North Dakota hires Eric Schmidt as new HC

[Libertine]

UND has hired former player and assistant coach Eric Schmidt as their new head football coach.

https://fightinghawks.com/news/2024/12/8/football-eric-schmidt-named-head-coach-of-north-dakota-football-program.aspx

Schmidt was most recently the defensive coordinator at San Diego State.

[POD Knows]

UND has hired former player and assistant coach Eric Schmidt as their new head football coach.

https://fightinghawks.com/news/2024/12/8/football-eric-schmidt-named-head-coach-of-north-dakota-football-program.aspx

Schmidt was most recently the defensive coordinator at San Diego State.99th ranked D in FBS xthumbsupx

[JacksFan40]

Aztec fans don’t seem very upset by the loss judging by their board. The UND board had him as one of the top options so it’s not an unsurprising hire, just seems odd to me. Glenn Caruso seems like he’d of been a better choice.

[POD Knows]

Aztec fans don’t seem very upset by the loss judging by their board. The UND board had him as one of the top options so it’s not an unsurprising hire, just seems odd to me. Glenn Caruso seems like he’d of been a better choice.
Well, UND needs a defensive minded guy given their issues at D this year. Honestly, I have not been following this much and have never heard of this guy. I wonder how much of a pay cut this is from SDSU, you would think it would be pretty big unless UND came up with a bunch more money for him.

[JacksFan40]

Well, UND needs a defensive minded guy given their issues at D this year. Honestly, I have not been following this much and have never heard of this guy. I wonder how much of a pay cut this is from SDSU, you would think it would be pretty big unless UND came up with a bunch more money for him.
Being a DC at a high-end G5 program like SDSU would pay more than being HC at UND I’d presume, but that’s just me guessing. I don’t doubt UND can offer a pretty attractive salary but I can’t see it being on par with what the Aztecs were paying him. But it is an opportunity for him to get HC experience and being able to leverage that into a better job down the road. Will be interesting to see what he can do in Grand Forks.

[POD Knows]

Being a DC at a high-end G5 program like SDSU would pay more than being HC at UND I’d presume, but that’s just me guessing. I don’t doubt UND can offer a pretty attractive salary but I can’t see it being on par with what the Aztecs were paying him. But it is an opportunity for him to get HC experience and being able to leverage that into a better job down the road. Will be interesting to see what he can do in Grand Forks.
Ok, now I read that he was making in excess of 800K at SDSU, can that be right, I get that the cost of living is high in CA but UND is not going to get anywhere hear that, he is gonna be taking an over 50% pay cut going to UND and he could have stayed at SDSU and worked his way up as well. I suppose escaping CA is probably worth it, money doesn't motivate all people.

[Libertine]

Per the terms of Schweigert's contract extension in March, he was getting $255,000 for 2024 as HC of the football team. Unrelated, his new role with the athletic department pays him an even $150K.


Ok, now I read that he was making in excess of 800K at SDSU, can that be right, I get that the cost of living is high in CA but UND is not going to get anywhere hear that, he is gonna be taking an over 50% pay cut going to UND and he could have stayed at SDSU and worked his way up as well. I suppose escaping CA is probably worth it, money doesn't motivate all people.

For what it's worth, Schmidt's a North Dakota native and a UND alum. He's also a career assistant who's finally getting a shot at a D1 head coaching job.

[POD Knows]

Per the terms of Schweigert's contract extension in March, he was getting $255,000 for 2024 as HC of the football team. Unrelated, his new role with the athletic department pays him an even $150K.
I love tossing shade at UND but my guess is that Schmidt is running away from the D at SDSU because he didn't want to be in the top 100 in terms of scoring defense in 2025. Just thinking out loud. xlolx

[kab]

When you consider the cost of living and the tax structure in California a 50% pay cut would be better than living in California
taxes, homelessness, letting people steal 900 $ worth of items and no charges, you decide
I’m always happy when ndsu fans try denigrate any thing UND, that means its the right decision.

[POD Knows]

When you consider the cost of living and the tax structure in California a 50% pay cut would be better than living in California
taxes, homelessness, letting people steal 900 $ worth of items and no charges, you decide
I’m always happy when ndsu fans try denigrate any thing UND, that means its the right decision.I think we denigrated the Bubba hire back in the day, but I get the allure of leaving CA for greener pastures, still think it was the 99 ranking of their scoring defense and his depth chart on D being the final nail in the coffin at SDSU.

Who were the other interested candidates for that job, it is a pretty good coaching gig, nowhere to go but up as they say.

[JacksFan40]

Ok, now I read that he was making in excess of 800K at SDSU, can that be right, I get that the cost of living is high in CA but UND is not going to get anywhere hear that, he is gonna be taking an over 50% pay cut going to UND and he could have stayed at SDSU and worked his way up as well. I suppose escaping CA is probably worth it, money doesn't motivate all people.
Probably accurate, Google says SDSU HC Sean Lewis makes $1.8 million, so Schmidt was making just under half what the HC was. I’d imagine his salary at UND will have to be in line with the other three Dakota coaches who all make north of $300k. Maybe economic situation played into it with COL being lower in ND, but it could also be the opportunity to be a HC. UND has the resources and support to be successful, they just need a good HC.

[POD Knows]

Probably accurate, Google says SDSU HC Sean Lewis makes $1.8 million, so Schmidt was making just under half what the HC was. I’d imagine his salary at UND will have to be in line with the other three Dakota coaches who all make north of $300k. Maybe economic situation played into it with COL being lower in ND, but it could also be the opportunity to be a HC. UND has the resources and support to be successful, they just need a good HC.
I am sure he is a step up from Bubba, I wonder if he will clean house with the staff.

[RahRahRabbits]

Maybe the hiring committee screwed up?

President Armacost: "Go get the D-coordinator from SDSU. Their defense is hella salty".
AD Chaves: "Got you, fam. Coming right up."

Chaves must shop on wish.com

[POD Knows]

Maybe the hiring committee screwed up?

President Armacost: "Go get the D-coordinator from SDSU. Their defense is hella salty".
AD Chaves: "Got you, fam. Coming right up."

Chaves must shop on wish.comThe D coordinator from the Jacks would have been a better hire probably.

[Paladin1aa]

Seems like a big haircut to take on the salary. He has to be a Dakota guy giving up the balmy weather in San Diego for the the tundra of the North,lol. But California real estate is very expensive and he will find a cheaper shack in the tundra. Some guys sacrifice a lot for a Head job. And no way to know how secure he was at SDSU or if they look like a loser next year. Timing is often everything in coaching moves , coming or going.

[POD Knows]

Seems like a big haircut to take on the salary. He has to be a Dakota guy giving up the balmy weather in San Diego for the the tundra of the North,lol. But California real estate is very expensive and he will find a cheaper shack in the tundra. Some guys sacrifice a lot for a Head job. And no way to know how secure he was at SDSU or if they look like a loser next year. Timing is often everything in coaching moves , coming or going.
He is from Mandan, ND which is west river in ND and in the banana belt compared to Grand Forks. I guess if someone offered me 800K to live in the Whales Vagina or 400K to live in Grand Forks I would move to Grand Forks

[Paladin1aa]

He is from Mandan, ND which is west river in ND and in the banana belt compared to Grand Forks. I guess if someone offered me 800K to live in the Whales Vagina or 400K to live in Grand Forks I would move to Grand Forks

Been to San Diego. Life is quite good there. And with $800k, extremely good. Living in the tundra with half the money ? Grand Forks must be the Riviera. Still appears to be a huge sacrifice for a Head job in the tundra. Different strokes for different folks.

[Hammerhead]

Not sure if Grand Forks is the same as Fargo, but the police generally don't arrest shoplifters and we have so many homeless people one city commissioner is proposing just giving them a bus ticket to somewhere else.


When you consider the cost of living and the tax structure in California a 50% pay cut would be better than living in California
taxes, homelessness, letting people steal 900 $ worth of items and no charges, you decide
I’m always happy when ndsu fans try denigrate any thing UND, that means its the right decision.

[nodak651]

Could be wrong but i think his wife is from Crookston, which is only like 30 min from gf.

[Bisonator]

Seems like another Bubba hire to me.....

[MSUBobcat]

He is from Mandan, ND which is west river in ND and in the banana belt compared to Grand Forks. I guess if someone offered me 800K to live in the Whales Vagina or 400K to live in Grand Forks I would move to Grand Forks

Holy schnikey! I grew up in Mandan, moving to MT half way thru my junior year of HS. Looking him up on the SDSU website, it says he was a player at UND from 1998-2001. That puts him in my class while I lived there. I'll have to see if I can find an old yearbook, as he doesn't look familiar as a 45 YO.

[abc123]

Seems like another Bubba hire to me.....

While he did coach with Bubba, he also spent 8 years with Kalen DeBoer (4 at SIU, 2 at Fresno as Edge/ST Coordinator and 2 Washington as Edge/ST Coordinator, where he coached in the National Championship game).
He turned down going to Alabama with DeBoer to keep his commitment to SDSU as DC because he wanted to call plays and add to his resume.
He's doing to the same thing here, adding HC to his resume.
Agreed that no clue what his job security was at SDSU. He did take a pay cut, but there were good reasons for it and comparatively, it wasn't all that big.
UND likely doesn't get someone like this to apply if they didn't have a connection back. Biggest question now is what kind of connections did he build over the past 5 years to fill out his staff. I already know he's looking at making some changes on things are ran on what he picked up coaching at the top of the mountain. We'll see how it works out.

[dewey]

Seems like another Bubba hire to me.....

I hope soxthumbsupx

Dewey

[POD Knows]

JFC, is anyone listening to the interview with this Schmidt guy on Izzo’s show. The guy has so many vocal tics I had to turn it off, “you know what I mean”. Hey man, I just couldn’t deal with it, you know man, you know what I mean you know. Like you know what I mean it is was kind of annoying man. 😆

[caribbeanhen]

JFC, is anyone listening to the interview with this Schmidt guy on Izzo’s show. The guy has so many vocal tics I had to turn it off, “you know what I mean”. Hey man, I just couldn’t deal with it, you know man, you know what I mean you know. Like you know what I mean it is was kind of annoying man. 

I listened to that once
I'm not aware of too many things
I know what I know, if you know what I mean

Philosophy is the talk on a cereal box
Religion is the smile on a dog

EB & tNB

[Bisonator]

This guy is Bubba 2.0 mark my words. xnodx

[POD Knows]

This guy is Bubba 2.0 mark my words. xnodx
Did you watch the interview with Izzo, I have no idea how he will be as a coach, he seems to have more energy but OMG, his speech patterns. Maybe he was nervous or maybe that is just the way he talks but I had to turn it off after about 5 or 10 minutes. It was, you know man, kind of a word salad, you hear me, you know, um, man, just trying to get my point across man, you hear me on that.

[NDSU1980]

JFC, is anyone listening to the interview with this Schmidt guy on Izzo’s show. The guy has so many vocal tics I had to turn it off, “you know what I mean”. Hey man, I just couldn’t deal with it, you know man, you know what I mean you know. Like you know what I mean it is was kind of annoying man. 
I'm sure the recruits will hardly be impressed listening to him. Recruiting is 99% communication and propaganda. Keep hiring from within und.

[RahRahRabbits]

Did you watch the interview with Izzo, I have no idea how he will be as a coach, he seems to have more energy but OMG, his speech patterns. Maybe he was nervous or maybe that is just the way he talks but I had to turn it off after about 5 or 10 minutes. It was, you know man, kind of a word salad, you hear me, you know, um, man, just trying to get my point across man, you hear me on that.

Really? Another coach from up north that I won't be able to listen to? Feels like ya'll just got rid of Entz.... now this?!

[POD Knows]

Really? Another coach from up north that I won't be able to listen to? Feels like ya'll just got rid of Entz.... now this?!
Ah dude, Entz, yea, swear to God that guy had black lung disease, his half time and post-game interviews were epic disasters.

[POD Knows]

I'm sure the recruits will hardly be impressed listening to him. Recruiting is 99% communication and propaganda. Keep hiring from within und.This is the first time I have ever heard the guy speak, it was interesting. I literally cannot remember anything he said outside of the word tics. That was all I could hear, maybe I need to listen to someone else talk to make sure that I am still sane. Could have developed OCD over the evening or something.

[UND.92]

I have high hopes for UND football in the future with Schmidt at coach. He is a UND Graduate and former Assistant coach but has spent the past 5 years in FBS, 4 years on the Staff of Kalen Deboer, who was the #2 choice at UND in 2013. UND made the wrong choice at that time. But Coach Schmidt reminds me a lot like at Coach Polesak at NDSU, left NDSU to get more experience and then was hired last year. UND has a ways to go to reach the top but I am confident he is the right choice to get us there. Rumor has it UND was interested in Glen Caruso but Caruso wasn't interested in UND.

[POD Knows]

I have high hopes for UND football in the future with Schmidt at coach. He is a UND Graduate and former Assistant coach but has spent the past 5 years in FBS, 4 years on the Staff of Kalen Deboer, who was the #2 choice at UND in 2013. UND made the wrong choice at that time. But Coach Schmidt reminds me a lot like at Coach Polesak at NDSU, left NDSU to get more experience and then was hired last year. UND has a ways to go to reach the top but I am confident he is the right choice to get us there. Rumor has it UND was interested in Glen Caruso but Caruso wasn't interested in UND.
Isn’t Deboer the one driving Alabama into the ditch. 😀

[F'N Hawks]

This is the first time I have ever heard the guy speak, it was interesting. I literally cannot remember anything he said outside of the word tics. That was all I could hear, maybe I need to listen to someone else talk to make sure that I am still sane. Could have developed OCD over the evening or something.

Prayers to you on a full recovery.

[POD Knows]

Prayers to you on a full recovery.
Did you watch his interview?

[F'N Hawks]

Did you watch his interview?

Yes. Let’s just remember the last two meatheads that NDSU hired and what they sounded like. Not exactly presidential.

[POD Knows]

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DVQ2YCtpdJ0

Here is the Schmidt interview, drink a shot for every time he says "man", "you hear me", "you know" you wont make it 5 minutes

[SDFS]

UND is keeping Coach Fruechte as Offensive Coordinator. I think this is a good thing. I am thinking the DC will be outside the current staff. Which I think is a good thing.

[nodak651]

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DVQ2YCtpdJ0

Here is the Schmidt interview, drink a shot for every time he says "man", "you hear me", "you know" you wont make it 5 minutes

Still 10x better than bubba talking.

[POD Knows]

Still 10x better than bubba talking.
Pretty low bar. But yea. Maybe the last 15 minutes was better than the first 10 because it was annoying as hell.

[POD Knows]

Yes. Let’s just remember the last two meatheads that NDSU hired and what they sounded like. Not exactly presidential.
Entz was fine except for the voice rasp after games. Who is the other one you are referring to, the current coach? He is a far better speaking that this Schmidt clown with the ums, you know, you hear me, bs.

[F'N Hawks]

Entz was fine except for the voice rasp after games. Who is the other one you are referring to, the current coach? He is a far better speaking that this Schmidt clown with the ums, you know, you hear me, bs.

I think I speak for everyone when I say that we hope you'll be able to overcome this obstacle that has been presented by our lord and savior.

Based on the fact nobody else is talking about it should also tell you something.

[POD Knows]

I think I speak for everyone when I say that we hope you'll be able to overcome this obstacle that has been presented by our lord and savior.

Based on the fact nobody else is talking about it should also tell you something.
Saw Schmidt’s presser on the 11th. All I can say is “all right”, “all right”, “all right”.

[SDFS]

Looks like UND is moving away from 3-4 to 4-2-5. I think this is a good thing. UND has always needed larger bodies up front. This is going to help.

[POD Knows]

Looks like UND is moving away from 3-4 to 4-2-5. I think this is a good thing. UND has always needed larger bodies up front. This is going to help.
What, if anything, is going on with the balance of the coaching staff? Gonna keep all the same guys?

[SDFS]

What, if anything, is going on with the balance of the coaching staff? Gonna keep all the same guys?

I believe that they will keep 2 or 3 guys currently on staff. The rest will change, in particular on the defensive side of the ball. They said that by middle of next week the staff will be in place. I think most of the timeline is being driven by HR processes.

Only 1 position is known at this point, OC. I think that is because he is being retained.

[caribbeanhen]

Entz was fine except for the voice rasp after games. Who is the other one you are referring to, the current coach? He is a far better speaking that this Schmidt clown with the ums, you know, you hear me, bs.

and a few second half punk shows at Delaware

[POD Knows]

and a few second half punk shows at Delaware
Dude. That game was not over, if anything Entz went completely soft when the Bison had the lead in most games. Always giving up late scores to teams, never covering spreads and that ****.

[abc123]

Pretty low bar. But yea. Maybe the last 15 minutes was better than the first 10 because it was annoying as hell.

You try to talk to Izzo that long and see if you can handle it....

Unrelated, what the hell happened with your new radio guy? Obviously Scottie Miller was top notch. The last guy yelled way too much but the new guy is absolutely brutal to listen to. Add is surly Phil who I at least doesn't pretend to be unbiased. Doesn't effect me, just flip it on occasionally for updates if I'm in the car but it is a tough listen.

[POD Knows]

You try to talk to Izzo that long and see if you can handle it....

Unrelated, what the hell happened with your new radio guy? Obviously Scottie Miller was top notch. The last guy yelled way too much but the new guy is absolutely brutal to listen to. Add is surly Phil who I at least doesn't pretend to be unbiased. Doesn't effect me, just flip it on occasionally for updates if I'm in the car but it is a tough listen.
I agree on the Bison radio guy, way over the top when something good happens, hard to listen to so I usually don't. As for the Izzo show, don't know what happened to your coach there because I watched some of his presser and that was decent. If I printed a transcript of the Izzo/Schimdt interview and highlighted the "man", you hear me", "you know what I am saying" and "ums", it would be half the interview. I only watched the first 5 or 10 minutes, and it was rambling and incoherent, maybe it got better the further along the interview was. I listened to Sather this morning on Izzo and he didn't seem to have a problem

I will openly admit that I have an issue with speakers that have speech tics, to this day I have not listened to a rambling Trump speech either. We had a guy that worked from the company I worked for that said "Ok" after virtually every sentence when making a speech, he didn't do it in normal conversation, just speeches, they had to send him to speech class because he was a product guy and most of his job was public speaking.