Notre Dame targets dynamic playmaker Brennen Lacey, whose explosive speed and versatility impress recruiters. He envisions a perfect fit in the Irish offense.
Story by Shaun Davis
Notre Dame is always looking for more playmakers on offense, and one of the more explosive players in the country - Frisco, Texas/Frisco standout Brennen Lacey - made his way to the Irish campus this weekend. Lacey was offered by Notre Dame back in February, but since then the Irish have landed a pair of talented running backs. But that hasn't stopped the Notre Dame staff from going after Lacey, who is more of an all-around playmaker than a pure running back.
Lacey rushed for 537 yards on just 59 carries this past season, scoring eight times on the ground. He also caught 10 passes for 160 yards and two more scores, with Lacey averaging 10.1 yards per touch on offense this season. With Lathan Whisenton and Isaiah Rogers already committed, it's curious why Lacey would still visit campus, but talking to him it didn't take long to understand.
"I’ve always dreamed about playing at Notre Dame,” Lacey told Irish Breakdown. "The visit was great. I got to spend some time with Coach (Ja'Juan) Seider and the recruiting staff and it felt better than I expected. I knew a lot about Notre Dame, but getting to feel in person was amazing. The people are really nice too.
"They’re recruiting me at running back and wide receiver," Lacey continued. "They talked to me about how they can use me and get the ball in my hands in the offense. They said they had a plan for me and I was able to see it."
The 6-0, 185-pounder reportedly runs a 4.32 in the 40, and you can see big time speed when you watch his film. During his visit, the biggest impact was time spent watching practice, where he was able to see himself in the offense as he watched the running backs and wide receivers. One player especially stood out to Lacey, who helped him see just how well he fit into the offense.
"The practice was great," Lacey shared. "They play fast and I like how they get the ball to a lot of different guys on offense. There were a lot of guys making plays, and one of the guys that stood out for me was Bubba Frazier. I think our game is kind of the same."
The conversations with Irish players continued after practice.
"I got to talk to some guys after practice,” Lacey continued. "We were just talking about the school and how things are on campus. I know the history and tradition and I love the campus, but I wanted to know what it was like. It’s an amazing place and I’m blessed to be in this position."
When he was offered, the Irish staff shared how they loved his big play capability and versatility as a runner and pass-catcher. He’s a dynamic athlete that is just beginning to scratch the surface as a running back after starting at wide receiver as a sophomore. The Fighting Irish just produced a Heisman finalist running back that was viewed as a great athlete coming out of high school and Lacey is a big fan that has experienced the culture that helped develop him.
"The staff kept telling me I was a fit for Notre Dame," Lacey explained. "They like my versatility. I know they can develop me because I watch Jeremiyah Love a lot. He’s the number one guy I watch to take things from for my game.”
Lacey is currently a three-star according to 247Sports, but he already earned a 4.0-star grade and a Top 150 caliber ranking on the Irish Breakdown board, but his upside grade is even higher. Lacey has offers from Notre Dame, Ohio State, Miami (Fla.), Florida, Florida State, Texas Tech, TCU, UCLA, Oklahoma State, Houston and Oregon State among others.
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