Ace Alston remains steady in his commitment to Notre Dame despite the coaching change in the Irish secondary.
The 2027 Ohio cornerback said his conversations with the staff following the departure of defensive backs coach Mike Mickens reinforced his outlook on the program and its direction.
Notre Dame director of recruiting Carter Auman visited the 5-foot-11, 175-pounder last week, giving him a chance to talk through what comes next for the Irish.
“We just talked about the future at Notre Dame,” Alston said of Auman. “He told me the coach we were going to get is going to be one of the best coaches in the country. Everybody was trying to get the DB job. Then we just talked about life and caught up with each other.”
Mickens made a point to contact Alston before news of his departure became public.
“I was a little shocked, but I respect his decision,” Alston said. “He called me before the news got out and I respect that too. He told me he had to make a decision for his family and himself. I wished him luck and congratulated him.”
According to Alston, Mickens also emphasized that he still believed Notre Dame was the best place for Alston despite his departure.
“He told me with head coach Marcus Freeman being there, it’s always going to be a great spot,” Alston said. “Everybody in the country was going to want that job and Coach Freeman was going to do a good job picking the right guy.”
The Irish have since announced former Illinois defensive coordinator Aaron Henry would be taking over for Mickens. Alston already has familiarity with Henry from earlier in the recruiting process.
“I met with him my freshman year when Illinois offered me,” Alston said. “We watched some film together and I enjoyed that day down there. I’m excited to continue building a relationship with him and continue the future with him.”
Alston said the change has not altered his commitment.
“It hasn’t changed anything for me,” Alston said. “Coach Freeman and Coach Henry called me (Monday). I was actually the first recruit he called.
“He told me he already loved it at Notre Dame and he’d only been up there for about six hours. He told me he wants me to keep leading the class and he can’t wait for me to get up there.”
The Anderson High School standout said his relationship with Henry is still in its early stages.
“He’s a cool guy,” Alston said. “I still need to continue building that relationship to give you a full description, but I like him so far.”
As for his status with the Irish, Alston left no ambiguity.
“I’m still 100 percent committed to Notre Dame,” he said.
The Cincinnati native plans to be back on campus soon, including for Junior Day and an official visit later in the year.
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