If you follow Notre Dame basketball, one of the highlights of “The Fight” undoubtedly was Alex Wilcox’s conversation with Mike Brey. Since the event revolved around the battle against COVID-19 and there’s really not much else to discuss these days, it only made sense to talk about the basketball program’s issues related to that.
Brey talked briefly about “The Fight” itself and reminisced about his team’s experience when the college basketball season was halted. Most notable in the conversation was how Brey’s recruiting efforts have changed during this pandemic. Like with everyone else, a lot of it has been accomplished through Zoom. While it’s not the same as going on the road or having recruits come to campus, it did help them land Santa Clara transfer Trey Wertz.
Like every coach, Brey has to use any method necessary during this time to go after talent either still in high school or looking for a different collegiate opportunity. No one knows how long this will go on or what effect this will have on the future, both short- and long-term. All we know is one thing that will never change: If you don’t stay aggressive, you’ll lose out on a player you really want. The football program already has suffered recruiting setbacks in part because of the virus, and it’s what the basketball program doesn’t need.