Photo courtesy: Saskatchewan Roughriders.
Saskatchewan Roughriders’ quarterback Brayden Schager shined in his first Canadian Football League action.
The Dallas, TX native completed 10-of-18 passes for 139 yards and ran five times for 41 yards, including a 20-yard touchdown in his team’s 20-15 preseason loss against Calgary. He played just over one quarter for the Green and White.
“I was waiting for my opportunity. I told myself, ‘Whenever it came, be ready.’ That’s what the coaches preach, you don’t know when you’re going to go in. Whenever I got that opportunity, I knew I was going to be ready and try my best to take advantage of it,” Schager told the media.
The six-foot-three, 220-pound QB signed with the Riders in late September last year. He utilized his extra preparation time by impressing anyone who watched him play at McMahon Stadium on Monday, May 18. The 23-year-old looked calm in the pocket, delivered some strikes and showcased his mobility.
“That’s my favourite thing to do is be out on that field. It was a blast to be able to take some hits, go out there and play football with the guys. Continue to build off the stuff that I’ve done in practice, happy to get out there with some live bullets flying around and have fun,” Schager said.
“There’s always things you look on film and you want back, you want to continue to get better, but I’m happy with some stuff I was able to put on tape. I think there is always room for improvement and trying to get better every single day.”
That was the first time Schager played in a football game since his last start at the University of Hawaii on Saturday, November 16, 2024. He started 37 games for the Rainbow Warriors over four NCAA seasons, completing 59.3 percent of his passes for 9,096 yards with 60 touchdowns and 42 interceptions, while adding eight rushing scores.
“It was a big adjustment at first, but my last three years, I absolutely loved it. Perfect weather every single day, you get done with practice and you go to the beach. Great people out there, loved my time there and love the island,” Schager said.
“That’s a big sell, you get to go live in Hawaii for four years. My parents always said it was like a paid vacation. I loved playing football there, I loved playing for those coaches and all my teammates.”
According to Schager, Hawaii’s shortest flight for a road game was about five hours to California. For the Rainbow Warriors first game in 2023, the team travelled approximately 10 hours by plane to play at Vanderbilt University. He called it a “brutal” trip but decided to adapt to the situation and learn from the experience.
That’s exactly what Schager has done since coming up to the CFL. He’s enjoyed studying the three-down game and been able to watch how Trevor Harris goes about his business. The 112th Grey Cup MVP has helped teach the young QB along with offensive coordinator Marc Mueller and Saskatchewan’s coaching staff.
“It’s competition, it’s an interview — some guys are going to be moved up and down within the depth charts — it’s what we do,” head coach Corey Mace told the media after watching the film. “The most important thing is those guys understanding the speed of the game, the tempo of the game, not necessarily how each play is, but in totality how things move.”
Schager was clearly prepared for the pace at which the CFL game moves. He was efficient moving with his offensive teammates in and out of the huddle. No. 10 entered the game against the Stampeders late in the third quarter trailing 17-6, but did not let the scoreboard dictate his mindset.
“I’m going to keep fighting and that’s what I want to show the coaches. I don’t care what the score is, I’m out there to continue to try to prove myself and show them what I can do,” Schager said.
“I’m going to do that in every single game, you look back at college, I continue to fight no matter how hard I get hit, I’m going to get up and play for my teammates. I was blessed to have that opportunity to be able to run one in.”
Schager’s touchdown was notable but he wants to learn from his mistakes and improve moving forward. He admitted it wasn’t a perfect performance, although that’s his goal while playing quarterback as a professional.
