Kellan Hall is staying engaged with Notre Dame even with recent defensive staff movement and the Irish are still projecting him as a versatile piece moving forward.
Irish assistant defensive line coach Nick Sebastian stopped by to see the elite 2028 Kentucky defensive lineman last week and to outline how Notre Dame views his fit amid the changes.
“He just gave me their plan since Coach (Al) Washington made the switch and he just talked to me about their new guy that they got from the Indianapolis Colts and how good he is,” Hall said.
“He talked to me about their plan for me in the future and how they see me going, how they see me fitting in.”
The 6-foot-4, 265-pounder said that vision centers on flexibility along the defensive front.
“They still see me as an edge, but I can also work inside from a three all the way to a nine,” Hall said. “Matchup nightmare. That’s exactly how I see myself and they see the same thing.
“We’re speaking the same language and they definitely have a lot of ways to get me one-on-one and get me in situations where I can be the guy that’s going to make the plays for them on Saturdays.”
The Louisville native said one of the next steps in his recruitment is connecting directly with new defensive line coach Charlie Partridge, a conversation he had not yet had as of late last week.
“That is the next move in this recruitment process, especially with the new changes,” said Hall.
Partridge’s background made a positive impression on Hall even without extended conversation.
“I like it,” Hall said. “I didn’t know too much about him going into it, but he’s coached a lot of good guys and he’s put a lot of good guys in The League, so he has a great résumé that speaks for itself.”
The Christian Academy standout said Washington’s recent moves took him by surprise, but emphasized that it did not change how he feels about Notre Dame.
“I was a little caught off guard because he made the linebacker switch so recently, then he made the switch to the Dolphins,” Hall said. “He kind of caught me by surprise, but I definitely want Coach Washington to do what makes him happy and what he thinks is best for him.
“He’s got a family to take care of and a lot of people counting on him, so I feel like that was something that if he felt it was right, he should go after what his heart desires.”
Asked whether the staff changes altered his outlook on Notre Dame, Hall was clear.
“It does not,” he said. “It was definitely a huge reason, but it’s still Notre Dame at the end of the day. It sucks Coach Washington won’t be there to be a part of the journey if I do decide to go to Notre Dame, but it does not change anything.”
In addition to Notre Dame, Hall’s offer sheet includes schools like Alabama, Arkansas, Georgia, Indiana, Kentucky, Louisville, Maryland, Michigan, Missouri, Nebraska, Ohio State, Oklahoma, SMU, Tennessee, Vanderbilt and Wisconsin among many others.
Looking ahead, Hall said he is aiming to get back on campus for spring practice if he can.
“Maybe,” Hall said. “If my schedule lines up and we get the right dates down, then yes sir, that’s definitely the goal.”
Whenever he gets back to South Bend, he plans to evaluate how the defensive staff jells together and how the unit shapes up with the new configuration.
“Just see how he operates things and how they operate with the new coaching changes,” Hall said. “Just see how well they’re jelling together and what the season looks like from a position group and also as a defense as a whole.”
Hall also has plans for other visits in the months ahead, mentioning schools like Missouri, Kentucky and Indiana among those he hopes to see.
