Blue & Gold Illustrated: America's Foremost Authority on Notre Dame Football
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The anticipation of making his first start messed with Joe's sleep schedule throughout the week. "I'm a big nap person, so, I couldn't take any naps," Joe said. "My heart was pounding. It was a good week, but I was mostly just excited." NAILING HIS DEBUT Joe Otting had to wait for USC to fin- ish its first drive to take the field. Unfor- tunately for the Irish defense, the Tro- jans opened the game with a 10-play, 75-yard touchdown drive. That meant the 6-foot-4, 308-pound Otting took the field as Notre Dame's starting center for the first time with his team already trailing by a touchdown. The scoreboard wasn't of concern for his family, though. "It was emotional," Andy Otting said. "Just seeing him take the field first, it was definitely a little bit emotional for the family." Joe proved he belonged in the starting lineup pretty quickly. He provided key blocks on junior running back Jeremi- yah Love's 63-yard run on Notre Dame's second play and Love's 12-yard touch- down run on the Irish's fourth play. "It was pretty damn awesome," Joe said. "I was pumped. I was going down the field, and I just see J-Love sprint right past me. It's an awesome thing, but it's a team deal. O-line, we're all work- ing together, we're all dialed in. I can't do what I do without all those guys right next to me. Props to our whole room." With Otting manning the middle, Notre Dame's offensive line paved the way for 306 rushing yards and 3 touch- downs on 44 carries. The Irish played with a physicality that Southern Cal couldn't match. If Otting hadn't met the standard of Notre Dame's offen- sive line, the Irish game plan would have needed to be significantly different. "Joe's a winner," Andy said. "What- ever sport he played growing up, Joe's just one of those guys that always ex- celled and the moment was never too big or had too much pressure. I was cer- tainly nervous for him, but we kind of had this feeling. We knew Joe was going to handle it. "It was just super cool to see him get an opportunity like that in a rivalry game. It's a prime-time TV slot. To see him take it and run with it and do well, we were obviously super proud of him." BUILDING MOMENTUM Joe Otting didn't spend his whole life playing football for the peak of his ca- reer to be his first college start. Notre Dame's second bye week allowed him and his family to fully enjoy the mo- ment, but he quickly turned his atten- tion to preparing for the final month of Notre Dame's regular season. "We certainly soaked it in," Andy Ot- ting said, "and I think it was great for Joe to have that performance against USC and then kind of remove all doubt going forward that, hey, I can handle this, and solidify him in that role the rest of the year." With starting left guard Billy Schr- auth, a redshirt junior captain who was Notre Dame's best offensive lineman this season, sidelined for an undetermined amount of time with a left knee injury, Joe needed to become a veteran in a hurry. He's sandwiched between a pair of guards — redshirt sophomore Sullivan Absher to his left and redshirt freshman Guerby Lambert to his right — who had never started a game before this season either. Joe started operating with more con- fidence, but he also allowed himself to nitpick the smaller details he can im- prove upon. "Obviously, there are good plays, but there are always those plays that maybe the common eye doesn't see too much," Joe said. "I'd say I still have a lot to im- prove on, still. I have so much I can im- prove myself with and help this team." Spoken like a true son of football. He worked for all the extra responsibilities being thrown his way. "It's what I expected," Joe said, "and it's what you come here for. You come here for those opportunities, and you've always got to be ready because you never know when." ✦ "Just seeing him take the field first, it was definitely a little bit emotional for the family." ANDY OTTING ON HIS YOUNGER BROTHER'S STARTING DEBUT BLUEGOLDONLINE.COM NOV. 8, 2025 17