Here are some recruiting nuggets for your Thursday morning...
*** With six days until National Signing Day, where does Notre Dame stand with Bakersfield (Calif.) Liberty defensive back Ramon Henderson? I always say to follow the visits when it comes to recruits to give you a good indication on where a prospect is leaning. Henderson confirmed to me that he did not officially visit UCLA last weekend, and he will not visit anywhere this weekend either. He will be with a friend in San Francisco for a visit that has nothing to do with football recruiting.
*** Henderson did take three official visits this fall -- Oklahoma, Notre Dame and Utah -- in that order. OU hasn't been involved for months, and in talking with a source on the Utah side last night, I don't think the Utes are a threat anymore. Brian Kelly, Brian Polian and Clark Lea had a great home visit with Henderson last week, and Terry Joseph was in to see him on Tuesday night. I believe that Joseph's visit sealed the deal. Barring a complete surprise, I feel that Notre Dame has won this recruitment and feel very good about my FutureCast pick that I put in back in July.
*** Henderson on his in-home visit with Joseph: "It was cool. I talked to him before he came to my house at my school. Coach Joseph is a really cool guy. Overall it went well. We talked about how I fit in, how Notre Dame is a great place and a good school. It was just a regular talk."
*** In my update yesterday evening on Notre Dame's 2020 class, I didn't have anything to post on offensive tackle commit Tosh Baker. I heard from the four-star prospect last night, and here's what he had to say about the Long news: "He's a great coach! I'm still 100 percent committed though." This is great, great news. Long and Quinn actually visited Baker last week to watch his basketball game, and Quinn visited Baker's school Tuesday morning. Baker is locked in with the Irish.
*** I don't have anything overly positive or negative to report on tight end pledge Michael Mayer at this moment in time. Of all of Notre Dame's offensive commitments, I believe the recruit that has been shaken up the most about Long's departure has been Mayer. Let me be clear: I do expect Mayer to sign with Notre Dame. Just like I posted yesterday regarding Xavier Watts, who was shocked by the news and his family had to do some thinking but I noted that I still expected him to sign with Notre Dame (click here for the update) -- I think this will be the same end result with Mayer.
*** The word one source close to Mayer used to explain how the elite prospect feels was "confused." Long had an in-home visit just last week with Mayer and at the drop of a hat, Long is out as Notre Dame's OC. Kelly will have an in-home visit with Mayer today, and I believe that the visit will put Mayer at ease. Mayer has not kept in contact with any other schools for quite some time as he's been committed for well over a year, but I was told that a couple of schools started reaching out on Wednesday.
*** Today, Kelly has visits with Mayer, as I just mentioned, and running back Chris Tyree and wide receiver Jay Brunelle. He will see Brunelle first at about 11 a.m. I have absolutely no concerns about Brunelle going elsewhere, and I have very little concerns about Tyree too, as I posted yesterday. I will check in with the recruits and sources following all of these visits though.
*** I still haven't heard much on five-star WR commit Jordan Johnson. Del Alexander visited him at his high school last week, and I was told that Brian Kelly isn't expected to have an in-home visit with Johnson until January. That could change and maybe Kelly is able to head out to St. Louis on Friday to see Johnson, which is the last of the December contact period for home visits. Johnson told me Thursday morning that he was aware of the Chip Long news but I haven't heard anything else back from him. I would be lying if I said I had any additional intel, but my gut says that Johnson stick with Notre Dame.
*** I posted this update Thursday morning on Notre Dame's 2021 commits and have heard from more direct sources since then. Lorenzo Styles tells me that he's "still all in" on his decision. A source close to Tyler Buchner says that "Tyler is really set on ND; it shouldn't affect him at all. He understands how college football coaching works."
*** Notre Dame running backs coach Lance Taylor reached out to tight end commit Cane Berrong this morning, and Berrong spoke with director of recruiting Aaryn Kearney yesterday. Berrong's main point of contact with Notre Dame had been with Long. He was the only coach that he really communicated with, so while that could give you some reason for concern, Berrong, like all of Notre Dame's 2021 pledges, committed to the school first. As long as Notre Dame wants him in the class, which I expect to be the case, then I believe Berrong will stay locked in with the Irish.
*** With six days until National Signing Day, where does Notre Dame stand with Bakersfield (Calif.) Liberty defensive back Ramon Henderson? I always say to follow the visits when it comes to recruits to give you a good indication on where a prospect is leaning. Henderson confirmed to me that he did not officially visit UCLA last weekend, and he will not visit anywhere this weekend either. He will be with a friend in San Francisco for a visit that has nothing to do with football recruiting.
*** Henderson did take three official visits this fall -- Oklahoma, Notre Dame and Utah -- in that order. OU hasn't been involved for months, and in talking with a source on the Utah side last night, I don't think the Utes are a threat anymore. Brian Kelly, Brian Polian and Clark Lea had a great home visit with Henderson last week, and Terry Joseph was in to see him on Tuesday night. I believe that Joseph's visit sealed the deal. Barring a complete surprise, I feel that Notre Dame has won this recruitment and feel very good about my FutureCast pick that I put in back in July.
*** Henderson on his in-home visit with Joseph: "It was cool. I talked to him before he came to my house at my school. Coach Joseph is a really cool guy. Overall it went well. We talked about how I fit in, how Notre Dame is a great place and a good school. It was just a regular talk."
*** In my update yesterday evening on Notre Dame's 2020 class, I didn't have anything to post on offensive tackle commit Tosh Baker. I heard from the four-star prospect last night, and here's what he had to say about the Long news: "He's a great coach! I'm still 100 percent committed though." This is great, great news. Long and Quinn actually visited Baker last week to watch his basketball game, and Quinn visited Baker's school Tuesday morning. Baker is locked in with the Irish.
*** I don't have anything overly positive or negative to report on tight end pledge Michael Mayer at this moment in time. Of all of Notre Dame's offensive commitments, I believe the recruit that has been shaken up the most about Long's departure has been Mayer. Let me be clear: I do expect Mayer to sign with Notre Dame. Just like I posted yesterday regarding Xavier Watts, who was shocked by the news and his family had to do some thinking but I noted that I still expected him to sign with Notre Dame (click here for the update) -- I think this will be the same end result with Mayer.
*** The word one source close to Mayer used to explain how the elite prospect feels was "confused." Long had an in-home visit just last week with Mayer and at the drop of a hat, Long is out as Notre Dame's OC. Kelly will have an in-home visit with Mayer today, and I believe that the visit will put Mayer at ease. Mayer has not kept in contact with any other schools for quite some time as he's been committed for well over a year, but I was told that a couple of schools started reaching out on Wednesday.
*** Today, Kelly has visits with Mayer, as I just mentioned, and running back Chris Tyree and wide receiver Jay Brunelle. He will see Brunelle first at about 11 a.m. I have absolutely no concerns about Brunelle going elsewhere, and I have very little concerns about Tyree too, as I posted yesterday. I will check in with the recruits and sources following all of these visits though.
*** I still haven't heard much on five-star WR commit Jordan Johnson. Del Alexander visited him at his high school last week, and I was told that Brian Kelly isn't expected to have an in-home visit with Johnson until January. That could change and maybe Kelly is able to head out to St. Louis on Friday to see Johnson, which is the last of the December contact period for home visits. Johnson told me Thursday morning that he was aware of the Chip Long news but I haven't heard anything else back from him. I would be lying if I said I had any additional intel, but my gut says that Johnson stick with Notre Dame.
*** I posted this update Thursday morning on Notre Dame's 2021 commits and have heard from more direct sources since then. Lorenzo Styles tells me that he's "still all in" on his decision. A source close to Tyler Buchner says that "Tyler is really set on ND; it shouldn't affect him at all. He understands how college football coaching works."
*** Notre Dame running backs coach Lance Taylor reached out to tight end commit Cane Berrong this morning, and Berrong spoke with director of recruiting Aaryn Kearney yesterday. Berrong's main point of contact with Notre Dame had been with Long. He was the only coach that he really communicated with, so while that could give you some reason for concern, Berrong, like all of Notre Dame's 2021 pledges, committed to the school first. As long as Notre Dame wants him in the class, which I expect to be the case, then I believe Berrong will stay locked in with the Irish.
