Owen Schmitt

[backrow]

but wouldn't that be something? a white guy who wasn't much used as a runner in college gets to be NFL RB? something like that happened to Bettis, let's hope that Owen will get similar treatment. you never know. i decided to be optimistic in his case

 

[ToughJ.Riggins]

Wow I didn't know Schmidt ran a 4.57, that's faster than a lot of great NFL RBs...That's plenty fast for a guy as powerful as he is!

He should be NFL starting material.

 

[backrow]

damn, i feel bad for Owen Schmitt... he could be a 100 yard rusher pretty much anywhere but in WV, since they have White, who's really a RB playing QB, Slaton, Devine and now they found some other two scatbacks... so far in the game Owen has carries 4 times for 32 yards, no TDs though...

 

[Don Wassall]

Yeah but no I-A schools had any interest in recruiting him. He eventually transferred from a tiny program to WVU as a walk-on. Same old story.


And not that he previously received anywhere near the carries he should have, but even that amount is being scaled back this season, reminiscent of what happened to Brian Leonard as a senior in '06. But Leonard was still able (maybe) to get some credit as a running back in the NFL; it'll be a miracle if Schmitt is groomed as anything other than a human blocking machine at the next level.

 

[backrow]

best case scenario for him is to go to some running team with a need for short yardage back. i could definitely see Owen getting 6-10 TDs per season, even in the current NFl, as long as he is in the right system. think older Alstott role.

 

[mrjohnnynofear]

Exactally...The West Virginia offense likes to use speed. Owen has to be one of the fastest FB's in the NCAA to go along with probably the fastest starting 11 offensive players in the NCAA. Sadly, now Devine has come in and is, as I was afraid of, eating his carries. The NCAA game is slowly eating away at the power running game. But the thing is that Owen can do both run and pass. I decided to look at the numbers...

From ESPN.com

Rushing Statistics
NAME CAR YDS YPC LONG TD
Steve Slaton 84 502 6.0 58(TD) 9
Patrick White 47 286 6.1 38(TD) 6
Noel Devine 24 267 11.1 76 3
Jarrett Brown 11 123 11.2 30 1
Owen Schmitt 15 104 6.9 44 0
Darius Reynaud 4 59 14.8 64 0
Ed Collington 5 47 9.4 17 1
Jock Sanders 8 40 5.0 10 0
Totals 199 1428 7.2 76 20

Again, I can't knock Devine's numbers. But they shouldn't just forget about Schmitt either. Man that is a VERY tough situation for him at West Virginia

 

[whiteCB]

NFL scouts love to typecast players. That is, they look at a guy and then try and compare him(to a player of the same race) in order to forecast how they think that player will fit in the NFL. I guarantee right now all these dumba$$ scouts are already typecasting him as the next Heath Evans. Which sucks becuase we all know how many carries Evans is getting a year. Not that Heath is a bad player but he's got a bad skin color to play RB. It's a shame its not 1970 all over again and Owen would get some carries and prove he is a legit RB.

 

[Leonardfan]

Hopefully Schmidt can crack about 500 yds rushing. I think he has a chance to do it since the season is only a quarter over. I know it may not seem alot but it will help his stock. I am hoping Grothe puts a stop to all the Pat White/Steve Slaton nonsense though. Grothe is one of my fav qbs to watch and I love the comparisons to Flutie.

 

[ToughJ.Riggins]

It's too bad Owen doesn't have another year of college eligibility with Slaton likely moving on after this year. Owen may have had a chance to play thunder to Divine's lightning next year maybe even gaining 800+ yards...oh well.

 

[celticdb15]

Just think if owen was at a school like wisconsin they would fit his physical style of running and think what he could do w\ an average of 314 pounds on the line blocking for him. I have seen p.j hill run and omg hes so slow im sure owen could beat himin a foot race, i hope wisconsin will start recruiting a little lighter

 

[backrow]

Owen Schmitt's first carry of the game: 7 yard TD!!

his first score of the season

Owen just had a whole drive to himself, huge catch for 31 yards, nice 10 yard run and then a short TD carry!

Edited by: backrow

 

[sal_paradise]

Schmitt had two touchdowns on the day.

 

[backrow]

Just think if owen was at a school like wisconsin they would fit his physical style of running and think what he could do w\ an average of 314 pounds on the line blocking for him.  I have seen p.j hill run and omg hes so slow im sure owen could beat him in a foot race, i hope wisconsin will start recruiting a little lighter

i was actually thinking about it, and i have to agree wholeheartedly. Owen is a beast.

 

[Bronk]

Got my first look at Owen last night against Syracuse.

Good, big, powerful back. Best of luck to him.

 

[sal_paradise]

Owen Schmitt only ran the ball once in his last game against Connecticut, and hasn`t had a chance to run hardly at all this year as others have pointed out, but I think he will be an important part of some team`s offense in the NFL with his all-around skills. I`d like to see him go to the Steelers next year to replace workhorse, Dan Kreider.

Funny thing is that Schmitt probably has more value to any NFL team than the WVU quarterback, Pat White. What position would White play in the NFL? Most certainly not the QB position that people who are white, and not just using the name, play better than blacks.

Some said coming into this year that the Steelers offense under Tomlin/Arians would deemphasize the role of the FB, but I think that`s the wrong approach for the Steelers.
Owen Schmitt in a Steelers uniform in 2008. Sounds good to me.

 

[backrow]

i'd hate for him to go to Steelers. they effectively done away with a fullback, and even back in the day they would only give Kreider or Kuhn couple of carries a season.

Schmitt has a potential to be more than a fullback, more than a goalline back. we shall see.

 

[whiteCB]

I hate to say it but I really think Owen will be Brad Hoover version 2.0. That is a guy who gets an occasional carry but is mainly just a blocking back. Now of course I think Owen is better than that but this is the NFL we are talking about and they don't take to kindly to white guys, especially those 250+ lbs, carring the ball.

 

[celticdb15]

i would like to see owen used as at least a goaline back, but i think that i would rather see him used more as a chris cooley type rather than rot away at RB while he could very well become a star as a H back. Just an opinnion, let me know what u think

 

[backrow]

i think with NFL so blinded by physical side of the sport will love his measureables at the combine. if he can squeeze a decent 40 time, with his strength, i do believe he'd have a shot at being at least goal-line back.

 

[celticdb15]

Either way Owen will be successful

 

[backrow]

damn, i missed Owen's 57 yard TD run in Bowl game! i just caught a replay and this big dude's got some speeeed! gotta love it.

 

[Electric Slide]

damn, i missed Owen's 57 yard TD run in Bowl game! i just caught a replay and this big dude's got some speeeed! gotta love it.

I had just sat down to watch it and caught it live! Mad props to Owen Schmitt on the great play where he showcased some speed along with his size and strength.

 

[White Power]

Scmitt is Riggans with moxy and a little white soul to boot. I hope he gets a chance to carry the ball at the next level because dude is a beast,and man I love the mohawk.

 

[Riggins44]

Not to put a damper on Owen's great TD, but it really pissed me off that he didn't get another carry after a 57 yard run. It's inconcieveable to me that a guy doesn't get even one more carry after a 57 yard touchdown.

 

[whiteCB]

Not to put a damper on Owen's great TD, but it really pissed me off that he didn't get another carry after a 57 yard run. It's inconcieveable to me that a guy doesn't get even one more carry after a 57 yard touchdown.

Hey riggins did you see yourself on TV during halftime of the VT/Kansas game. Lookin Good!!!

Great to see my hero John Riggins on the tube, havn't seen the man in a while!