The Scarlets pack soon gained the ascendency at Parc y Scalets allowing their backline to cut loose, scoring seven tries.
Consolation scores from Devin Toner and Ian Madigan gave a flattering gloss to the scoreline however Schmidt knew his team would be up against it missing 11 internationals and a further seven players with injuries.
"For the young guys it's a good learning experience and hopefully they can take something from that defeat," he said.
"There wasn't a lack of effort but certainly a degree of naivety and a lack of physical presence. We were bullied around the park.
"We're not going to panic. We lost in the first round last year by 24-points against the Ospreys. We've managed to top that which isn't what we wanted but we are where we are.
"We'll work really hard next week to make sure those lessons are put to good use."
The Heineken Cup champions and RaboDirect PRO12 finallists are bound to be a sterner proposition when they return to Parc y Scarlets for the Heineken Cup pool game.
And as much as he admitted his side's own failings, Schmidt was equally praiseworthy of a Scarlets performance achieved without several of their own internationals.
Schmidt said: "The Scarlets were fairly formidable and it's not a great thought that we have to come back here in the Heineken Cup in seven weeks' time. But it's a reality and we have to work our way through it.
"I knew we were vulnerable but you hope that you stay close enough so the opposition can't really open up.
"But once it opened up it was one-way traffic and that's a credit to the quality of player the Scarlets had on the field."
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