According to Pete Sampson of The Athletic, part of the recruiting pitch to Will Shipley was he was their only option at running back. They didn’t have much of a board beyond him. Which is nice, except if that option decides his time in college will be spent on another campus. Common sense said Shipley wasn’t going to be their only option forever; they still need a back in the class and even with them making Donovan Edwards their main priority, they needed some other options at the position.
Notre Dame moved very quickly, putting out offers to three star running backs Logan Diggs out of Louisiana, and Alton McCaskill out of Texas.