Born and raised in
Grangeville, Idaho, Schrom graduated from
Grangeville High School in 1973, where he won 11 athletic
letters and was an all-state selection in football, basketball, and baseball. Selected in the tenth round of the
1973 MLB amateur draft by the
Minnesota Twins, the right-hander opted for college and accepted a
scholarship to the
University of Idaho in
Moscow to pitch for the
Vandals in
baseball and play
quarterback on the
football team. Schrom was the back-up QB as a
redshirt sophomore in
1975, coached by
offensive coordinator Dennis Erickson under
head coach Ed Troxel. An excellent pure passer, he had to forego spring football practice to play baseball. At the time, Idaho ran the
veer, an
option offense which exposed the quarterback to continual contact with the defense. After hurting his left (non-throwing) shoulder in football, Schrom did not want to hurt his right and turned pro after his junior year of baseball (spring 1976). He is a member of the
Delta Sigma Phi fraternity. Schrom completed his degree in education in increments during the baseball off-season and graduated in 1980. ==References==