05.12.2020 | Football Edited version of recent TexasSports.com about Shawn Izadi had been added to the History of Longhorn Walkons. Shawn’s whole article is at the link listed below in red font.
Former Football walk-on and Longhorn Band Member graduates med school
Shawn Izadi, who balanced the challenges of school, football and playing in the Longhorn Band at UT, put that training and discipline to work in graduating from The UTRGV School of Medicine this spring.
A walk-on for two seasons under Mack Brown, the Coppell, Texas native initially arrived on the Forty Acres in the fall of 2010, intent on one day attending medical school. The self-proclaimed science nerd chose to major in biochemistry after a recommendation from a friend while also joining the band to continue his passion for music. During his time with the band and performing at football games, Izadi began to think about playing football, something he had not done since his sophomore year at Coppell High School.
An unsuccessful open tryout in the spring of 2011, followed by another in the fall of that year, did not discourage Izadi, who made the team as a walk-on in 2012 after a third open tryout.
A look at Izadi's schedule during his two seasons as a walk-on is a testament to this. He would typically wake up by 5 a.m. for early morning weightlifting sessions at 6 a.m. Classes followed this throughout the morning - consisting of biochemistry, analytical chemistry, and physical chemistry - then lunch and a short nap before practice at 1:30 or 2:00 p.m. Practice would run until around 6:15 p.m. At that time, Izadi would make his way to band practice, which was held from 6:30 to 8:30 p.m. three or four nights a week. On the evenings he did not have band practice, Izadi would schedule his labs, which ran four hours per session. He would return home to study until midnight or 1 a.m., then do it again the following day.
"Sally and I are so proud of Shawn," Brown said. "When he sets his mind on something, you better believe he's going to achieve it. He's so smart, engaging, and energetic, and pours everything he has into his studies, work, and life. We are thrilled to see him earn his medical degree, know he'll do great things in Oregon, and are excited to follow him and all he accomplishes. We always knew there were big things on the horizon for him, will forever be supporters and love him so much."