COLUMBIA, Mo. — Cody Schrader is the most talked about athlete in Missouri.
The running back currently leads the SEC in rushing yards (1,124) and is third in rushing touchdowns (11).
He put on one of the best performances in Mizzou's history on Saturday night, running for 205 yards and a touchdown. He also caught five passes for 116 yards in the Tigers win over Tennessee.
Schrader became the first player in SEC history with over 200 rushing yards and 100 receiving yards in a game.
What you may not know though about Schrader is about his dad who helped get him there.
Tom Schrader, 49, is having the time of his life watching his son Cody, 24, have the time of his life. It's not often you get to see your boy carried off the field.
"It was so exciting to see the team that just was that happy for his success and just had that much confidence in him," Tom Schrader said. "It was just an amazing feeling watching him get lifted up by his team and hoisted around."
Cody got the run around from colleges after his senior year at Luthern South despite having over 8,000 career yards.
"A northern Colorado coach showed up to Lutheran South and really was like, 'We really want you. We want you to be our guy.' They went as far as scheduling the visit by and his plane ticket," Tom said. "Then I believe it was either the night before or a couple of days beforehand, they called him up and said 'Look, we've got our guy and we canceled your plane ticket.' That was from northern Colorado. I wonder how the running backs are doing today."
Not as good as this Tiger.
No SEC running back, not even Herschel Walker or Bo Jackson, had a game like Cody's on Saturday against Tennessee.
At the Bud Dome, Tom does his work in a more quiet atmosphere.
He is the facility manager at Budrovich Construction where he often worked seven days a week and 14 hours a day to feed his three kids.
"I've wanted for my kids what I could never have, and that was my focus as a parent," he said. "No matter what type of sacrifice it meant to make sure they got the opportunities."
Cody had the opportunity to have a loving relationship with his parents.
Tom never misses a game and they have a ritual of taking a picture of the two of them after every game.
He said he didn't have that relationship with his parents.
"When my mom and stepdad divorced, I was tossed aside by the stepdad, and mom was off doing her thing," Tom said.
Cody is doing his thing just like his dad knew he would if he got the chance.
"This is his success. He put the work in. We just were just lucky enough to be there and to have those moments with him," he said.
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