Craig Schuler is entering his ninth season in 2012 with the Lindenwood football program. He has been on Patrick Ross’ staff since the first day of the Ross era.
Schuler came to Lindenwood in 2004, and has been a major part of the program’s turnaround. In 2012, he will serve as the offensive coordinator and running backs coach, as well as being the team’s recruiting coordinator and assistant head coach. This season will be Schuler’s 24th coaching football. In that time, he has won eight conference championship rings, including three as a member of the Lindenwood staff, and coached in 18 NAIA national playoff games.
Last season, Schuler helped Lindenwood go 8-3 during its transition season from the NAIA to NCAA Division II level. The Lions picked up the first win in school history over a NCAA Division I scholarship team, and had a winning record versus NCAA Division I and II teams. Lindenwood had the best record among football programs in their second NCAA Division II candidacy year.
Over the past three seasons as the offensive coordinator, Schuler has led a Lindenwood offense that has been one of the highest scoring teams in the country at any level. The Lions’ offense has averaged 49.6 points per game over the past 36 games, and has broken numerous national and school records along the way.
The 2009 Lions averaged over 53 points per contest, and set a school record in points scored with 744. That year also saw the Lions’ offense rack up the awards, with freshman tailback Denodus O’Bryant being named the MVP of the league. That high-powered offense led Lindenwood to the NAIA National Championship game.
In 2010, Schuler worked with another record-setting offensive unit, one which racked up 8.9 yards per play and 551 yards per game. O’Bryant was named the conference MVP for the second time, and the rest of the Lion running backs, coached by Schuler, helped the Lions post ground game numbers off the charts. Nate Orlando rushed for over 600 yards and 12 touchdowns, while four other backs rushed for over 200 yards. As a unit, the running backs scored 31 touchdowns on the ground.
The Lions continued their remarkable three-year run on offense in 2011, averaging 40.3 points per game against one of the toughest schedules faced by any Division II team in the nation. The Lions scored 60 touchdowns in 2011, giving them 140 trips to the end zone in their last 22 games.
Since Schuler arrived at Lindenwood, the Lions have posted a record of 74-22, won three HAAC championships, and advanced to the NAIA Football Championship Series five times. Prior stops on the coaching trail for Schuler include 11 years at Benedictine (Kan.) and two at Avila (Mo.). He has served as a coordinator on both sides of the ball while coaching in the HAAC, and was a high school head coach in the Southern California Division I ranks.
Schuler and his wife, Alison, have two daughters, Nikki and Katie.
