Following his official visit this weekend, it’s an experience the four-star receiver from Gainesville, Ga., wants to be a part of.
On Sunday, back home at his Gainesville, Ga., home, Jones called up Notre Dame assistant coach Rob Ianello, and gave the Irish staff his verbal commitment.
“They said awesome, and they’re looking forward to receiving the application and getting me enrolled in January.”
The 6-foot, 182-pound Jones becomes the 16th verbal commitment in Notre Dame’s recruiting class-of-2010. The future Under Armour All-American is the third receiver to give the Irish his pledge, joining Daniel Smith (South Bend, Ind.) and Bennett Jackson (Hazlet, N.J.).
Heading into this weekend, Jones was a verbal commit to Stanford, doing his due diligence and making sure he was making the right decision. He had been to Notre Dame twice in the past. Once last fall to watch the Irish play Michigan and see his father Andre’s 1988 National Championship team honored, and then again for a junior day in January.
“Not staying overnight at Notre Dame the first time I visited, and not hanging out with their players and not getting the atmosphere on a good day when it’s not raining and snowing, made me miss out a lot on what they stand for and represent, and that’s definitely a big aspect,” Jones explained. “Finding out what they stand for and represent as a football team and a college was really big for me.
“I would like to thank the Stanford coaches, specifically coach (Jim) Harbaugh, coach (Willie) Taggart, and coach (David) Shaw, and all the alumni and administrators I spoke to from Stanford regarding their genuineness and how much they truly cared about me. But at the end of the day, I just felt it was a better opportunity for me with the Irish.”
As a junior, Jones caught 81 passes for 1,300 yards and 13 touchdowns. He racked up over 30 scholarship offers from places like Ohio State, UCLA, Alabama, Auburn and Oregon before committing to Stanford back in April. Taking in the Irish atmosphere and a one-on-one conversation with Notre Dame head coach Charlie Weis showed him that South Bend was the place for him.
“Coach Weis told me the way he runs things is the best will play,” Jones began. “Whether you’re a freshman or a red shirt senior, you’re going to play if you’re the best. That shows me he gives every player an equal chance, and you can come in and be the new kid on the block and still get a chance and that seems fair.”
Jones arrived with his father at Notre Dame on Friday afternoon, and got to take in all the weekend’s football festivities before leaving.
“It was great. I got to see a lot of aspects of Notre Dame I missed out on the first two times I visited, so it was definitely a much needed trip.
“I got to see the tradition that the players play with, and with the fans and what they exhibit before the game with the Irish walk, and how they take the whole day and they surround it with football. I also got to see the chemistry that the team played with, and no matter how the game went, they’re always being optimistic and thinking they can come back and win.”
Notre Dame’s 34-27 loss to No. 6 USC showed him that the Irish are close to taking the next step as a program.
“I do feel they’re moving in the right direction, and with the right players they could get over the hump. They showed a lot taking USC to the last second of the game, and they were coming in as a true underdog and a lot of people weren’t giving them a chance.”
Jones was hosted by Irish players Cierre Wood, Manti Te’o and Toryan Smith.
“They showed me a great time. They didn’t make me feel like a recruit. They made me feel like I was already there and a part of the team, and that says a lot about their character and the team because they are the type of guys I could be around for the next four or five years.”
Jones had a visit setup with Alabama for next weekend, and with Oregon in November, but will not be making those trips.
“It feels good,” Jones stated. “A big burden to get off my chest. Now that I’m completely done, I can put my focus on the rest of the season and make a run for state.”
For Andre Jones, his son’s verbal commitment has yet to set in.
“It still hasn’t completely come to fruition mentally that I’ll have a son donning the blue and gold,” a proud Jones exclaimed. “It’s kind of inspiring that a part of me will be at Notre Dame again so to speak.
“I think everybody is still kind of in awe that the time that he had at Notre Dame over the weekend was so genuine and magnificent in its presentation, that it moved him to the point that he felt he could optimize his athletic and academic career best there.
"I went to dinner with Tony Rice, Dean Brown and Pat Terrell last night and had the opportunity to speak with them, and they were enamored that we all came through 18 years ago, and we’re standing on the sideline, and looking behind me we see the next generation of kids, and in there was my kid. The way I look at it, TJ just picked up 100 new uncles, and they’ll be more tuned to the games now and have a fan favorite.”
