04/19/18 Emerald Media - Gameday Edition

GAMEDAY

BROTHERS IN BATTLE

TROY AND TRAVIS DYE are making Oregon football a family affair.

P L AYE R S T O WAT C H AT S P R I N G G A M E

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WHO WILL BECOM E HERBERT’S GO -TO RECEIVER

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ON THE COVER

Running back Travis Dye runs through a drill during spring practice.

Photograph by Ben Green

GAMEDAY

PLAYERS TO WATCH BY: Shawn Medow @ShawnMedow | PHOTOS: Adam Eberhardt

OFFENSE:

Oregon wide receiver Brenden Schooler (86) breaks the tackle of Oregon State Beavers cornerback Isaiah Dunn (22).

Wide Receiver: Brenden Schooler

DEFENSE:

Oregon cornerback Thomas Graham Jr. (4) returns the ball after making an interception.

Cornerback: Thomas Graham Jr.

After switching from safety to wide receiver last year, Brenden Schooler caught 20 passes for 274 yards. Now, as a junior, Schooler has more experience under his belt and has developed more chemistry with quarterback Justin Herbert, who missed a large chunk of last season due to a collarbone injury. This year, Schooler will probably have a bigger role in the Ducks’ offense with the graduation of Charles Nelson and the expectation of a heavy-passing offense with a healthy Herbert.

After a breakout freshman season, Thomas Graham Jr. is the Ducks’ best player at the cornerback position. The Ducks lost cornerback Arrion Springs and safety Tyree Robinson to graduation, so now Oregon’s secondary will look different this upcoming season. With 62 total tackles and three interceptions in his first season in Eugene, Graham Jr. is poised for a big sophomore season and could be key to Oregon’s defense.

Quarterback: Tyler Shough

Defensive Linemen: Jordon Scott

The early enrollee and 4-star recruit could challenge Braxton Burmeister for the backup quarterback spot. Shough may redshirt this upcoming season, which is why this may not only be the first glimpse fans will get of Shough in an Oregon uniform, but the only one until at least the 2019 season. How he grows under Herbert and under the guidance of offensive coordinator and last season’s quarterbacks coach, Marcus Arroyo, could be vital to his future as a potential starter.

Heading into his sophomore season, the man with the nickname “Fat-Mac,” and a personality to match it, immediately gained attention last year. With 20 solo tackles and 4.5 tackles for loss, Scott had a solid freshman year.

When it comes to the line, experience is huge, and Scott has 13 games worth of it after last season. He could be poised for a big season with the Ducks.

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GAMEDAY

OREGON FOOTBALL IMPLEMENTS NEW OFFENSE

IN TIME FOR SPRING GAME Running back Darrian Felix goes through drills at practice.

Quarterback Justin Herbert (10) hands the ball off to running back CJ Verdell (25).

BY: Maverick Pallack @mavpallack PHOTOS: Adam Eberhardt Oregon football began its final week of preparation before Saturday’s spring game with a focus on a new versatile offense.

Head coach Mario Cristobal thinks the offense will run mostly out of shotgun and pistol formation but hinted at the possibility of going under center as well. He even mentioned the famed fourthdown play by the Eagles in this past Super Bowl, in which tight end Trey Burton threw a touchdown to quarterback Nick Foles, as a reference for some of the plays they are trying.

New running backs coach Jim Mastro has helped implement the “pistol” offense, which seems to be a focal point this season.

“We go fast, and the addition of the pistol gives us a couple things that I think are hard to defend,” Cristobal said. “We’re trying to continue to evolve. If you come back the exact same way as before, you’re gonna have a difficult time.”

Mastro was one of the innovators of the offense during his 11 years at Nevada as running backs coach.

Toward the end of his time there, his pistol offense with Colin Kaepernick and Vai Taua rushed for 8,700 yards and broke Craig James and Eric Dickerson’s NCAA record for most rushing yards by a tandem in a career.

Although he has the most experience with the pistol, he is not the only coach who has used it. Cristobal used it at Alabama and offensive coordinator Marcus Arroyo used it at Oklahoma State.

“I’m just helping them,” Mastro said. “They just kinda wanted some new ideas I think and different philosophies. I am just staying in my lane and doing what I am told and giving them ideas I think will help us.”

Mastro says the running

backs faced the biggest challenge with the change, but they have seemingly grasped the concepts very well thanks to stressing attention to detail.

“When you’re in the pistol, the footwork of the quarterback and the running back is everything,” Mastro said. “When you’re offset and in the gun, there is a lot of leeway for mistakes.

In this offense, in that formation, there’s not.”

The pistol reached its peak in popularity in 2012 when the San Francisco 49ers and Kaepernick ran it on their way to the Super Bowl. Lately, however, the offense has faded.

“No one is really doing it,” Mastro said, “Everyone kind of got away from it. We want to be majority in it. I think it makes defense show their hand a little bit.”

Mastro praised the offense’s ability to camouflage the play type by having running backs on both sides of the quarterback.

“You have zone-read football to both sides of the field,” Mastro said. “Your play action game is much more dynamic. It brings a lot to the table and coach Arroyo is doing a heck of a job finding new ways to use it.”

The change has been much easier for quarterback Justin Herbert. The junior feels the offensive scheme is still the same despite the new formations.

“It’s not a major difference,” Herbert said. “We’re not changing up any of the offense – we’re just putting them in different spots.”

The “new look” offense will most likely be on display a little this Saturday for the spring game, but players are still hesitant to give anything away.

“I don’t know if I can spoil that,” Tony BrooksJames joked. “It’s gonna be different, though.”

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GAMEDAY

STEP UP AS WIDE RECEIVER

Oregon Ducks wide receiver Brenden Schooler (86) runs a route during practice.

WHO WILL

BY: Maverick Pallack @mavpallack | PHOTO: Adam Eberhardt Quarterback Justin Herbert is one of the favorites to win the Heisman trophy this season.

In order to do that, he needs to make big, flashy plays. That would also mean highlight-reel plays by his wide receivers, which have been hard to find the last couple seasons.

Wide receiver production has declined since Marcus Mariota’s 2014 Heisman season. That year, wide receivers had 2,796 yards, and that is discounting the 1,003 yards leading receiver Byron Marshall had out of the backfield. In 2015, Vernon Adams Jr.’s one year at QB, receivers had 2,450 total receiving yards. Last season, wide receivers had 1,618 yards. Some of the decline was due to Herbert missing five games because of due to a broken collarbone. Oregon also won’t have Charles Nelson working the slot as both a big-play threat and a security blanket for quarterbacks.

The offense would realistically need at least a 950 yard increase in receiving yards from last season, averaging between Mariota and Adams Jr., for Herbert to get an invitation to New York.

Oregon needs to manufacture those yards from somewhere, and it falls on Dillon Mitchell, Johnny Johnson III and Brenden Schooler. All

three performed well in their first meaningful opportunities last season, which impressed the junior quarterback.

“Those guys are playmakers,” Herbert said. “It makes my job easier.”

One of those playmakers, Schooler, performed well in his first season at receiver. The former safety netted three touchdowns and averaged 13.7 yards per catch. Now, with a full-year of practice and the playbook, he has shifted his focus from learning to leading.

“Last year, I think [Schooler] was a guy that didn’t get the ball as much as he needed,” Herbert said. “[Schooler, Mitchell and Johnson III] are athletic, so they’ve been able to make plays regardless of the position.”

Mitchell led the team in both receptions (42) and receiving yards (517) in his sophomore season, but that didn’t stop him from working.

“No matter how many years I’m here, it starts over each offseason,” Mitchell said. “If you don’t do anything in the offseason, I feel like it all goes away.”

Wide receivers coach Michael Johnson believes he will be a guy Herbert can lean on as the top receiver.

“If you’re gonna be the number one guy, you have to be a guy we can count on each and every week and it starts with habits,” Michael Johnson said. “We’re gonna make sure we get him to come to work every day. The older they get, the more they are able to handle that situation.”

The third major returner is Johnny Johnson III is the third major returner is. He led the team with two catches of over 50 yards in his freshman season. That kind of big-play potential, paired with a healthy Herbert, should provide a major uptick in production yards.

“It’s great,” Johnson III said. “He can throw you open even if you aren’t all the way open. There’s just that chemistry on the field. It’s unspoken.”

Redshirt-freshman Daewood Davis, sophomore scout-team standout Demetri Burch, special teamer Jaylon Redd and early-enrollee Jalen Hall are some of the newcomers fighting for passes from Herbert.

“Our quarterback is pretty special,” coach Michael Johnson said. “Guys like being around him. He can get you the ball. All you gotta do is run and get open and he’ll find you. It’s a great opportunity for a young wide receiver.”

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COVER

FROM THE TURKEY BOWL TO AUTZEN Oregon Ducks linebacker Troy Dye (35) celebrates after making a sack.

BY: Maggie Vanoni @maggie_vanoni | PHOTOS: Adam Eberhardt and Ben Green

Like many American families on Thanksgiving, the Dye family gathered outside their house in Norco, California, for a game of touch football. It was the annual Dye family Turkey Bowl.

All the siblings joined: Anthony (Tony), Jordan, Troy, Travis and little sister Jamie. Even Grandma grabbed a whistle and played referee.

But unlike most families, the Dye family used their Turkey Bowl talents to propel themselves into standout high school and collegiate football careers.

From playing in the neighborhood streets to the field at Norco High School, Travis will join Troy in his first game as a Duck at Autzen Stadium in this weekend’s spring game.

For the first time since high school, Troy, a junior linebacker, and Travis, a freshman running back, are playing on the same field together. Their careers at Oregon will give them the opportunity to grow as football players and as brothers.

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“It’s cool to be back together with him,” Troy said.

“At this level, I mean, I understand it’s a business and you gotta go out there and play against him and play hard, but at the end of the day that’s my brother, so it’s really fun.”

This upcoming season will mark Troy’s third with the Ducks after graduating Norco a semester early to enroll at Oregon in the winter of 2016.

During his first year, he became the first true freshman to start as linebacker in 38 years, while also becoming the first freshman to earn doubledigit tackles in a first appearance as a Duck since the 1996 season. He had a stellar sophomore season, where he started in all 13 games and led the team with 107 total tackles.

Travis followed in Troy’s footsteps, enrolling early this winter to become a Duck and play with his brother.

“It’s something that I have been dreaming of for a long time,” Travis said. “It’s a big thing

to come out here in the D1 level and play with your older brother.

“It feels just like how it was in high school. It’s just, you got Troy on your side, always. … I’m ready to get back to work with him.”

But it’s not just Troy and Travis who have played collegiate football.

Their father, Mark, played at San Jose State.

Tony, the oldest Dye brother, followed by playing for the UCLA Bruins, and he had a short-lived career in the NFL, playing a season for Cincinnati — scoring a touchdown in his lone game for the Bengals — and briefly played with the Oakland Raiders. Jordan currently plays for Sterling College as a wide receiver for the NAIA team in Kansas.

“Football is just our life, and I don’t really know anything different from it,” Jamie, the youngest Dye and the only sister, said.

One of the last games that Troy and Travis played together before Oregon was a family

affair. Jamie was on the sideline cheerleading for Norco. Tony was Norco’s defensive coordinator and Mark was a coach on the team. Their mother, Danna, was a trainer for the rival school, the Centennial Huskies.

Whether at Norco or in Eugene, Mark and Danna have supported the family’s passion for football by attending every home game.

With Travis now at Oregon, traveling to the different schools will be a lot more convenient for the parents — yet having a Dye on the field at all times will force Mark to plan his spectatorship accordingly.

“I got to figure out how to get my popcorn,” Mark said. “I used to go get my popcorn and go to the bathroom when the offense was on the field. So, it’s gonna be a little harder now.”

Their family’s commitment to supporting them has only intensified both Travis and Troy’s passion for the game. According to Troy, it’s this strong drive to learn and improve that makes Travis stand out on the team.

“He loves the game,” Troy said.

“He has a lot of passion for the game, a lot of energy, a lot of juice that he brings in at every practice.

He’s out there having fun, jumping around, energetic, trying to get the running backs going. He really enjoys the game, and so, I mean, I enjoy playing with him.”

Travis was the first commit in the Ducks’ 2018 recruiting class after choosing Oregon over toprated programs like Michigan, Texas A&M, Boston College and UCLA. As a kid, Travis imagined himself playing for the Oregon State Beavers, finding inspiration from running back Jacquizz Rodgers. But now, they are both glad he stuck with Oregon.

“When I got here, he kinda just put all his orange shit away, so we moved past it,” Troy said. “We Ducks now and that’s fun.”

Troy and Mark are proud of Travis’ decision to stay despite former head coach Willie Taggart’s decision to leave the program.

“I knew he was not going to just back away,” Troy said. “That’s not how we were raised, never to run from a challenge. So, he was

ready. He was really locked in and excited to continue and come in and wear the green and yellow.”

Mark added: “I think one of the things that he realized was that he was committing to the school and the program, not really specifically to people or a specific coach.”

Travis said watching Troy’s experience at Oregon helped prepare him for the intensity of playing college football.

“I learned real quick that you have to grow up real fast,” Travis said.

The brothers said that having each other on the same team only pushes them to get better — especially since they usually face-off against each other in practice drill and scrimmages.

Head coach Mario Cristobal was impressed with their ability to remain locked-in against the other brother.

“I haven’t seen Troy slow down in hitting him, and I haven’t seen Travis slow down to try to get tackled,” Cristobal said. “They’re competitive. It’s in their DNA.” Troy and Travis may both be “T. Dye,” forcing coaches and teammates to refer to them by their jersey number, but that doesn’t mean they’re the similar on the field.

“We are two different types of people,” Troy said. “He’s a little bit more outgoing on the field.

I’m a little bit quieter. But it’s kind of cool to see him across the field and to know that that’s my brother over there. He made it, and he’s just here having fun.”

Cristobal is no stranger to the experience.

“I played with my brother in college together, so I know what a special thing that is,” Cristobal said. “To have them here and at the level of talent and the level of player that Troy has been, and Travis is going to be, it’s exciting times for us.”

With the spring game being Travis’ first game at Autzen, Troy is looking forward to sharing that one-of-a-kind moment with him as they walk through the tunnel.

“Hopefully it will be way more than he ever expected, and we can enjoy that moment together,” Troy said.

Running back Travis Dye (21) runs a route during practice.

Linebacker Troy Dye (35) chases down running back Jamal Elliott (24) during practice.

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GAMEDAY Quarterback Tyler Shough throws a pass.

He is a freshman early enrollee.

FRESHMAN TYLER SHOUGH STAYED COMMITTED, NOW BATTLES TO BE BACKUP QUARTERBACK BY: Gus Morris @JustGusMorris | PHOTOS: Adam Eberhardt Back in early December, Willie Taggart visited Oregon quarterback commit Tyler Shough at Shough’s home in Chandler, Arizona.

The two, along with Oregon’s quarterbacks coach Marcus Arroyo, discussed everything Oregon, an obvious subject on a visit like this one. But Shough said the meeting had a “weird vibe to it.”

That’s because at the time, rumors were flying about how Taggart was a top candidate for the Florida State head coaching job.

Two days after his visit with Shough, Taggart left.

“It was definitely weird,” Shough said on Tuesday, his first time speaking to the media.

“I wasn’t really sure what was going to

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happen. He was definitely promoting Oregon at the time.”

But once Shough (pronounced “Shuck”) heard that Oregon would retain Mario Cristobal and Arroyo, he upheld his commitment. He is now a Duck and excited to be one. He enrolled at Oregon in January and has been taking classes and practicing with the team since his arrival.

“The speed and the tempo, everything is definitely faster up here,” Shough said.

“It’s definitely been a good ride so far. I’ve learned a lot.”

The former 4-star recruit has also impressed coaches in his first several weeks with the Ducks. As spring practices come to a close, Shough and Braxton Burmeister are locked in

a competition for the backup quarterback role.

Shough said the two have become good friends through the competition and have enjoyed battling in practices.

“We make each other better,” Shough said.

“He does some things I can’t. I do some things he can’t. So we just learn from each other and just get better overall.”

As an early enrollee, Shough is trying to take advantage of all the opportunities he can.

Cristobal said he’ll jump into drills voluntarily and hasn’t backed away from any challenges.

“Tyler is really talented. He’s really smart,” Cristobal said. “What stands out about him most in the offseason is that he’s a relentless competitor.”

In addition to learning from Burmeister,

GAMEDAY

What stands out about him most in the offseason is that he’s a relentless competitor.”

MARIO CRISTOBAL

Shough is leaning on fellow quarterback Justin Herbert as a mentor.

“I’ve definitely been asking him about plays,” Shough said. “You know, ‘What do you think about this coverage? What do you think about this? What classes are you taking?’ Stuff like that, because he’s definitely been through it.

“I definitely look up to him.”

Oregon’s lack of quarterback depth last year doomed its season as it went 1-4 in the five games that Herbert didn’t start. Now, with Shough and a more experienced Burmeister, Cristobal feels more confident

with the options he’ll have at backup this season.

“Tyler, him and Braxton, they’re what you want at that position,” Cristobal said. “Competitors that are tough and hard-nosed and that want to get better.”

They’ll get the opportunity to showcase their skills in Oregon’s spring game on Saturday. Cristobal said the two will get even reps in the scrimmage, which will also be Shough’s first experience playing in front of a crowd at Autzen Stadium.

“That’s definitely going to be a first experience for sure,” Shough said. “I’m definitely excited for it.”

Quarterback Tyler Shough walks past media on his way to practice.

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TOGETHER WE

SUCCEED

GAMEDAY Thomas Graham Jr. makes a play during a game against the Oregon State Beavers.

GRAHAM JR. AND REDD’S CONNECTION RUNS DEEP BY: Maggie Vanoni @maggie_vanoni PHOTO: Adam Eberhardt

A little over seven minutes into his first Civil War as an Oregon Duck, freshman wide receiver Jaylon Redd snagged a pass from quarterback Justin Herbert. His Oregon teammates knocked down the Oregon State defenders in his path. Redd ran 19 yards straight to the end zone, scoring his first collegiate touchdown.

Less than 10 seconds later, Oregon freshman cornerback Thomas Graham Jr. intercepted a pass from the Beavers’ quarterback Darell Garretson and ran for a 20-yard return.

But last season wasn’t the first experience these two had playing football together.

Graham Jr. and Redd have a connection through two sports and two stellar careers at Rancho Cucamonga High School and through their time at Oregon thus far.

Graham Jr. ended the season third on the Ducks with 62 total tackles, and as one of two players to lead the team with three interceptions. Redd ended the season totaling 122 allpurpose yards and two touchdowns.

“Watching those guys succeed as true freshman was awesome,” their former Rancho Cucamonga High School head football coach, Nick Baiz, said.

Instead of playing on the same team, the two Rancho Cucamonga natives first met competing against each other in club track and field when they were kids.

“It was just something normal,” Graham Jr. said. “We were always competing against each other, and we finally ended up teaming up.”

Their “teaming up” wouldn’t happen until almost 10 years later in their junior year at Rancho Cucamonga High School. Redd attended the school for all four years, while Graham Jr. transferred in as an upperclassman.

“Our relationship in high school made us stronger,” Redd said.

“And as we come up here, I know every time I see him push, even though he’s on the other side of the ball, I see him do better. Can’t break that bond.”

Baiz recalls being impressed

by Redd’s speed and mentality at his first couple practices with the Cougars. It only took a single day of practice before Baiz called him up to varsity.

“When he was a freshman, we could tell he was something special,” Baiz said. “I remember seeing Jaylon.

He was practicing with the freshmen team, and I was watching the freshmen practice, and then about a day later we called him up to varsity because it was like a man with boys.”

Graham Jr. joined the team two years later, and his knowledge of the sport immediately helped him stand out.

“I think the best thing about [Graham Jr.] was his athletic ability and his football intelligence,” Baiz said. “He would ask great questions, where it really makes you know that he understands the game.”

As seniors, they helped the Cougars go undefeated in the regular season for the first time in school history. Redd topped the season totaling 1,693 rushing yards and 25 touchdowns, and Graham Jr. had four interceptions, eight touchdowns and 212 total tackles.

“They were leaders; they led by example,” Baiz said. “Just the competitiveness they would bring to practice was huge. They kind of brought everyone up a level, which was helpful for our whole team.”

Both were labeled as 4-star recruits and earned Under Armour All-American honors. Receiving numerous offers from multiple top-tier college programs, they each decided Oregon was the best fit.

“It was good because coming to college, you might not know all your teammates, and you really don’t know them on a personal level,” Graham Jr. said. “Since I knew him on a personal level, it kind of helped because I knew I had somebody to rely back on.”

Now, as Oregon sophomores, it’s clear the two have adjusted to the collegiate level of play.

“They kind of knew what to do last year,” head coach Mario Cristobal said. “Now they know how to do it and why we are doing it that way, so they are more efficient in everything they do.”

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GAMEDAY Oregon Ducks place kicker Aidan Schneider (41) kicks during the warm up.

AIDAN SCHNEIDER FACES STEEP ODDS AS HE CHASES AN NFL KICKING JOB BY: Gus Morris @JustGusMorris | PHOTOS: Adam Eberhardt Not two months removed from graduating, former Oregon kicker Aidan Schneider has already secured his first job — he just hopes it’s not the one he’ll have after April 28, the final day of the 2018 NFL Draft.

Schneider wants that to be the last day he has have to worry about delivering mattresses — the part-time job he’s held for the last several weeks as he lives at home in Portland and prepares for his first shot at making an NFL roster.

Doing so won’t be easy. Kicking

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jobs in the NFL are few and far between, and potential firstyear players don’t often make a roster their first time.

Schneider understands this and recognizes that his road to the pros will be harder than most. The former Grant High School soccer standout only started playing football as a junior in high school.

He navigated his way from being a walk-on at Oregon to one of the best kickers in program history.

Even as he leaves with his name littered throughout the record

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books, Schneider is a relatively middle-of-the-road NFL prospect.

“I joke with my family that I was a walk-on in college, and I’m going to have to be a walk-on in the NFL, too,” Schneider told the Emerald.

At nearly every turn over his fouryear career, Schneider performed above expectations. He took over as Oregon’s full-time kicker his freshman year, dethroning Matt Wogan, who came to Oregon as the second-best kicking prospect in the country. Over the course of Schneider’s four years, he made the

most field goals in program history (51) and did so at the best rate in program history (85 percent).

One would think that posting these kinds of numbers would guarantee Schneider a spot on an NFL roster. But the biggest issue with his body of work is what NFL teams covet in a kicker: power.

Schneider was almost automatic from within 50 yards, but never attempted an in-game 50-plus yard field goal.

He’s confident he can do it consistently, but not being able to

GAMEDAY showcase that in college has certainly made his climb to the pros a little steeper.

“It was kind of frustrating not being able to showcase that in college,” he said. “Oregon is not the place for long field goals.”

However, Oregon’s pro day was. Schneider showed off his leg for scouts, routinely landing kicks in the endzone from 60-plus yards away. He talked with several scouts afterward but hasn’t heard from any of those teams yet.

His one current scheduled workout is with the Seattle Seahawks. Even if nothing pans out this offseason, Schneider said he’d keep trying.

His kicking coach, Gary Zauner, a former NFL special teams coach who now offers his knowledge to aspiring pro kickers, told Schneider that it’s difficult for undrafted players to make teams. Schneider isn’t

projected to be drafted and said he’d be thrilled to make a team this offseason, but at the very least, he wants to show teams that he belongs.

“The goal for the first year is to get into camp with someone and just perform well,” Schneider said. “I think how long I stick with it will depend on the opportunities I get, because as long as I get an opportunity and get positive feedback, I’m going to keep trying.”

The odds are against him, but that’s familiar territory for Schneider.

He’s just ready for the next chapter of his life and for the opportunities that follow.

“I guess it’s not your typical athlete, chip-on-the-shoulder story, but I’m sure plenty of people thought I couldn’t play D1 football,” Schneider said. “So I’m really in the same spot now.”

Aidan Schneider (41) kicks the extra point during the 2017 Civil War game.

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