Eric Schmidt - Football Coach

Eric Schmidt

Title:
Assistant Coach, Defensive Line / Special Teams Coordinator
Email:
ericschmidt@mail.fresnostate.edu
Phone:
559-278-3015

Last updated Feb. 28, 2021

THE SCHMIDT FILE

PERSONAL INFORMATION
Twitter: @FSCoachSchmidt
Hometown: Mandan, N.D.
High School: Mandan
Spouse: Tiffany
Children: Harrison, Kennedy, Truman

EDUCATION
North Dakota (2002)
Bachelor's in Secondary Education

COACHING HISTORY
Fresno State
2020-21: Defensive Line/Special Teams Coordinator
North Dakota
2019: Defensive Coordinator/Defensive Line
2018: Defensive Coordinator/Outside Linebackers
2014-17: Defensive Coordinator/Inside Linebackers
Southern Illinois
2012-13: Inside Linebackers/Special Teams Coordinator
2010-11: Defensive Line
2008-09: Outside Linebackers
North Dakota
2006-07: Linebackers
Crookston H.S. (Minn.)
2002-05: Head Coach

PLAYING EXPERIENCE
North Dakota
1998-01: Linebacker

The 2021 football season will be Eric Schmidt's second season at Fresno State. He was hired Jan. 27, 2020 to coach the Bulldogs' defensive line.

In year one, Schmidt's line helped the Bulldogs own the third-best national average in sacks, coming in at 4.17 per game. The defensive line was responsible for 20.5 of Fresno State's 25 sacks during its six-game season, led by defensive end Kwami Jones and defensive tackle Kevin Atkins recording 5.0 apiece. Meanwhile, defensive end David Perales led the squad with 9.0 tackles for loss, which led to the Bulldogs' landing in the top 20 nationally in that category. All three players aforementioned earned postseason honors from the Mountain West. Perales was a second-team selection while Atkins and Jones picked up honorable mention nods.

Prior to Fresno State, Schmidt served as the defensive coordinator at his alma mater, North Dakota, for six seasons. Schmidt also oversaw the UND defensive line in 2019, instructed its outside linebackers in 2018, and inside linebackers the four seasons prior.

Schmidt helped lead his alma mater to two FCS Playoff berths during his tenure, the initial was a first for the program in 2016, the same season they claimed a Big Sky Championship with a defense that gave up just 91.3 yards rushing per game (sixth-best in the FCS) and collected 20 interceptions (second-best in the FCS). The second was in 2019 following three wins versus ranked opponents en route to a 7-4 campaign that included a 6-0 mark at home.

Schmidt had a pair of players in 2019 share All-America distinctions in defensive lineman Mason Bennett and linebacker Donnell Rodgers. It was the second time a UND defense led by Schmidt had a pair of players earn All-America honors – joining the 2016 season.

Bennett was the first defensive lineman in UND's Division I era (2008-present) to be named an All-American, and just the fourth from that position group to earn the title since 2000. Rodgers, who was a two-time All-America selection in 2019, became only the seventh linebacker in program history to receive multiple All-America selections by different publications in the same season, since it began being tracked in 1930 – a feat shared with Schmidt himself from when he was player in 2001.

Schmidt, who owns the single-season record for sacks in a season with 11.0, was approached by his pupil Bennett in 2018, who finished two sacks shy of tying him for the record at UND. As a team, UND ranked inside the top-10 in total sacks (T-2nd) and tackles for loss (T-3rd).

A handful of injuries, including significant ones to returning All-Americans Deion Harris and Cole Reyes, prevented Schmidt’s defense from being among the league leaders in total defense in 2017. That standard had become the norm for the program in each of the prior three seasons as it consistently ranked among the top two in rushing defense and total defense. The statistics regressed, but the unit still received stellar individual play from outside linebacker Tanner Palmborg, who earned All-Big Sky accolades along with defensive tackle Tank Harris. It was the second consecutive season Harris earned an all-league distinction.

The consistency from the defense during Schmidt’s first three seasons culminated in 2016 with nine wins, a Big Sky Championship and the program’s first FCS Playoff berth. During the historical campaign, Reyes captained the defense and earned All-America honors along with classmate Deion Harris. Those two combined for eight interceptions and four pick-sixes. Nine defenders earned All-Big Sky recognition and Reyes was named the league’s Defensive Player of the Year.

In 2015, senior Will Ratelle, who earned first team All-Big Sky honors after reaching the century mark in tackles once again, spearheaded the defense that was sixth nationally against the run, yielding only 100.3 yards per game. He was one of five UND defenders to garner all-conference honors.

In 2014, Ratelle earned All-Big Sky honorable mention honors and became the first UND player to eclipse the century mark in tackles since Digger Anderson (2004), finishing with 106. Ratelle was one of three UND defenders to garner all-conference honors in Schmidt’s first season back at UND. Schmidt’s unit was also among the best in the FCS in tackles for loss, racking up the sixth-highest total in the country with 111. That total topped the Big Sky and the defense’s 34 sacks were second most in the league.

Prior to North Dakota, Schmidt spent six seasons (2008-13) at Southern Illinois, which is where he crossed paths with Bulldogs’ head coach Kalen DeBoer. DeBoer was Southern Illinois’ offensive coordinator for four of the six seasons that Schmidt spent at SIU. During the seasons DeBoer and Schmidt were both at SIU, Schmidt was its defensive line coach for two seasons (2010-11) and inside linebackers/special teams coordinator for two seasons (2012-13).

In the first two seasons of his six at Southern Illinois, he coached the outside linebackers. In all, Schmidt coached nine All-Missouri Valley Conference players during his time at SIU, including one first-teamer in 2013.

He helped a 2012 defensive unit record a pair of shutouts and rank 10th nationally in rushing yards allowed.

Schmidt’s first collegiate coaching job was back at North Dakota, appointed an assistant coach for the linebackers at his alma mater from 2006-07. Schmidt began his football coaching career at Crookston High School, approximately 30 minutes east of the University of North Dakota in Crookston, Minn., where he was the head coach from 2002-2005.

The Mandan, N.D., native was a key performer as a team captain and senior linebacker on the North Dakota defense that helped them to a Division II national title in 2001. Schmidt played for UND from 1998 to 2001, and was a two-time All-North Central Conference selection and earned All-America honors as a senior in 2001.

Schmidt received his bachelor’s degree in secondary education from UND in 2002. He and his wife, Tiffany, have a daughter, Kennedy, and two sons, Harrison and Truman.