‘You’ve got to be willing to accept being an absolute beast’: Owen Schmitt excited about future of WVU football under Rodriguez

Mixed reactions to Rich Rodriguez’s return to coach West Virginia’s football program have been rife in the past 24 hours.

Throughout the 11-day coaching search, however, several notable Mountaineers who played for Rodriguez during one of the most successful eras in school history were outspoken and expressed their support for a potential second stint in Morgantown.

Pat McAfee and Adam “Pacman” Jones were both steadfast in their support of Rodriguez, who won 60 of 86 games from 2001-07 at WVU.

So was former West Virginia running back Owen Schmitt, who offered more thoughts on Rodriguez’s return Thursday as a guest on MetroNews Talkline.

“It was a great experience,” said Schmitt, who played for Rodriguez at WVU from 2005-07. “There’s a huge expectation from your coaches given training. You’ve got to be willing to accept becoming an absolute animal. That’s what his programs are built on—toughness. I think that’s what has been missing from us for a while. If you look at the recipe for success, that’s been the main deal, the whole time Rich coaches a team, and something that really forged me into a player, I stayed under his watchful eye.”

Schmitt, 39, was a key component to WVU’s success each of those three seasons, rushing for 1,008 yards and 13 touchdowns on 160 carries over his WVU career. He began his college career at Division III Wisconsin-River Falls before joining the Mountaineers.

Schmitt played alongside some of the more accomplished players in program history in quarterback Pat White and tailback Steve Slaton, and West Virginia finished 32-5 over his three seasons in the program with a top 10 national ranking each year.

“A lot of emotions,” Schmitt said. “I didn’t really get to enjoy the program after going so much just because our staff was gone. The new regime was in there. Not that there was a lack of appreciation, but it’s just different. He runs his program in a different way. Now, after hearing the news and it’s official, I want to see the job done. That’s what I’m most excited about. He never really got the chance to finish what he started. Even with what’s going on around college football right now, I can’t think of a better candidate to get us back to where we need to be and have that grit.”

Schmitt, who currently serves as an assistant coach for Greenbrier West High School’s football program, understands that a fraction of the Mountaineer’s fan base is unlikely to offer Rodriguez a warm reception or welcome him back anytime soon. It’s been 17 years since his abrupt departure from WVU in the immediate aftermath of a 13-9 loss to Pitt that kept the Mountaineers from playing for a national championship in 2007.

Rodriguez went on to coach Michigan in what was an unsuccessful three-year tenure that finished with a 15-22 record, including 6-18 against Big Ten competition.

The Fairfax, Virginia native had a message for those opposed to the return.

“To forgive is divine. It’s been more than 17 years. People make mistakes,” Schmitt said. “Whether that’s how he feels or not, he gets a chance to come back and right a wrong. I see a guy taking at that time a better opportunity to coach at one of the prestigious colleges in college football in Michigan. Rich had great foresight to see where college football was going, and there could have been a clash between him and the powers that be making decisions, whatever that entails. I’m not sorry for what happened. The timing was unfortunate.

“We have a fresh start. We got a new coach in town. It’s time to be supportive. We’ve been through this. Very grateful to have met Neal Brown, a great person. It’s hard for me not to get excited about where we’re going. If you’ve been to a show with Rich Rodriguez, you know exactly what I mean. It might be hard for someone on the outside to really see it, but you’ll get it toughest team we’ve had in a long time time since I played ball there with my friends. It’s something I want to see and something we desperately need. It’s our identity and has always been our identity. It’s what I grew up with Rich and the coaching staff. Just be ready to get excited about Mountaineer football again and see a great product on the field.”

Schmitt went on to play five seasons in the NFL for the Seattle Seahawks, Philadelphia Eagles and Oakland Raiders.

While his playing career is more than a decade in the past, Schmitt admits Rodriguez’s approach to the game continues to rub off on him as a coach.

“There is a coherence and a madness in the details that are important. The delivery may sometimes not be kosher with how people’s emotions work in today’s society, but that’s not really what I’m worried about,” Schmitt said. “I’m worried about kids who accept coaches. Just believe. I’m telling you that hard edge is a real thing and it’s something that anyone who ever played for him is extremely proud of. You’re going to be a of the game’s most conditioned, hard-working students. Not only that, but off the field, he held our program to a high standard with our educational influences. You have to get back on board and understand that we’re coming back to play it type of football you want and have longing to see for a long time.”