Over the past 24 hours, there have been mixed reactions to Coach West Virginia’s return to coach Rich Rodriguez’s football program.

However, during the 11-day coaching search, several notable Mountaineers who played for Rodriguez during one of the most successful eras in school history openly expressed their support for a possible second stint in Morgantown.

Pat McAfee and Adam “Pacman” Jones both tirelessly supported Rodriguez, who won 60 of 86 games at WVU from 2001-07.

The same goes for former West Virginia fullback Owen Schmitt, who offered further thoughts on Rodriguez’s return as a guest on MetroNews Talkline on Thursday.

“It was a great experience,” said Schmitt, who played for Rodriguez at WVU from 2005-07. “There are great expectations placed on the trainers when it comes to training. You had to be willing to become an absolute animal. This is what his programs are based on: toughness. I think that’s exactly what we’ve been missing for a while. If you look at the recipe for success, that has been the main theme the entire time Rich has coached a team and something that has really shaped me into the player I have become under his watchful eye.”

The 39-year-old Schmitt was a key component to WVU’s success in each of those three seasons, rushing for 1,008 yards and 13 touchdowns on 160 carries over his WVU career. He began his college career at Division III Wisconsin-River Falls before joining the Mountaineers.

Schmitt played alongside some of the most successful players in program history with quarterback Pat White and tailback Steve Slaton, and West Virginia finished 32-5 in his three seasons with the program and finished in the top 10 nationally each year.

“A lot of feelings,” said Schmitt. “I wasn’t able to enjoy the program as much after I left just because our staff were gone. The new regime was in there. Not that there was a lack of appreciation, but it’s just different. He runs his program differently. Now that I’ve heard the news and it’s official, I want to see the work completed. That’s what I’m looking forward to the most. He never really had a chance to finish what he started. Even considering what’s going on around college football right now, I can’t think of a better candidate to get us back to where we need to be and with the determination we need.”

Schmitt, who currently serves as an assistant coach for the Greenbrier West High School football program, knows that a fraction of the Mountaineer fan base likely won’t give Rodriguez a warm welcome or welcome him back any time soon. It’s been 17 years since he abruptly left WVU, immediately following a 13-9 loss to Pitt that prevented the Mountaineers from playing for a national championship in 2007.

Rodriguez coached Michigan in an unsuccessful three-year tenure that ended with a 15-22 record, including 6-18 against Big Ten competition.

The Fairfax, Virginia, native had a message for those opposed to the return.

“Forgiveness is divine. It’s been over 17 years. “People make mistakes,” Schmitt said. “Whether he feels that way or not, he gets the chance to come back and right a wrong. I see a man seizing a better opportunity at this moment to coach at one of the most prestigious colleges in college football in Michigan. Rich had great foresight to see where college football was going, and there may have been a conflict between him and the powers that be making decisions, whatever that means. I’m not upset about what happened. The timing was unfortunate.

“We have a new beginning. We have a new coach in town. It’s time to get support. We’ve been through this. I am very grateful to have met Neal Brown, a great person. It’s hard for me not to be excited knowing where we’re going. If you’ve been on a show with Rich Rodriguez, you know exactly what I mean. It might be hard for outsiders to really see, but you’ll have the strongest team we’ve had in a long time, since I played there with my mates. It’s something I want to see and something we desperately need. This is our identity and has always been our identity. That’s what I grew up with with Rich and the coaching staff. Just be ready to get excited about Mountaineer football again and see a great product on the field.”

Schmitt then played five seasons in the NFL for the Seattle Seahawks, Philadelphia Eagles and Oakland Raiders.

Although his playing career dates back more than a decade, Schmitt admits that Rodriguez’s approach to the game continues to rub off on him as a coach.

“There is a consistency and a madness in the details that matter. “Sometimes the portrayal may not match the way people’s emotions function in today’s society, but that’s not really what I’m worried about,” Schmitt said. “I worry about kids accepting coaches. Just believe. I’m telling you, Hard Edge is a real thing and everyone who has ever played for him is very proud of it. You will be one of the most conditioned and hardworking students in the game. In addition, he also ensured off the field that our program remained at a high level with our educational influences. You have to come back on board and understand that we are going to get back to playing the kind of football that you want and have longed for for a long time.”