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Osbahr signs with St. Thomas football

NDA DE ready to play at Division I level

Blake Osbahr
Blake Osbahr, center, has a laugh with his parents, Kristin and Jason, and his siblings, Brynn and Brock, during his national letter of intent signing ceremony at Notre Dame Academy on Jan. 4. Osbahr will be going to the University of St. Thomas in Minnesota to play football. Greg Bates photo

By Greg Bates

Sports Editor

GREEN BAY – After amassing five sacks and 11 tackles for loss during his senior season, Notre Dame Academy defensive lineman Blake Osbahr showed he has Division I talent.

On Dec. 21, Osbahr signed a national letter of intent to play football at the University of St. Thomas. During a ceremony at Notre Dame Academy on Jan. 4, Osbahr was honored for his achievement.

“It’s always been a dream to go Division I, and to finally get there has been a lot of fun on the way,” Osbahr said. “And all the people that’s helped me there, I’m very grateful for, for sure.”

Tritons football coach Mike Rader had Osbahr concentrate primarily on playing defense his senior year, and he excelled.

“I’m really proud of everything Blake has done,” Rader said. “He’s worked really hard to get where he’s at. He had a good last couple of years that led to what he’s got going on here.

“St. Thomas is a great fit for him — good student. They’ve got a lot of good things going on at St. Thomas, so I think he’s going to be in a really good spot.”

The Tommies recently wrapped up their first season competing at the Division I level. The Football Championship Subdivision (FCS) program finished ranked No. 20 in the country with a 10-1 record, including winning the Pioneer Football League at 8-1. St. Thomas wasn’t eligible to compete in the postseason since it is a brand new program.

“They’re doing great things there right now and they have nothing but great things to come,” Osbahr said. “I’m excited to be a part of it and help them with what I can do as well.”

Osbahr was recruited by fellow Division I schools South Dakota State, which won the 2022 national title, and South Dakota as well as a number of Division II programs.

He ultimately picked St. Thomas, which is located in St. Paul, Minn.

“I’ve been recruited by many schools, but the first time I stepped on campus, it felt just like home — very similar to this place, just at the college level,” Osbahr said. “I’m excited to be there to play football and to grow as a person.”

Osbahr earned playing time as a freshman at Notre Dame and then had three solid seasons on the gridiron. As a junior, he tallied 33 tackles, nine for loss, and five sacks. During his senior campaign, he registered 46 tackles and added five more sacks.

Osbahr was named first-team all-Fox River Classic Conference and the FRCC Defensive Player of the Year.

“I think getting time my freshman year at the end of the season gave me some experience and some confidence moving into the sophomore year and know that I can do this and (I was) excited to show people what I could do,” Osbahr said.

Osbahr isn’t sure if he’ll be able to step in and play right away as a true freshman at St. Thomas or if he will be redshirted by the coaches.

“We haven’t spoken a whole lot on that yet, it’s all what I develop now until I get there,” said Osbahr, who is 6-foot-4 and up to 245 pounds. “The evaluation process will really start when I get there and I perform on the field.

“I believe it’s a good fit. The game’s going to get a lot faster than it is in high school at St. Thomas and the Division I level, and I’m hoping to adapt really well.”

Osbahr will be only one of two former Notre Dame football players actively playing at the Division I level. Coach Rader’s son, Max, is a freshman at North Dakota State University.

Getting another Notre Dame player to sign a Division I tender is big for the Tritons program.

“It’s good because it gives other kids a vision of this is what it takes and we’re capable of producing any kind of athlete that a kid wants to be able to achieve,” coach Rader said. “So they know that to reach D-I, you have to have a certain combination of God-given talents and size and ability, you also have to work your tail off. I think Blake is a good example of that.”

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