Adam Schell

Adam Schell

Schell celebrates a big hit - one that typified his senior season at UK.
No. 55 – Berlin Fire Salamanders
Position:	Linebacker
Personal information
Born:	(2014-21-08)September 8, 2014 (aged 46) Lexington, Kentucky, U.S.
Height:	6 ft 3 in (1.91 m)
Weight:	240 lb (109 kg)
Career information
High school:	Tates Creek High School
College:	University of Kentucky
ISFL Draft:	S24 / Round: 2 / Pick: 6
DSFL Draft:	S23 / Round: 2 / Pick: 8
Career history
Roster status:	Retired

Adam Schell (born September 8, 2014) was an American football linebacker. He played college football for University of Kentucky (UK).

Early years

In Kentucky, Schell was surrounded by talk of basketball and "cutting down the nets." While he enjoyed the competition in any sport and was a gifted natural athlete, Schell always felt that basketball was a bit soft for his liking. But in late middle school, he found his niche in the much less popular game of football. A high school Quarterback for Tates Creek High School, Schell's intense competitive drive always had him working harder than anybody. He held film studies with his dad in his garage each week as he prepared for the next defense he would face, and grew to love the stratgeic aspect of football, reveling in the chance to use his knowledge of player tendencies and "tells" to his advantage at the next Friday night game. His senior year, he led his team to a runner up at the state championship, missing out on the title after being hit from behind on the game's final drive and fumbling the ball. An all time great at Tates Creek, Schell's arm strength was a huge concern of the college scouts who visited. What he had been able to get away with in high school ball simply would not work at the next levels. Eventually, Schell was sold on the position of linebacker, described as the "defensive quarterback" and shifted his energies to mastering the position.

College career

As a true freshman in 2016, Schell spent most of the season learning the linebacker position and completing his transition from high school quarterback to playing defense. By the end of the year, he was pushing for snaps on defense and completed the year with 14 tackles and 2 passes defended. However, what Schell lacked in snaps he made up for in locker room presence, becoming the primary player to talk up his teammates and rally the troops in the harder moments. It was this trait, that gained his coaches' praise and earned him the role of defensive captain his sophomore through senior years. From there, his play began to meet his attitude. His sophomore season, Schell had 75 tackles, including 6 TFLs, 9 passes defended and 2 interceptions as he began to learn to read the quarterback from the opposing end of the field. His junior seasoan Schell had 113 tackles, 10 TFLs, 3 sacks, and 2 forced fumbles as his hitting became harder and more jarring. He also improved on his pass defending skills with 15 passes defended and 4 interceptions, including one returned for a touchdown. Schell's senior year was truly terriffic as everything came together for him with 168 tackles, 12TFLs, 3 sacks, 4 forced fumbles, 2 fumbles recovered, 28 passes defended and 7 interceptions, leading him to be nominated for the defensive player of the year award. While Kentucky never really had national attention while Schell was there as a football school, his impact was nonetheless felt across the country as he left a legacy that will be difficult for future Wildcats to duplicate at the linebacker position.

College career statistics

Career statistics			Tackles		Sacks	Interceptions		Other					Punt returns
Season	Team	Games	Reg	TFL	Sack	Int	IntTD	DefTD	FFum	FRec	PD	Sfty	Ret	Yds	Avg	TD
2033	UK	3	14	2	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	0
2034	UK	12	75	6	2	2	0	0	0	0	9	0	0	0	0	0
2035	UK	12	113	10	3	4	0	0	2	0	15	0	0	0	0	0
2036	UK	13	168	12	3	7	0	0	4	2	28	0	0	0	0	0
Total		40	370	30	8	13	0	0	6	2	52	0	0	0	0	0

Professional career

DSFL Draft

Schell was drafted 16th overall to the Tijuana Luchadores with the last pick of the second round. He was the 5th Linebacker to be drafted in the DSFL Class of S23.

Season 23

Schell's first season was marked by unfortunately "boring" stats. While he became increasingly involved in the defense as a run stopper and chased down big plays as a part of a defense that limited big plays allowed, he did not make the level of impact in coverage that many expected from the prospect whose play-making in college launched him up many draft boards. He became increasingly involved in the pass rush as the season came to a close and his increased strength was on display the last two weeks of the season as he racked up 16 tackles and 2 sacks in those final two games. He closed the season with 89 tackles, good for 18th overall in the DSFL, along with a forced fumble and a recovered fumble and 4 sacks. However, over the last 5 games Schell averaged 7.2 tackles per game. If he shows this same level of production in S24, Schell figures to be in the conversation to top 100 tackles. In addition, with 3 of his 4 sacks coming in these last 5 games, one can figure he will see his impact on the quarterback increase as well in coming seasons. The Luchadores were unable to defend their Ultimini title in S23, missing the playoffs with a final record of 6-8, but a strong defensive core began to emerge late in the season as both first round pick Maverick Bowie and second round pick Adam Schell made huge progress and became dependable focal points for the defense moving forward. If they are not called up to play for their ISFL clubs, they could anchor a solid Tijuana defense in S24.

ISFL Draft

Schell was drafted to the Arizona Outlaws in the second round of the ISFL draft with pick #6, 18th overall. He was the fourth Linebacker taken in this draft class.

Season 24

In season number 2, it was clear that Schell had a chip on his shoulder and was ready to prove that the game was not to big for him. Right out of the gate, Schell had a 6 tackle, 2 sack performance in week one that announced to the league that he intended to leave his mark this season. Week two he recorded 12 tackles, 2 tackles for loss, and forced a fumble and he was off to the races from there. Week in and week out, Schell put up huge numbers, ending the year at or near the top of many defensive statistical categories. He led the league in tackles with 123, had 5 tackles for loss, second most among non defensive linemen, forced 3 fumbles (second most in the league) and recovered 2 of them. He also had 9 sacks, third most in the league, and showed huge growth in coverage with 8 passes defended, third most among non defensive backs. It was this all around activity that set Schell apart from the league in this season, earning himself the awards of Linebacker of the year and Defensive player of the year, as well as the honor of being runner up in the MVP race, topped only by a tremendous season by quarterback Sam Howitzer. This season also resulted in Schell’s first playoff game, and although they were not victorious, the defensive effort to hold Norfolk to 13 points for nearly 5 full quarters was notably impressive. In the end, Schell was not able to win an Ultimini as he had hoped to do, but was traded at the end of this season from the Arizona Outlaws, for whom he never played a snap, to the new expansion team, the Berlin Fire Salamanders. Excited to make a difference in the ISFL and to be a part of the inaugural season for the Fire Salamanders, Schell spent the offseason training tirelessly to come out stronger, faster, and smarter than ever before.

Season 25

In Schell's debut season in the ISFL, he discovered that the big boys are fast, too! It took a while for Schell to get his feet under himself, particularly as a part of a team making its first starts in the league as the new expansion team Berlin went 3-13 on the year. There were, however, many high points to take away from this season. First, although he started slow, Schell ended the year with 100 tackles, a feat accomplished by only the top 10 defensive rookies in his class. He also forced 2 fumbles, tied for 7th most in the league, and had a career high 13 passes defended as Berlin chose to use him often in coverage in his rookie campaign. While Schell was no rookie of the year, he did serve as a respected part of his defense, pairing with Swanty Jones and Hingle McCringleberry to form a trio that was all over the field defensively, racking up tackles in game after game, particularly later in the season. Schell was not thrilled with his showing, but knew the ISFL is no gimme league. Success must be earned, and he spent the offseason training harder than ever.

Season 26

Season 26 was a big season of growth for Schell. The league started to slow down for him and it showed. He was 11th in the league with 125 tackles, adding to that a couple of forced fumbles, 3 sacks, 8 passes defended, and an interception. It was the timing of his stats that made the difference, though. Schell became a third down machine, shutting down backs in short yardage situations and batting passes at just the right time. His interception served as a turning point in the game as Schell became a real leader in Berlin's defense. However, this still was not enough to translate to a lot of wins. Berlin improved to 7-9, but an 0-5 start to the season proved insurmountable. Schell ended this season more determined than ever to be the spark that led his team to success in the season to come. He trained with specialists on instinctive coverage, tenacious ball skills, and hard hitting that would hopefully translate into big impact in his third season in Berlin. He ended the year by signing a three year extension with his team, as he sought to write the record books in Berlin as an inaugural member of the organization.

Season 27

Season 27 began the process of building a balanced team in Berlin. It was no longer a player or two carrying the offense or defense, as the roster began to even out. So, stats became more limited, but wins became more common. The introduction of Hingle McCringleberry and BamBam McMullet (who would become Schell's long term LB partner) meant that Schell moved into the MLB role. This adjustment led to less tackles in the year, but more coverage stats as Schell brought in two interceptions for the first time in his career as well as increasing his passes defended to 11 from the previous season's 8. The adjustments weren't always pretty, 6-10 is still not a record anyone strives for, but this season had the feeling of laying the foundation for something bigger and better that was yet to come. When asked about the season, Schell was quoted saying, "We're building from scratch here in Berlin. But just wait, what you're seeing now is just the tip of the iceberg for this crew."

Season 28

It seems that Schell was right about this team. Season 28 saw Berlin double their from the year before, pulling off a 12-4 record and the 1 seed in the NSFC. Schell himself had a nice year, finishing with 92 tackles while keeping up his presence in the secondary with 9 passes defended. While this season was exciting in Berlin, the post season was anything but. After enjoying their first round bye, Berlin showed it youth by coming out flat in the playoffs and losing their opening game. Schell looked dazed, only managing 3 tackles, though he did have a sack in the contest as well. After the game, he was visibly shaken, though remained his characteristically positive self. "Nobody likes to lose. I hate it. But we will learn from this. For so many of us, we've never seen the bright lights of the playoffs. I lost my only playoff game in the NSFL, too, and so I know that this loss will always sting, but we'll learn from it and be ready for it next year. You'll see."

Season 29

And see we did...In Season 29, Berlin enjoyed even more regular season success, racking up a 13-3 record that led the entire ISFL. During the year, Schell seemed determined to make the big play when it was needed. He forced two huge fumbles and got a big time interception in the regular season. And while he didn't have any sacks in the regular season, he did manage to pick one up in the post season. But it was the NSFC championship game where Schell put his money where his mouth was with the biggest play of his career. Down 20-13 in the 4th quarter, the Fire Salamanders punted the ball away with 9 minutes to go. On 2nd and 10, Schell jumped a slant route thrown by his former NSFL teammate Mike Boss Jr. and took it back for the first score of his career. It was the turning point Berlin needed, as they went on to win the game 23-3 and go to the first Ultimus in franchise history. While the Ultimus did not end in the victory they were looking for, this was a huge step in Schell's career.

Season 30

They say it's hard to run it back, especially for the losers in the sport's biggest game. And season 30 certainly showed some merit to that. Berlin had a tough season, just barely slipping into the playoffs at 9-7. But this team now had experience and proven leaders - Schell among those leaders. He willed them to an upset victory over the Wraiths, who had constantly had Berlin's number in the earlier contests, and got them to their third consecutive NSFC Conference Championship Game - this time against Sarasota. Berlin's luck then ran out against the eventual champions and another season ended just short of glory. Schell entered into contract discussions in this offseason, working to make a deal happen to continue to bolster the team he had grown to love. However, he had one big change in mind. The last 4 seasons had seen him play well in the MLB position, but Schell believed he could wreak havoc from the outside. He succeeded in negotiating this position change into his contract and got to work.

Season 31

Well it seems that Schell may have been onto something. Coming into season 31, he had 7 sacks combined over his first 6 seasons in the ISFL. In Season 31, Schell got 15 sacks and a career high 6 tackles for loss! What is even more wild is that he did this while maintaining his coverage statistics, getting 10 passes defended and another interception in the year. This was the season of incredible competition in the NSFC, with 6 of the 7 teams compiling a record between 8-8 and 11-5. Berlin unfortunately fell just short of the playoffs with a 9-7 record, primarily due to an unfortunate lack of production on the road leading to a 3-5 road record (compared to 6-2 at home). While the season ended prematurely due to missing the playoffs, Schell's individual growth was evident and the excitement around his ISFL career began to grow. The former second round pick was doing more than enough to justify his selection in his seventh season as a professional.

Season 32

Schell was back for more in season 32. He compiled 88 tackles, 6 for loss, forced two fumbles, 12 sacks, a pick and another 10 passes defended. Schell and BamBam McMullet had become a two headed monster, racking up big play after big play all year long. And that didn't stop in the playoffs. Berlin's 11 wins got them the 2nd seed in the conference and they rolled with it. They beat the Sailfish commandingly before heading to Philly and beating the Liberty in a slug fest leading to a rematch in the Ultimus against the New York Silverbacks. Schell did a lot of hyping in preparation for this game, watching film from their last matchup in which New York absolutely stomped the Fire Salamanders. And it showed. Schell was named the defensive Player of the Game with eye popping stats of 11 tackles, 2 sacks, a forced fumble and a pass defended. He did all he possibly could to keep his team in the game, but the offense simply could not get rolling until it was too late. Held to 3 points in 3 quarters, the offense scored 21 in the final period, but it was too late and the Fire Salamanders lost 27-24. Aware that he had fewer years left than he had played, Schell was seen sitting on the bench for a while after this one. It was a tough blow, indeed.

Season 33

Season 33 was another tough slugfest following an Ultimus loss. The NSFC was ripe with talent once again and Berlin ended 9-7, just a game outside of the playoffs. Once again, Schell did his part. Though he may be a step slower than in his youth, he piled up 75 tackles, 4 for a loss, 12 sacks and 10 passes defended. Not to mention he set a career high in fumbles forced with 4 of them, recovering one himself with a signature smack and scoop. This season left a lot of questions in the eyes of Berlin fans. Would Schell retire? Would he look to finish his career somewhere else? Could Berlin really get him the ring he had been working for his whole career? It was tough to say until about halfway through the offseason when Schell took to Twitter to announce his intentions. "Running it back for another season. My bones may be feeble but my spirit is mighty #ISFLsim #OldMansLeague" We'll see what Schell has left in the tank, but there's no doubting that he's got the drive to make an impact on another run at a championship.

Season 34

Season 34 was a surprisingly bright campaign both for the aging Schell and the Berlin Fire Salamanders. Though the expectations were fairly low heading into the season, Berlin managed to attain the second best record in the league at 11-4-1. Not only that, but they were in prime position to head to another Ultimus with a 14 point lead in the fourth quarter of the NSFC Championship game. However, a furious comeback by the eventual champions the Chicago Butchers led to another season ending in heartbreak for Berlin. Many wondered if this would be the end for Schell, but he announced a couple weeks after the loss that he would return for one final campaign, with hopes of seeing a banner raised in Berlin. Schell invested heavily in his teammates in this campaign, but also ended up with some of the best numbers of his career. 101 tackles, 12 tackles for loss, 5 sacks, 2 INTS, 1 forced fumble, 3 recovered fumbles, and 9 passes defended. While the sacks dipped a bit, his overall fire and involvement for Berlin in this season was unquestioned. It certainly made Berlin fans excited to see him carry the torch for one final season.

Season 35

Season 35 saw Schell get another 100 tackle season, despite being on the decline of his professional career. Schell accumulated 101 tackles, 13 TFLs, 6 sacks, 10 PDs, and a forced fumble which he also recovered. He didn't have the disruptive force of his younger years, but he was still a constant presence on the edge for Berlin, disrupting many a toss play and getting involved in as many plays as possible. He had clearly lost a step at this point, and often hinted at his eventual retirement, but when Schell was on the field, he was as focused as ever. Always the competitor, Schell said early in his career that he would never play past when he could compete at a high level, and I think he surprised himself this season. This season was such a surprise that when the end of the season came, Schell, who had been hinting at retirement all year, announced that he had one more year left in the tank, but that this would be the final year. Berlin was right in the thick of the playoff race this season, but ultimately fell in week 16, losing their spot in the playoffs in a tight NSFL race and finishing 8-8.

Season 36

Schell played his final season in Season 36 and to be honest it was underwhelming. He looked like a player who hung on for one year too long as far as on field performance went. Schell had career lows across the board with only 32 tackles, 3 TFLs, 1 INT, 1 PD, and 0 sacks or fumbles caused on the year. Berlin struggled around him, amassing the worst record in the league as they began a rebuild, shedding old contracts and starting new, young prospects. Because of this, while Schell did not hugely contribute on the field, he was a huge presence on the sidelines. He was seen constantly reviewing film with the young players, giving them tips on how to anticipate and react on the field in ways that would help them make big plays throughout their careers. Young players referred to him as "Coach" and you could see that this is what he really enjoyed in this final season. When asked about his career, Schell said the following. "Would I have loved to get a ring? Of course, we all want one. But I'm proud of the legacy I've left here and of what I helped to build in Berlin. I will be rooting for them to win it all until it comes, and with the ownership and coaching around here, just wait because I think that's coming real soon."

Measurables

Pre-draft measurables

Ht	Wt	40‑yd dash	20‑ss	3‑cone	Vert jump	Broad	BP	Wonderlic
6 ft 3 in (1.91 m)	240 lb (109 kg)	4.34 s	4.19 s	7.21 s	33.7 in (0.86 m)	10.82 ft 129.8 in (6.59 m)	38 reps	39

Achievements and records

Awards

Individual

• DSFL Defensive Player of the Year: 2039
• DSFL Linebacker of the Year: 2039

Statistics

DSFL Career Statistics (Regular Season)

Career statistics			Defense
Season	Team	Games	Tck	TFL	FF/FR	Sck	Int	PD	Sfty	TD	Blk P/XP/FG
2038 (S23)	Luchadores	14	89	2	1/1	4	0	0	0	0	0/0/0
2039 (S24)	Luchadores	14	123	5	3/2	9	0	8	0	0	0/0/0
Total	Luchadores	28	212	7	4/3	13	0	8	0	0	0/0/0

DSFL Career Statistics (Post Season)

Career statistics			Defense
Season	Team	Games	Tck	TFL	FF/FR	Sck	Int	PD	Sfty	TD	Blk P/XP/FG
2039 (S24)	Luchadores	1	5	0	0	1	0	0	0	0	0/0/0
Total	Luchadores	1	5	0	0	1	0	0	0	0	0/0/0

ISFL Career Statistics (Regular Season)

Career statistics			Defense
Season	Team	Games	Tck	TFL	FF/FR	Sck	Int	PD	Sfty	TD	Blk P/XP/FG
2040 (S25)	Fire Salamanders	16	100	4	2/1	0	1	13	0	0	0/0/0
2041 (S26)	Fire Salamanders	16	125	1	2/0	3	1	8	0	0	0/0/0
2042 (S27)	Fire Salamanders	16	76	0	0/1	1	2	11	0	0	0/0/0
2043 (S28)	Fire Salamanders	16	92	2	1/0	1	0	9	0	0	0/0/0
2044 (S29)	Fire Salamanders	16	86	1	2/1	0	1	8	0	0	0/0/1
2045 (S30)	Fire Salamanders	16	87	1	0/0	2	0	7	0	0	0/0/0
2046 (S31)	Fire Salamanders	16	88	6	3/2	15	1	10	0	0	0/0/0
2047 (S32)	Fire Salamanders	16	88	6	2/0	12	1	10	0	0	0/0/0
2048 (S33)	Fire Salamanders	16	75	4	4/1	12	0	10	0	0	0/0/0
2049 (S34)	Fire Salamanders	16	101	12	1/3	5	2	9	0	1	0/0/0
2050 (S35)	Fire Salamanders	16	101	13	1/1	6	0	10	0	0	0/0/0
2051 (S36)	Fire Salamanders	16	32	3	0/0	0	1	1	0	0	0/0/0
Total	Fire Salamanders	192	1051	53	18/10	57	10	106	0	1	0/0/1

ISFL Career Statistics (Post Season)

Career statistics			Defense
Season	Team	Games	Tck	TFL	FF/FR	Sck	Int	PD	Sfty	TD	Blk P/XP/FG
2043 (S28)	Fire Salamanders	1	3	0	0/0	1	0	0	0	0	0/0/0
2044 (S29)	Fire Salamanders	2	6	0	0/0	1	1	2	0	1	0/0/0
2045 (S30)	Fire Salamanders	2	10	0	0/0	1	0	1	0	0	0/0/0
2047 (S32)	Fire Salamanders	3	21	1	1/0	3	0	3	0	0	0/0/0
2049 (S34)	Fire Salamanders	2	11	3	0/0	1	0	0	0	0	0/0/0
Total	Fire Salamanders	10	51	4	1/0	7	1	6	0	1	0/0/0