Jan 2, 2008; Glendale, AZ, USA; West Virginia Mountaineers running back Owen Schmitt (35) runs the ball for a second quarter touchdown against the Oklahoma Sooners during the Fiesta Bowl at University of Phoenix Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Mark J. Rebilas-Imagn Images Mark J. Rebilas-Imagn Images

WVU Great Owen Schmitt to Share Tailgate BBQ Secrets in New Weekly Series

Originally posted on West Virginia Mountaineers on SI
By Schuyler Callihan | Last updated Aug 20, 2025 9:41 AM ET

The Runaway Beer Truck is letting you in on some barbecue secrets this football season. No, for real!

Former West Virginia fullback Owen Schmitt will take you inside his kitchen to give West Virginia fans a step-by-step how-to on some very tasty recipes that Mountaineer fans can put into action at the tailgate.

Every Tuesday throughout the season, a new episode of BBQ with the Beer Truck will release on the In the Gun Podcast, which you can find on YouTube and here on our site, West Virginia On SI.

"We had been talking about it. Jed (Drenning) mentioned a way to promote the 'que, and with Wes having his tailgate and we had thought it would be a great idea at some point to bring it to the tailgate," Schmitt said of the series. "To create some buzz and content for the show, and of course, a little smoke. We filmed 12 grueling episodes where I give up my industry secrets to share with the world, my mouth-watering BBQ recipes."

"Listeners loved those times on the show when Owen talked about BBQ, so I thought it was worth a series," said Drenning, the founder of ITG. "Not many people realize how advanced the Beer Truck is with it. Even fewer know he has actually catered big events like weddings. Ethan (Gregory) is approaching graduation and has been doing more and more with his college’s mass comm and TV station, so I figured it would be a great project for him. The episodes turned out really fun."

Also, throughout the season (once you're done whipping up your best version of Big O's tailgate food), you can meet up with Owen and the rest of the ITG crew in the Peach Lot. Stay tuned to the In the Gun podcast throughout the year, so you know who will be there and where exactly to go to say hello to Big O and Co.

The first episode of the series kicks off next Monday, August 25th. From Week 2 on, episodes will publish on Tuesday.