Last Saturday, Notre Dame hosted 2024 three-star safety target Kaj Sanders for an unofficial visit.
Earlier this week, Sanders caught up with Inside ND Sports to discuss his time back in South Bend.
Here's what he had to say.
Inside ND Sports: What was it like to be back at Notre Dame?
Sanders: "It's felt good to be back. Especially, to finally be back during a game. I finally get to see the atmosphere and what the fans were like, so it felt good."
How much different was this visit compared to the one that you took in the spring?
"It was more different because this visit was it was more of a pregame preview. My last visit was more me seeing around the school."
How much time did you get to spend on campus this time around?
"I was just in South Bend for the day."
How did the game atmosphere kind of live up to your expectations? I know, this was your first game day visit this season. So wanted to see what you thought and your impression. I'm sure it had to be a pretty amazing scene.
"Yeah. I didn't expect it to be as loud as it was. But it definitely passed my expectation. Then, after the game, we were able to storm the field. That was really cool too."
So it sounds like it was a pretty quick turnaround. How much time did you get to talk with the coaching staff at all?
"I wasn't able to talk to them that much. I was supposed to, but I think they got caught up with the commits and stuff. I didn't talk to them for that much."
Obviously a super crazy scene afterward, but maybe even before, were you able to connect with Steven Angeli or Jayden Bellamy?
"Nah, I didn't see Steve, but I saw Jayden for a little bit."
Wow, so it sounds like it was a pretty quick visit for you.
"Yeah, I just wanted to see how the game atmosphere was."
Going to Notre Dame for a second time, did it change your opinion? Or your view of them at all?
"Yeah, definitely upped them a good amount.
"I mean, I wouldn't say they changed how I looked at them, because I knew that the fans are amazing. The only thing that changed was that I didn't know the stadium was that loud.
So when you're at a game like that, how much do you get to watch the actual game and maybe focus on what the defensive backs are doing? Do you get caught following the ball? Or are you able to pay attention to your position?
"It's more like 50-50. I'll be watching what the DBs are doing. Then, sometimes, on certain plays, I'll just look for the ball. And then sometimes I'll be looking at the fans and see how they react."
So it sounds like you're pretty observant?
"Yeah."
What did you make of Benjamin Morrison with those two interceptions? How exciting was it to see some firsthand defensive back success?
"It was crazy. So I was like, 'Wow,' For him to step up this big and get the interceptions — he had a good amount of tackles too — I thought it was amazing to see that."
Was there anything that stuck out to you about watching those guys play in the secondary?
"Nah, just their effort. It seems like their effort is really high."
How surprising was the outcome for you?
"I wasn't that surprised. But I just didn't know they were going to beat them by that much. I knew they were going to win, but I thought it was going to be a pretty close game."
What was the atmosphere like after the game when you guys rushed the field? What happened afterward and was that the first time you've ever experienced something like that?
"Yeah, it was crazy. All their fans were all happy. They were just enjoying the moment just like me. They kind of were treating me like a player too because they were telling me their job and stuff."
Did you get to go in the locker room afterward?
"Yeah, I did for a couple of minutes while coach Freeman was saying their players of the game and after that, he did a prayer."
So moving forward, it sounds like Notre Dame left a pretty good impression on you as it looks moving forward in your recruitment?
"Yeah, a big impression."
Have you connected with them at all since your visit?
"Yeah, I talked to (safeties) coach (Chris) O'Leary the other day and (director of recruiting) coach Chad (Bowden).
Wow, so they are even after on campus they still won't stop bothering you. Well, is there anything you would like to add about the game or your time spent on campus that you liked?
"The food. The food was pretty good too."
Really — what did they serve you guys?
"It seemed like more of a grilled cheese type of day for them. They just had a whole lot of grilled cheese. It was like three different types of cheese in one bread. It was amazing."
Earlier this week, Sanders caught up with Inside ND Sports to discuss his time back in South Bend.
Here's what he had to say.
Inside ND Sports: What was it like to be back at Notre Dame?
Sanders: "It's felt good to be back. Especially, to finally be back during a game. I finally get to see the atmosphere and what the fans were like, so it felt good."
How much different was this visit compared to the one that you took in the spring?
"It was more different because this visit was it was more of a pregame preview. My last visit was more me seeing around the school."
How much time did you get to spend on campus this time around?
"I was just in South Bend for the day."
How did the game atmosphere kind of live up to your expectations? I know, this was your first game day visit this season. So wanted to see what you thought and your impression. I'm sure it had to be a pretty amazing scene.
"Yeah. I didn't expect it to be as loud as it was. But it definitely passed my expectation. Then, after the game, we were able to storm the field. That was really cool too."
So it sounds like it was a pretty quick turnaround. How much time did you get to talk with the coaching staff at all?
"I wasn't able to talk to them that much. I was supposed to, but I think they got caught up with the commits and stuff. I didn't talk to them for that much."
Obviously a super crazy scene afterward, but maybe even before, were you able to connect with Steven Angeli or Jayden Bellamy?
"Nah, I didn't see Steve, but I saw Jayden for a little bit."
Wow, so it sounds like it was a pretty quick visit for you.
"Yeah, I just wanted to see how the game atmosphere was."
Going to Notre Dame for a second time, did it change your opinion? Or your view of them at all?
"Yeah, definitely upped them a good amount.
"I mean, I wouldn't say they changed how I looked at them, because I knew that the fans are amazing. The only thing that changed was that I didn't know the stadium was that loud.
So when you're at a game like that, how much do you get to watch the actual game and maybe focus on what the defensive backs are doing? Do you get caught following the ball? Or are you able to pay attention to your position?
"It's more like 50-50. I'll be watching what the DBs are doing. Then, sometimes, on certain plays, I'll just look for the ball. And then sometimes I'll be looking at the fans and see how they react."
So it sounds like you're pretty observant?
"Yeah."
What did you make of Benjamin Morrison with those two interceptions? How exciting was it to see some firsthand defensive back success?
"It was crazy. So I was like, 'Wow,' For him to step up this big and get the interceptions — he had a good amount of tackles too — I thought it was amazing to see that."
Was there anything that stuck out to you about watching those guys play in the secondary?
"Nah, just their effort. It seems like their effort is really high."
How surprising was the outcome for you?
"I wasn't that surprised. But I just didn't know they were going to beat them by that much. I knew they were going to win, but I thought it was going to be a pretty close game."
What was the atmosphere like after the game when you guys rushed the field? What happened afterward and was that the first time you've ever experienced something like that?
"Yeah, it was crazy. All their fans were all happy. They were just enjoying the moment just like me. They kind of were treating me like a player too because they were telling me their job and stuff."
Did you get to go in the locker room afterward?
"Yeah, I did for a couple of minutes while coach Freeman was saying their players of the game and after that, he did a prayer."
So moving forward, it sounds like Notre Dame left a pretty good impression on you as it looks moving forward in your recruitment?
"Yeah, a big impression."
Have you connected with them at all since your visit?
"Yeah, I talked to (safeties) coach (Chris) O'Leary the other day and (director of recruiting) coach Chad (Bowden).
Wow, so they are even after on campus they still won't stop bothering you. Well, is there anything you would like to add about the game or your time spent on campus that you liked?
"The food. The food was pretty good too."
Really — what did they serve you guys?
"It seemed like more of a grilled cheese type of day for them. They just had a whole lot of grilled cheese. It was like three different types of cheese in one bread. It was amazing."
