Coach | 2025 WR Commit Shaun Terry II Fits The Mold Of Notre Dame

Shaun Terry II‍ wasn’t concerned about running an important 40-yard dash with little training in cold weather.

The 2025 Ohio receiver understood Notre Dame didn’t have an official time on him and that it was the final box that needed to be checked, so he took a mini break from his basketball season and ran a time that was obviously acceptable to the Irish.

He wasn’t worried about how he’d perform on short notice in 40-degree weather.

“He's a competitor, man,” Ironton High School assistant Jerrod Pendleton tells Irish Sports Daily. “He's not arrogant or cocky, but he's the type of kid if he was playing LeBron James in basketball or going against the Kansas City Chiefs defense, he believes he is the best player on the field. 

“His belief in his own abilities is very rare. He's not scared of the spotlight. He is not scared of the moment. He's an unreal competitor.”

That competitive spirit put Terry in a position to do what he wanted to do and after running the 40, it was obvious he wanted to commit to the Irish, so he did so a couple days later, in mid-February.

Two of Notre Dame’s newest staff members - wide receivers coach Mike Brown and offensive coordinator Mike Denbrock - played major roles in landing Terry.

“He has a really good relationship with Coach Brown,” Pendelton says of the assistant, who had been recruiting Terry heavily to Wisconsin prior to coming to South Bend.

“He knew a lot about Coach Denbrock and the style of play that he played down at LSU with the receivers. They had them two top wide receivers in the country, both played for him last year at LSU. They like to sling it all over the yard and Shaun likes that part of the game.”

Terry also liked the Irish’s plan for him.

“They talked to him about being a punt returner, kick returner, which he loves that part too,” Pendelton says. “He's been a punt returner his whole life and a kick returner. 

“The prestige of Notre Dame just set the bar so high compared to other schools. He loved the discipline and the structure of the program. I think those were major selling points.”

Terry’s trip to South Bend in January, when he picked up his Notre Dame offer, had set the bar.

“I think the staff did an excellent job that day with that Junior Day,” Pendelton says. “They really rolled out the red carpet for those kids. They were all dressed up as leprechauns and all that stuff. They got to play some games, I guess, and compete with a couple of the recruits and got to meet the staff. It was a small group. I think Shaun said there were only like 25 kids there, so he really liked that part of it. 

“He loved the history and to see how nice the Notre Dame campus was and the program. He loves the history of the program.”

And Pendelton is convinced it’s a great fit off the field as well.

“He's just an excellent kid,” the coach says. “He's very disciplined. He's working out twice a day right now. He works out in the morning and then during school. He's also playing basketball plus keeping a 4.0 GPA. 

“He's a spiritual kid too. He's constantly talking about God and that fits that mold of Notre Dame and the culture there. The discipline and structure I think was big for him.”

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