Building His Own Legacy 

Growing up with one of the most recognizable last names in college football could have defined Chase Herbstreit '25. Instead, he chose to define himself. Anchored by his faith, supported by his family, and shaped by the brotherhood at St. Xavier, he learned to ignore outside expectations and focus on becoming the best version of himself. 

"Yeah, I've heard so many different opinions about me because of my dad and my family, and so there's a lot of expectations and predetermined thoughts on how I'll act just as a normal kid," Herbstreit said. "There's obviously pressure, but I try to block that out and stay true to myself, then just play football, compete and have fun." 

With the unwavering support of his parents, Chase was given every opportunity to succeed both on and off the field. His love for football began at an early age, spending countless hours with his three older brothers, whether on neighborhood fields or in the backyard. 

"From a young age, both of my parents were so supportive in terms of allowing me to do whatever I wanted to do," Herbstreit said. "My brothers played football, and I kind of followed them, just playing with them all the time. Growing up, that's really all it was. I was just playing football with my brothers, and I fell in love with the game." 

As he grew older, one lesson from his parents stayed with him above all else: football is only one chapter in life, while faith and family are the foundation that will always endure. 

"Always put God first in everything," Herbstreit said. "Whether or not football is involved, always have a good relationship with your faith. Next is having a good relationship with your family. Football is only a little part of your life, but maintaining those relationships with your parents and brothers is what matters most." 

When the Herbstreit family decided to move back to Cincinnati to be closer to relatives, Chase began searching for a school that reflected the values his parents had instilled in him. St. Xavier's tradition of developing young men of faith, character and service made it the perfect fit. 

"It was the history of St. X, knowing some of the coaches, Coach Specht, and just the tradition that made me want to enroll," Herbstreit said. "St. X did a great job strengthening my faith. Especially as a teenager, you can get carried away with other things. They did a really good job making sure you had a clear focus on your goals and your relationship with God." 

Just as important as the academics and football tradition was the brotherhood he found at St. Xavier. After earning a starting role as a sophomore, Herbstreit was taken under the wing of senior tight end Joey Wassler '24, who taught him what it meant to lead by example and embrace the school's "Men for Others" philosophy. He also credits All-State quarterback Brogan McCaughey '22, then a senior during Chase's freshman year, for showing him how a quarterback should carry himself both on and off the field. 

Those mentorships inspired Herbstreit to become a mentor himself. 

"Joey Wassler was a great guy to me when I was a sophomore, teaching me the St. X way," Herbstreit said. "Brogan McCaughey, who was a senior when I was a freshman, spent a lot of time with me just showing me how to handle the business. By the middle of my sophomore year and into my junior year, I was already taking younger guys under my wing because of the role I was in. I just tried to pass along everything the older guys had taught me." 

Choosing a college proved just as challenging.. On the final day of the early signing period, Herbstreit found himself deciding between Michigan, Tennessee and Notre Dame. A last-minute scholarship offer from Michigan ultimately brought him to Ann Arbor. 

The recruiting process reinforced an important lesson: never change who you are. 

"It taught me to stay true to myself and not try to be somebody I'm not," Herbstreit said. "At the end of the day, you've just got to be yourself, and the school that wants you is going to want you for who you are. Michigan offered me a scholarship on the last day of the early signing period and basically said, 'If you want this, you need to sign today.' I was 100 percent in. There was no doubt in my mind." 

Enrolling at Michigan challenged Herbstreit academically and athletically, but the habits he developed at St. Xavier prepared him for the demands of college life. 

"St. X definitely prepared me because it's a rigorous high school academically," Herbstreit said. "Michigan is really tough too. I was challenged, but I was definitely prepared because of my study habits and the way I learned to prepare. I already had a plan of attack for those harder classes." 

Just as importantly, Herbstreit found another brotherhood waiting for him in Ann Arbor. The welcoming culture inside Michigan's football program reminded him of the one he experienced at St. Xavier. 

"There's not really cliques on the team," Herbstreit said. "Everybody's together, and that really surprised me. I thought once you got to college everyone would kind of stay in their own groups, but everybody was super welcoming right away. We have a great team bond." 

Competing in the Big Ten means practicing alongside some of the nation's best players every day. Sharing the quarterback room with one of college football's most highly regarded young quarterbacks, Bryce Underwood, has reinforced another lesson Herbstreit believes young athletes need to hear. 

"A lot of quarterbacks today, if they don't start their freshman year, they want to transfer," Herbstreit said. "At the end of the day, you're probably not ready. I would encourage young quarterbacks to stay the course. You have to learn and develop." 

Herbstreit believes that patiently learning over the next several seasons will ultimately give him the best opportunity to succeed when his time comes. Until then, he remains focused on refining his mechanics, improving his footwork and expanding his understanding of the game. 

No matter where football takes him, Herbstreit knows the foundation built through his faith, his family and the St. Xavier brotherhood will remain with him. From a young boy playing football in the backyard with his brothers to competing under the lights at Michigan Stadium, he has stayed true to the values that shaped him long before college football entered the picture. 

That brotherhood has continued long after graduation. St. Xavier alumni from every generation have reached out to encourage him throughout his college career. 

While the Herbstreit name will always be recognized throughout the college football world, Chase continues to build a legacy of his own—one defined not by expectations or outside opinions, but by his faith, his character, his relationships, and the people who helped shape him. 

"I had a bunch of alumni reach out to me from the '80s and '90s when I got to Michigan," Herbstreit said. "The friendships I made at St. X, both on and off the football team, have stayed with me. We're still really close, and I look forward to keeping those friendships for the rest of my life."