'11 CA LB Joe Schmidt (Scholarship Earned)

[The Polish Irishman]

Inside linebacker
Santa Ana, California
Mater Dei

Ht:6'2"
Wt:225 lbs


Schools of Interest:
USC
Notre Dame
Cincinatti
Air Force
Arizona

Rivals Profile: Joe Schmidt - Yahoo! Sports

 

[The Polish Irishman]

According to ISD:

Received a visit from Kelly and Denbrock. Will take a visit next weekend to ND. Friends will Niklas

 

[magogian]

Why the interest in this kid? We are already down to only a few open slots.

 

[The Polish Irishman]

Why the interest in this kid? We are already down to only a few open slots.

Would be a preferred Walk On Status

 

[rocket31]

Why the interest in this kid? We are already down to only a few open slots.

preferred walk-on i believe.

 

[IrishInColumbus]

Is Kelly thinking that if he get him to walk-on we get Niklas?

I like it.

 

[IrishLax]

Niklas is also a teammate of Blackwell and Wittek? I'm thinking he ends up at USC now.

 

[WabashFalcon]

He goes to Mater Dei... fantastic California high school football powerhouse. If the kid started there, he's gotta be SOMEWHAT legit.

 

[IrishLax]

Niklas is also a teammate of Blackwell and Wittek? I'm thinking he ends up at USC now.

Nvm I misunderstood some language and mixed up "friend" and "teammate." It would be very interesting if we landed Niklas.... that long snapper Haynes could really put us in a bind with scholarships depending on how things develop here.

 

[ThePiombino]

Clay Matthews was a walk-on. This kid comes from a solid football program. You never know. Just sayin...

 

[Ironman8]

He grew up a huge ND fan, and I believe his sister went to ND as well. Very excited in the late interest. Some highlights:

<iframe title="YouTube video player" class="youtube-player" type="text/html" width="480" height="390" src="http://www.youtube.com/embed/JDxdL5CFxk8" frameborder="0" allowFullScreen></iframe>

 

[ryno 24]

good get for a preferred walk on hope we can get him instead of usc

 

[johnnykillz]

The kid has an amazing nose for the ball. "Who else, but Joseph Schmidt?" He made so many sure tackles. What impresses me the most is his statistics knowing the competition. I loved the way he takes on the block and quickly gets off of it. He has good quickness.

I'm a fan.

 

[IrishLax]

Great fire, closes well and does a good job wrapping up. If he was a touch faster or a touch stronger/bigger I think he would be a great safety or LB prospect respectively. Maybe he will develop into a solid player down the road. There are plenty of guys who are "late bloomers" and gain a lot of size, strength, speed or all three after a couple years in college.

 

[Ironman8]

It's this type of kid who dominates and sets the tone on special teams and in practice. Love these types of kids, and if it helps us get Niklas, thats the icing on the cake.

 

[irishandy]

Just curious, is there a limit of walk-ons for a football team?

 

[NewEnglandGuy]

This is great news! Nothing wrong with walk ons from Cali, Texas, or Florida that play like this. Maybe GT tipped their hand with this friend offering business now Kelly and company will try it with Niklas.

The roster limit for FBS schools is 105. 85 can be on scholarship, therefore 20 walk-ons.

<iframe title="YouTube video player" class="youtube-player" type="text/html" width="640" height="390" src="http://www.youtube.com/embed/P4tPpqfdt9Y" frameborder="0" allowFullScreen></iframe>

 

[jason_h537]

There is a guy on the 4HL who knows Schmidt and has been trying to get the staff's attention for a while now. Says he grew up a huge ND fan and would love to go. He will be visiting USC this weekend with Niklas. Will visit ND next week but doesn't know if it will be with Niklas on the weekend or midweek on his own

 

[magogian]

There is a guy on the 4HL who knows Schmidt and has been trying to get the staff's attention for a while now. Says he grew up a huge ND fan and would love to go.

I love these stories. I hope it works out for him.

 

[beryirish]

That highlight tape makes me a big fan....strange how this kid is on a national powerhouse football team...has a great year..and he isn't in any of the rankings for anything...would like to see this surprise commit...hopefully he's tired of the west coast

 

[jason_h537]

That highlight tape makes me a big fan....strange how this kid is on a national powerhouse football team...has a great year..and he isn't in any of the rankings for anything...would like to see this surprise commit...

I believe this was his 1st year starting and recruiting services tend to be slow on West coast players. I think the Mathews comparison is a stretch but he looks talented

hopefully he's tired of the west coast

That's like saying "i'm tired of getting laid"

 

[IrishLax]

That's like saying "i'm tired of getting laid"

hahahaha what a load of CRAP!!!! Work takes me out west often and all I will say is LA, the bay area and San Diego are all awesome.... until you have to spend more than 2 weeks there. Then they all get so annoying in their own unique way. LA and San Diego drivers are the worst I have ever seen... it's like taking New York driving aggression to a bunch of blonde bimbos trying talking on the cell phone. San Fran is a neat town until you have to interact with anyone and you realize how pompous they are.

And lastly, the worst thing about the west coast is how fake friendly/shallow people are + how everyone is an aspiring something. Actor, musician, artist, whatever. It's so sad. And people wonder why that state has -a bajillion dollars.

 

[jason_h537]

hahahaha what a load of CRAP!!!! Work takes me out west often and all I will say is LA, the bay area and San Diego are all awesome.... until you have to spend more than 2 weeks there. Then they all get so annoying in their own unique way. LA and San Diego drivers are the worst I have ever seen... it's like taking New York driving aggression to a bunch of blonde bimbos trying talking on the cell phone. San Fran is a neat town until you have to interact with anyone and you realize how pompous they are.

And lastly, the worst thing about the west coast is how fake friendly/shallow people are + how everyone is an aspiring something. Actor, musician, artist, whatever. It's so sad. And people wonder why that state has -a bajillion dollars.

There are 2 people in LA, those born here and those moved here (actors, writers, directors, musicians, models). The problem for people who visit is they often hit up Hollywood and sunset blvd which is populated by those who move here. I would say it is like vacationing to Hawaii as opposed to living there. It is 2 very different experiences

 

[rikkitikki08]

Would be a preferred Walk On Status

Quick question, what is the difference between a preferred walk on and just a regular walk on? Sorry if this is a dumb question

 

[rtrn2glory]

Would love to get him in the program as a walk on...guys that love ND and want to be in the program are for sure the rkg that coach kelly has talked about from day.

Great point about special teams IM8 and thanks for finding the video!!

 

[rtrn2glory]

Quick question, what is the difference between a preferred walk on and just a regular walk on? Sorry if this is a dumb question

Basically preferred walk ons can report to summer camp beginning in early August and regular walk ons have to wait till school starts to try out.

 

[rikkitikki08]

Basically preferred walk ons can report to summer camp beginning in early August and regular walk ons have to wait till school starts to try out.

Ahh that makes sense...thanks bro montana

 

[rtrn2glory]

All good...just found out a month ago from a coach at Toledo, I had the same question.

 

[Irish.Ca]

Basically preferred walk ons can report to summer camp beginning in early August and regular walk ons have to wait till school starts to try out.

Do they get any sort of financial compensation or are they paying the whole shot for tuition?

 

[BGIF]

Quick question, what is the difference between a preferred walk on and just a regular walk on? Sorry if this is a dumb question

Perferred walkons get to use the whirlpool after the scholarship players. Regular walkons get to use the whirpool right before the janitor uses the water to mop the floor.

Do they get any sort of financial compensation or are they paying the whole shot for tuition?

No, they pay their own way. Otherwise they'd be an athletic scholarship. Div 1 Football doesn't have partial scholarships. I believe decades ago Bear Bryant and other tried splitting scholarships to issue more of them. The NCAA banned that practice.

Kids that weren't "recruited", think Ruffer here who came to ND on his own (walked on), they can get any tuition assistance a regular ND student (which they are) might qualify for based on need or academics.

The NCAA regs define what it means to be recruited. I believe I read in the thread that Schimdt was getting an in home visit. IF so he been officially recruited per the NCAA. I think if he gets a single letter or contact from a school the NCAA consider him a "recruit" for financial (scholarship) purposes.