RENTON — The legend of Owen Schmitt is far from complete if you ask the second-year Seahawks fullback.
Sure there is the time in college that he ate a beer coaster in 10 seconds, or the Youtube clip of him repeatedly slamming his own helmet into his forehead after botching a pooch punt in a game his senior year, or the Mohawk he turned into a fashion statement on the campus of West Virginia University, or the numerous facemasks and helmets he mangled during his college career, or the … OK, you get it.
But there’s something missing, Schmitt says. He wants people to know he’s more than a crazy sideshow.
“It’s kind of funny, everybody just knows me as a big meathead,” Schmitt said Thursday after the Seahawks wrapped up the final practice of their three-day minicamp. “It’d be nice to show people that I can actually play a little bit too.”
Schmitt has a good chance to show just that in 2009. Leonard Weaver, last year’s starting fullback, signed with Philadelphia last month, leaving Schmitt as the only fullback on Seattle’s roster at the moment. The Seahawks also brought in David Kirtman for a tryout this week, and will look at free agency or the draft to give them depth at the position, but Schmitt has a chance to earn a starting role in his second season.
“We’ll certainly need another body, but we feel good with Owen,” said Seahawks coach Jim Mora. “We think that he’s going to develop into the kind of fullback that can function well in this offense.”
Schmitt knows more competition will join the team at some point, but he also is confident he’ll be up to the challenge.
“I’ve still got to prove myself and work hard, but I think I can do the job,” he said. “I’m sure they’ll bring some more guys in too, so I’m just trying to take it one day at a time and prove to them that I can do it.”
And if Schmitt knows anything — besides crazy — it’s proving himself.
Schmitt started his college career at Division III Wisconsin-River Falls, but convinced he could play at the D-I level, he went on a trip with his mother to Morgantown, W.Va. and dropped off some game tapes. Four years later, he was tearing up during a nationally televised interview after helping the Mountaineers to a Fiesta Bowl victory.
“There’s always a level of appreciation you’re trying to gain as far as respect goes,” he said. “I’m just going to try to come out and show them that I can do it, and I’ve just got to work hard to get there.”
But even if Schmitt does become Seattle’s next starting fullback, don’t expect him to turn normal all of a sudden.
“He’s a little different,” said quarterback Matt Hasselbeck. “But he’s from West Virginia, so it makes sense.”
Herald Writer John Boyle: jboyle@heraldnet.com.
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