He found a way.
The remarkable tale of James Shankle and his journey to being the starting right tackle for Aurora University’s offensive line fits in perfectly with the Spartans’ storybook season.
Shankle, a senior who grew up in Newark, was the proverbial “next man up” for coach Don Beebe after projected starter Troy Warner
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suffered a torn ACL in spring practice.Warner, a junior from Oswego, had knee surgery that sidelined him for the season.
“We weren’t sure what we were going to do,” Beebe said.
The 6-foot-4, 275-pound Shankle had only limited experience on the junior varsity level and late in games during the previous season but ended up winning the job in preseason camp.
“Shankle had an unbelievable spring,” Beebe said. “He was definitely our biggest surprise on the team this season.”
And what a season it was, coming to a close Saturday in the quarterfinals of the NCAA Division III playoffs with a 45-17 loss to Wartburg in Waverly, Iowa.
AU (11-2) had won the first two playoff games in program history — including a 33-28 upset of perennial power Wisconsin-Whitewater in the first round — to reach the quarterfinals against the Knights (13-0).
Those wins were also the first for the Spartans’ Northern Athletics Collegiate Conference.
Little wonder then that AU, which reeled off a program-record 11 straight wins following a season-opening loss 38-34 to Hope, did not garner any support in the national rankings.
Strength of schedule was not an ally for the Spartans, however, when seeding for the national tournament was determined.
That meant nothing but road games for AU.
“I knew it would be a challenge to win on the road,” Beebe said. “I didn’t realize no one in the history of the Division III playoffs has ever won three road games in a row.
“The game at Whitewater wasn’t bad. There weren’t many fans there for it, and we brought enough fans that it was really like a neutral game.”
He speculated Whitewater fans, perhaps spoiled by their team’s success, expected an easy first-round win.
“At Wartburg, it was packed and loud,” he said. “Still, it was a good, hard-fought game until the middle of the fourth quarter.”
That’s when the Knights, who trailed 10-0 after one quarter, picked up steam and pulled away.
“Personally, I think the NCAA should go with what the Illinois High School Association does with its playoff format, not allowing you to play three home games in a row,” Beebe said.
Shankle, who was home-schooled, couldn’t have written a better ending for his career.
He started playing the sport in sixth grade with a program in Somonauk. He didn’t know if he could play in high school until hearing about Crossroads Christian in Big Rock, which was made up of home-schooled players.
It needed coaches, however, and his dad, Jim, a correctional officer and supervisor at Sheridan Correctional Center, stepped in to help out.
“I’m a man of faith and I didn’t stress about it,” said Shankle, who will graduate this month with a bachelor’s degree in criminal justice with the hopes of becoming a police officer. “I figured if it was meant to be, it would be.”
The same was true when his effort failed to attract college interest. Shankle was prepared to give football up and enroll in junior college until Beebe reached out.
“He had seen my film and texted me,” Shankle said. “To this day, I still don’t know who sent it to him.”
Beebe can’t remember, but no matter.
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“I was beyond stoked,” Shankle said.
Chris Toth, who played at Illinois, started at left tackle for AU and has been invited to the postseason Hula Bowl for potential senior pro prospects, was a big help for Shankle.
Shankle described it as one magical season.
“By far, my favorite season ever,” he said. “Just to see the joy in everybody’s eyes after winning those two playoff games and being a part of it was special. It’s been a great ride.”