Getting back to Notre Dame was important for Irish CB commit Karson Hobbs

On3 imageby:Mike Singer01/18/23

MikeTSinger

Cincinnati Archbishop Moeller class of 2024 cornerback and Irish pledge Karson Hobbs woke up way too early so that he could get up to Notre Dame for its junior day recruiting event this past Saturday.

He left before 5 a.m. for the four-hour drive up to South Bend and didn’t get home until 8:15 p.m. that night. Oh, and the high school junior made the drive himself.

Now that is some dedication.

“I wanted to make sure I spent time with Coach [Marcus] Freeman, Coach [Mike] Mickens and Coach [Al] Golden,” he said. “And I knew there’d be some other guys who weren’t yet committed. I know Dorian Brew, and he got the offer. If I can make connections and try to get these kids to commit early, that’s my role as a committed player — to recruit. That was my job.

“I had an amazing time there. But I was really wanting to recruit the other guys who haven’t made their minds up about Notre Dame. We’re trying to get as many recruits tapped in as much as possible.”

One player who Hobbs was in the ear of was Fort Wayne (Ind.) North Side class of 2024 athlete Tae Johnson. Hobbs’ pitch to him was rather simple.

“You have no reason not to come here,” Hobbs noted. “You live in Indiana. We talked about it. The coaches said he could play receiver or safety here.”

All seven of Notre Dame’s commits in the 2024 class were on campus, which was another major highlight to the visit experience for Hobbs. And he credits Notre Dame’s director of recruiting for getting everyone together.

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“It was so fun. I really did have a great time,” he said. “Chad Bowden played a big role in us being able to spend time together. He really puts the work in. He helps keep us connected and talks to us every day. He made sure that we all came up to junior day.”

Mickens, who will be Hobbs’ position coach for the Fighting Irish in 2024, is a huge part of this recruitment as well.

“Coach Mickens and I are getting really close,” Hobbs said. “It’s to the point where in the spring, I want to come up once or twice per month to just learn the defense better.”

It’s safe to say that Hobbs, who ranks as the No. 31 cornerback nationally per On3’s 2024 rankings, is locked in with his Irish pledge. The in-state Ohio State Buckeyes reached out and expressed interest in Hobbs, but he’s all Notre Dame.

“I will never leave Notre Dame,” he said. “It’s my dream. It’s where I want to be.”

Hobbs committed to the Fighting Irish last November.

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