Post by WVUfanPHILLY on Aug 22, 2007 14:56:55 GMT -5
By MICKEY FURFARI, For The Inter-Mountain
MORGANTOWN — West Virginia University fullback/tight end Owen Schmitt cannot believe how fast his three years here have gone. “I remember driving to Morgantown with my mother, moving into the dorm, and coming over (to Puskar Center) for the first practice,” said the 6-foot-3, 250-pound senior from Fairfax, Va. That was in 2004 after he had spent a year at Wisconsin-River Falls. “It’s definitely been a long time. And this summer has gone so quickly, especially for me because I’ll be done after this year,” he said. Schmitt admittedly has no regrets whatsoever in having decided to cast his lot with the Mountaineers. “This is a dream-come-true,” he exclaimed. “It has been a lot of hard work, but it also has been a lot of fun. I wouldn’t want to play anywhere else.”
Schmitt cherishes the opportunity that Coach Rich Rodriguez gave him. “It was a great deal for me,” he said. “The university has given me so much, and I’m just proud to be associated with it.”
A writer suggested that this also has been a good deal for WVU. Rodriguez undoubtedly would agree.
The veteran head coach recently called Schmitt “an old-school fullback” which is a rarity these days. “There can’t be many better ones out there today,” he said.
Schmitt is a hard, physically strong runner and a powerful blocker with tremendous ball skills. He’s a tough hombre who loves to practice, work out in the weight room, and, of course, play in games.
He didn’t even mind pulling double-duty last spring or in preseason camp which ended last Saturday. He had ample time to adjust well to blocking up front as a tight end.
Schmitt has played in 25 games, including 10 as a starter. For his two seasons here, he has rushed 113 times for 731 yards (6.5 yards per carry) and nine touchdowns. He also has caught 20 passes for 167 yards and one score.
He believes the first two weeks of preseason practice went well, except for Saturday, Aug. 11. Rodriguez was highly critical of the squad that evening, and Schmitt feels he had every reason to be.
“We just looked a little sluggish out there,” he recalled. “We weren’t running off the field, including me. But we stepped it up pretty good last week.
“Hopefully, we’ll keep doing that these next two weeks.”
The Mountaineers, ranked No. 3 in The Associated Press’ preseason poll, kicks off the 2007 campaign on Saturday, Sept.1, against Western Michigan at Mountaineer Field/Milan Puskar Stadium.
Contact The Inter-Mountain at our two locations.
520 Railroad Ave., PO Box 1339
Elkins, WV 26241
Phone: 304.636.2127
Fax: 304.636.8252
40 East Main Street, PO Box 2076
Buckhannon, WV 26201
Phone: 304.472.8302
Fax: 304.472.6416
MORGANTOWN — West Virginia University fullback/tight end Owen Schmitt cannot believe how fast his three years here have gone. “I remember driving to Morgantown with my mother, moving into the dorm, and coming over (to Puskar Center) for the first practice,” said the 6-foot-3, 250-pound senior from Fairfax, Va. That was in 2004 after he had spent a year at Wisconsin-River Falls. “It’s definitely been a long time. And this summer has gone so quickly, especially for me because I’ll be done after this year,” he said. Schmitt admittedly has no regrets whatsoever in having decided to cast his lot with the Mountaineers. “This is a dream-come-true,” he exclaimed. “It has been a lot of hard work, but it also has been a lot of fun. I wouldn’t want to play anywhere else.”
Schmitt cherishes the opportunity that Coach Rich Rodriguez gave him. “It was a great deal for me,” he said. “The university has given me so much, and I’m just proud to be associated with it.”
A writer suggested that this also has been a good deal for WVU. Rodriguez undoubtedly would agree.
The veteran head coach recently called Schmitt “an old-school fullback” which is a rarity these days. “There can’t be many better ones out there today,” he said.
Schmitt is a hard, physically strong runner and a powerful blocker with tremendous ball skills. He’s a tough hombre who loves to practice, work out in the weight room, and, of course, play in games.
He didn’t even mind pulling double-duty last spring or in preseason camp which ended last Saturday. He had ample time to adjust well to blocking up front as a tight end.
Schmitt has played in 25 games, including 10 as a starter. For his two seasons here, he has rushed 113 times for 731 yards (6.5 yards per carry) and nine touchdowns. He also has caught 20 passes for 167 yards and one score.
He believes the first two weeks of preseason practice went well, except for Saturday, Aug. 11. Rodriguez was highly critical of the squad that evening, and Schmitt feels he had every reason to be.
“We just looked a little sluggish out there,” he recalled. “We weren’t running off the field, including me. But we stepped it up pretty good last week.
“Hopefully, we’ll keep doing that these next two weeks.”
The Mountaineers, ranked No. 3 in The Associated Press’ preseason poll, kicks off the 2007 campaign on Saturday, Sept.1, against Western Michigan at Mountaineer Field/Milan Puskar Stadium.
Contact The Inter-Mountain at our two locations.
520 Railroad Ave., PO Box 1339
Elkins, WV 26241
Phone: 304.636.2127
Fax: 304.636.8252
40 East Main Street, PO Box 2076
Buckhannon, WV 26201
Phone: 304.472.8302
Fax: 304.472.6416
