Hawaii QB Schager takes hits and keeps playing

Hawaii QB Schager takes hits and keeps playing

Iron Man has shown his mettle.

Through aches and late hits, Brayden Shager has started 27 consecutive football games, a school record by a University of Hawaii quarterback.

“He’s one of the toughest quarterbacks I’ve ever been around,” said head coach Timmy Chang, who broke records for the Rainbow Warriors in the 2000s. “People come for him. Sometimes I’m surprised he can go next week. But he does. It’s his mental strength.”

Scharg’s record depends largely on his performance on the field. He is fifth in program history in passing yards (7,833), total offense (7,989) and passing touchdowns (52). He is the Mountain West’s active career leader with 742 completions.

“He’s big and strong,” Chang said of Schager, who stands 6-foot-3, 225 pounds and is capable of back benching 450 pounds. “He stands there and plays. When plays break down, he makes them.”

Schager admitted that his handwriting is “pretty cool.” It’s great that the coaches believed in me all this time. I was able to stay healthy, God forbid, from any injuries. It’s a testament to that and a testament to these coaches. It’s really cool to have this (record).”

Growing up in the Dallas area, Chager always mixed grit with toughness. “The worst injury I had was when I broke my jaw and chipped my teeth,” he said of his final game with Highland Park High in January 2021.

In the regional final against Denton High School, Shager was hit in the face during a scramble. He gingerly stood on the far side, spitting out pieces of four broken front teeth.

“I spat them out in front of the opposing coach,” Schager recalled. “I think he was a little surprised. … I went and asked the O-line to make a play. I didn’t have any (front) teeth. I knew they were out of the game, but I knew I wasn’t going to be out of the game.”

Denton coach Dave Hennigan tweeted: “Right. Right in front of me. Tough kid.”

Shager also realized that his jaw was broken. “Not fun,” he said. “It was painful.”

Against a stout Denton defense, Shager finished with a touchdown pass and six rushes for 30 yards in the loss. Later, a dental bridge was placed in his mouth. The jaw heals on its own. During his four-year career at UH, Shager overcame numerous pains and sprains. “I’ve never been 100% healthy,” he admitted. “I was always a little banged up. But there was never any point in wanting to sit out. I never want to sit out of a game. If it were up to me, I would never miss any of it.”

This season, he’s been hit late after shooting passes or dropped after rushing. Against UCLA, he played through an ankle ailment he suffered while serving as a landing pad for a defensive lineman. He is still able to scramble successfully.

In five games, he absorbed late hits that led to three roughing penalties and four personal fouls. Last week, San Diego State was penalized four times for late hits on a vacancy. On the final play of the match, he was tackled to the ground, an action that went unnoticed by the referees as the final whistle blew.

“I tend to give a lot of late penalties,” Schager said. “I don’t know what it is. I think teams like to hit me and try to take me out of the game. Whatever. I’ll take as many late hits as possible if we can get 15 extra yards.”

“I just want to give everything I can for my team,” Shager added. I’ll go out there and give everything I have when I’m on the field.

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