Notre Dame Zoom Call Impresses Rivals250 RB
Denison (Texas) High’s Jadarian Price gave Notre Dame its first running back pledge in the 2022 class when he committed in February, and the coaching staff is looking to pair Price with another talented player.
Memphis (Tenn.) Christian Brothers’ Dallan Hayden has been a priority for Notre Dame for several months, and his communication with the Irish staff includes Zoom calls on about a weekly basis.
BlueandGold.com learned that Hayden and his family had a Zoom call with Notre Dame offensive coordinator Tommy Rees and running backs coach Lance Taylor on Monday night.
The purpose of the call was all about football. Rees and Taylor broke down Hayden’s film and showed him how he’d fit in in South Bend on the field.
“It went really well,” Hayden said. “Coach Taylor showed me how he sees me in their offense and picked out clips of plays my high school runs that they run, too.”
About a week and a half ago, Hayden was on a Zoom call with Notre Dame head coach Brian Kelly and the offensive staff. They were having a meeting and had Hayden join in.
“We didn’t talk a lot about football, but they asked about my family and how the dead period being extended is impacting me,” Hayden told BlueandGold.com after the call.
Hayden announced a top four schools list of Notre Dame, Ohio State, Oregon and Tennessee on Jan. 1. Illinois is a newer addition to the race, having offered on Jan. 20. The Illini have a new coach in Bret Bielema and a family tie as Hayden's older brother, Chase, will play for them this year as a graduate transfer. He began his career at Arkansas under Bielema.
The in-state Volunteers also have a unique selling point. Hayden’s father, Aaron Hayden, played running back for Tennessee in the early 1990s before spending four years in the NFL.
Rivals ranks Hayden as the No. 8 player in Tennessee, and the nation’s No. 12 running back and No. 159 overall prospect.
In just nine games during the 2020 season, Hayden rushed for 2,010 yards and 24 touchdowns on 232 carries.
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