Blue & Gold Illustrated: America's Foremost Authority on Notre Dame Football
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BY TYLER JAMES T he likelihood of Joe Otting becoming a college football player always felt predetermined. The Notre Dame redshirt sophomore was born to a 6-foot-5 father who played offensive line at Washburn. His older brother of 10 years played tight end at Pittsburg State. "He essentially grew up at all my practices and games and stuff," said Andy Otting, Joe's older brother. "We were huge football fans and spent a lot of time going to football games." Andy Otting wanted to play college football because that's what his father did. The older Otting son valued the lessons the game taught him as a young man. The younger Otting son followed the same path, but his advanced development led him to signing with Notre Dame as a four-star recruit out of Topeka (Kan.) Hayden. "I've probably been born to do it," Joe Otting said. The Otting family made the trek to Notre Dame Stadium Oct. 18 to watch Joe make his starting debut as Notre Dame's center. Joe redshirted as a freshman with no game appearances in 2023, played in seven games as an offensive line reserve last season and stepped into the starting lineup against Southern Cal fol- lowing a season-ending left knee injury to redshirt junior center Ashton Craig, which forced Otting into the North Carolina State game for 21 offensive snaps Oct. 11. But before Joe took the field for the 34-24 win over Southern Cal Oct. 18, his father, Eric Otting, gave some final advice the day before the game. "He's my biggest role model," Joe said. "He's who I look up to. I love him to death. He has me ready. He always loves giving me his little pep talks for the game on Fridays. He in- stills all his values onto me, and I'm grateful for that. "Just how he carries himself and the humbleness and the grati- tude he walks with, and how he works is really what I look up to." Joe also leaned on the advice of his fellow offensive linemen in the days leading up to the Southern Cal game. "Don't overthink it," Joe said of their message. "Obviously, USC is a huge game for us. It's our biggest rival. It's all that good stuff, but it's football at the end of the day. It's what we're made to do. It's what we've done all of our lives. They're there for me, though. They calm me down." Otting, a redshirt sophomore, made his first career start at center for Notre Dame against Southern Cal Oct. 18, and helped the offensive line pave the way for 306 rushing yards and 3 touchdowns on 44 carries in a 34-24 Irish victory. PHOTO BY MICHAEL MILLER BORN TO BLOCK Notre Dame center Joe Otting grew up surrounded by football 16 NOV. 8, 2025 BLUE & GOLD ILLUSTRATED