Very few players in the history of Derry Area football have accomplished what Kyle Schmitt achieved on the field. Schmitt excelled in the trenches with the Trojans, and was a key offensive lineman at the University of Maryland. After a short-lived pro career, though, Schmitt has made a bigger name for himself as the head coach of an elite high school program. He’s under the microscope in this installment of Westmoreland Where Are They Now?

Schmitt did not play on the varsity football team as a freshman, but he cracked the roster in 1997 as an offensive and defensive lineman. That season was forgettable, though, as the Trojans went 0-10 overall, including 0-7 in the conference.

The 1998 season, though, was a breakthrough campaign for Derry Area. The Trojans went 5-5 overall, including 5-3 in the conference, qualifying for the WPIAL Class AAA playoffs. Although Derry Area lost to eventual WPIAL champion Moon Area in the opening round, the turnaround season still remains a highlight in Schmitt’s playing career.

“That was a special year though because there was some redemption for all of us because of just how challenging the 0-10 season was,” said Schmitt, who fondly recalled victories against Kittanning and Pine-Richland that year.

In Schmitt’s senior campaign, the Trojans took a step back, and they went 2-8 overall, including 2-6 in conference play, missing the playoffs.

Throughout his time at Derry Area, Schmitt was a two-time All-Conference honoree, and was selected to participate in the Big 33 All-Star Game to conclude his prep career.

Despite some of the Trojans’ struggles on the field, largely attributed to low roster numbers, Schmitt took valuable experiences from his time in blue and gold.

“We were within a program with coaches who cared about us, a school who cared about us. We played with our best friends in the world at that time,” he detailed. “I do think a lot of the foundation of my success after high school was certainly planted at Derry.”

Even before Schmitt suited up for Derry Area football, he was involved in the program. He served as a ball boy for the 1995 team when his brother was the kicker.

Schmitt also played baseball as a freshman, and he was a four-year contributor for the Derry Area basketball team.

“I loved playing high school basketball. It was really fun,” Schmitt revealed. “The crowds on Friday nights at Derry were great.”

There was never a question of what sport Schmitt would pursue at the next level, however, as he ranked as one of the best lineman prospects in Pennsylvania for the Class of 2000. Thus, he was highly coveted by colleges, receiving offers from the University of Pittsburgh and West Virginia University.

It was his lifelong fandom of another school that served as a deterrent to the Panthers and Wolverines, though.

“We were big Penn State fans growing up,” Schmitt stated. “The other programs were in a little bit of transition in the area locally.

“If it couldn’t be Penn State, it can’t be Pitt or West Virginia at the time,” he continued.

As a result, the University of Maryland stood out during his recruitment, and he signed with the Terrapins in 2000.

“Maryland was close. I loved the guys - they had some local guys down there. I just felt good about the people there,” Schmitt detailed.

After redshirting in his freshman campaign, Schmitt spent the 2001 season shifting between both guard positions and center. He ended the season on a high note, earning a start at guard in the Orange Bowl against Florida. Although the Terrapins fell to the Gators, Maryland compiled a banner season, going 10-2 overall, including 7-1 in the Atlantic Coast Conference (ACC).

Schmitt appeared poised for a breakthrough season in 2002 as he shifted primarily to center, but he battled injuries and started just three games. Collectively, the Terrapins enjoyed another successful season, going 11-3 overall, including 6-2 in ACC play, and overmatching Tennessee in the Peach Bowl.

The next season, Schmitt emerged as a crucial component of the offensive line, starting every game at center and earning All-ACC Honorable Mention accolades. Maryland again reached double figures in wins, producing a mark of 10-3 overall, including 6-2 in the conference.

Among those conference wins was a road victory at NC State, which was led by quarterback Philip Rivers. Rivers had his jersey retired before the game, but his senior day was spoiled by the Terrapins, who used a field goal with 23 seconds left to prevail 26-24.

“That’s a memory that will stand out for a long, long time,” Schmitt said.

Maryland capped that season with another memorable triumph, as the Terrapins blasted WVU 41-7 in the Gator Bowl, the second win of the season against the Mountaineers.

“That was big for us because that was a good rivalry during those years,” explained Schmitt.

As a redshirt senior in 2004, Schmitt again started every game. The Terrapins regressed, however, going 5-6 overall, and 3-5 in the ACC.

That final season didn’t put a damper on Schmitt’s experience with the Terrapins, however.

“Maryland was the right fit, and it worked out really, really well,” he stated.

“It was an incredible experience. We won a lot of games,” Schmitt continued. “You got ingrained in a winning culture at Maryland.”

Despite excelling in college, Schmitt was not selected in the 2005 NFL Draft. Rather, he inked a free agent contract with the Minnesota Vikings.

Plagued by an injury during camp, Schmitt failed to crack the 53-man roster in Minnesota. As a result, he was released.

Following his rehab, Schmitt was signed by the Arizona Cardinals, who allocated him to NFL Europe, which served as an NFL developmental league at the time. Schmitt’s career overseas included stints with the Cologne Centurions, Amsterdam Admirals, and Berlin Thunder.

Back in NFL training camp in 2006 with the Cardinals, Schmitt suited up alongside the legendary Larry Fitzgerald. Although he did not make Arizona’s final roster, Schmitt cherished the opportunity to play in preseason contests against the Steelers, as well as against Tom Brady and the New England Patriots.

Faced with a decision about his future, Schmitt realized that he had reached the end of his playing career.

“I knew I wasn’t good enough to play in the NFL. There’s just no other way around it,” he said. “I think I was a really good college player who probably fought like crazy, and was smart and tough. But that league is for superior athletes.

“I had a cross-country drive to really think about what I wanted to do,” he continued. “I realized at that point I was ready to get on with my next journey.”

Although Schmitt’s NFL stint was abbreviated, he gained valuable insight into the preparation required to succeed as a coach.

“What I was able to do was just learn so much. It began to start to structure some of my philosophy later on as a coach,” he said.

“I’m really grateful for that time,” he added.

His first coaching stint was close to home, as Schmitt signed on as an assistant at Saint Vincent College with its newly-reformed football program, joining his former Trojans coach, Al Gaiardo. As the Bearcats were building the program from the ground level, Schmitt was tasked with coaching the tight ends, two of whom had never played the sport before.

Schmitt returned to the University of Maryland for the two subsequent seasons, serving as a graduate assistant with the Terrapins.

During that time, he married his wife Haley, also a Derry Area grad. However, most of his energy was dedicated to football.

“As a GA, you work in season basically seven days a week,” Schmitt revealed. “There were plenty of Sundays where I’d get in at about 8 in the morning and probably not go home until 1 or 2 the next morning, and be back at about 6:30 a.m. for the staff meeting.”

While Schmitt was attending a coaches convention in Texas, he was told that Hammond High School in Howard County, Maryland was searching for a football head coach. That lead eventually resulted in Schmitt being hired for the same position at Atholton High School in Columbia, Maryland.

“It just felt right, and I really liked the administration,” Schmitt detailed.

While the shift from college to high school coaching was a drastic change, it was one that caused his wife to rejoice, as it allowed them to plant roots in Maryland.

“It was the most excited and interested she had gotten, as opposed to all of the other jobs that were talked about,” he said, highlighting his offers for college positional coaching jobs all across the country.

Schmitt took the helm of Atholton beginning in the 2009 season, and he quickly turned around the program’s fortunes. However, Schmitt experienced some growing pains along the way, as he was less than a decade older than many of the players he was tasked with leading.

“It’s like drinking through a fire hose initially,” he said of the overwhelming feeling he experienced at 27 years old.

“There’s all the obvious stuff, and then there’s all the non-obvious, which is building relationships with the players and handling accountability and everything else,” Schmitt continued. “The team-building aspect in high school is so critical because there’s so many challenges to it.”

Schmitt’s squad saw immediate improvement on the field, though, as he inherited a team that went 3-7 and then produced a mark of 10-2 in his first campaign. In the three subsequent years, the Raiders compiled records of 8-3, 10-2, and 10-2.

“We went on a really good run for four years – it’s kind of been unmatched at that school since, which is pretty neat,” Schmitt noted.

Ready for the next challenge, Schmitt took over as the head coach at Archbishop Spalding in Severn, Maryland in the 2013 season. In Maryland, private schools are allowed to actively recruit players and students, adding another wrinkle to Schmitt’s responsibilities.

“You get to build the program the way that you want to,” Schmitt noted, comparing it to recruiting at a Division III college. “It’s a really cool job, and I enjoy it a lot.”

Schmitt also teaches in the district, but his commitment to the football program is nearly a full-time job in itself.

The fruits of that labor have been evident, as he has guided the Cavaliers to elite status over the past few years. Beginning in 2021, Archbishop Spalding has gone 10-1, 11-1, and 10-2. Moreover, the Cavaliers have won the MIAA, which is the largest private school league in Maryland, each of the past two campaigns.

“We’ve probably become one of the best programs in the state of Maryland at the moment,” he highlighted.

Entering Schmitt’s 12th season guiding the program this fall, the Cavaliers will feature at least a half-dozen future Division I players, the latest group in a quickly-expanding list of notable football alumni. A pair of Archbishop Spalding grads, running back Julius Chestnut and wide receiver Brevin Easton, have made the NFL with the Titans and Jaguars, respectively.

Much of Schmitt’s success can be attributed to his insatiable desire to improve as a coach, as he’s frequently reading about and studying leadership in sports.

When he’s not fixated on football, Schmitt spends the majority of his time with his family, including 12-year-old son Kacey. Earlier this summer, Schmitt and his son traveled to Cooperstown, New York, where Kacey won a home run derby. Kacey also is following in his father’s footsteps, playing both football and basketball.

“It’s a joy to watch him compete in everything,” Schmitt said.

Residing in Elkridge, Maryland, Schmitt still returns to Derry occasionally. During one of his recent trips home, Schmitt stopped in to watch a Derry Area boys basketball scrimmage, which was led by his former coach, Tom Esposito, who he credited for having an influence on his life.

Even from a distance, Schmitt was paying attention to the Trojans as they reached the state postseason for the first time in program history.

“I’ll watch them online when I can,” he said. “They made history this year, which was really cool.”