16 DECEMBER 2023 BLUE & GOLD ILLUSTRATED
BY TODD D. BURLAGE
T
im Schrauth provides a quick and
no-bull answer when he's asked
about the expectations he holds
for his son Billy Schrauth at Notre
Dame, and they have nothing to do with
football.
It would be easy for a proud papa to
get caught up in the hype and headlines
when Billy — a sophomore Irish offen-
sive lineman — earned his first career
start against Wake Forest Nov. 18.
Instead, the elder Schrauth takes a
drastically different approach.
"If you look at the big pie chart of life,
football is going to be such a thin slice,
and I truly believe that," he shared with
a warm chuckle. "Yeah, Billy's a football
player. But truthfully, that doesn't mean
jack squat to me compared to him being
a good person. Just because you're on
the field at Notre Dame doesn't mean
you're better than anybody else."
Tim's message of respect and hard
work is a consistent one that has been
ingrained in Billy and each of the seven
other children in his family all the way
back to when as youngsters they'd all
pitch in around the family's cattle farm
in rural Campbellsport, Wis.
It's a lesson that Billy brought with
him to Notre Dame as a freshman in
NO COMPROMISE
From Family Farm To Football Field,
Billy Schrauth Takes No Shortcuts
Schrauth made his first career start for Notre Dame at right guard against Wake Forest Nov. 18.
PHOTO BY CHAD WEAVER
