan of Brenden Schooler after seeing him in action in UT's win over UTEP.  "I'm impressed with (Brenden) Schooler," Beaty said. "He's fast, and you have to tackle him. On his 40-yard touchdown (against UTEP), he caught the ball at about 20 yards and stiff-armed a defender who was in good position to tackle him and then turned it into a big play. Receivers who are tough guys like that scare you as an opposing coach, because you have to wrap guys like him up."

Harrison initially had jersey No. 14, but his decision to opt out made it available to Schooler.

FCB

(Also HORNS may be missing a little depth for Tech game:  "Upper respiratory infections have apparently hit the Texas team a little bit this week. I’m hearing at least one Longhorns' backup in the two-deep won’t be making the trip due to illness." ) 

 

Bump to page 3

Also thanks @Junior Bonner  for BON article...

 

BON:  Despite only a handful of practices to learn the offense, Schooler still contributed against UTEP with two catches for 65 yards and a 40-yard touchdown. Schooler also made a key block on the longest run of freshman Bijan’s Robinson’s young career at running back and earned a starting role on punt coverage as a gunner.

“The credit really belongs to Brenden and his commitment level to being game ready by the first game,” Texas coach Tom Herman said.  Now the 6’2, 192-pounder will have to make his biggest contributions inside — or Texas will simply continue to use a lot of 12 personnel — with a better understanding of the route tree. Schooler’s two catches were both on simple hitches when he got favorable cushions. What was most impressive about Schooler’s two catches, though, was his ability to make that defender miss, a skills that should serve him well in the slot.

For offensive coordinator Mike Yurcich, the move back sense because Schooler has so much speed.  Yurcich considers him a quick study as well, a trait aided by Schooler’s dedication — The Athletic reported that Schooler spent 30 minutes a day meeting individually with the Texas offensive staff in order to learn the playbook more quickly.

So expect a much more acclimated Schooler, as he’s now had more practice time in pads in the last two weeks preparing for Texas Tech than he did leading up to the UTEP game.

Edited September 25, 2020 by LTtxfan

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1 hour ago, LTtxfan said:

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https://theathletic.com/2089694/2020/09/24/colin-brenden-schooler-texas-texas-tech-transfer/?amp

The Schooler brothers’ wild month-long journey from the Pac-12 to the Big 12

By Max Olson Sep 24, 2020 10

Colin and Brenden Schooler have achieved so much in just four weeks. There’s just one little thing they’re still working on: They do not know anybody’s names.

It’s not just a matter of becoming familiar with 100-plus new teammates. It’s all those assistants, staffers, trainers, tutors and strength coaches. When Brenden walks through Texas’ north stadium building, everyone seems to know about the new receiver with the long hair. He wishes he knew more about them.

“When they say my name, I look over and I’m like, ‘Dang, I really wish I knew your name. I feel so bad about not knowing your name,’ ” he said. “I’m slowly learning.”

Colin is going through it, too, at Texas Tech. Both brothers confess they’re not good with names. At a press conference earlier this month, he was asked how many defenders on the Red Raiders’ depth chart he could name. “That’s...

 

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The Schooler brothers’ wild month-long journey from the Pac-12 to the Big 12

By Max Olson Sep 24, 2020 16 

Colin and Brenden Schooler have achieved so much in just four weeks. There’s just one little thing they’re still working on: They do not know anybody’s names.

It’s not just a matter of becoming familiar with 100-plus new teammates. It’s all those assistants, staffers, trainers, tutors and strength coaches. When Brenden walks through Texas’ north stadium building, everyone seems to know about the new receiver with the long hair. He wishes he knew more about them.

“When they say my name, I look over and I’m like, ‘Dang, I really wish I knew your name. I feel so bad about not knowing your name,’ ” he said. “I’m slowly learning.”

Colin is going through it, too, at Texas Tech. Both brothers confess they’re not good with names. At a press conference earlier this month, he was asked how many defenders on the Red Raiders’ depth chart he could name. “That’s tough,” Colin said. “Um, I’d probably say I’m about 50 percent right now.” He can name the guys whose lockers are next to his. The linebacker thinks he knows the names of his fellow starters on defense, and that’s important. “I know them the most because I need to,” he said. “If I need to call somebody’s name, I’m not gonna say, ‘Hey 22!’ ” But the guys over on offense? It’ll take more time.

“I’m trying but it’s hard because we’re not in camp anymore, where they have the name across the front of the helmet,” Colin explained.

For the Schoolers, all the football training has actually been the easy part. Learning a new playbook isn’t tough, at least not for these brothers. It’s the rest of the assimilating to new programs and new locations that proves challenging. Colin and Brenden signed up for a graduate transfer experience unlike any other. When the Pac-12 called off its fall season, the brothers made a difficult decision. They left Arizona and entered their names in the NCAA transfer portal on Aug. 21. They hustled to find new homes, packed up their trucks and moved to Texas. And in just a matter of weeks, they’ve already earned valued roles on their new teams.

“This is what we came here to do,” Colin said.

The choice they made? The brothers say it was a business decision. But in a lot of ways, it was a leap of faith. They were determined to play football this fall, even if that meant going their separate ways. When they line up against each other on Saturday afternoon in Lubbock, it’ll be the culmination of the wildest month of their lives.

Their father brings up a saying, one he’s been telling them since his kids were little: You will never be here again. This moment in time, with these people, experiencing what you’re experiencing — it’s all fleeting. Try to enjoy it as much as you can.

“I’m just trying to remind the boys, you know, take all this in,” Tom Schooler said. “Because this is an incredible thing for you guys to be able to do. Don’t waste this adventure.”

---

 

Colin was reluctant to leave Arizona, where he earned All-Pac 12 honors twice. (Casey Sapio / USA Today)

If Arizona were playing football right now, the Schoolers would still be Tucson.

The brothers have nothing bad to say about their time with the Wildcats. Colin never thought it would end like this. The three-year starter and former Pac-12 Freshman Defensive Player of the Year wanted to finish his career there. Brenden had only been there a few months but was enjoying his new life. He’d transferred from Oregon to Arizona in January to play his senior season with his younger brother. They got an apartment together, a two-bedroom place in a quieter neighborhood off campus. “Best roommate I’ve ever had,” Brenden joked. And for a couple months, they had it good.

But then everything shut down. They went home to Dana Point, Ca., for two and a half months. They lifted weights in their parents’ garage. They went back to Tucson to keep training with Arizona quarterback Grant Gunnell. They went through voluntary summer workouts. They did their part to try to make the season a possibility, making the best of all the uncertainty.

“You put in all the time and effort and follow all the protocols but still don’t have any sense of direction of where you’re going,” Colin Schooler said. “All these different schools throughout the Pac-12 are on different schedules and nobody’s synced up. It was really clustered. You could tell the staff members were frustrated and the players were frustrated. Playing the waiting game sucks when our season is on the line. Nobody knew anything.”

When the Pac-12 officially pulled the plug on a fall season on Aug. 11, the brothers were understandably fed up. The day after that verdict, the Schoolers talked through all their options as a family. They saw three different ways this could go.

They could’ve stayed and kept waiting until January for a spring season in the Pac-12. Tom Schooler had no faith in the conference to actually pull that off. “I’ve been a big proponent of changing leadership in the Pac-12 for years now,” he said. “I’ve never believed in what Larry Scott has done.” And if you believe a spring season was never going to happen, then you recognize staying means potentially waiting until the fall of 2021 to play. That would’ve been tough for Brenden, who is 23 and already missed most of the 2019 season after deciding to redshirt.

“We didn’t want to wait an entire year to play,” he said.

They could’ve opted out and joined the list of Pac-12 players who were focusing on getting ready for next year’s NFL Draft. They thought about declaring, signing with an agent and moving on. But going down that road offers no guarantees. Both have more to prove at the college level, more they can put on tape for scouts to help their chances.

So they got serious about the third option. Leaving Arizona wasn’t an easy call, especially for Colin. But the brothers have both learned over the years just how big-time college football works. Brenden signed to play for Mark Helfrich at Oregon. His freshman season was the 4-8 year that got Helfrich fired. His class helped build the program back up while playing for three head coaches. Colin’s breakout 2017 freshman season at Arizona ended up being Rich Rodriguez’s last one. “It’s really difficult to try to get close to people when you know at any moment they can leave,” he said.

Their college years haven’t made them jaded or cynical, just more aware of some of the harsh realities of this sport.

“I have to do what’s best for me at the end of the day,” Brenden said. “That’s what this college football thing is: It’s a business. As much as people wanna say we’re a family and all that, you have coaches leaving schools all the time. You have players leaving schools to better themselves. Because at the end of the day, you’ve got to take care of yourself. You can’t really sacrifice your well-being or your future for a school.”

---

After working through all the pros and cons and taking a weekend to think it over, the Schooler brothers were ready to make their move.

They met with Arizona coach Kevin Sumlin on Aug. 19 to explain their thinking and ask to be put in the portal. Arizona’s coaching staff understood, Colin said, but didn’t necessarily agree with them. When a student-athlete officially asks to enter the transfer portal, their school must submit their information within two business days.

“They waited the entire 48 hours to put them in the portal,” Tom Schooler said.

The two-day delayed start cranked up the tension. All the college coaches they were contacting couldn’t reply until the portal entry was official. And there’s nothing typical about trying to grad transfer in late August. Many programs were wrapping up preseason camp and two weeks away from playing. Admissions deadlines were coming up, too. They needed this to happen as quickly as possible.

The brothers understood, too, that it was likely too late to find an opportunity where they could be a package deal. These programs either didn’t have two scholarships to offer or didn’t have a need for both. As much as they didn’t want to split up, they had no choice. They couldn’t take any visits, either, so they had to pick a school sight unseen. Brenden remembers they’d wake up early at 6 a.m. MST on those frantic days, just so they could get a head start on texting and calling coaches in the ACC and SEC.

“It wasn’t a very long process but it was very stressful,” he said.

Colin found his new spot quickly. He talked to Ole Miss and Mississippi State early on, but Texas Tech made it obvious they wanted him more than anyone. When Arizona beat the Red Raiders last season, coach Matt Wells’ first postgame handshake was with Schooler. The linebacker went into the portal on a Friday afternoon. He loaded up his Toyota Tundra with his possessions, hit the road for a 10-hour drive and pulled into Lubbock that Wednesday.

For Brenden, the search took a few more days. Virginia got involved but backed out. Kentucky was interested but had no scholarship to offer. And then Texas came along. The staff wanted another veteran for their young receiver room. The people they talked with at Oregon highly recommended Schooler. He had started 23 games there as a receiver and safety and earned first-team All-Pac-12 honors as a special teams player in 2017 and 2018. He could help in a number of ways. When the Longhorns offered a scholarship, Brenden felt it was a no-brainer. He packed up his Ford F-150 for the 13-hour drive and left as soon as he could.

Tom and Christine Schooler hit the road, too. They traveled to Tucson to finish up moving them out of the apartment. This process was hectic on their end, too, as they helped with college applications, transcripts and all the paperwork. Colin and Brenden left a lot behind in Tucson, even their mattresses. When they left, they genuinely had no idea where they planned to live in their new cities. They’d figure it out later.

“Every single question you could ask, it was, ‘I don’t know,’ ” Tom Schooler said. “There were no answers and things were moving so fast. You just had to believe things were gonna work out.”

---

 

Days before they reunited on the field, Colin and Brenden caught up during a Zoom interview. (Max Olson)

Brenden Schooler has heard great things about Austin, Texas. He still hasn’t seen much of it.

“I really just come to the football stadium and then back to my apartment,” he said. “That’s really it.”

He and his brother did find places close enough to campus that they can skateboard to the football facilities. Colin remains an In-N-Out loyalist but has a growing appreciation for Whataburger. It’s unfortunate they can’t live like college kids this fall and fully enjoy their new surroundings. Playing college football in 2020 requires sacrifices. But as Brenden put it, “It’s not worth risking anything by going out.”

“I mean, I wouldn’t say it’s really a challenge,” Colin argued, “just because we both want this so badly. One semester of just football doesn’t sound too bad to me.”

In the second quarter of Texas’ season opener, Brenden ran an 8-yard curl, caught Sam Ehlinger’s pass, turned and stiff-armed UTEP’s cornerback into the turf. He converted his second catch as a Longhorn into a 40-yard touchdown.

 

As Brenden jumped around in the end zone, tight end Jared Wiley ran up and pointed him in the right direction. At Texas, when you score, you celebrate with the offensive linemen first. The new guy forgot. The receiver walked over to Samuel Cosmi and Christian Jones at the goal line and hugged them.

“He was being a good teammate,” Brenden said of Wiley. “I appreciated it.”

Brenden’s first impression at Texas was the payoff for weeks of intense studying with receivers coach Andre Coleman, offensive coordinator Mike Yurcich and their GAs. He’s been meeting up with them for 30-minute sessions each day to go over plays, formations, alignment and details. That’s how he learned the offense so quickly.

“I have them signal me the play and I have to line up correctly,” he said. “I have to know not only what route I’m running but the specifics of it, what conversions and depth. And I have to not only know outside receiver but also know the slot receiver as well.”

Brenden has befriended Gabe Watson and Tarik Black, two fellow grad transfers and “old heads” on the team who are going through the same thing. He’s working hard to win everyone else’s trust. And with Jordan Whittington and Jake Smith dealing with injuries, he’s going to get more reps at inside receiver. He’s there to do whatever he can to help.

“The credit really belongs to Brenden and his commitment level to being game ready by the first game,” Texas coach Tom Herman said.

When Brenden scored that touchdown, Colin was celebrating in his apartment in Lubbock. He was unavailable for the Red Raiders’ season opener against Houston Baptist but is back this week. He’s won over their staff quickly, too, and has put in long hours with linebackers coach Kevin Cosgrove to catch up. “Some people pick up math easy. I pick up football easy,” Colin said. “That’s just my thing.” He has now played for six linebacker coaches and four defensive coordinators in college. It’s easier to adapt when you’re used to change.

Colin had to quarantine when he first arrived in Lubbock, which slowed down his start. That didn’t stop him from earning a starting job after roughly 10 days in the program. He’ll get to play Will linebacker, which will give him a chance to prove he’s more athletic than he got credit for as a Mike linebacker. The FBS active career leader in tackles and tackles for loss is ready to hit.

“He’s pretty smart,” Wells said. “He’s picked up calls and schemes and defensive adjustments — especially the adjustments — he’s picked it up pretty good.”

His peers in the linebacker room have been welcoming, and it’s nice to have longtime friend and former high school teammate Christian LaValle on the team. The brothers still keep in touch with their buddies back in Tucson and Eugene, Ore., and they try to find more time to FaceTime each other. They’ve just been too busy over the past few weeks.

“You could say it’s a little lonely,” Colin acknowledged, “but, I mean, we know why we’re here. We have our why.”

 

Brenden is doing his best to pick up Texas traditions quickly. (Scott Wachter / USA Today)

For both Schooler brothers, this fall season actually kicking off brought a sense of relief.

They had no idea what was coming next when they chose these Big 12 schools. They’re grateful for now but keeping their fingers crossed that they can finish this season. Has it been weird for them to watch the Pac-12 try to reboot a belated fall season? The Schoolers suspected that might happen.

“After watching what the Big Ten did, you knew the Pac-12 was gonna try to come along and copy them,” Colin said. “That’s what happened when they canceled the season, too. So I’m personally not surprised. I still feel like Brenden and I made the right decision.”

They hope the Pac-12 can pull it off, too. Because they know their buddies at Arizona and Oregon are hurting after weeks of having to watch other teams play. They know so many of those players have something to prove this year, just like they do, and hope they get that opportunity.

When Colin takes the field for the first time at Texas Tech, he’ll see his brother across the field. They’ve faced off twice before in the Pac-12. They say it was pretty strange the first time. Now? Not so much. It’s all business this time. Finally playing together in college would’ve been fun. But their dad can tell they’re enjoying the challenge of this fall season. Greater risk, greater reward.

“It’s kind of a bad way to look at it,” Tom Schooler acknowledges, “but you’re kind of a mercenary this year.”

They figured their move would be a one-season deal. Thanks to the NCAA’s eligibility freeze, they could make it two if they want. Colin and Brenden will talk it over after the season, but they already have the long-term goal figured out. They’re both planning to become firefighters when they’re done playing. The brothers have toured fire departments and done a few ride-alongs and know it’s a good fit. They want to help people.

For now, they’re just trying to see how far football can take them. They never would’ve guessed it would bring them to the state of Texas.

“It was tough on both of us, but we got through it,” Colin said. “It’s hard to look back now.”

(Top photos of Colin, left, and Brenden: Michaela Schumacker / Texas Tech Athletics; Scott Wachter / USA Today)

What did you think of this story?

MEH

SOLID

AWESOME

Max Olson covers national college football for The Athletic. He previously covered the Big 12 and recruiting for ESPN.com. Follow Max on Twitter @max_olson.

 

 

16  COMMENTS

 

Jalen P.

13h ago

 

Great story, Max. Thanks!

7

 

 

 

Doug L.

12h ago

 

The Schooler bros are studs. Arizona will miss them. Best of luck!

7

 

 

 

RD S.

12h ago

 

Not necessarily a fan of either school but I love these guys and their story. I'll be cheering for their success.
#Go Irish

2

 

 

 

Charles D.

11h ago

 

Cool story. Well done, Max.

5

 

 

 

David K.

11h ago

 

Great article. I hope Colin gets to play against his brother this weekend. Tech has a solid group of LBs with Krishon Merriweather, Brandon Bouyer-Randle, and Riko Jeffers, but Colin should get plenty of playing time and would likely start if he is available.

4

 

 

 

 

Patrick B.

6h ago

 

I've watched Colin at Arizona... he is a tremendous asset to a defense. He's a playmaking machine... being a coach's son he really reads the ways well.
Have to say the Schoolers think poorly of the overrated Sumlin... he made things as hard as he could for them. As an Arizona fan I think Sumlin is a real loser...

1

 

 

 

Johnny M.

11h ago

 

Texas had/has a shortage of LBs, so I was surprised to see Tech get the pick. But as you mentioned, he has previous contact with Matt Wells.

1

 

 

 

Craig L.

10h ago

 

One more year of football and 40 years of fighting fires, or two more years of football and 39 years of fighting fires? Except for the injury risk it seems like an easy decision?

2

 

 

 

 

Jill O.

1h ago

 

@Craig L.
Injury aspect of football or firefighting? Both seem pretty hazardous. But I agree with what I think you are saying. Have fun in college for another year. Try out the NFL if they will bite, but end your careers being heroes. Firefighters.

 

 

 

 

Drew F.

10h ago

 

Really enjoyed the read, Max! I'll admit two weeks ago Brendan caught a pass and I turned to my brother and said, "who in the hell is Brendan Schooler?" Good luck to both of these guys this season, but hope Brendan comes out on the winning end this weekend.

3

 

 

 

 

Jill O.

1h ago

 

@Drew F.
Once a Duck, always a Duck. That is who Brenden Schooler is.

 

 

 

 

 

Drew F.

59m ago

 

Ok

 

 

 

 

Matthew L.

7h ago

 

Really great story, Max. As an OU fan, I'm genuinely terrified they'll now have to go up against both of these Schooler brothers, who seem equally awesome on and off the field!

 

 

 

 

Jill O.

1h ago

 

Loved Brendan at Oregon. He always brought it, whichever side of the line he played. ,I hated to see him go, but understood his desire to play with his brother. Understand why they left for Texas. I wish them both well.

Of *course* these two guys will end up being firefighters. Just fits.

 

 

 

 

Alonzo C.

39m ago

 

Patience is a lost virtue.

 

 

 

 

Jacob W.

20m ago

 

Pac-12 (including Arizona) will begin play in November

 

 

 

 

READ MORE

Pac-12 joins the party, will play football starting in early November

 

Miami 27, FSU 24: The heat, sound and drive still resonate 20 years later

 

USF-Notre Dame: How one game contributed to two postponements

 

Mike Leach and K.J. Costello take a migratory pattern to new pass patterns

 

Dear Andy: Can Big Ten challenge idea be adopted by other leagues in normal years?

 

Bruce Feldman’s Week 4 college football picks against the spread

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The Schooler brothers’ wild month-long journey from the Pac-12 to the Big 12

By Max Olson Sep 24, 2020 16 

Colin and Brenden Schooler have achieved so much in just four weeks. There’s just one little thing they’re still working on: They do not know anybody’s names.

It’s not just a matter of becoming familiar with 100-plus new teammates. It’s all those assistants, staffers, trainers, tutors and strength coaches. When Brenden walks through Texas’ north stadium building, everyone seems to know about the new receiver with the long hair. He wishes he knew more about them.

“When they say my name, I look over and I’m like, ‘Dang, I really wish I knew your name. I feel so bad about not knowing your name,’ ” he said. “I’m slowly learning.”

Colin is going through it, too, at Texas Tech. Both brothers confess they’re not good with names. At a press conference earlier this month, he was asked how many defenders on the Red Raiders’ depth chart he could name. “That’s tough,” Colin said. “Um, I’d probably say I’m about 50 percent right now.” He can name the guys whose lockers are next to his. The linebacker thinks he knows the names of his fellow starters on defense, and that’s important. “I know them the most because I need to,” he said. “If I need to call somebody’s name, I’m not gonna say, ‘Hey 22!’ ” But the guys over on offense? It’ll take more time.

“I’m trying but it’s hard because we’re not in camp anymore, where they have the name across the front of the helmet,” Colin explained.

For the Schoolers, all the football training has actually been the easy part. Learning a new playbook isn’t tough, at least not for these brothers. It’s the rest of the assimilating to new programs and new locations that proves challenging. Colin and Brenden signed up for a graduate transfer experience unlike any other. When the Pac-12 called off its fall season, the brothers made a difficult decision. They left Arizona and entered their names in the NCAA transfer portal on Aug. 21. They hustled to find new homes, packed up their trucks and moved to Texas. And in just a matter of weeks, they’ve already earned valued roles on their new teams.

“This is what we came here to do,” Colin said.

The choice they made? The brothers say it was a business decision. But in a lot of ways, it was a leap of faith. They were determined to play football this fall, even if that meant going their separate ways. When they line up against each other on Saturday afternoon in Lubbock, it’ll be the culmination of the wildest month of their lives.

Their father brings up a saying, one he’s been telling them since his kids were little: You will never be here again. This moment in time, with these people, experiencing what you’re experiencing — it’s all fleeting. Try to enjoy it as much as you can.

“I’m just trying to remind the boys, you know, take all this in,” Tom Schooler said. “Because this is an incredible thing for you guys to be able to do. Don’t waste this adventure.”

---

 

Colin was reluctant to leave Arizona, where he earned All-Pac 12 honors twice. (Casey Sapio / USA Today)

If Arizona were playing football right now, the Schoolers would still be Tucson.

The brothers have nothing bad to say about their time with the Wildcats. Colin never thought it would end like this. The three-year starter and former Pac-12 Freshman Defensive Player of the Year wanted to finish his career there. Brenden had only been there a few months but was enjoying his new life. He’d transferred from Oregon to Arizona in January to play his senior season with his younger brother. They got an apartment together, a two-bedroom place in a quieter neighborhood off campus. “Best roommate I’ve ever had,” Brenden joked. And for a couple months, they had it good.

But then everything shut down. They went home to Dana Point, Ca., for two and a half months. They lifted weights in their parents’ garage. They went back to Tucson to keep training with Arizona quarterback Grant Gunnell. They went through voluntary summer workouts. They did their part to try to make the season a possibility, making the best of all the uncertainty.

“You put in all the time and effort and follow all the protocols but still don’t have any sense of direction of where you’re going,” Colin Schooler said. “All these different schools throughout the Pac-12 are on different schedules and nobody’s synced up. It was really clustered. You could tell the staff members were frustrated and the players were frustrated. Playing the waiting game sucks when our season is on the line. Nobody knew anything.”

When the Pac-12 officially pulled the plug on a fall season on Aug. 11, the brothers were understandably fed up. The day after that verdict, the Schoolers talked through all their options as a family. They saw three different ways this could go.

They could’ve stayed and kept waiting until January for a spring season in the Pac-12. Tom Schooler had no faith in the conference to actually pull that off. “I’ve been a big proponent of changing leadership in the Pac-12 for years now,” he said. “I’ve never believed in what Larry Scott has done.” And if you believe a spring season was never going to happen, then you recognize staying means potentially waiting until the fall of 2021 to play. That would’ve been tough for Brenden, who is 23 and already missed most of the 2019 season after deciding to redshirt.

“We didn’t want to wait an entire year to play,” he said.

They could’ve opted out and joined the list of Pac-12 players who were focusing on getting ready for next year’s NFL Draft. They thought about declaring, signing with an agent and moving on. But going down that road offers no guarantees. Both have more to prove at the college level, more they can put on tape for scouts to help their chances.

So they got serious about the third option. Leaving Arizona wasn’t an easy call, especially for Colin. But the brothers have both learned over the years just how big-time college football works. Brenden signed to play for Mark Helfrich at Oregon. His freshman season was the 4-8 year that got Helfrich fired. His class helped build the program back up while playing for three head coaches. Colin’s breakout 2017 freshman season at Arizona ended up being Rich Rodriguez’s last one. “It’s really difficult to try to get close to people when you know at any moment they can leave,” he said.

Their college years haven’t made them jaded or cynical, just more aware of some of the harsh realities of this sport.

“I have to do what’s best for me at the end of the day,” Brenden said. “That’s what this college football thing is: It’s a business. As much as people wanna say we’re a family and all that, you have coaches leaving schools all the time. You have players leaving schools to better themselves. Because at the end of the day, you’ve got to take care of yourself. You can’t really sacrifice your well-being or your future for a school.”

---

After working through all the pros and cons and taking a weekend to think it over, the Schooler brothers were ready to make their move.

They met with Arizona coach Kevin Sumlin on Aug. 19 to explain their thinking and ask to be put in the portal. Arizona’s coaching staff understood, Colin said, but didn’t necessarily agree with them. When a student-athlete officially asks to enter the transfer portal, their school must submit their information within two business days.

“They waited the entire 48 hours to put them in the portal,” Tom Schooler said.

The two-day delayed start cranked up the tension. All the college coaches they were contacting couldn’t reply until the portal entry was official. And there’s nothing typical about trying to grad transfer in late August. Many programs were wrapping up preseason camp and two weeks away from playing. Admissions deadlines were coming up, too. They needed this to happen as quickly as possible.

The brothers understood, too, that it was likely too late to find an opportunity where they could be a package deal. These programs either didn’t have two scholarships to offer or didn’t have a need for both. As much as they didn’t want to split up, they had no choice. They couldn’t take any visits, either, so they had to pick a school sight unseen. Brenden remembers they’d wake up early at 6 a.m. MST on those frantic days, just so they could get a head start on texting and calling coaches in the ACC and SEC.

“It wasn’t a very long process but it was very stressful,” he said.

Colin found his new spot quickly. He talked to Ole Miss and Mississippi State early on, but Texas Tech made it obvious they wanted him more than anyone. When Arizona beat the Red Raiders last season, coach Matt Wells’ first postgame handshake was with Schooler. The linebacker went into the portal on a Friday afternoon. He loaded up his Toyota Tundra with his possessions, hit the road for a 10-hour drive and pulled into Lubbock that Wednesday.

For Brenden, the search took a few more days. Virginia got involved but backed out. Kentucky was interested but had no scholarship to offer. And then Texas came along. The staff wanted another veteran for their young receiver room. The people they talked with at Oregon highly recommended Schooler. He had started 23 games there as a receiver and safety and earned first-team All-Pac-12 honors as a special teams player in 2017 and 2018. He could help in a number of ways. When the Longhorns offered a scholarship, Brenden felt it was a no-brainer. He packed up his Ford F-150 for the 13-hour drive and left as soon as he could.

Tom and Christine Schooler hit the road, too. They traveled to Tucson to finish up moving them out of the apartment. This process was hectic on their end, too, as they helped with college applications, transcripts and all the paperwork. Colin and Brenden left a lot behind in Tucson, even their mattresses. When they left, they genuinely had no idea where they planned to live in their new cities. They’d figure it out later.

“Every single question you could ask, it was, ‘I don’t know,’ ” Tom Schooler said. “There were no answers and things were moving so fast. You just had to believe things were gonna work out.”

---

 

Days before they reunited on the field, Colin and Brenden caught up during a Zoom interview. (Max Olson)

Brenden Schooler has heard great things about Austin, Texas. He still hasn’t seen much of it.

“I really just come to the football stadium and then back to my apartment,” he said. “That’s really it.”

He and his brother did find places close enough to campus that they can skateboard to the football facilities. Colin remains an In-N-Out loyalist but has a growing appreciation for Whataburger. It’s unfortunate they can’t live like college kids this fall and fully enjoy their new surroundings. Playing college football in 2020 requires sacrifices. But as Brenden put it, “It’s not worth risking anything by going out.”

“I mean, I wouldn’t say it’s really a challenge,” Colin argued, “just because we both want this so badly. One semester of just football doesn’t sound too bad to me.”

In the second quarter of Texas’ season opener, Brenden ran an 8-yard curl, caught Sam Ehlinger’s pass, turned and stiff-armed UTEP’s cornerback into the turf. He converted his second catch as a Longhorn into a 40-yard touchdown.

 

As Brenden jumped around in the end zone, tight end Jared Wiley ran up and pointed him in the right direction. At Texas, when you score, you celebrate with the offensive linemen first. The new guy forgot. The receiver walked over to Samuel Cosmi and Christian Jones at the goal line and hugged them.

“He was being a good teammate,” Brenden said of Wiley. “I appreciated it.”

Brenden’s first impression at Texas was the payoff for weeks of intense studying with receivers coach Andre Coleman, offensive coordinator Mike Yurcich and their GAs. He’s been meeting up with them for 30-minute sessions each day to go over plays, formations, alignment and details. That’s how he learned the offense so quickly.

“I have them signal me the play and I have to line up correctly,” he said. “I have to know not only what route I’m running but the specifics of it, what conversions and depth. And I have to not only know outside receiver but also know the slot receiver as well.”

Brenden has befriended Gabe Watson and Tarik Black, two fellow grad transfers and “old heads” on the team who are going through the same thing. He’s working hard to win everyone else’s trust. And with Jordan Whittington and Jake Smith dealing with injuries, he’s going to get more reps at inside receiver. He’s there to do whatever he can to help.

“The credit really belongs to Brenden and his commitment level to being game ready by the first game,” Texas coach Tom Herman said.

When Brenden scored that touchdown, Colin was celebrating in his apartment in Lubbock. He was unavailable for the Red Raiders’ season opener against Houston Baptist but is back this week. He’s won over their staff quickly, too, and has put in long hours with linebackers coach Kevin Cosgrove to catch up. “Some people pick up math easy. I pick up football easy,” Colin said. “That’s just my thing.” He has now played for six linebacker coaches and four defensive coordinators in college. It’s easier to adapt when you’re used to change.

Colin had to quarantine when he first arrived in Lubbock, which slowed down his start. That didn’t stop him from earning a starting job after roughly 10 days in the program. He’ll get to play Will linebacker, which will give him a chance to prove he’s more athletic than he got credit for as a Mike linebacker. The FBS active career leader in tackles and tackles for loss is ready to hit.

“He’s pretty smart,” Wells said. “He’s picked up calls and schemes and defensive adjustments — especially the adjustments — he’s picked it up pretty good.”

His peers in the linebacker room have been welcoming, and it’s nice to have longtime friend and former high school teammate Christian LaValle on the team. The brothers still keep in touch with their buddies back in Tucson and Eugene, Ore., and they try to find more time to FaceTime each other. They’ve just been too busy over the past few weeks.

“You could say it’s a little lonely,” Colin acknowledged, “but, I mean, we know why we’re here. We have our why.”

 

Brenden is doing his best to pick up Texas traditions quickly. (Scott Wachter / USA Today)

For both Schooler brothers, this fall season actually kicking off brought a sense of relief.

They had no idea what was coming next when they chose these Big 12 schools. They’re grateful for now but keeping their fingers crossed that they can finish this season. Has it been weird for them to watch the Pac-12 try to reboot a belated fall season? The Schoolers suspected that might happen.

“After watching what the Big Ten did, you knew the Pac-12 was gonna try to come along and copy them,” Colin said. “That’s what happened when they canceled the season, too. So I’m personally not surprised. I still feel like Brenden and I made the right decision.”

They hope the Pac-12 can pull it off, too. Because they know their buddies at Arizona and Oregon are hurting after weeks of having to watch other teams play. They know so many of those players have something to prove this year, just like they do, and hope they get that opportunity.

When Colin takes the field for the first time at Texas Tech, he’ll see his brother across the field. They’ve faced off twice before in the Pac-12. They say it was pretty strange the first time. Now? Not so much. It’s all business this time. Finally playing together in college would’ve been fun. But their dad can tell they’re enjoying the challenge of this fall season. Greater risk, greater reward.

“It’s kind of a bad way to look at it,” Tom Schooler acknowledges, “but you’re kind of a mercenary this year.”

They figured their move would be a one-season deal. Thanks to the NCAA’s eligibility freeze, they could make it two if they want. Colin and Brenden will talk it over after the season, but they already have the long-term goal figured out. They’re both planning to become firefighters when they’re done playing. The brothers have toured fire departments and done a few ride-alongs and know it’s a good fit. They want to help people.

For now, they’re just trying to see how far football can take them. They never would’ve guessed it would bring them to the state of Texas.

“It was tough on both of us, but we got through it,” Colin said. “It’s hard to look back now.”

(Top photos of Colin, left, and Brenden: Michaela Schumacker / Texas Tech Athletics; Scott Wachter / USA Today)

What did you think of this story?

MEH

SOLID

AWESOME

Max Olson covers national college football for The Athletic. He previously covered the Big 12 and recruiting for ESPN.com. Follow Max on Twitter @max_olson.

 

 

16  COMMENTS

 

 

Jalen P.

13h ago

 

Great story, Max. Thanks!

7

 

 

 

Doug L.

12h ago

 

The Schooler bros are studs. Arizona will miss them. Best of luck!

7

 

 

 

RD S.

12h ago

 

Not necessarily a fan of either school but I love these guys and their story. I'll be cheering for their success.
#Go Irish

2

 

 

 

Charles D.

11h ago

 

Cool story. Well done, Max.

5

 

 

 

David K.

11h ago

 

Great article. I hope Colin gets to play against his brother this weekend. Tech has a solid group of LBs with Krishon Merriweather, Brandon Bouyer-Randle, and Riko Jeffers, but Colin should get plenty of playing time and would likely start if he is available.

4

 

 

 

 

Patrick B.

6h ago

 

I've watched Colin at Arizona... he is a tremendous asset to a defense. He's a playmaking machine... being a coach's son he really reads the ways well.
Have to say the Schoolers think poorly of the overrated Sumlin... he made things as hard as he could for them. As an Arizona fan I think Sumlin is a real loser...

1

 

 

 

Johnny M.

11h ago

 

Texas had/has a shortage of LBs, so I was surprised to see Tech get the pick. But as you mentioned, he has previous contact with Matt Wells.

1

 

 

 

Craig L.

10h ago

 

One more year of football and 40 years of fighting fires, or two more years of football and 39 years of fighting fires? Except for the injury risk it seems like an easy decision?

2

 

 

 

 

Jill O.

1h ago

 

@Craig L.
Injury aspect of football or firefighting? Both seem pretty hazardous. But I agree with what I think you are saying. Have fun in college for another year. Try out the NFL if they will bite, but end your careers being heroes. Firefighters.

 

 

 

 

Drew F.

10h ago

 

Really enjoyed the read, Max! I'll admit two weeks ago Brendan caught a pass and I turned to my brother and said, "who in the hell is Brendan Schooler?" Good luck to both of these guys this season, but hope Brendan comes out on the winning end this weekend.

3

 

 

 

 

Jill O.

1h ago

 

@Drew F.
Once a Duck, always a Duck. That is who Brenden Schooler is.

 

 

 

 

 

Drew F.

59m ago

 

Ok

 

 

 

 

Matthew L.

7h ago

 

Really great story, Max. As an OU fan, I'm genuinely terrified they'll now have to go up against both of these Schooler brothers, who seem equally awesome on and off the field!

 

 

 

 

Jill O.

1h ago

 

Loved Brendan at Oregon. He always brought it, whichever side of the line he played. ,I hated to see him go, but understood his desire to play with his brother. Understand why they left for Texas. I wish them both well.

Of *course* these two guys will end up being firefighters. Just fits.

 

 

 

 

Alonzo C.

39m ago

 

Patience is a lost virtue.

 

 

 

 

Jacob W.

20m ago

 

Pac-12 (including Arizona) will begin play in November

 

 

 

 

READ MORE

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Miami 27, FSU 24: The heat, sound and drive still resonate 20 years later

 

USF-Notre Dame: How one game contributed to two postponements

 

Mike Leach and K.J. Costello take a migratory pattern to new pass patterns

 

Dear Andy: Can Big Ten challenge idea be adopted by other leagues in normal years?

 

Bruce Feldman’s Week 4 college football picks against the spread

OPEN IN APP

 

 

AWESOME STORY.... THANKS @pacman   🤘

[Funk Doctor Spock 12175]

Really liking this kid. Had a bit of a rough night, but did his share and made up for it towards the end. Looking forward to seeing more of him. He's definitely my fan favorite. 

[futureman 22439]

On 9/24/2020 at 10:12 PM, pacman said:

they already have the long-term goal figured out. They’re both planning to become firefighters when they’re done playing. The brothers have toured fire departments and done a few ride-alongs and know it’s a good fit. They want to help people.

good stuff 

[CL Horn 32]

can schooler play another season after this one...firefighting can wait!

[JesusSweatDuck 17781]

https://www.instagram.com/p/CAZMV6jpr5d/

[Funk Doctor Spock 12175]

10 hours ago, CL Horn said:

can schooler play another season after this one...firefighting can wait!

He can still put out that fire pussy on campus. I hope he comes back. 

[LTtxfan 49141]

Brenden Schooler Media Availability [Oct. 9, 2020]

[closetohumping 17431]

Cross posting cuz this is hilarious

 

 

[Post Oak 20204]

32 minutes ago, closetohumping said:

Cross posting cuz this is hilarious

 

 

What a moron. I love the other coaching coming in and say getaway. 

[Rimbo 25908]

Every ST coach in the country 'bout to copy this play call

[Sejjr 3246]

32 minutes ago, Rimbo said:

Every ST coach in the country 'bout to copy this play call

For sure. I don't think I have seen that before. Very effective if you don't jump offsides.

[Rimbo 25908]

Didn't "work" on the second try, but the kicker swung it wide left -- away from Schooler's charge, so possibly it got into his head.

[Reese Bennett 3608]

Different angle:

 

[Napoleon 8657]

5 hours ago, Rimbo said:

Every ST coach in the country 'bout to copy this play call

 

4 hours ago, Sejjr said:

For sure. I don't think I have seen that before. Very effective if you don't jump offsides.

I had never seen this before and immediately stated that:

1) Every special teams coach in the NFL and college is going to study and adopt this and…

2) We may see rules changes as soon as this off-season that are directly due to this. 

3) As a soccer fan, this is a direct translation of a striker/winger running east/west in line with the last defender or midfield to build up speed before breaking up field to latch onto a through ball or pass over the top to go one-on-one with the keeper.

It is such an obvious adaptation of a successful tactic from one sport to another that it is puzzling as to why we didn’t see this 30 to 40+ years ago, especially considering how many kids in America played soccer when they were little. 

[RomaVicta 29887]

This whole game went to hell when they stopped using straight ahead kickers.

[DaysOff 7943]

Imagine Keilan Robinson coming off the edge with his speed.

[MonkeyDoughnut 10226]

I don't understand why you wouldn't just snap early or late to avoid. Or line a blocker a yard wider if the have a "runner".. can shift in later.

[Napoleon 8657]

29 minutes ago, MonkeyDoughnut said:

I don't understand why you wouldn't just snap early or late to avoid. Or line a blocker a yard wider if the have a "runner".. can shift in later.

[Gut Wagon 8064]

1 hour ago, DaysOff said:

Imagine Keilan Robinson coming off the edge with his speed.

Teddy Lehman would intercept the snap. 

[Josef Pwag 1738]

Feels like Canadian football except, in this case, something actually happened. 

[RomaVicta 29887]

P for K. 

It's the only answer.

[RockyMountainHighHorn 890]

6 hours ago, MonkeyDoughnut said:

I don't understand why you wouldn't just snap early or late to avoid. Or line a blocker a yard wider if the have a "runner".. can shift in later.

I think the play clock was running down. I think that helped him time it. Could be wrong though 

[T-shirt Sip 2097]

 

[TheBryMan81 2508]

9 hours ago, MonkeyDoughnut said:

I don't understand why you wouldn't just snap early or late to avoid. Or line a blocker a yard wider if the have a "runner".. can shift in later.

That'll probably be the adjustment, but I think a couple of things worked in Schooler's favor here.

1) maybe a tell described by McAfee above. If that's true, then it helped him time his run.

But 2) I just don't think that the edge guy ever saw him. As the edge blocker, you're typically worried about the last guy on the line, because no one ever lines up that far away. So I think the edge guy lined up and focused on the guy that he thought was his responsibility and then he doesn't even see Schooler until it's too late. You see his first action is to stick his arm out and try and block the guy on the line and then he reacts to Schooler. I really think he just didn't see him.

Now that one team has done this, every special teams unit is going to be coached to double check for a guy lined up out wide and I don't think many will be caught by surprise again.

[Rimbo 25908]

9 hours ago, MonkeyDoughnut said:

I don't understand why you wouldn't just snap early or late to avoid. Or line a blocker a yard wider if the have a "runner".. can shift in later.

 

And Miami was able to avoid it on the next FG try.

 

6 hours ago, Josef Pwag said:

Feels like Canadian football except, in this case, something actually happened. 

 

underrated comment

[Helobious 9461]

13 hours ago, Napoleon said:

 

I had never seen this before and immediately stated that:

1) Every special teams coach in the NFL and college is going to study and adopt this and…

2) We may see rules changes as soon as this off-season that are directly due to this. 

3) As a soccer fan, this is a direct translation of a striker/winger running east/west in line with the last defender or midfield to build up speed before breaking up field to latch onto a through ball or pass over the top to go one-on-one with the keeper.

It is such an obvious adaptation of a successful tactic from one sport to another that it is puzzling as to why we didn’t see this 30 to 40+ years ago, especially considering how many kids in America played soccer when they were little. 

Lol. Yeah I’m sure a football coach was watching fucking soccer and thought to use this idea. They definitely didn’t get it from seeing a receiver go in motion for a jet sweep. Or even running a crossing route.

[Napoleon 8657]

1 hour ago, Helobious said:

Lol. Yeah I’m sure a football coach was watching fucking soccer and thought to use this idea. They definitely didn’t get it from seeing a receiver go in motion for a jet sweep. Or even running a crossing route.

Agreed.

Definitely got it from soccer ⚽️.

 

💯