The last name Bettis brings back a lot of memories for Notre Dame fans everywhere. They of course remember Jerome Bettis as the star running back in the 1990s, who went on to rush for 13,662 yards and scored 94 total touchdowns during his 13 year NFL career.
Now the Irish staff is pursuing another talented Bettis, his son, 2025 Atlanta (Ga.) Woodward Academy wide receiver Jerome Bettis Jr. The 6-3, 195-pound pass catcher has been a player that Notre Dame has been pushing for since his sophomore year at Westminster School.
Now a standout for Woodward Academy, the pursuit has heated up even more. Woodward Academy co-defensive coordinator Ryan Davis gave some insight into his recruitment. It’s something that Bettis has been very well prepared for.
"We try to educate our athletes how to handle the recruiting process,” Coach Davis told Irish Breakdown. "Jerome has handled that part of it really well. He has stayed grounded and humble throughout all the attention. We did some things to showcase his talent earlier in the process. Schools saw some 7-on-7 stuff, and also went to some camps. It was to help open up the door for him. The great thing about our school is we are right by the airport so whether coaches stop here first or last, they also stop in."
Bettis has kept a level head throughout this process.
"I don’t think Jerome knew it would be like this,” Davis continued. "When he first came here, he didn’t have much attention and has really exploded since coming. He’s been excellent with everything. Jerome appreciates every offer and is just grateful to every school and coach that shows interest.”
Obviously the ties to the Notre Dame program will be hard to beat. One thing the staff has done a tremendous job of is letting Bettis know that they want him for him, not for the legacy.
"Notre Dame has done a great job making him understand that he is a priority,” Davis explained. "It isn’t just about his family, his dad and his last name. They want him as an athlete and young man. The staff has come down here, and really shown just how high their interest is. They have been a constant for him.”
While Notre Dame is definitely considered the front runner for Bettis, several other schools are pushing very hard to land him. The talented pass catcher is doing his due diligence in the entire process. He is making sure to have a deep understanding for what every school can bring.
"The great thing about Jerome is he is a very thoughtful kid who is really weighing his options,” Davis said. "He’s taking his visits, doing his homework and making sure he doesn’t rush the process. I know that Texas A&M, Cal, Stanford, Duke and Georgia Tech are some other schools who have been pushing hard for him as well.”
The momentum is on the Irish side, but they must continue to build on it. Bettis is being pursued by some other tremendous programs and they must be able to continue to make him feel at home.
Over the last several months, Bettis has seen his offer list expand. He now holds official offers from schools such as the Irish, Texas A&M, Ole Miss, Arkansas, NC State, Missouri, Louisville, Georgia Tech, Purdue, Cal, Stanford, Boston College, Duke and UCF among others.
Bettis showed improvements on the field as a junior. In 14 games, Bettis hauled in 30 receptions for 369 yards and four touchdowns for a very talented Woodward squad. On defense, he also made 34 total tackles, two tackles for loss and two interceptions.
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