SOUTH BEND, Ind. — Marcus Freeman did an advanced scout on five-star defensive end Brenan Vernon before the Ohio prospect made Notre Dame one of his stops on a whirlwind tour of June visits that took him from Columbus to Tuscaloosa to South Bend. Vernon had not given away much in his recruitment beyond his measurables (6-foot-5, 245 pounds) and hometown of Mentor, which isn’t just Buckeyes country, it’s one of its strongholds. But Vernon let Notre Dame in at least a little bit, revealing a devotion to Vans shoes. They were Vernon’s thing. Notre Dame didn’t ask why. It just went with it. Then Freeman, the defensive coordinator, went out and bought the entire defensive staff Vans to wear when Vernon arrived on campus last week. “We need to spend less time pitching to these kids on ‘Why Notre Dame?’ and more time on what is important to them,”…
Continue Reading: Notre Dame lands 5-star defensive end Brenan Vernon from Ohio State stronghold
