Right at home

On an occasion when most parents would be giving out hugs, going out for a celebratory meal and spreading the news to friends and families, Martin Stull gave his son an ultimatum.

John Stull, a senior defensive end for Rock Bridge at the time, had just received a call from Lawrence, Kan., offering him a spot on the Jayhawks football team. But his dad, a lifelong Missouri fan, would have none of it. In other words, there never was an option.

“He told me he would never talk to me again if I accepted,” Stull said of his dad. “He told me not to call the guy back.”

Fortunately for Stull, he and his father were on the same page.

“I’ve lived here all my life and it was pretty much a given that I was going to come here,” Stull said. “Missouri is the only school I ever wanted to come to.”

For the four Columbia natives on the Missouri football team — Van Alexander, Chase Patton, Joe Schumacher and Stull – each story is different. The recruiting process, the options, the parental pressure differed greatly for each of the four.

Patton, a highly-touted quarterback for Rock Bridge, entertained offers from elite programs around the country. Schumacher, a Hickman linebacker, mulled over an offer to play for Missouri State. Rock Bridge linebacker Alexander searched for a program on the rise.

But one thing was consistent. After growing up in Columbia, these four players had dreams of playing a role in turning around Missouri’s football program.

Now, after following this team through years of adversity, these Columbia players find themselves on arguably the most successful Missouri football team assembled during their lifetimes.

They have had a close up view of the transformation this program has undergone in recent years and saw something in it that many Tigers doubters didn’t. They saw potential.

“That’s the reason that I chose to come here,” Alexander said. “I saw the improvements this team was making. If I didn’t think this team was going anywhere, I wouldn’t have chosen to come here.”

With the unique perspective of having seen Columbia suffer through numerous mediocre football seasons, the four also agreed that there is a different feel around the city this season.

For so long, Columbia residents have spent October counting down the days until Missouri’s basketball season. Now, Schumacher said, college football fever has caught on around town.

“I can definitely sense more excitement around here,” he said. “I mean, I have friends calling to congratulate me… even though I am not even playing.”

While they all dreamed of being a big contributor to the turnaround of the program, the reality is that for most of the season, all four players have been relegated to a sideline view.

Missouri opted to red shirt Stull this season, while Schumacher, a sophomore who made the team as a walk-on, has also not seen any playing time.

Alexander emerged as a top candidate for the weakside linebacker position after last season, but suffered a severe groin sprain during preseason that lingered this fall. He aggravated the injury when he slipped coming out of a shower last month, but was finally able to make his season debut on the special teams unit Saturday against Texas A&M.

The limited playing time for Patton is arguably the biggest local disappointment so far given the hype surrounding the quarterback during his recruiting process.

Patton thought he had everything planned out: Play under Brad Smith for a year and take over as the star quarterback in his absence. Instead, Chase Daniel emerged as the team’s star, while Patton landed at No. 3 on the depth chart, also behind senior Brandon Coleman.

With both Daniel and Patton at the same point in their eligibility, Patton realizes that he might never get to fulfill his dream of being a starting collegiate football player. He insists, however, that the chance to don black and gold trumps that disappointment.

Could Patton have started at another school? Sure. Does he regret his decision? He insists that he doesn’t.

“It’s always there,” Patton said of the what-if questions about whether staying in Columbia was the best choice for his football career. “That’s just human nature, I guess. Yeah, I would have had a shot to go for the starting spot at Tennessee, but I felt like I made a good decision to come here and be under Brad for a year, and I still feel strongly about my decision. It hasn’t worked out exactly like I wanted it to, but I feel like I am still here for a reason.”

Coming from a group of players who have not played a significant role in the team’s turnaround, the sentiment was still surprisingly a consensus. There were no words of disappointment in not playing; no pauses for second guessing. Instead, they each spoke using words like pride and excitement and fulfillment.

Children of all ages dream of playing for their hometown team, whether it be a professional club or a collegiate team. Few ever get the opportunity. These four Columbia products simply feel honored to have had that chance.

“I have no regrets about coming here,” Schumacher said. “The neatest thing about being on this team is that everyone treats everyone the same. Whether you’re a senior starter or a freshman, you are still a member of this team.”