By Eric Edholm
April 17, 2008

Owen Schmitt

West Virginia FB Owen Schmitt has quite a story. He committed to Maryland out of high school but didn’t qualify academically, and was forced to play at Division-III Wisconsin-River Falls. He dominated in his one season there, rushing for 1,063 yards in only nine games as a true freshman. Convinced he could play D-I, Schmitt and his father sent out tapes to dozens of big schools, but few showed any interest in an oversized back with questionable speed.

Finally, the Mountaineers came calling, saying he could walk on and try to earn a scholarship as a fullback. Schmitt made his impact — key word there — felt early and often. He entered spring practice and quickly earned a reputation as a guy you don’t want to take head-on, opening big holes in the team’s ground-based attack for star RB Steve Slaton. The NFL took notice, too. And Schmitt proved he could run a little, too, catching many a defense off guard. The mohawked Schmitt took a few minutes to chat with PFW about growing up in small-town Wisconsin, what really makes West Virginia great, weightlifting and cracking facemasks — which became one of his trademarks.

PFW: Where are you now?

Schmitt: I just got out of the shower here in West Virginia.

PFW: I appreciate your candor, Owen — sort of. So take me through your life the past few weeks, minus the hygiene part.

Schmitt: (laughs) Well, after my Pro Day on March 13, I worked out here on campus while the school was on spring break. I was just chilling here for a while. Working out, nothing huge. I have been going for a year straight, so I needed a little break. Then we started back up hard (last week) and I have been traveling. I went to go visit the Browns, I (went to) the Redskins and (Tuesday) I go to San Diego to meet with the Chargers. It’s a pretty busy process. The Browns’ (RB) coach (Anthony Lynn) came and worked me out (last week), so it has been like really … I don’t know …

PFW: Interesting?

Schmitt: Yeah, interesting and busy and nerve-wracking at the same time.

PFW: What are teams asking you the most? What question has come up the most when you have talked to coaches, scouts?

Schmitt: Most of them are like, ‘Do you want to run the ball?’ Stuff like that. I know I am going to be a blocker; I am not asking to be a running back. And they tell me that if I want to make it in the league, I have to play (special) teams. And what else can I do? They worked me out at tight end, just to see how much I can do, I guess.

PFW: Are you surprised at some of the stuff NFL teams want to know?

Schmitt: It was more at the Combine where you got most of the weird questions.

PFW: Give me an example.

Schmitt: When you are taking those psychological tests, they are like, ‘Are you a cat or a dog?’

PFW: Uh, dog?

Schmitt: Yeah, exactly! (laughs) It’s like, what do they want to know from that? Is there really a right answer? That’s another thing: When teams sit you down and talk to you, you’re talking to them, they are asking you questions, and when you give them an answer, they don’t give you any kind of response back. You have no idea how you are doing. And they’ll fire some stuff at you. They’ll ask you some family history and things like that.

PFW: When was the first moment you thought the NFL was a possibility? I know it wasn’t at River Falls.

Schmitt: I guess my biggest thing was when agents started calling me a little bit. I don’t think they would call you if they didn’t think you had a good chance to make it in the NFL.

PFW: Are you a Wisconsin kid? Did you grow up watching the Badgers?

Schmitt: Oh yeah, definitely. I was a Badgers fan. I was a bigger Packers fan than anything.

PFW: I assume Wisconsin was one of the teams you sent your tapes to when you transferred from River Falls.

Schmitt: No. To tell you the truth, I had put Wisconsin on such a huge pedestal. And I was like, I don’t want to get rejected.

PFW: Tell me about your Senior Bowl experience — I know it didn't work out exactly as you hoped.

Schmitt: I really didn’t know what to expect going in, and then I got hurt, which really made me mad. I guess that’s the way it goes. It was a real good experience because you got to see and play against the best guys around the country. You’re getting to play against these really elite athletes and it kind of puts you in your place.

PFW: Where will you watch the draft?

Schmitt: I’ll be at my grandma’s house in Wisconsin. We’ll have a little get-together with friends and family because I haven’t been back in a while. That’s kind of what we do as a family, as friends.

PFW: Where does she live?

Schmitt: She lives in Gilman, Wisconsin. It’s about 400 people in the town.

PFW: What’s the coolest part about West Virginia that people from the other 49 states are missing out on? Think hard.

Schmitt: The coolest thing? (laughs) Really, I think it’s that there’s no pro teams here. So the university is like the pro team, and I think that’s why they get so much attention. Going to other places and experiencing what they have, that’s what’s really nice about this because people live and die by it. And there’s no competition with pro sports.

PFW: Sell me on Steve Slaton as a running back in the NFL. I'm not going to lie, I don’t think he’ll be a great pro.

Schmitt: Steve’s a great runner. It’s like with anyone — give him a chance, and he’ll show you what he can do. That’s what he did here. There’s just something about him. He’s got like a — I don’t know what it is — he’s got like a knack for making guys miss. It’s not like he’s a huge juker. He can do it. But just his vision, and he has great toughness. He runs bigger than he is, downhill, too. He’s a good all-around player. I think he’ll be fine in the pros. And it’s like anyone — how hard are you willing to work to be the best?

PFW: Best hit you laid on a guy?

Schmitt: Yeah, I probably will have to say Louisville my first year (at WVU). We played them here. I had an ‘iso,’ and I pancaked the guy — like a true pancake block.

PFW: Do you remember the name of the player, the "pancakee," if you will?

Schmitt: It was a linebacker. Man, I can’t remember who it was.

PFW: Did you taunt him at all?

Schmitt: No, it was like, we were coming back at that point in the game, and we were just wearing their asses out. So he was just like, holy (crap). I just got up and walked off and got back and played. Next play.

PFW: First facemask you busted?

Schmitt: I don’t even know. To tell you the truth, I think it might have been spring ball. Actually, you know what? It might have been the same game! It was Louisville three years ago.

PFW: Weightlifting achievement you are most proud of?

Schmitt: Probably the clean.

PFW: What have you put up?

Schmitt: I did 425 (pounds) for eight (reps).

PFW: Any good movies lately?

Schmitt: Yeah, I saw … man, what’s it called? It’s with … I never remember the names of movies, sorry. (laughs)

PFW: Favorite sport to watch other than football?

Schmitt: I like watching hockey. It’s just fun to watch.

PFW: Sport you’re best at other than football.

Schmitt: I’d say baseball.

PFW: Worst haircut you ever got?

Schmitt: I would probably say when my mom tried to give me a perm once in second grade. Oh my god, I cried it was so bad. The curls stayed in for weeks! It was bad. Not to mention I was fat too, so it was like fat, chubby kid with Jheri curls.

PFW: I am trying to picture that now. What kind of car do you drive?

Schmitt: Explorer, 2000. Exploder (laughs).

PFW: Any fancy toy you want to buy after signing a pro contract?

Schmitt: No … not really!

PFW: Best run you had?

Schmitt: Probably the Sugar Bowl run. It was a little belly play, and the whole right side of the field, there was no one there. And when I kind of got past that cornerback who tried to tackle me — I just pushed him to the side — I saw nothing but green. I said, ‘Holy (crap), this fat boy is going to score!’ So many times in my career I have been dragged down from behind. So I thought, ‘This is my last chance.’ I am just running, and I am looking up at the Jumbotron to make sure there’s no one right behind me. So yeah, and then just scoring, and I was so out of breath, but it was like a big weight lifted off my shoulders.

PFW: Do you have a favorite NFL fullback of all time?

Schmitt: I kind of have a couple. Obviously, I like Mike Alstott. Lorenzo Neal — he’s a bruiser. Tony Richardson, Larry Csonka and John Riggins, watching those guys. That’s some old-school stuff. Earl Campbell, the big tailback-types. I just try to bring aspects from all their games and try to use them.

PFW: What would make you happy on draft weekend? Any expectations?

Schmitt: I think my biggest thing is that I hope a team drafts me as high as possible and then … well, I just really want to get drafted. Period.

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