More Pac-12 Football Defections at Arizona; Washington Still Has a Full Roster
School's out in the Pac-12. The Schoolers are gone.
In the wake of the conference's pandemic-influenced decision to postpone football this fall, two more players — brothers Colin and Brendan Schooler at Arizona — are leaving the Pac-12 to find another place to play.
The siblings from Dana Point, California, announced they are entering the transfer portal. Their decision comes a day following defensive lineman Jay Tufele's disclosure that he will exit USC and prepare for the NFL draft.
A University of Washington player departure can't be too far behind, considering what's at stake for those with NFL futures. The Huskies have three players who have been named preseason first-team All-Americans by various publications or organizations in junior defensive end Joe Tryon, defensive tackle Levi Onwuzurike and cornerback Elijah Molden and are considered solid pro prospects. Any one of them would be welcome elsewhere on the college landscape.
In particular, Onwuzurike, from Allen, Texas, recently graduated from the UW and he could transfer and be eligible immediately. No doubt, the highly competitive Texas schools are fully aware of his situation.
Top players from every Pac-12 school could end up elsewhere as college football turns into an absolute free-for-all over the health crisis.
At Arizona, Colin Schooler was a three-year starting linebacker and the 2017 Pac-12 freshman defensive player of the year. He's the second linebacker to move on from the Wildcats, following Tony Fields II, who transferred to West Virginia.
Brendan Schooler spent four years at Oregon as a safety and wide receiver before transferring to Arizona this year to play his final college season alongside his brother. That won't happen now.
The Schoolers are both graduate students, eligible to play for another school right away. Their father even encouraged them to find another team.
"My kids want to play," Tom Schooler told the Arizona Daily Star. "I want them to play. They are willing to make that choice with all the information that has been gathered."
It's a tricky situation for all involved though. By changing schools, no one is guaranteed he will play in the coming months. COVID-19 rates are spiking as schools welcome students back to campus.
Washington coach Jimmy Lake flatly has even said he believes all Power 5 conferences eventually will have to shut down this fall because of virus concerns.
Notre Dame has disclosed that five players have tested positive for the virus and six are in quarantine.
Georgia State has determined that quarterback Mikele Colasurdo has a heart condition as a result of COVID-19 and he won't play.
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