Francis Schmidt

College coach infobox
Name = Francis Schmidt


Caption =
DateOfBirth = December 3, 1885
Birthplace = Downs, Kansas
DateOfDeath = September 19, 1944
Sport = American football
College =
Title =
CurrentRecord =
Awards =
Championships =
CFbDWID = 2090
Player = Trigger
Years = 1905
Team = University of Nebraska
Position =
FootballHOF = 1971
Coach = Trigger
CoachYears = 1919-1921
1922-1928
1929-1933
1934-1940
1941-1942
CoachTeams = University of Tulsa
University of Arkansas
Texas Christian University
The Ohio State University
University of Idaho

Francis Albert Schmidt (December 3, 1885 - September 19, 1944) was an American football coach and is an inductee in the College Football Hall of Fame. Schmidt served as head coach at Tulsa, Arkansas, Texas Christian, Ohio State, and Idaho. His career record was 158-57-11. Because Schmidt's teams were known for trick plays involving multiple laterals and non-standard tackle-eligible (and even guard-eligible) formations, the press labeled Schmidt's approach as the "razzle-dazzle offense". Because Schmidt's teams were known for high scoring, the press gave him the nickname Francis "Close the Gates of Mercy" Schmidt.

Schmidt was born in Downs, Kansas and played college football for the University of Nebraska. He earned a Varsity letter with the Huskers in 1905 and earned a law degree from Nebraska a few years later. From 1915 through 1916 Schmidt joined the football coaching staff of the University of Tulsa. World War I, however, interrupted Schmidt's coaching career. He served in the Army and rose to the rank of captain.

Schmidt was hired as the Tulsa head coach in 1919. In his first season that team finished with a record of 8-0-1 and outscored opponents 592-27. His record at Tulsa, after a three year stay, was 24-3-2. Schmidt had defeated Arkansas by a score of 63-7 in 1919, and the Razorbacks hired Schmidt away from Tulsa in 1922. In seven years at Arkansas (1922-1928) his record was 41-21-3. While at Arkansas, he was also the coach of the basketball and baseball teams, as it was not uncommon during that time for coaches at major universities to coach more than one sport. (much like many high schools today)

Schmidt's most memorable years, however, were at Texas Christian and Ohio State. In five years at TCU (1929-1933), Schmidt won two Southwest Conference championships and had a record of 47-5-5. In seven years at Ohio State (1934-1940), Schmidt won two Big Ten Conference championships and had a record of 39-16-1.

Schmidt's most notable contribution to the popular culture came in his first year at Ohio State. The Columbus, Ohio press asked Schmidt about the team's chances of beating rival Michigan. Schmidt replied, "Those fellows put their pants on one leg at a time, the same as everyone else." This phrase had previously been a Texas regionalism, but because of the press attention given Schmidt it soon became an internationally known cliché. Ohio State beat Michigan the first four years Schmidt coached there; since that time, any Ohio State player that defeats Michigan is awarded a "Gold Pants Charm", a gold lapel pin shaped like football pants.

Schmidt finished his career with two years at Idaho (1941-42), when that school was in the Pacific Coast Conference. His record there was 7-12.

Head coaching record

CFB Yearly Record Subhead
name = Tulsa Golden Hurricane
startyear = 1919
conf = Oklahoma Intercollegiate Conference
endyear = 1921CFB Yearly Record Entry
championship = conference
year = 1919
name = Tulsa
overall = 8-0-1
conference =
confstanding = 1st
bowlname =
bowloutcome =
bcsbowl =
ranking =
ranking2 = CFB Yearly Record Entry
championship = conference
year = 1920
name = Tulsa
overall = 10-0-1
conference =
confstanding = 1st
bowlname =
bowloutcome =
bcsbowl =
ranking =
ranking2 = CFB Yearly Record Entry
championship =
year = 1921
name = Tulsa
overall = 6-3
conference =
confstanding =
bowlname =
bowloutcome =
bcsbowl =
ranking =
ranking2 = CFB Yearly Record Subtotal
name = Tulsa
overall = 24-3-2
confrecord = CFB Yearly Record Subhead
name = Arkansas Razorbacks
startyear = 1922
conf = Southwest Conference
endyear = 1928CFB Yearly Record Entry
championship =
year = 1922
name = Arkansas
overall = 4-5
conference = 1-3
confstanding = 6th
bowlname =
bowloutcome =
bcsbowl =
ranking =
ranking2 = CFB Yearly Record Entry
championship =
year = 1923
name = Arkansas
overall = 6-2-1
conference = 2-2
confstanding = T-4th
bowlname =
bowloutcome =
bcsbowl =
ranking =
ranking2 = CFB Yearly Record Entry
championship =
year = 1924
name = Arkansas
overall = 7-2-1
conference = 1-2-1
confstanding = 7th
bowlname =
bowloutcome =
bcsbowl =
ranking =
ranking2 = CFB Yearly Record Entry
championship =
year = 1925
name = Arkansas
overall = 4-4-1
conference = 0-2-1
confstanding = 6th
bowlname =
bowloutcome =
bcsbowl =
ranking =
ranking2 = CFB Yearly Record Entry
championship =
year = 1926
name = Arkansas
overall = 5-5
conference = 0-1
confstanding = 6th
bowlname =
bowloutcome =
bcsbowl =
ranking =
ranking2 = CFB Yearly Record Entry
championship =
year = 1927
name = Arkansas
overall = 8-1
conference = 2-1
confstanding = 3rd
bowlname =
bowloutcome =
bcsbowl =
ranking =
ranking2 = CFB Yearly Record Entry
championship =
year = 1928
name = Arkansas
overall = 7-2
conference = 2-1
confstanding = 2nd
bowlname =
bowloutcome =
bcsbowl =
ranking =
ranking2 = CFB Yearly Record Subtotal
name = Arkansas
overall = 41-21-3
confrecord = 8-12-2CFB Yearly Record Subhead
name = Texas Christian Horned Frogs
startyear = 1929
conf = Southwest Conference
endyear = 1933CFB Yearly Record Entry
championship = conference
year = 1929
name = TCU
overall = 9-0-1
conference = 4-0-1
confstanding = 1st
bowlname =
bowloutcome =
bcsbowl =
ranking =
ranking2 = CFB Yearly Record Entry
championship =
year = 1930
name = TCU
overall = 9-2-1
conference = 4-2
confstanding = 3rd
bowlname =
bowloutcome =
bcsbowl =
ranking =
ranking2 = CFB Yearly Record Entry
championship =
year = 1931
name = TCU
overall = 8-2-1
conference = 4-1-1
confstanding = 2nd
bowlname =
bowloutcome =
bcsbowl =
ranking =
ranking2 = CFB Yearly Record Entry
championship = conference
year = 1932
name = TCU
overall = 10-0-1
conference = 6-0
confstanding = 1st
bowlname =
bowloutcome =
bcsbowl =
ranking =
ranking2 = CFB Yearly Record Entry
championship =
year = 1933
name = TCU
overall = 9-2-1
conference = 4-2
confstanding = T-2nd
bowlname =
bowloutcome =
bcsbowl =
ranking =
ranking2 = CFB Yearly Record Subtotal
name = TCU
overall = 45-6-5
confrecord = 22-5-2CFB Yearly Record Subhead
name = Ohio State Buckeyes
startyear = 1934
conf = Big Ten Conference
endyear = 1940CFB Yearly Record Entry
championship =
year = 1934
name = Ohio State
overall = 7-1
conference = 5-1
confstanding = 2nd
bowlname =
bowloutcome =
bcsbowl =
ranking =
ranking2 = CFB Yearly Record Entry
championship = conference
year = 1935
name = Ohio State
overall = 7-1
conference = 5-0
confstanding = T-1st
bowlname =
bowloutcome =
bcsbowl =
ranking =
ranking2 = CFB Yearly Record Entry
championship =
year = 1936
name = Ohio State
overall = 5-3
conference = 4-1
confstanding = T-2nd
bowlname =
bowloutcome =
bcsbowl =
ranking =
ranking2 = CFB Yearly Record Entry
championship =
year = 1937
name = Ohio State
overall = 6-2
conference = 5-1
confstanding = 2nd
bowlname =
bowloutcome =
bcsbowl =
ranking =
ranking2 = 13CFB Yearly Record Entry
championship =
year = 1938
name = Ohio State
overall = 4-3-1
conference = 2-3-1
confstanding = 6th
bowlname =
bowloutcome =
bcsbowl =
ranking =
ranking2 = CFB Yearly Record Entry
championship = conference
year = 1939
name = Ohio State
overall = 6-2
conference = 5-1
confstanding = 1st
bowlname =
bowloutcome =
bcsbowl =
ranking =
ranking2 = 15CFB Yearly Record Entry
championship =
year = 1940
name = Ohio State
overall = 4-4
conference = 3-3
confstanding = T-4th
bowlname =
bowloutcome =
bcsbowl =
ranking =
ranking2 = CFB Yearly Record Subtotal
name = Ohio State
overall = 39-16-1
confrecord = 30-9-1CFB Yearly Record Subhead
name = Idaho Vandals
startyear = 1941
conf = Pacific Coast Conference
endyear = 1942CFB Yearly Record Entry
championship =
year = 1941
name = Idaho
overall = 4-5
conference = 0-4
confstanding = 10th
bowlname =
bowloutcome =
bcsbowl =
ranking =
ranking2 = CFB Yearly Record Entry
championship =
year = 1942
name = Idaho
overall = 3-7
conference = 1-5
confstanding = 9th
bowlname =
bowloutcome =
bcsbowl =
ranking =
ranking2 = CFB Yearly Record Subtotal
name = Idaho
overall = 7-12
confrecord = 1-9CFB Yearly Record End
overall = 156-58-11 (.718)
bcs =
poll = two
polltype =

External links

* [http://collegefootball.org/famersearch.php?id=30135 Schmidt's College Football Hall of Fame page]
* [http://www.hogdb.com/db/coaching-records/14/Francis-Schmidt/ HogDatabase | Coaching Records for Francis Schmidt]