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The gridiron career of Mike Schmitz is behind him by three decades and counting. For those who weren’t fortunate enough to watch him, what was he like? Think of another athlete who wore #2 in college, Deion Sanders, but with hard hits and an unselfish attitude replacing the “Neon.”
Like Sanders, Schmitz often found the end zone despite the fact that the other team started off with the ball. The All-Midwest Conference defensive back intercepted 11 passes in his career, returning two for touchdowns. His 227 yards of interception and kick returns vs. Olivet in 1978 included an incredible three TDs, a school record that may never be broken. In 1978, Schmitz’s punt return average (20.6 yards) was second in Division III, and he was third in kickoff return average (24.5) and fourth in interceptions (7).
The former Southern High School standout added one more special teams assignment to his resume, handling Monmouth’s punting duties.
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