Jacob Schmidt - Chief of Staff - Football Support Staff - Michigan State University Athletics

Jacob Schmidt

Title:
Chief of Staff
Email:
football@msu.edu
Phone:
355-1647

Jacob Schmidt is in his first year as Chief of Staff for Michigan State football under head coach Pat Fitzgerald.

As Chief of Staff, Schmidt manages and coordinates all aspects of the daily operations of the Michigan State football program while handling Fitzgerald’s schedule.

A native of Rhinelander, Wisconsin, Schmidt both played and worked for Fitzgerald at Northwestern. Following his Wildcat playing career from 2007-11, Schmidt was hired as Northwestern’s Director of Player Development in March 2012 and worked for 11 seasons in the NU football office, including Director of Football Operations for two years (2021-22). He switched roles following the 2022 season to be the executive director of TrueNU, the official collective of Northwestern Athletics, where he worked until the House settlement took effect on July 1, 2025.

Schimdt’s journey at Northwestern started as a walk-on in 2007 and ended with him as a starting running back in 2011 who garnered second-team Academic All-America honors.

Following a redshirt year in 2007, Schmidt played in all 13 games on special teams in 2008 and increased his playing time on offense in 2009 with 217 rushing yards and 147 receiving yards. Although he was limited to eight games due to an injury his redshirt junior season in 2010, Schmidt scored four rushing touchdowns. As a senior in 2011, Schmidt earned the starting running back role and finished as the team’s second-leading rushing with 471 yards and six touchdowns, including a career-best 110-yard performance with two TDs in a win at Indiana.

Schmidt helped the Wildcats to a school-record four consecutive bowl game appearances (Alamo, Outback, Ticket City, Texas) during his four years as a letterwinner. A three-time Academic All-Big Ten honoree, Schmidt completed his undergraduate studies at Northwestern with a degree in human development and psychological services and earned a master's in higher education administration and policy from NU in 2014.

He took his first role in the football program as Northwestern’s Director of Player Development in March 2012. In that position, Schmidt coordinated various aspects of players' off-the-field experience at Northwestern, including NU's Big Brother program that matched current Wildcats with NU football alums in the professional world.

Schmidt added the title Director of Player Development and Football Relations in 2019 and was promoted to Director of Football Operations for the 2021 season.

During his time at Northwestern, Schmidt helped oversee some of the greatest seasons in Northwestern history under Fitzgerald, including six bowl appearances with four straight bowl wins (Pinstripe, Music City, Holiday and Citrus), five AP Top 25 finishes (2012, 2015, 2017, 2018, 2020), and two Big Ten West Division titles (2018, 2020).