Schafer began his immaculate career as one of the top quarterbacks to ever grace the Texas Panhandle, going 31-0 as a starting quarterback for the Canadian Wildcats.
Behind Schafer and a powerful Wildcat squad that is still to this day heralded as one of top small school teams nearly a decade later, Canadian won back-to-back UIL state championships in 2014-2015.
Schafer was named a two-time Class 2A Offensive Player of the Year, as well as a two-time state championship game MVP, amassing more than 7,900 yards passing over those seasons.
“I was always so impressed with Tanner,” former Canadian legendary head coach Chris Koetting said. “He’s such a good guy and he had the offense we ran down to a T. He studied all the time and was such a great football player.”
Current Canadian head football coach Andy Cavalier, who was the defensive coordinator during Schafer’s run, agreed with Koetting and speaks highly about Schafer’s character.
“Tanner was an unbelievable teammate,” Cavalier said. “He was always fun to be around, and the guys loved playing for him. What made him great is he was always level-headed. I remember when Tulsa was recruiting him, they had seen every pass he threw. They were impressed because his reaction never changed on any throw he made.”
Cavalier keeps in contact with Schafer and gets to see his former player during visits in the summer. Cavalier is now proud to call him a colleague and someone he can pick the brain of.
“It’s been awesome to see Tanner’s journey,” Cavalier said. “I was hopeful out of high school to see him play more in college, but he chose OU. We knew with the quarterbacks they had that him playing was going to be a long shot. But seeing the quarterback room he was in and the people he surrounded himself with, Tanner knew what he was doing. We still visit when we can, and he even helps us coaches out to talk football when he comes back home.”
Schafer was recruited by multiple Division I schools out of high school, but his landing point became Oklahoma, where he was recruited by legendary head coach Bob Stoops. In the mix of that recruiting was a young offensive coordinator in now USC head coach Lincoln Riley, who has Texas Panhandle ties of his own graduating from Muleshoe.
He didn’t see the field much as a backup quarterback at OU, but the football education he learned on a daily basis inside the practice facility was priceless.
“I didn’t play a lot,” Schafer said. “In the long run I knew coaching is where I was going and being at Oklahoma put me in a great position to further that coaching career. I learned so much under all those guys like Lincoln (Riley) and so many. It was a very unique opportunity, and I wanted to take advantage of that.”
Schafer suited out for the Sugar Bowl, the Cotton Bowl and the Rose Bowl to name a few major bowl games.
Day in and day out, Schafer sat in a quarterback room with not only a great offensive mind like Riley and current Mississippi State head coach Jeff Lebby, but also four starting NFL quarterbacks in Baker Mayfield, Jalin Hurts, Kyler Murray and Caleb Williams.
“It was an amazing experience at Oklahoma,” Schafer said. “I learned a ton being around all of those guys. They all have a different perspective of how they approach the game which I found pretty cool.
“Baker was the juiced-up guy that wanted to always prove everyone wrong. Kyler was an incredible athlete but meant business, and Jalin prepared better than anyone I’ve ever seen. He is very reserved but he’s always watching film or in the weight room. He was always trying to improve.”
“Baker is a great guy,” Schafer said. “We still talk often and he’s one of those lifelong friends. His approach to the game is why he was so good on Saturdays and is now successful on Sundays. On thing about Baker, is he never quits. That’s a true testament to who he is.”
Following Riley’s departure from OU, Schafer came on as a graduate assistant for current Sooner coach Brent Venables for two years.
He then followed former OU offensive coordinator Lebby to Mississippi State where he just completed his first season as quality control coach and a quarterback analyst for the Bulldogs.
“There is a lot of work, but I love it,” said Schafer, who is now 27 years old. “You’re at the office breaking down film, you are always recruiting and during the season you are always doing game prep. It’s been a great move to Mississippi State and we’re trying to do something special here.”
“Coach Koetting not only inspired me by how he impacted current players but how past players constantly talk about him as a man and a coach,” Schafer said. “Coach Koetting showed me how coaches were able of influencing players and help them mature both on and off the field.
“The relationship commitment he got from everyone around is a true testimony of who is he is. Building relationships is something I really want to do. I like to take a little bit from each coach I learn from but it’s the relationships that really standout to me.”
Schafer is also extremely proud of the success of another Koetting protege and a quarterback he actually followed in the footsteps of in high school.
Schafer was the Canadian backup quarterback for new Sooner offensive coordinator Ben Arbuckle, who has shot up the college coaching ranks at only 29-years old.
The two are still close friends to this day, and Schafer is excited for Arbuckle’s latest opportunity and being the OC at his college Alma-mater.
“I love seeing Ben’s success,” Schafer said. “It’s a full circle moment to have two coach Koetting guys coaching college football though we took much different paths to get where we are.
“Ben, coach Koetting and I meet up in Canadian and play golf in the summers and it’s always so cool to hang out with them. Ben is a great football coach. He moves guys around and makes life difficult for defenses. He is a guy that builds relationships and is a master at developing quarterbacks.”