Brandon Schmidt approved as A&M Consolidated’s football coach

Schmidt’s approval comes after he was announced by the district as Consol’s next football coach last Thursday. Schmidt was previously Prosper’s head coach for seven seasons and led the Eagles to the playoffs every year, going 67-24.

“The football program here is a long tradition of success, and we just want to build on that success, continue the success and really the athletic program in general,” Schmidt said. “Make sure the success continues and grows and continue to strive for excellence and get better at everything that we do.”

Over 30 current Consol players from the junior class attended the meeting during their athletics period. After the board meeting, Schmidt went across the street to Consol’s main fieldhouse to speak with his new players. Schmidt said his first message to the team would be it’s time to work.

“This is awesome to see them all here, and I am so excited to see them all here and get to talk with them and meet them this afternoon and get to work,” Schmidt said. “It’s going to be nose to the grindstone, let’s get to work and let’s have some fun while we’re doing it and let’s win some football games.”

College Station athletics director Kevin Starnes gave an overview of Consol’s hiring process during the special school board meeting. Starnes noted that the search for Consol’s next football coach began on Dec. 2 after former head coach Lee Fedora resigned. Resumes were collected until mid-January and the district received over 100 inquiries, Starnes said. A form was also sent to Tiger football families and Consol’s other current head coaches to build a profile of a football coach and campus athletics coordinator desired. Three rounds of interviews were conducted with interview pools narrowed after each round.

“After going through our process, it was evident to everyone that coach Brandon Schmidt was the clear choice because he embodies all of the qualities we are looking for according to our profile,” Starnes said. “He is an excellent football coach, but even more he is a dynamic leader who will have a huge impact on the A&M Consolidated High School family. He focuses on building the entire athlete by strengthening not only their bodies but also their character and their minds.”

After Starnes’ remarks, the College Station school board members voted 7-0 in favor of approving Schmidt. Board member Kimberly McAdams said she is excited about the new era at Consol.

“Obviously we saw or heard the record that he brings, but that’s just a small piece of this role,” McAdams said. “He’s going to be a coach for our football team, but he’s also the leader of all the student-athletes.”

Schmidt said he has some familiarity with Consol’s current football district from his time as an assistant at Cedar Park for nine years. He also met College Station coach Stoney Pryor at a coaching clinic in the Metroplex this weekend.

“Cedar Park, Georgetown, East View, all those schools I’m familiar with and I know what’s going on there,” Schmidt said. “I’m anxious to get some more familiarity with College Station.”

Concerns about facilities at Consol have been a topic of discussion in recent weeks. At the last College Station school board meeting, almost 20 current Consol students and several parents spoke during the public comment portion of the board’s workshop and regular meetings. Board trustees held a discussion that lasted over 50 minutes during the workshop meeting to see how the members felt about the issue and how the board should address it. The board had a consensus agreement that Consol’s athletics facilities need to be improved.

“Obviously, I’ve heard that maybe the facilities need to be upgraded,” Schmidt said. “We won’t be defined by our circumstances. They’ve been winning football games here for the last ... I don’t know ... 30 years with those same facilities, so that’s not going to be a crutch for us.”

Schmidt said he will be at Consol next week for offseason work. He noted his offense isn’t married to a single system and will adjust based on personnel. After taking a peek at Consol’s roster, Schmidt said he knows the Tigers have some good returnees whom they can build around next season.

“For me, I have to get my culture instilled into the football program,” Schmidt said. “Beyond that, I’ve got to get some coaches hired, and then depending on what coaches we get hired and where we stand on that, I want to have spring ball.”