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Former USF QB Says Schuyler Had 'Such Mental Toughness'

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By BRETT McMURPHY | The Tampa Tribune

Published: March 2, 2009

Former University of South Florida quarterback Grant Gregory remembers watching walk-on tryouts for USF's football team in 2006.

There was the usual group of undersized wide receivers and running backs, overweight linemen and some students with (unrealistic) hopes of making USF's team. But there was one person that stood out: a chiseled 6-foot-2 1/2, 250-pounder.

His name was Nick Schuyler.

"You see all these scrawny guys out there," Gregory said. "And then there's this guy, 6-2, 250 with seven percent body fat and I'm like 'Oh, my gosh.' "

Schuyler was found today in the Gulf of Mexico. The three other individuals in the boat were still missing.

That spring in 2006, Schuyler impressed USF's coaches with his size and speed that he made the team as a walk-on.

Gregory, who recently transferred to Eastern Kentucky for his senior year, said he talked to Schuyler about once a week. They played flag football together a few weeks ago. Gregory still remembers visiting Schuyler's house in 2006 after he made the team.

"He showed me how he had trained for three to four months before he walked on," Gregory said. "It was no surprise he was able to hang on that long. He had such mental toughness."

Gregory said Schuyler had marked off 60-yard, 80-yard and 100-yard measurements in the street where he trained daily running sprints.

"He did all of his training by himself, it was unbelievable," Gregory said.

"He was physically a freak of nature. He was the strongest guy on the team."

Schuyler was from the Cleveland area and originally attended Kent State. Schuyler gave up football in high school to concentrate on basketball.

"That was one of his biggest regrets," Gregory said.

Schuyler was going to walk-on to the Kent State basketball team, but suffered a knee injury before tryouts and then ended up coming to USF, Gregory said.

"He naturally weighed about 240-245, which was OK to play fullback, but we had some injuries on the defensive line and they moved him there," Gregory said. "The coaches told him to gain as much weight as he could. I've never seen a guy eat so much, he'd eat 4-5 servings a meal and then 2-3 protein shakes.

"He would do anything to make the team. He was such a hard worker."

Schuyler was not allowed to play in USF's first game in 2006 against McNeese State, but Gregory said Schuyler suited up for the second game against Florida International.

"We went through warm-ups before the game and then they told him there was some problem with his transcripts, that he didn't have the proper credits from Kent State," Gregory said. "So he couldn't play and was ineligible. He was pretty disappointed he couldn't play anymore."

Despite leaving the team, Schuyler remained close friends with a lot of his former USF teammates.

Gregory said he Schuyler was a personal trainer at L.A. Fitness in Tampa.

"He was always in tremendous shape," Gregory said. "That's probably what helped kept him alive. He's a fun guy to be around.

"I'm so glad they found him, but it's hard to be happy with three other guys still missing."

Reporter Brett McMurphy can be reached at (813) 259-7928

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