Schmitt Happens
I’m going to make this article short and sweet-pretty much. My family (wife and 2 kids) has come down down with the flu. I have spent the last two days, at home pretty much taking care of one of them or all three. So bare with me…and pray….please…thank….you.
“Schmitt Happens” that was a much heard statement, chant, battle cry at Milon Puskar Stadium home of the WVU Mountaineers this past season. It was a phrase yelled by the attendees at the WVU home games when 6′3″ 265lbs (although after the official combine weigh in, he might prove to be a little shorter and lighter) fullback Owen Schmitt would bury the opposing player(s) who dare stand in his way. Schmitt is not just known for his penchant for breaking his own face mask (10 total) but also for his ability to run with the football.
A perfect Chiefs draft for me this year would be taking Jake Long in the first round and then taking Schmitt somewhere down the line…I don’t care when, all I care about is seeing him in Red come next season.
The NFL is all about cycles. One team goes to the “West Coast Offense“, the next year a couple more. One year a team goes to the 34 defense, the next 3 or 4 more teams join in. Why? Because it gives defensive and offensive coordinators fits. They only see a certain style of offense or defense to develop a scheme against once or twice during the season. It’s something different, unique, so therefore hard to plan against during the course of one week.
What Owen can bring to the Chiefs is priceless. First he can be a true fullback, paving the way for Larry Johnson. I don’t think there is any doubt Herm would like to incorporate a fullback into his/Gailey’s offensive game plan this coming season. Secondly Owen is used to handling the football, WVU ran a spread offense with Schmitt on several occasions a game receiving a hand-off or pitch from Pat White. He knows what to do with the ball once he gets it in his hand, he played running back exclusively at Wisconsin-River Falls before transferring to West Virginia. Thirdly-which is rare in full backs, usually they either block or they catch passes- He can catch the ball, good hands.
Listen, if nothing else convinces you that Schmitt is a good perfect fit for the Chiefs and what they want to be able to do with the ball on offense, think about this. The Chiefs spent a second round draft pick on a tight end when they selected Kris Wilson from Pitt. Obviously, the man didn’t play a whole lot of tight end in the NFL, so they tried him at “Half Back”, that didn’t really work out either. Next up, full back-no, that really didn’t seem to fit him either, apparently he didn’t see on the application where it said “willingness to block opponents.” Owen Schmitt is thousand times better at all the things they drafted Kris Wilson for, all of them, it’s not close. Unfortunately, this would include Boomer as well, I know this will make a lot of you sad, but I’m not really one of them. Boomer hasn’t done much of anything since signing with the Chiefs. Maybe he can catch on somewhere else, but for a young player not to be playing on a Herman Edwards football team, then I have to think he’s just not that good.
Owen is one more player opposing defensive coordinators will have to plan for when he lines up in the backfield. Is he going to get the ball? Is he going to go out for a pass? Is he going to mow down my poor linebacker? Last year the Chiefs selected Dwayne Bowe, so the other teams D can’t load up 8 or 9 in the box to stop Larry. Dwayne did a fabulous job for a rookie and should only get better. Now with Owen coming into the game, the defense has even less opportunity to load the box.
I repeat, I want more than anything for the Chiefs to draft Owen come April of ‘08. Schmitt happens my friends, and I’m really really hoping in happens in Kansas City.
Don’t forget to scroll on down to vote for who you think the Dolphins should take in this years NFL draft.
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I have been sick all week as well. Its going around everywhere. I hate it!
Great post I think Schmitt would be great for the Chiefs. I think the dream draft would be:
Long, Schmitt, Jordy Nelson and a few more CB/OL sprinkeled in.
BUT, if Matt Ryan is there I am thinking seriously about taking him!
February 7th, 2008 at 6:23 pmI like the idea of Schmitt in a Chief’s uni. We have so many other needs, I think it’s more of a ‘luxury’ pick. I do see the value of it. If he is there in round 4, I could see looking at him. However, fixing the O-Line should be the first priority.
February 7th, 2008 at 6:26 pmI still think Long is over rated …lol… but I wont dwell on that… as he or clady will both proove to be studs compared to, mr free agency(stereo type-BIG MAC) , ….. for me… ellis would make for an awesome pick with the likes of last years draft picks coming in , in shifts… we would have one of the best d-lines on the field… but with the way our o-line is at the moment, we have to be drafting a lineman on the O side… and in the second round they almost HAVE to draft a guard, we have a replacement for wiegman… who also played right tackle for us last year… with his speed he will be a very good center for us… but at guard… even if we get free agent help we still need to draft a guard at number two (round that is), after the first two rounds I personally think that anything can happen… as they wont be able to make a bad choice after the first two rounds… anyone whom they draft can only help our chiefs team
February 7th, 2008 at 7:06 pmI’d take Schmitt in the 2nd round just to secure him with us! I sure would be pissed if he ended up wearing blue and orange (or yellow).
February 7th, 2008 at 8:47 pmWhat about bringing back T-Rich and then beefing up Jackie Battle under his wise tutelage?
February 7th, 2008 at 9:57 pmI think we all can agree no matter who the Chiefs take, he should be a stud. There is no more room for error like Ryan Sims. They have to get a high impact player that will come in immediately and prove his worth. I agree merlinnj, fixing the OL should be the priority, but I feel get a top rated FB with Owen’s ability does help the Oline, I look at him as an extra lineman in the backfield with the extra ability to run with the ball and catch passes.
February 8th, 2008 at 6:25 amthe triumvirate of drafting decisions (Herm, Carl, and Bill) will stick to their board and draft the best player available at each pick…hopefully, some of those will line up with our biggest needs. but if Long is not there for us in Round 1, I don’t think we will go for an O-lineman until Round 2…any of the other guys would be a reach at #4 or #5.
February 8th, 2008 at 7:19 amIlamuku I actually had the same idea when I was talking to my dad. We thought that T-Rich may want to end his career in K.C., where it was brightest, and even as old as he is, he is still a great FB. With him mentoring Jackie Battle (Who ran hard, held onto the ball, and had a couple of sweet blocks, that I saw) (much like Donnie is mentoring DJ) Battle could very well be our fullback in the future. Will it happen? Who knows, but I’d like to see it. Hell, I would even rather have T-Rich come back, AND us draft Schmitt, and T-Rich can tutor him this year while Owen straight up owns people on special teams for us. I’m sure Owen could also be our 3rd halfback option behind LJ and Kolby. As hard as he runs, if he’s behind T-Rich at fullback then he may become the 2nd string back. All I know is, all those 3rd-n-1’s, and 4th-n-1’s that we didn’t make last year, we get T-Rich or Schmitt, those are now first downs baby.
February 8th, 2008 at 7:28 amI’ve heard Herm say stuff like fullback is not that important of a position in the NFL anymore and I’m not sure what he means by that. If you look at the run yardage, especially in the red zone, that the Chiefs put up while T-Rich and I say that the value of having a great blocking FB speaks for itself.
Schmitt is an animal when it comes to plowing the road and his stock may yet rise come March - seems at least half the mock drafts I’ve seen have him going in the 3rd round so I guess we’ll see.
xxxlp - If we land Schmitt, then bringing back T-Rich to school him is an awesome idea. T-Rich has also said we wants to work for the Chiefs after he ends his playing career. So having T-Rich play out his last couple of years here and at the same helping to develop Schmitt and then moving into a staff role seems like an ideal scenario.
Even if KC doesn’t land Schmitt, I still hope they use a 4th, 5th or 6th round pick to get a FB - not Jacob Hester (wrong style of FB for our offense), but maybe guys Peyton Hillis, Jerome Felton, or Jed Collins would work?
February 8th, 2008 at 10:54 am