Notre Dame RB Chase Ketterer Embraces Navy Prep Role
It’s Chase Ketterer Week on the Notre Dame practice fields as the walk-on running back has all eyes on him as the Fighting Irish prepare for Navy’s triple-option attack to open the 2023 season.
The 5-foot-11, 208-pounder ran a version of the option down the road at New Prairie High School (Ind.) and has become a vital part of prepping the Irish defense as he gets to circle back to his quarterback days.
And while Notre Dame recruited him for this exact role, Ketterer had to learn the finer points of the triple-option when he arrived on campus.
“In high school, it wasn’t really triple-option,” explained Ketterer. “It was shotgun and motion and reads based off that. Here it’s definitely different based on the speed of it. I remember when I got here my sophomore year, I thought the speed of this is way different than when I was in high school.
“It still is, because now we have guys like Javontae Jean-Baptiste coming off the edge. It’s a lot different speed and it makes it harder to breathe. It makes it easier to see them but you just have to be quicker.”
Ketterer picked up the triple-option and now has to dial it back at times to give the Notre Dame defense the proper look.
“I’m with the scout team right now,” said head coach Marcus Freeman. “A couple times I thought he should have pulled it and he gave it. I said, ‘I want you to pull it,’ but he said,’ Coach the end gave me a give read.’ ‘Ok, I’m telling you to pull it.’
“The look he’s been able to give us has been invaluable. He’s been a huge part.”
The Irish defense is also quick to give Ketterer love for being able to run the offense at a high level, which includes playing fast to simulate Navy’s attack.
“Chase takes care of his offense,” stated defensive lineman Nana Osafo-Mensah. “He’s going against us like he created it himself. He’s always energetic out there with us. He’s always enthusiastic with us when we’re out there. The way he’s able to run it efficiently himself has always been a big help for us.
“I remember last year when he was doing it, he was still killing the role as the quarterback and really able to get the offensive line and receivers going. He’s really the heart of that scout offense. He’s really been putting in his two cents.”
Now, Ketterer and the scout team can only do so much as Notre Dame expects Navy to have more than a few tweaks to its attack as they have a new offensive coordinator in Grant Chestnut, who came over from Kennesaw State.
Ketterer’s attack hasn’t changed too much from last year and he’s confident the defense got enough looks to be successful on Saturday.
“It’s the same for me,” Ketterer said. “I go off what we’re told on the scout team and base my play off of that. Coach Golden seems like he has a great system and scheme for this week. It’s been fun. Competitive.”
There is also a great deal of pride in Ketterer when the defense does well as the success can be traced back to him. And yes, the Indiana native takes pride in making big plays in practice so hopefully, they don’t happen in the game.
“I think about it as awesome,” Ketterer said when he makes a big play in practice. “It’s a big play for me because the defense knows that’s a play that could happen. If we don’t run a certain play in practice that they run in a game, I wish I had done it in practice so it didn’t happen in the game.
“I think it goes that way for offense and defense. Scout Team gets to party in the end zone and the defense gets to learn from it.”
Notre Dame will name scout team player of the week on Sunday, but it’s not a secret who will earn it for the first game as Freeman already announced it during his Monday presser.
”Usually on Sundays, I let the coaches vote for scout team player of the week,” stated Freeman. “I’ll tell you right now, he’ll be the social team player of the week for sure.”
And that honor is well deserved as not only does it mean Ketterer did his job, but he also took more than a few hits during the week, which is something he’s also embraced.
“I love it,” said Ketterer. “That’s my favorite part. When you pull it or pitching it out, you just get smoked. There’s no feeling like it.”
