Harry Hiestand And Relationships Made Notre Dame A No-Brainer For Sam Pendleton
It has been a fascinating recruitment for Pfafftown (N.C.) Ronald Reagan offensive lineman Sam Pendleton, who recently committed to Notre Dame. The 6-4, 305-pound standout went from relative unknown to hot target to Notre Dame commit in just a few months.
After originally releasing a top five schools back in February, which included Virginia Tech, Penn State, NC State, Clemson and Michigan. Notre Dame then offered on March 16th, which immediately reopened Pendleton’s recruitment after Harry Hiestand identified the North Carolina product as a good fit.
Immediately after that offer, Pendleton told the Irish Breakdown staff that “Notre Dame was a program he had wanted to hear from since the beginning of his recruitment.” Clearly there was intrigue before that offer was even extended.
Just a couple weeks after that Irish offer, Pendleton made it a priority to get on campus in South Bend. That early April visit was a needle mover of the decision making process for Pendleton.
“The visit really exposed me to what Notre Dame is as a university and as a football program,” Pendleton explained. “I got to see everything from engineering to my film evaluation with Coach Hiestand. That was what really made me do my research and pray about Notre Dame.”
If there was anything made clear of the Pendleton family, it’s that they are a great unit with a deep religious belief and trust for their decision making process. His parents have allowed Sam to explore the possibilities himself, trusting in him to make a great decision. That involves a lot of research and trust in what his heart told him.
“About a week or so after the visit I had done my research and found that Notre Dame was everything I was looking for and then I had that gut feeling as well,” Pendleton explained. “That was when I knew that it was where I wanted to play.”
That meant that in just over a month after offering Pendleton a scholarship, Hiestand and the Notre Dame staff had convinced him to join the Irish program. But Notre Dame wasn’t just a decision based upon the football program. It wasn’t just a choice based upon a coaching relationship. The Irish program represented the best of every world.
“Some of the big factors would have to be a combination of things,” he began to explain. “One, Coach Hiestand and what he has proven that he can do with regards to developing linemen.”
It cannot be undersold how important Hiestand was in this particular recruitment. Not only did he identify him in the first place, the relationship that has developed between the two has also been paramount.
Relationships have been a huge element for Pendleton. It stretches far past just his relationship with the coaching staff. His future teammates are also very important to making sure that his fit is sound.
“Two, the family like team dynamics within the program,” Pendleton continued. “Three, the education and opportunities that a Notre Dame degree opens up for you with regards to a career.”
Lastly, it’s probably the thing that most take away from Notre Dame. It isn’t just about the present. It is also about all the greatness that preceded him.
“Four, the Tradition,” Pendleton explained. “I love the rich tradition that Notre Dame has and I wanted to always go somewhere with a great tradition.”
Pendleton’s decision was thoroughly thought out with a lot of criteria analyzed. Calling him an ideal Notre Dame fit is underselling the character he boasts.
Hiestand got on to the board for the 2023 recruiting class, making Pendleton the first offensive lineman in the class. It was a busy April for the program and doesn’t look to be slowing down anytime soon.
The Notre Dame coaching staff has been relentless on the recruiting trail this cycle already, boasting the top rated class across every major recruiting platform. That doesn’t look like it is slowing down anytime soon either.
Pendleton earned a four-star, Top 250 player grade on the Irish Breakdown grading system. He is also ranked as a four-star recruit and the nation's No. 238 overall player and the No. 5 player in North Carolina by Rivals.
Pendleton also earned offers from Miami (Fla.), Penn State, Tennessee, North Carolina, Stanford, Virginia Tech, Boston College, South Carolina, Virginia, Kentucky, Louisville, West Virginia and Duke.
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