“Go after it.”
Those are the three words that sophomore defensive end Andrew Schaetzke loves to use when describing his mentality on the gridiron.
Simple – but very effective. The conclusion isn’t in the words, but in the stats. [Last Saturday](https://www.thehoya.com/sports/under-lights-georgetown-proves-it-not-quite-ready-prime-time/) against Lafayette, Schaetzke brought meaning to the phrase, accumulating two sacks, 4.5 tackles for loss and 7.5 total tackles. It was the best defensive performance by a Georgetown player so far this season.
“Andrew is a very, very good player and his stats are reflecting that,” Head Coach Kevin Kelly said about the emerging talent at the end position.
While his stats are impressive – Schaetzke leads Georgetown (0-2, 0-2 Patriot League) in sacks and tackles for loss – his humility outshines them.
“Get rid of all the stats,” the 6-foot-4 inch lineman said. “That stuff’s not important.”
Schaetzke doesn’t tout his pass-rushing abilities or run-defense prowess. He’s too embarrassed to do a dance in the end zone if the opportunity ever presented itself. And he’s not concerned with being a vocal leader as much as playing well, because he understands that one person does not run the defense.
“All I can control is what the defensive line does, and our goal is to attack the offensive line,” he said.
Schaetzke played defensive end in high school, but he had limited reps last year while playing at the defensive tackle spot. This year, he moved back to his natural position.
“I enjoyed the switch back,” he said. “Last year I backed up [senior co-captain and defensive end] Chudi [Obianwu] and played defensive tackle.”
Yet coming into the spring practice season, he felt more comfortable, and Kelly moved him to his natural spot on the depth chart, which had been vacated by another highly successful Hoya pass rusher – Ataefiok Etukeren (MSB ’09).
Last year’s leader in sacks and tackles for loss, Etukeren signed with the Buffalo Bills this summer and became the second Georgetown alum and Hoya defensive lineman in as many years to sign with an NFL team. Defensive tackle Alex Buzbee (COL ’07) was the first.
“[Ataefiok] was a great player also,” Kelly said. “But I expect [Schaetzke] to be the same, if not better. To be honest, the expectations are high for him.”
“I never met [Buzbee],” Schaetzke said. “I talked to Ataefiok. He was a phenomenal athlete. You can’t teach the stuff that they could do.”
Perhaps not, but Schaetzke has been more than a fair replacement for the former star. Grouped with Obianwu and defensive tackles senior Jared Myers and junior George Cullen, the defensive line has become a major force for Georgetown, causing problems in the backfield at times for the high-powered offenses of Holy Cross and Lafayette.
“The defensive line has been playing strong,” Schaetzke said. “All the guys talk. Chudi is a leader and he leads by example and we feed off of his momentum.”
Schaetzke attributes the defensive line’s success to stopping teams early in their drives on first and second downs, forcing more third-and-longs and creating pressure on the opposing quarterback. It was reflected on Saturday night when both of Schaetzke’s sacks came on third downs, effectively finishing Lafayette drives. As a result of an anemic offense, the Georgetown defense spent much of the game on the field and eventually wore down.
Schaetzke’s first career sack in the Blue and Gray came against [Lafayette last year](https://www.thehoya.com/sports/on-the-road-offense-falls-by-the-wayside/). He then enjoyed another great game a week later when he recorded a then-career high five tackles [against Yale](https://www.thehoya.com/sports/ground-attack-stalls-in-yale-bowl-rout/). The Hoyas will match up against the Bulldogs on Saturday at 1 p.m. at the MultiSport Facility. The contest will mark Yale’s first game of the 2009 season – meaning that Georgetown has been preparing for three straight opponents without recent game film.
“[Yale] has a whole new coaching staff, so we’ll see what we can do,” Schaetzke said.
While Schaetzke is looking forward to the Yale game, he also remembers why he chose to play football on the Hilltop in the first place. Hailing from Toledo, Ohio, Schaetzke had multiple scholarship offers from schools in the MAAC conference, but he chose Georgetown for its academics. Schaetzke was selected for the All-Patriot League Honor Roll last year.
“It’s really important,” he said. “[It] shows that you’re focused and you put in the hours. [Defensive Line] Coach [Frank] Colaprete was a big factor in me coming here. My dad really was as well.”
His parents make the trip to Washington once or twice a season to see him play. With his mother and father on hand, last Saturday’s game under the lights reminded him of his high school days.
“There’s definitely an improvement in team chemistry, you can see it in the way we practice,” Schaetzke said. “We had a much better camp and we’re going after it a little more.”
Although the Hoyas are winless through two games, the sophomore will do his part to limit Yale’s drives and give Georgetown’s struggling offense a chance to get on track. As he has shown during his brief time as a starter, Schaetzke will do whatever it takes.”
