Joe Schmidt is the first former walk-on football player at Notre Dame to ascend to the role of captain since center Mike Oriard held the distinction 46 years ago.
When Joe Schmidt says he’s speechless, what he really means is that for one of the few times in his life with the cameras rolling, capturing his feelings with the spoken word requires a bit more reflection.
Accompanying his deliberate response to Thursday’s news was a tear-inducing rush of emotion.
“It’s the most humbling, greatest honor that’s ever been bestowed upon me,” said Schmidt following the announcement a few minutes earlier on the practice field that he and four others would bear the title of captain of the 2015 Notre Dame football team.