Barney Shynkaruk’s Behind the Face Mask takes a closer look at your favourite Saskatchewan Roughriders.
This week, he chats with quarterback Brayden Schager.
Barney Shynkaruk:
All right, ready to go here. Brayden Schager with us Behind the Face Mask.
I have a third-string quarterback. What are you telling people back home? Where are you on the depth chart here?
Brayden Schager:
I’m trying to learn every day and get better. That’s what I’m telling them.
Just trying to learn from the guys in front of me. Trying to pick up every bit of information I can from Trevor (Harris).
Obviously, he’s done it for a long time, and he’s very good at what he does and very knowledgeable.
Probably the most knowledgeable quarterback I’ve ever been around, so it’s awesome to learn from him every day. That’s just what I’m trying to do.
Barney Shynkaruk:
OK, let’s have some fun here. Is it Highland Park High School? Quite the athletic program.
Was it like Sports Illustrated’s top in America in 2005?
Brayden Schager:
Oh yeah. We had Clayton Kershaw, Scottie Scheffler, Matthew Stafford, all those guys.
There’s a long list, so I’m just hoping to be another one waiting to do something at some point so I can be known.
Barney Shynkaruk:
I was going to ask you about notable alums, and the list goes on and on and on.
You’re a golfer. (Scottie) Scheffler, right? You’ve been playing a lot of golf.
What’s your handicap at now?
Brayden Schager:
I’m around a seven or an eight right now, but I kind of get good in the offseason, and then whenever I have to go in-season, it gets worse because I can’t play as much.
So I try to get good in the offseason, and then it falls off, but I love to play.
Barney Shynkaruk:
Favourite golf course you’ve ever played?
Brayden Schager:
Ever played? Probably either Kapolei or Turtle Bay in Hawaii because there are some pretty special courses out there in Hawaii.
I love playing out there.
Barney Shynkaruk:
Give us one that’s on the bucket list.
Brayden Schager:
I’ve always wanted to play Pebble Beach or Spyglass in California, so hopefully I can play there one day.
Barney Shynkaruk:
The first four holes of Pebble are really easy, so don’t be puckered up. I’ve screwed it up twice.
Barney Shynkaruk:
Let’s go with this: How fast would Scott Schager pin you in a wrestling match?
Brayden Schager:
We’ve had this discussion a lot, and I told him back in the day he might have been able to get me, but now it’s over.
I got him now. I always tell him I could beat him up, and I could definitely get him now.
He knows it, too.
Barney Shynkaruk:
That’s his father, by the way.
Did you wrestle much?
Brayden Schager:
I never wrestled. He grew up in Iowa, so it was a big sport there.
He never really got me into it. I wish I had, but I try to take that toughness part from my dad, from the wrestling and all that.
Barney Shynkaruk:
What’s the family dynamic? Do you have brothers, sisters? Was Mom an athlete?
Brayden Schager:
I’ve got one sister. She goes to TCU.
My mom says she taught me how to throw, but I'd say I got most of my athleticism from my dad.
Barney Shynkaruk:
Fort Worth. It’s a nice spot to be.
OK, Hawaii. That’s where you came from. He’s from Hawaii and all that.
Were there other options for you? Was North Dakota an option and then Hawaii? Or did you have options?
Brayden Schager:
Yeah, I had quite a few. I could have stayed in Texas. I could have gone to Texas State.
I could have gone to a lot of Ivy League schools, but why not play in Hawaii?
My dad always said it was a four-year paid vacation, so it was pretty fun. I don’t regret it.
Barney Shynkaruk:
Not a lot of transfer portal out of Hawaii?
Brayden Schager:
No, not a lot, yeah.
Barney Shynkaruk:
Can you surf?
Brayden Schager:
Yes, I did. My first year there, I got into surfing a bunch, bodyboarding.
It’s so fun to go out there after practice. Everybody gets in the back of trucks. We’re headed to the beach right after practice.
Barney Shynkaruk:
Where’s your spot? Where’s the hidden spot that the locals go to? You used to go to…
Brayden Schager:
Sandy’s Beach. That’s where we’d all be right after practice.
We’d go to Sandy’s and sit out there all day and have some fun.
Barney Shynkaruk:
Alright. Who’s Brayden Schager’s celebrity crush?
Brayden Schager:
Celebrity crush? Well, I’d have to say my girlfriend or else she’s going to get mad at me.
Barney Shynkaruk:
Well, you’re allowed to.
Brayden Schager:
My girlfriend’s a celebrity, Kate Lang. She’s a celebrity. She played volleyball at Hawaii.
Barney Shynkaruk:
First thing you buy if you win the Powerball or the Lotto Max here in Canada?
Brayden Schager:
First thing I would buy? Probably a new set of some nice golf clubs. I think that’s pretty good.
You know, get fitted, nice clubs. Yeah, I’d do that.
Maybe that boys’ trip to Spyglass and Pebble?
Barney Shynkaruk:
Maybe that?
Brayden Schager:
Yeah. Maybe go on a boys’ trip there with some new clubs. That’d be fun.
Barney Shynkaruk:
Do you play any instruments?
Brayden Schager:
I do not.
Barney Shynkaruk:
What’s your go-to karaoke?
Brayden Schager:
Go-to karaoke? Probably I’m Good by Blue. I can sing that sometimes.
Barney Shynkaruk:
Hawaii food-wise, what's your favourite thing to eat in Hawaii?
Brayden Schager:
The best thing you’ve got to get when you’re there is poke.
Fresh, you know, raw fish, raw tuna. The raw ahi is how they say it.
That’s the best thing to do. Get some raw ahi, put some shoyu sauce on that, some unagi. That’s going to be good.
Barney Shynkaruk:
Favourite place to eat in Regina?
Brayden Schager:
It’s probably either Victoria’s Tavern, or you can’t go wrong with Earl’s.
