Jerry Schmitt | |
Current Title: | Head coach |
Current Team: | Duquesne |
Current Conference: | NEC |
Current Record: | 120–84 |
Birth Date: | 16 September 1960 |
Birth Place: | Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, U.S. |
Player Years1: | 1979–1981 |
Player Team1: | Westminster (PA) |
Player Positions: | Offensive lineman |
Coach Years1: | 1983–1984 |
Coach Years2: | 1985–1987 |
Coach Team2: | Duquesne (assistant) |
Coach Years3: | 1988 |
Coach Team3: | Avonworth HS (PA) (OL/DL) |
Coach Years4: | 1989 |
Coach Team4: | Bethel Park HS (PA) (OL/DL) |
Coach Years5: | 1990–1991 |
Coach Team5: | South Fayette HS (PA) |
Coach Years6: | 1992 |
Coach Team6: | Duquesne (assistant) |
Coach Years7: | 1993–1999 |
Coach Team7: | Duquesne (OC) |
Coach Years8: | 2000–2004 |
Coach Team8: | Westminster (PA) |
Coach Years9: | 2005–present |
Coach Team9: | Duquesne |
Overall Record: | 148–105 (college) |
Tournament Record: | 1–3 (NCAA D-I playoffs) |
Championships: | 3 MAAC (2005–2007) 6 NEC (2011, 2013, 2015, 2016, 2018, 2023) |
Jerry Schmitt (born September 16, 1960) is an American football coach and former player. He is currently the head coach at Duquesne University, a position he had held since the 2005 season. Schmitt served as the head coach at Westminster College in New Wilmington, Pennsylvania from 2000 to 2004. He is an alumnus of Westminster College, where he played as an offensive lineman on the football team. Prior to receiving the head coach position at Westminster, Schmidt was an assistant at Duquesne and a high school football coach in Pennsylvania.
After graduating from Pittsburgh’s Keystone Oaks High School in 1978, Schmitt played for Westminster College in Pennsylvania. As a senior in 1981, he led them to an undefeated regular season. In his time there, he was a three-year letterman.[1]
However, COVID-19 issues scrapped the only game outside Big 12 play last season along with a bowl appearance.[2]
Duquesne began the 2021 season with a 45–3 loss to the TCU Horned Frogs. They finished the season 7–3, and 5–2 in the NEC in 2021.[3]
In 2023, Schmitt was named the NEC Coach of the Year, his second since 2018. That season, they went 6–1 in their conference and had an overall record of 7-4. With a win over Merrimac, they won the NEC title and qualified for the FCS playoffs.[4] In the first round, they were defeated by the Youngstown State Penguins.[5]