Blue & Gold Illustrated: America's Foremost Authority on Notre Dame Football
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46 OCT. 19, 2024 BLUE & GOLD ILLUSTRATED BY JACK SOBLE W hen five-star small forward Jalen Haralson visited Notre Dame and watched film with the coaching staff, they didn't show him his highlights. Head coach Micah Shrewsberry and company went through the parts of Haralson's game he needed to work on. That's how the La Porte (Ind.) La Lumi- ere star, and the No. 13 player in the On3 Industry Ranking, wants to be coached. "Everything he said was genuine," Haralson told Blue & Gold Illustrated. "He had a real plan for me to get to my main goal. I trust him." Haralson believed in Shrewsberry, both on and off the court. He also has a great relationship with assistant coach Ryan Owens, dating back to Ow- ens' days with the Indy Heat EYBL 17U team, for whom Haralson plays during the spring and summer. This was not about trailblazing for Haralson, who will be Notre Dame's highest-ranked signee in the internet recruiting era if he remains commit- ted through Nov. 13. It's about trust in a coaching staff to take him to the next level. "There's a lot of coaches that say they'll do one thing, but [Shrewsberry] showed me his plan and he's done it be- fore," Haralson said. "I trust him and his staff. It's a great staff. It's a great school. It's a culture I want to be a part of and help build." Owens, who leads Notre Dame's in- state recruiting efforts, built a connec- tion with Haralson early. Shrewsberry did, too, as soon as he got the job with the Irish. Even head football coach Mar- cus Freeman played a part in Haralson's recruitment. "He actually texted me when I com- mitted, telling me that he's excited," Haralson said. "It's going to be tough, it's going to be a challenge, but it's going to help me in the long run. "He's a resource for when I get there, somebody I can know has my best inter- ests at heart." Haralson didn't tell Shrewsberry and the staff about his decision until about 30 minutes before he told the public. When he made the call, he could tell his future coach was nervous, so he told him right away. Shrewsberry then started screaming. "I was excited," Haralson said. "He was excited. We were all excited. … It was a great overall day." The day ended with Shrewsberry and Owens making the trip to La Lumiere, hopping in the car as soon as they got off the phone with Haralson. They em- braced their newest addition, shared emotional laughter and met several members of his family. In a way, that moment encapsulates why Haralson made the decision to join the Irish. "It was like an instant click with ev- erything," Haralson said. "It is a cul- ture that I wanted to be a part of, and I wanted to help continue to grow." 'ALL THE GUYS WE NEED' Haralson took his official visit alongside two of his future teammates: four-star Indianapolis Cathedral power forward Brady Koehler (his teammate with Indy Heat) and four-star Phillips Exeter (N.H.) Academy small forward Ryder Frost. The Irish landed all three. Four-star St. Paul (Minn.) Cretin-Derham Hall center Tommy Ahneman was the next domino to fall. "That was one of the guys on our wish list," Haralson said. "We needed a big man." Koehler was a public Notre Dame commit, and Frost was a silent com- mit when Haralson made his announce- ment. With Ahneman in the fold, though, the Anderson, Ind., native is dreaming big. "I feel like we got all the guys we need to make a deep run next year, when we all get on campus," Haralson said. In particular, the 6-foot-6 small for- ward was particularly impressed with the team's shooting when he visited practice this fall. He believes Notre Dame will be one of the best three-point shooting teams in the nation, despite tying for 289th (with Kansas State) in three-point accuracy last season at 31.77 percent. That's good news for a player listed as a small forward but who often acts as a lead guard. Shooting isn't his strength right now, but Haralson wants to be a player who can do a little bit of every- thing on the court. Five-Star Jalen Haralson Details Why He Chose Notre Dame Harrelson, seen here with Notre Dame head coach Micah Shrewsberry, is part of a four-man recruiting class that was rated No. 4 nationally per the On3 Industry Ranking as of Oct. 10. PHOTO COURTESY JALEN HARALSON MEN'S B A S K E T B A L L "It's a great staff. It's a great school. It's a culture I wanted to be a part of and help build." HARALSON ON NOTRE DAME