Junior running back Chad Banschbach grew up in small town Lawrenceburg, Indiana, a place known for their high school football team. Largely unnoticed by other college programs while in high school, Coach Tuberville spotted Chad while watching his nephew, a quarterback, play a high school game.
Standing at 5’9” and 203 lbs., what Chad lacks in size, he makes up in grit. Realizing he has to run as hard as possible to make an impact at the D1 level, Banschbach tends to run with reckless abandon and plays with a large chip on his shoulder. Even during practice he is known to create a fight from time to time, as we witnessed this week. This is just part of his mentality to maximize his potential toting the rock. In his words, his motto is to run angry at all times.
Last year Chad broke his wrist during the first scrimmage of camp and had to miss the first three games of the season. He saw action in 8 games in 2015 at running back and on special teams. This year he is looking forward to staying healthy and contributing however he can. While both Mike Boone and Tion Green will get the majority of carries, Chad is happy to help the team out however he can, including on special teams.
Banschbach began UC with a major in business, which he then changed to exercise science. He is hoping to earn a fifth year of eligibility to then earn bachelor’s degrees in both majors. After graduation, he plans to work with his dad at the local family business, Top Quality Building Products, a window, brick, and door company back in hometown Lawrenceburg, Indiana.
Chad rooms with the starting quarterback, Hayden Moore. And when he isn’t in class or on the field, he and Moore love to play all kinds of video games, including FIFA and Call of Duty. Music is one of his passions, including heavy rock. Although he admits to lacking rhythm, Banschbach is a self-proclaimed expert on the drums and guitar on Rock Band.
By Andy Smith