Post by smiteedawgwv on Oct 7, 2007 8:23:26 GMT -5
Another addition to the legend of Schmitt
By Dave Morrison
Sports Editor
SYRACUSE, N.Y. — Full disclosure: West Virginia fullback Owen Schmitt doesn’t mind doing the dirty work.
No surprise to Mountaineer fans that if Schmitt were asked to block for an entire 60 minutes of a game, he’d give 60 minutes of top-notch, helmet-breaking blocking.
You expect that from a guy who has bonded with his offensive linemen even more so than the running backs with whom he shares the backfield.
“They say the fullback is an extension of the offensive line — a fast guard,” the 6-foot-2, 250-pound Schmitt said, rather proudly.
What else would you expect from a guy who lists among his favorite players at the next level Jim Klinesasser, the Minnesota Viking who shares his dual roles as a fullback-tight end, Tampa Bay Bucs fullback Mike Alstott, so tough he has knocked himself out this season with a head injury, and the epitome of a fullback, Larry Csonka, the old-school Miami Dolphin?
Tough guys all.
So what in the name of John Riggins was Schmitt doing punting the ball in No. 13 West Virginia’s 55-14 shelling of Syracuse on Saturday?
What, does coach Rich Rodriguez want to ruin this guy’s reputation?
Punter?
No offense to normal punter Pat McAfee (which may be the first and last time McAfee and normal are used in the same sentence), who brings the leather and proved it with a tackle Saturday, but Schmitt is a guy who breaks helmets ... with his head still in them! If this guy were in the military, he’d be a grunt.
Yet there he was, in the second quarter — in what can loosely be described as looking like Arkansas’ Wildcat formation with Darren McFadden — in shotgun formation, Pat White and Steve Slaton, the Heisman candidates, flanked to the right, taking the snap and, rugby style, booting it inside the Syracuse five.
The ball was later, inexplicably, spotted at the 11 — it apparently touched a WVU player there. But for a guy who had never punted in a game, that was good stuff.
It also led to good field position for WVU on its next drive, which can only be described as the Owen Schmitt drive. He had a 31-yard reception, a 10-yard run and capped it off with a 1-yard plunge, his second TD of the game. He had 42 of the Mountaineers’ 51 yards on the drive.
Earlier in the game, the Mountaineers faked to Slaton up the middle and used Schmitt as the trailing tailback. White gave him the option pitch and he scored. Don’t try this at home with your typical fullback.
It’s just an addition to the legend of Owen Schmitt.
Broken face masks.
A 100-yard day in the Gator Bowl.
Two TDs in a game.
And now, the punt.
“We work on that (the punt formation) one period of practice, and I kind of do it a little on my own after,” Schmitt said. But he never thought it would be used in a game.
“When I saw coach Rod actually calling (for the play), I was like, ‘What is that? Ohhhhh, OK.’ I thought it was going to be horrible. But I guess I got the roll.”
One day, fans may recall Schmitt running for 100 yards, passing for another 50, punting and kicking, playing linebacker and then killing a bear with his bare hands. And it would be believable.
Rodriguez calls Schmitt the “best fullback in the nation.”
He’s also the most versatile fullback in the nation, spending time at fullback, tailback, tight end and, now, punter on one Saturday alone.
“I don’t care if I was just the towel boy, I’m just glad I’m part of the team and help out any way I can. Unfortunately, (Syracuse) was taking away (Slaton and White) today, and I just happened to be open on a couple of things.
“That’s just how football works.”
Yeah, but not even the great Larry Csonka, who played at Syracuse, put a punt down inside the 20.
— E-mail:
demorrison@register-herald.com
By Dave Morrison
Sports Editor
SYRACUSE, N.Y. — Full disclosure: West Virginia fullback Owen Schmitt doesn’t mind doing the dirty work.
No surprise to Mountaineer fans that if Schmitt were asked to block for an entire 60 minutes of a game, he’d give 60 minutes of top-notch, helmet-breaking blocking.
You expect that from a guy who has bonded with his offensive linemen even more so than the running backs with whom he shares the backfield.
“They say the fullback is an extension of the offensive line — a fast guard,” the 6-foot-2, 250-pound Schmitt said, rather proudly.
What else would you expect from a guy who lists among his favorite players at the next level Jim Klinesasser, the Minnesota Viking who shares his dual roles as a fullback-tight end, Tampa Bay Bucs fullback Mike Alstott, so tough he has knocked himself out this season with a head injury, and the epitome of a fullback, Larry Csonka, the old-school Miami Dolphin?
Tough guys all.
So what in the name of John Riggins was Schmitt doing punting the ball in No. 13 West Virginia’s 55-14 shelling of Syracuse on Saturday?
What, does coach Rich Rodriguez want to ruin this guy’s reputation?
Punter?
No offense to normal punter Pat McAfee (which may be the first and last time McAfee and normal are used in the same sentence), who brings the leather and proved it with a tackle Saturday, but Schmitt is a guy who breaks helmets ... with his head still in them! If this guy were in the military, he’d be a grunt.
Yet there he was, in the second quarter — in what can loosely be described as looking like Arkansas’ Wildcat formation with Darren McFadden — in shotgun formation, Pat White and Steve Slaton, the Heisman candidates, flanked to the right, taking the snap and, rugby style, booting it inside the Syracuse five.
The ball was later, inexplicably, spotted at the 11 — it apparently touched a WVU player there. But for a guy who had never punted in a game, that was good stuff.
It also led to good field position for WVU on its next drive, which can only be described as the Owen Schmitt drive. He had a 31-yard reception, a 10-yard run and capped it off with a 1-yard plunge, his second TD of the game. He had 42 of the Mountaineers’ 51 yards on the drive.
Earlier in the game, the Mountaineers faked to Slaton up the middle and used Schmitt as the trailing tailback. White gave him the option pitch and he scored. Don’t try this at home with your typical fullback.
It’s just an addition to the legend of Owen Schmitt.
Broken face masks.
A 100-yard day in the Gator Bowl.
Two TDs in a game.
And now, the punt.
“We work on that (the punt formation) one period of practice, and I kind of do it a little on my own after,” Schmitt said. But he never thought it would be used in a game.
“When I saw coach Rod actually calling (for the play), I was like, ‘What is that? Ohhhhh, OK.’ I thought it was going to be horrible. But I guess I got the roll.”
One day, fans may recall Schmitt running for 100 yards, passing for another 50, punting and kicking, playing linebacker and then killing a bear with his bare hands. And it would be believable.
Rodriguez calls Schmitt the “best fullback in the nation.”
He’s also the most versatile fullback in the nation, spending time at fullback, tailback, tight end and, now, punter on one Saturday alone.
“I don’t care if I was just the towel boy, I’m just glad I’m part of the team and help out any way I can. Unfortunately, (Syracuse) was taking away (Slaton and White) today, and I just happened to be open on a couple of things.
“That’s just how football works.”
Yeah, but not even the great Larry Csonka, who played at Syracuse, put a punt down inside the 20.
— E-mail:
demorrison@register-herald.com
