Xavier Hasan remains firm in his commitment to Notre Dame despite the program’s transition of defensive backs coaches.
The 2027 North Carolina cornerback has remained in close contact with the Irish during the process, including a visit last week from head coach Marcus Freeman as Notre Dame worked toward filling the vacancy left by Mike Mickens.
“We were just talking about how they were going to find a new coach,” Hasan said. “At the time, they hadn’t hired a DB coach yet.
“Now they did, and I really like him. I was on the phone with him for about 10 or 15 minutes (last week). We were talking, and he’s developed a lot of great DBs, so I’m really excited about it.”
That hire is Aaron Henry, who officially joined the staff last week. The Cardinal Gibbons standout said their initial conversation focused more on introductions than logistics.
“He was just introducing himself and telling me about himself, and I was talking about myself,” Hasan said. “We didn’t really get that far yet.”
What stood out immediately was how Henry carries himself.
“I really liked him,” Hasan said. “He’s a great person. He’s not just a football coach. You need somebody you can go talk to about pretty much anything. That’s a big part of my recruitment and the school I want to go to.”
While Mickens played a significant role in his decision, Hasan said the timing of the replacement mattered less than the fit.
“It didn’t really bother me how long it took,” Hasan said. “I just wanted to know who they were deciding between. I know I can mesh pretty well with a lot of people.”
For Hasan, patience was preferable to rushing the decision.
“I’d rather them take their time and get a good coach instead of going fast and getting a decent coach.”
Mickens’ departure still caught him off guard, though.
“It was surprising,” Hasan said. “I thought I would at least get one year with him before he went to the NFL. But I’m happy for him. That’s a good thing that he ended up going to the NFL.”
And, nothing has changed with Hasan’s standing in the class.
“It’s still very strong,” he said. “Still 100 percent committed to Notre Dame.”
The Raleigh, N.C., native plans to be back in South Bend soon, with March’s recruiting event and an official visit down the road next on his calendar.
“I’m definitely coming back for Junior Day and an OV.”
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