Billy Schrauth Confident in Joe Otting, Impressed with Notre Dame QB CJ Carr
Notre Dame’s offensive line will have a new look on Saturday night.
Starting center Ashton Craig was lost for the season with a knee injury in the victory against NC State and redshirt sophomore Joe Otting is expected to get his shot in the middle of the Irish offensive line.
Otting has logged just 135 career snaps, which isn’t a huge number, but his teammates have complete confidence in his ability to run the show. That starts with left guard and captain Billy Schrauth.
“Next-man-up mentality is something we talk about in our offensive line room all the time,” stated Schrauth. “Got a lot of faith in not just Otting, but everybody in that room. That's where it kind of stems from: that togetherness, that feeling.”
The 6-foot-4, 308-pounder filled in for Craig over Notre Dame’s final 21 offensive snaps on Saturday. It might not seem important, but those plays were likely crucial in giving Otting confidence and a feel for the game when the starters are still in.
“He did well,” said Schrauth. “Didn't blink an eye. That's kind of his personality. He's kind of a cool cat. Does the right things.”
Communication is vital for the center position as protections and blocking assignments start in the middle. Schrauth believes there is another important piece to the puzzle and that’s simply playing ball.
“It always starts with communication when you're the center,” explained Schrauth. “But cut it loose. I think that's important too. We have to go play football at the end of the day and 64 does a good job of that.”
USC will bring an aggressive defensive line to South Bend and it makes for a fascinating matchup. The Irish are one of the better pass-blocking units in the country and CJ Carr has reaped the rewards of having time.
‘Working together,” Schrauth said. “That'll always be the name of the game up front for us. So that's been the motive.”
The offensive line also enjoys blocking for Carr.
“He's so wired in.” Schrauth explained. “You can tell football is part of who he is, his bloodline. He thinks about the game differently. He processes football at a high level.”
Carr and the line have operated in sync most of the season, and that chemistry isn’t accidental. Schrauth credits Carr’s time spent with the linemen as a major factor in the unit’s cohesion.
“He does a really good job,” stated Schrauth. “He spends a lot of time with us in the film room, and it shows up.”
Schrauth also expects Craig to stay involved this week and help Otting prepare.
“He loves Notre Dame,” said Schrauth. “He loves Notre Dame a ton. He'll continue to prepare like he's out there. He's special in that way. He'll take a lot of pride in that.”
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