Jeff Schmahl, a former video production guru who spent more than two decades at the University of Nebraska and Texas A&M University, passed away on Tuesday following a 15-month battle with pancreatic cancer. He was 58.
A graduate of the University of Nebraska and a former sports anchor in the Lincoln, NE area, Schmahl made an indelible mark on the college sports video production industry when he went full time at his alma mater and, in 1994, founded HuskerVision, an organization that was the first of its type in the industry and is now commonly seen on campuses across the country.
Under Schmahl, Nebraska’s Memorial Stadium became the first college-only venue to install big screens in a football stadium and pioneered the now famous “Tunnel Walk” prior to each Huskers football game.
He was also a major proponent of providing students with production employment opportunities, hiring talented undergraduates from Nebraska’s Journalism school and other related departments to help with big screen and TV productions.
After a decade at Nebraska, Schmahl moved to Texas A&M, where he directed the award-winning 12th Man Productions, game operations, ticket operations, the Letterman’s Association, media relations, and Texas A&M Sports Properties, which grew out of an agreement with Learfield Sports. He made a tremendous impact of the Aggie community, introducing videboards in multiple venues, the Aggie Fan Zone, the Spirit Walk, the football-team entrance, the 12th Man Rewards Program, and the Lone Star Showdown.
