From Roy Anderson to Rose Bowl: Hall Schmidt

On a sunny Southern California spring day, Hall Schmidt lines up for another rep.

There’s nothing flashy about it. No crowd. No scoreboard. No spotlight.

Just a 6-foot-7 inch, 310-pound lineman working through it — snap by snap — figuring out what his body can do again.

After a knee injury in late 2024 limited his playing time, that part matters most.

“I haven’t played in so long,” Schmidt said. “So it’s just been amazing getting out there.”

Then he remembers where he’s headed next. Not Roy Anderson Field at Peninsula High School. Not the blue turf at Boise State. It’s the Rose Bowl as a UCLA Bruin.

For a kid from Gig Harbor, it’s the kind of place you see on TV, and it’s still something it takes a moment for him to process.

“It’s a dream,” he said. “It’s like the biggest dream you could ever have as a kid.”

Schmidt, a 2022 Peninsula High School graduate, transferred to UCLA after three seasons at Boise State, where he developed into a starter on one of the most productive offenses in school history.

At Peninsula, Schmidt was named South Sound Conference Lineman of the Year in 2021 and emerged as one of the state’s more intriguing line prospects. He signed with Boise State in 2022, stepping into a program known for developing tough, physical offensive linemen.

Like most linemen, his early college years weren’t about headlines. They were about learning, adding strength, refining technique, and waiting.

Then came 2024.

Schmidt started all 12 regular-season games at right tackle, anchoring a Boise State offense that rushed for 3,365 yards — the most in the program’s football bowl subdivision era — and averaged 37.3 points per game. He allowed just one sack in 329 pass-blocking opportunities. Schmidt helped lead the Broncos to a 12-3 record and their first appearance in the College Football Playoff.

Behind him was one of the best running backs in the country, Ashton Jeanty, who put together a Heisman Trophy runner-up season.

From Schmidt’s vantage point, it was equal parts work and reward.

“Blocking for someone like him is so fun,” Schmidt said. “When everything is working, it’s the best feeling in the world, and then you get to see him take off.”

Jeanty now plays for the Las Vegas Raiders.

The momentum didn’t carry cleanly into the following season.

Schmidt suffered a knee injury late in 2024, one he initially described as “serviceable,” but surgery after the season revealed more damage than expected. He returned briefly during the 2025 season, appearing in two games, but admitted later he likely came back too soon.

“I just think I needed to do a little more rehab,” he said.

The injury and the uncertainty that came with it forced a decision. 

In December, Schmidt entered the transfer portal. Less than a month later, he signed with UCLA.

“I loved UCLA,” Schmidt said. “It’s being with these amazing guys who work really hard, and it’s an opportunity to try and get better every day and play at this elite level.”

For Schmidt, the move wasn’t about leaving something behind as much as it was about taking the next step.

He arrived in late February, training in Orange County before starting classes at UCLA in April. 

The transition has come with a few adjustments. Los Angeles traffic, he admits, may take time. The nice weather won’t.

On the field, the change has been just as energizing.

“Just getting back out there has been amazing,” he said. “Even communicating with the offensive line and watching film together — I forgot how fun it is.”

After redshirting his freshman year at Boise State and being granted a medical redshirt in 2025, Schmidt has two years of eligibility remaining.

The Bruins open the 2026 season at Cal, with a schedule that includes a trip to Michigan’s Big House and the annual rivalry game against USC.

His goals are simple, but not small: win the Big Ten championship, make a playoff run, and continue improving while getting healthier each day.

Back home, the version of Schmidt chasing those goals hasn’t changed much.

“I’m still the same player who wants to have fun,” he said. “But now I have better technique.”

He doesn’t get back to Gig Harbor often — maybe a week in the summer — but when he does, the routine is familiar: family time, a walk in the harbor, and a stop at Fondi Pizzeria.

The stage has changed for Schmidt, from Roy Anderson Field to the Rose Bowl Stadium.

What he carries with him hasn’t. 

“Purdy Grit. I still bring that each and every day.”