The Brief
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USF grad student Thomas Shrader has played college football for seven years.
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He broke his leg in the spring of 2021, which caused him to miss two full seasons of play.
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Shrader has played for three schools — USF, Florida State and Appalachian State.
TAMPA, Fla. – Thomas Shrader is the elder statesman on the USF football team.
“This will be year 7 for me,” Shrader said.
In seven years of college football, the 315lb offensive lineman has seen it all, and probably more than most.
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What they’re saying
“I haven’t had a normal college football career at all,” Shrader said.
The Venice native’s career began with so much promise, but quickly went in a different direction.
“I started a game as a true freshman, and I didn’t start another game until my fifth year of college,” Shrader said.
The backstory
Schrader broke his leg going into his second year of college ball, which caused him to miss two seasons playing the game he loves.
“I was contemplating quitting at some point,” Shrader said.
However, quitting was never an option for the grad student. Shrader is now attending his third different school with prior stops at Florida State and Appalachian State. He is playing for his fourth different head coach, and he continues to weather the storm the game brings.
What they’re saying
“Adversity is going to hit,” Shrader said. “You just don’t know when. Life is going to change, but you have to keep pushing. That’s my mentality.”
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Shrader has been pushing extra hard, and it’s not just for what he has been through but because he knows playing college football is not something everybody gets to do. He plans on taking full advantage of the opportunity.
“I am getting my school paid for,” Shrader said. “That’s some of the biggest things you could ever have. I am getting my master’s in business administration. I couldn’t be more thankful for this opportunity even though I had to experience two years of setbacks, but I am glad I am here right now.”
Shrader is glad he’s a USF Bull, and he plans on giving it his all when he suits up for this university every Saturday in the fall.
“I just want to grow to be my best,” Shrader said. “That’s just who I am and who I always wanted to be. I don’t want to let this team down.”
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What’s next
Shrader and the Bulls are a little over a week away from the annual USF spring game on April 19.
The Source
The information in this story was gathered by FOX 13’s Mark Skol, Jr. during a USF press conference.
