The Verde Report: Brad Stuver Is Playing at an All-Star Level for Austin FC

It’s easy for longtime Verde viewers to take Brad Stuver’s brilliance for granted. For as many ups and downs as Austin FC has had in its four seasons of existence, the club’s 6-foot-3, slicked-back-haired goalkeeper has been a remarkable source of consistency through all of it.

This season, though, Stuver is on a different level.

Over the weekend, the Verde and Black marched north of the border for a late-night clash against the stout Vancouver Whitecaps in search of a draw (Josh Wolff said so himself post-match, stating plainly, “The objective on the road is to get a point.”) And despite registering just a single shot on target, a 0-0 draw is exactly what the club attained. Stuver made sure of that.

The Verde No. 1 registered seven total saves, including a game-saving effort from point-blank range in the 83rd minute. The performance earned Stuver a spot in the MLS Team of the Matchday for the second time this season and helped secure a third consecutive shutout for his club.

“I think each game I think I’m asked either one or two times to come up with a save that may be not normal. But for the majority of those shots the defense is doing their job,” Stuver said. “So when you look at the amount of clean sheets that we’ve racked up in the last little stretch of games, it’s a testament to the guys’ desire and the guys’ work rate each game and I couldn’t be more proud.”

It’s no surprise to hear Stuver gas up his teammates rather than toot his own horn, so allow us to do so on his behalf. The 33-year-old Ohioan has simply been the best net minder in MLS this season, and the numbers bear that out.

Through 11 matches (roughly one-third of the season), Stuver leads the league in saves with 54, 10 more than the next highest tally. Now usually, the flip side of leading the league in saves is also being near the top in goals conceded. But that’s what makes Stuver’s season so impressive. He’s only allowed 13 goals thus far, the fewest of any goalkeeper with more than 35 saves. His save percentage of 83.6% leads all MLS keepers who’ve made at least eight starts.

Stuver’s four clean sheets is tied for the most in the league. And according to fbref.com, Austin FC’s keeper is saving the club 0.51 goals per game above the expectation, tops among MLS keepers.

It should go without saying, but Stuver is performing at an All-Star level. The thing is, we’ve said that before, as Stuver still is without an MLS All-Star Game appearance on his résumé. That fact is certainly not lost on the veteran.

“I’ve talked about it in previous years and been on the cusp of getting that All-Star nod. But it would be a dream come true for me to represent Austin and make it to the All-Star Game this year,” Stuver said.

The 2024 MLS All-Star Game is scheduled for July 24 in Columbus, Ohio. Voting for fans and media is still a few weeks away, but as long as Stuver keeps up his level of play, he’ll be as deserving as any player in the league of an all-expenses-paid trip back to his home state.

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