Gauchos lose an old friend

Saddleback athletics is saddened to announce the passing of former Gaucho Jason Schmid, who passed away on Thursday morning.  Schmid played football for the Gauchos during the 80's and was inducted into the CCCFCA Hall of Fame in 2017.

Schmid was a member of the 1984 and 1985 football teams, which amassed a 20-2 record with two conference titles during those seasons.  During his freshman season in 1984 he played five different positions:  quarterback, running back, wide receiver, slot receiver, and free safety.  He settled into the quarterback position as a sophomore and, as the team's starting signal-caller in 1985, he became the first Gaucho to throw for over 350 yards in a single game.  He did it twice that season and ended up passing for 2,882 yards and 23 touchdowns while leading Saddleback to an undefeated 11-0 record which led to Mission Conference, state, and national titles.  Using the no-huddle offense, Saddleback averaged 92 plays and 41 points per game in 1985.

During that season, Schmid was named the Mission Conference Player of the Year, the regional Offensive Player of the Year, the state Offensive Player of the Year, and the national Offensive Player of the Year.  He was also awarded the MVP of the Pony Bowl and garnered first-team All-America honors.

Schmid worked in commercial real estate from 1989 to 2007 and opened JT Schmid's restaurant and brewery on Katella Avenue between Angel Stadium and the Honda Center in Anaheim.  He had also opened a second JT Schmid's restaurant and brewery off of Jamboree Road at The District in Tustin.

In addition to his accolades on the field and in the restaurant industry, Schmid was named the Saddleback College Alumnus-of-the-Year in 2015.