JotCast | ND Football Live Chat Aug, 29, 2019

ND Football Live Chat Aug, 29, 2019

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Eric Hansen

3:03

OK, that looks like a good place to end things for this week. Thanks for all the great questions. We'll take a bye next week, as the Irish are, and then be back chatting Thursday, Sept. 12 for Bob Davie and New Mexico.

Tim - Pleasant Prairie WI

Tell Tony from Vermont that this isn't a Libertarian podcast....

3:01

To Phil - Litchfield: That makes sense except they USC game is always Thankssgiving weekend, is it not? So they never go there?

Phil - Litchfield CT

2:59

Hi Eric. I don’t think the band travels on Thanksgiving weekend to the west coast. The kids go home for the holiday.

Eric Hansen

2:59

Dave, I don't know where you're from, but that's awfully nice of you to say.

dave

Thanks for letting us see a real pro at work!!!!!!!!!!!!

2:58

No questions, just big thank you for a job well done

Eric Hansen

2:58

I understand why you'd be curious. It would seem like budgets at ND would be stretchable.

Tim - Pleasant Prairie WI

2:56

Re; USC game and band: Thanks for the response. Just odd that, of all the years to worry about the "budget" travelling to USC, that that would be the year with everything that was on the line. I know that annoying USC band seems to always make the trip here.

Eric Hansen

2:56

I think we would have seen more two-back formations this season even if Young and Kmet had started the season healthy. The skill sets of Kyren Williams and Jafar Armstrong make that particularly attractive to use (in tandem with other backs or each other). I think we would have seen more of it last year, but there were very few games in which both Dexter Williams played and Armstrong was fully healthy. How well will ND run the ball? I think the offensive line is better. If Armstrong stays healthy, I think it'll be a more consistent running game, though probably not with as many home run plays.

Jeff Oklahoma City

2:52

Eric, with the loss of Kmet and Young for an extended period of time and the lack of experience behind them, how much do you think we'll see of these two back formations that have been shown some in practice and we were supposed to see last year and really did not? How well will this team be able to run the ball this year? Even though Williams had a great year last year I thought they were very inconsistent establishing a good running game most of the season.

Eric Hansen

2:51

Brock Wright if it requires one tight end on short yardage. If they went to three TEs, you'd see Wright. Tremble and either George Takacs or a backup O-lineman like Josh Lugg or Cole Mabry.

Frank from Canton, Ga

2:50

With Kmet out who will replace him on short yardage packages?

Eric Hansen

2:49

That's a tough ask even with extra time to research, I don't think it's an inordinate amount and only Kevin Stepherson would impact this team on offense of the players who fit in that category.

Terry Mehan

2:49

From Munster, Indiana

Thank you and go Irish

2:47

Given the injury bug that seems to hit every year. The depth at receivers will be tested for sure. Just curious, over the Kelly era, how many players have left or been asked to leave the program?? How many were offensive players?

Eric Hansen

2:46

Leonard has had a nice camp. Punts a bit too. Doesn't have the leg strength of Doerer, but showed the ability to adapt to some tweaks in his mechanics.

Robb, Colorado

2:45

If Doerer struggles on kickoffs and/or extra points and field goals, is the coaching staff confident in Leonard or is he pretty much their only choice at this point?

Eric Hansen

2:44

Tom, there's a lot to unpack in that question(s). The gist of the story Carter Karels wrote (and I talked to Chip Long about this) is that the RPO game for ND means there's less of an urgency for a true dual-threat guy.

Here's what Long told me: "They just have to be able to run out of their shadow, because at the time the RPO wasn’t very big, and you were looking for the great dual-threat guy. The RPO game allows you not to run your quarterback as much.

"If they have speed, great. Then you can add another dimension. They have to be able to run out of their shadow. They have to be able to evade the rush, get what they can and get down and what-not. But I think just accuracy, decision-making, anticipation, being a great leader and what-not and arm strength is the most important right now.

"Be good at something. And we’ll work around it."

Tom Kennesaw, GA

2:36

Hi Eric, well the season is finally here!! My questions are about the QB position. I read somewhere this summer where BK and Coach Long indicated they were changing their priorities in QB traits to put more emphasis on accuracy and less on running ability. With the QB's ND is recruiting over the next couple of years how will that impact Jurkovic if Ian does not come back next year? I think on Media Day Coach Long and Coach Rees indicated they were working with Book to become more of a pocket passer and get his reads quicker so that he did not have to throw on the run so much. This was tried with Golston, Kiser and Wimbush and in my opinion was the main reason they all had poorer second season as a starter than their first. Please tell me why Ian Book won't fall prey to the same result??? Thanks and here is hoping for a great season. Go Irish!!!

Eric Hansen

2:35

Matt, I'd have to go back and look at my stories, since I covered that search. It was a long. long time ago. Might be fun to do after the next coaching search starts.

Matt in Augusta,NJ

2:34

I read your interview with Jack Swarbrick and his comment on writing a book on the other coaches who were interested in Notre Dame when he hired Kelly. It really made me think of who he could be talking about? I remember Kelly being the front runner. Besides the usualremember any other names?

Eric Hansen

2:34

Tim, I eventually ran down the answer, and then have forgotten it since. I believe it had to do with budget, but it's so far out of my lane, I don't even know if that answer makes sense. Not a bad question. You're just asking the wrong person. If you ask me about sushi, fine fashion, opera, flowers and how to rewire your bathroom — all legit topics — you'll get the same vacant look from me. I'm just not thatr well-rounded.

Tim - Pleasant Prairie WI

2:29

Hi Eric. Greetings from the other side of the Cheddar Curtain. A bit off-topic, but last year we went to LA for the USC game and were kind of shocked that they didn't bring the band for the perfect regular season grand finale celebration. I asked you about it at the time and you said you'd ask and get back to me. No big deal at this point, but just wondering what the reasoning was.

Eric Hansen

2:29

Wow. That's tough. Elliott and Gilman set the bar very high and turned that position group around. But I think the 2021 group will be better,

Erik (Granger, IN)

2:28

Thanks for being here! Who will be better the better safety duo in their second year starting together? Elliott/Gilman in 2019 or Hamilton/Griffith in 2021?

Eric Hansen

2:27

I think the areas that needed improvement in that regard were running back and wide receiver. Not just one speed guy, but getting it in abundance. That was an edit in the 2020 recruiting cycle, and the staff responded by getting commitments from its top-of-the-board running back target (Chris Tyree) and wide receiver (Jordan Johnson). Now they need to do it again in the 2021 class.

Barry from Beacon, NY

2:25

Where is ND with regards to overall team speed? Have they recruited enough in this area to compete with Clemson, Alabama, and a few others? Family member played in ACC and said that some teams were sooo fast...

Ray from Chicago

2:24

Of course I really like the rush ends on both sides and the package when Hayes comes in but I would like to see our interior defensive line push the pocket and create some hurries. Is this a spot where some freshman and underclassmen could help?

Eric Hansen

2:24

Well first I need to run them by the Queen of England. Just messing with you Bob. I try to toggle between questions that were submitted early and ones that are coming in now from the readers following along live. If the question is repetitive of any of the earlier one or doesn't include the hometown, I usually shuffle it to the bottom of the deck. If someone asks a question that's going to involve me digging up something, I push that to the back burner and work a little on the research between the other questions, so there's not a long gap. Hope that makes sense for you.

Bob from NYC

2:20

how long does it take to get a question approved?

Eric Hansen

2:20

Sometimes it works that way, and that's certainly a possibility. Jayson Ademilola was a guy who took advantage of a similar situation when Myron Tagovailoa-Amosa went down. He's that much better in 2019 for having had that experience.

Bob from NYC

2:18

Hey Eric, do you think the timing of the injuries to Kmet and young will actually end up benefiting ND, as it allows some of the younger players to get more reps, and theyll return for the later part of the season and bowl season (or if they outplay expectations, CFP)?

Eric Hansen

2:17

Yep. And getting better each day.

Tom

2:17

Windsor Heights, Iowa Is Jacob Lacey the beast that he appears to be ???

Eric Hansen

2:17

I would say there's a bigger gap at boundary receiver, left tackle, left guard and boundary cornerback. Phil Jurkovec had a rough spring and a rough first day of camp. Then something happened, and he's been ascending every since.

Dwight from central Arkansas

2:15

Of all the positions on the offensive & defensive units is there any position where the disparity between starter and backup is more obvious than at quarterback? Is it crucial that Kelly finds playing time for Jurkovec? An injury is only a snap away, and hoping that never happens.

Eric Hansen

2:14

I kind of gave away my answer in a couple of previous questions. If it's going to happen under Kelly, it's most likely to happen in 2021. I do believe it's possible, yes.

Matt from San Diego, CA

2:13

Hi Eric, always appreciate your reporting. Since ND’s 4-8 season a few years ago, Brian Kelly (my opinion) has a done a good job of attracting both the right coordinators / coaches, and has recruited well. My question: is this the best 3 year stretch of ND football you been apart of, and do you honestly feel like ND could win a championship within the next 5 years? Thanks, Eric!

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