Spring Break
The Daily OrangeAbout Schmidt: Virginia's Brennan Schmidt kept his faith and it's paying off for the lineman
By Dave Murphy
Posted: 9/14/05, 11:14 PM EST Section: Sports
Brennan Schmidt was filled with such a range of emotions leading up to his first game as a member of the Virginia Cavaliers, he had to see a psychologist just to get through the week.
"It was crazy for me," the senior defensive end said. "It's been a life-long dream to play college football, and I had to get control of my feelings."
Anyone who watches him today, though, would find it hard to believe Schmidt exhibited any anxiety. He's known as a player who calms his teammates rather than one who has a hard time controlling himself. Schmidt has been the rock of the Virginia defense since his first game against Colorado State, starting every game of his career and tallying 224 tackles, the seventh most in Virginia history.
Schmidt and the Cavaliers (1-0) will travel north to the Carrier Dome to face the Syracuse Orange (1-1, 0-1 Big East) at noon on Saturday.
"Brennan's one of the real beavers on the team," Virginia head coach Al Groh told the Cavalier Daily. "If any player wants a good example of how to go about it and really apply himself to the nth degree, whether you're a defensive and or wide receiver, Brennan Schmidt is a good guy to follow around."
As Groh noted, Schmidt is most valuable for his leadership. Schmidt started every game of his career and is in his second year as the captain of UVa. He's been called "a staple of the Cavalier defense" and a vigilant leader to the Virginia underclassmen. He has the reputation of never giving up, something that makes his father and former Southern California quarterback, Bob Schmidt, very proud.
"If you have heart, you can overcome," Bob Schmidt said of his son. "They can time your 40 and measure your vertical, but one thing they can't measure is your heart."
Schmidt has taken his father's words seriously throughout his football career. Growing up, Schmidt had Attention Deficit Disorder and was forced to change high schools three times in the hope of finding a school that would get him noticed by a respectable Division I football program. Oddly enough, Schmidt didn't get his first recruiting call until after his senior season of high school football.
"It was crazy for me," the senior defensive end said. "It's been a life-long dream to play college football, and I had to get control of my feelings."
Anyone who watches him today, though, would find it hard to believe Schmidt exhibited any anxiety. He's known as a player who calms his teammates rather than one who has a hard time controlling himself. Schmidt has been the rock of the Virginia defense since his first game against Colorado State, starting every game of his career and tallying 224 tackles, the seventh most in Virginia history.
Schmidt and the Cavaliers (1-0) will travel north to the Carrier Dome to face the Syracuse Orange (1-1, 0-1 Big East) at noon on Saturday.
"Brennan's one of the real beavers on the team," Virginia head coach Al Groh told the Cavalier Daily. "If any player wants a good example of how to go about it and really apply himself to the nth degree, whether you're a defensive and or wide receiver, Brennan Schmidt is a good guy to follow around."
As Groh noted, Schmidt is most valuable for his leadership. Schmidt started every game of his career and is in his second year as the captain of UVa. He's been called "a staple of the Cavalier defense" and a vigilant leader to the Virginia underclassmen. He has the reputation of never giving up, something that makes his father and former Southern California quarterback, Bob Schmidt, very proud.
"If you have heart, you can overcome," Bob Schmidt said of his son. "They can time your 40 and measure your vertical, but one thing they can't measure is your heart."
Schmidt has taken his father's words seriously throughout his football career. Growing up, Schmidt had Attention Deficit Disorder and was forced to change high schools three times in the hope of finding a school that would get him noticed by a respectable Division I football program. Oddly enough, Schmidt didn't get his first recruiting call until after his senior season of high school football.
