JotCast | ND Hoops preseason chat

ND Hoops preseason chat

Thomas Noie

2:31

Looks like our question queue finally has run dry after five hours. That will do it today, but we'll be back again next month (we'll go monthly until league play gets rolling in January. Thanks to all who dropped in for a few minutes (or a few hours) today. Let's do it again in November!

2:09

Andrew: Phonz going in this year is a natural. Then you have, have, have to get to John Paxson and John Shumate. Then Pat Garrity and Chris Thomas before you look hard at the more recent Mike Brey guys before Mike Brey leaves (he's signed through 2024025). Of that group? Matt Carroll, Pat Connaughton and Jerian Grant, Bonzie Colson. There's my short list. Who goes first? Second? The whole order to everything was thrown out the window when Luke Harangody went in first. Never should've happened in that order - never before Carr or Dantley. Ever. But I get it. Even though it was awkward with a capital AWK....

Andrew from Plymouth, IN

2:07

Since someone brought up the Ring of Honor let's hear who you think the next few guys to get in will be. I'd love to see Ryan Hoover get in.

Thomas Noie

1:51

Jenn: Not enough to seriously consider making a run at it while bypassing several really good offers overseas. The pandemic really hurt Mooney's chances to make a name for himself, be it at the Portsmouth Invitational, where he would've crushed it, or the NBA combine, again, where he would've shined, or just any individual/small group workouts for NBA teams in the runup to the 2020 draft. All of that got wiped out, so he really had to grab the first real good offer overseas (which he did in playing in Australia). It was only a little different this offseason, where he played one summer league game with the Bucks after having already agreed to a deal in Japan. He might get a longer look if everything gets back to normal next summer.

Jenn (Chicago)

1:48

Did John Mooney receive any interest from the NBA after his first season overseas?

Thomas Noie

1:48

Mike: Continue in his evolution of being a really good college guard. That means shooting a higher percentage from 3 (.352 last year). And stringing a few big shots together. He always seems to be a guy who's going to make one 3, then miss his next two or three, even though they're wiiiiiiiiide open. So knock down a few more shots at big moments and be a better defender. That's across the board, though. Not just with No. 23. He's been a guy who wants to be coached hard, and he's been coached hard this offseason. Let's see it pay off.

Mike from NYC

1:46

Tom, what are your expectations for Goodwin this year? It would be great to see that 3 point % get close to or over 40%...

Thomas Noie

1:46

Erik: Remember late last year when Notre Dame lost four in a row and five of seven and six of 10, including that ACC tournament game when it trailed by 52 at one point? There were moments when myself and a couple of other guys on the beat would watch and think out loud, yeah that guy's leaving. He's leaving too. And maybe him. Heck, maybe everybody. Anybody. Then what happened? Nobody who was going to be a key part of the plan this season left. Everybody came back. That says something about the program, and about these guys. That they're about more than just chasing the elusive playing time. They get it. They're in it for the long haul and they believe they can do it here. Now they have to go and do it. And don't be mistaken - if you jump into the portal with Notre Dame next to your name, somebody's going to be interested.

Erik (Granger, IN)

1:43

With all the transfer portal movement around the country, has Brey done anything specific to keep these guys around? Or are they just “ND” guys at heart? Or has their lack of success the last few years lowered their free agent value and no one would pick them up anyway?

Thomas Noie

1:41

Erik: Whooooooaaaaa. The core of these guys never did ride the pine as freshmen. Remember, that was the year Rex Pflueger blew out his knee and T.J. Gibbs was, well, T.J. Gibbs and the young guys had to play way before they were ready. But yes, you're right in that they never have had success, which is a red flag that kind of lurks in the background. These guys have to go and do it now having not ever done in before in the past. Talk about some blind faith, right?

Erik (Granger, IN)

1:39

Mike Brey has always done well with old teams. Well, they don’t get much older than this team. Is this the year they finally break through, or is the fact they never witnessed success while riding the pine make the difference compared to previous Brey old teams?

Thomas Noie

1:39

Erik: All right, everyone gather around and we'll lay this out for all to understand. Mike Brey has added two new assistant coaches and one new administrative assistant to his staff this year. That also includes moving former swingman Scott Martin back from his role last year as an assistant coach to an administrative spot this year. So the staff, in order, is associate head coach Anthony Solomon, who's in charge of the defense, player development. Ryan Humphrey, who tutors the bigs, former Irish guard Antoni Wyche who works with the guards. Martin is in the Director of Basketball Operations role vacated by Harold Swanagan, who joined Jack Swarbrick's staff. Also in an administrative role is Patrick Rogers, a Notre Dame graduate. who also has been a student manager/video assistant with hoops before working the last five years with Martin Ingelsby at Delaware. Whew, that's a lotta change for a staff that rarely had....

Erik (Granger, IN)

1:33

Thanks for being here! Now that there’s been some shifting on the coaching staff, will you please break down who is here and what their roles are?

Thomas Noie

1:33

Justin: LaPhonso Ellis will be the next former Irish players inducted into the program's Ring of Honor at halftime of the Dec. 11 game against Kentucky. Mike Brey has the strongest say on who goes in and when, but surely he also considered the gotta-have guys in John Paxson and Pat Garrity and John Shumate and well. Phonz is certainly right there as well. Have said it often that you can't find a nicer human being than him. He was an NBA lottery pick as a player, but as a person, first-ballot consensus Hall of Famer. He's the best.

Justin, Ft. Wayne

1:30

Tom, I’m happy that LaPhonso got picked to go into the Ring of Honor. Was there any other former player that was considered or did they have there mind set on LaPhonso?

Thomas Noie

1:30

David: A little early to dive deeply into Saint Mary's just yet, but you know what you're going to get with a veteran team with old guys who know how to play. And win. Saint Mary's was picked to finish third in the West Coast Conference behind Gonzaga and BYU. That's going to be a sneaky tough game out of the gate for Notre Dame in Vegas. Goes back to the earlier question about what needs to happen for the Irish in non-league to ensure a good ACC run. Beating Saint Mary's and Oregon early in Vegas would be one of the first signs that this isn't the same Notre Dame team.

David

1:27

Tom do you know much about St. Mary's? I know they usually come in second in the WCC and sometimes make the tournament. Do you like Notre Dame's chances against them in the opening game of the Maui Classic. IMO this is a huge non conference game as a loss will most likely put us in a meaningless second game against Chaminade since they are not a division one program. If we can beat St. Mary's we will then most likely play Oregon who is ranked in the top #15. A victory over St. Mary's is important as it will help our OCC schedule rating.

Thomas Noie

1:24

Dan: I'd like to see Prentiss Hubb or Nate Laszewski be the main guys, mainly because so much is on their shoulders. Cormac Ryan has something about him in that he was named a captain even before he played a game so there's a start. But consistency is an issue with Ryan and Wertz and Goodwin. As good as you are one game, you better be better the next. That hasn't happened. Would be nice this year.

Dan - Chicago

1:22

Tom, do you think Ryan could develop into the 'main man' for ND this year? I just have a feeling he might...

Thomas Noie

1:21

David: Only in Digger's mind, or VCR collection. And you know he's not parting ways with any of those! lol I wish I had better news or suggestions. And no, I wasn't on the beat back then. I was still in grade school.

David

1:20

Good morning Tom. A little off topic but hopefully you can answer this or maybe one of the readers can. For younger fans we have not had the chance to watch Notre Dame games back in the glory days of 74-81. I tried to watch some games on YOUTUBE but the content pretty much only has games we lost. In fact there's not one NCAA tournament game available that we won besides the last 2 minutes of the 76 win over Cincinnati. It would be nice to watch the victory over DePaul in 78 as that was the only win in our programs history that put us in the final four. It would also be nice to watch Adrian Dantley play in the tournament. Are any of Notre Dame's tournament wins under Digger available anywhere?

Thomas Noie

1:20

Jake: I knew you'd see the Prentiss Hubb light! Took you some time, but you came around! lol They look a little different offensively in this regard - the first shot might just be the best shot. Like Nate Laszewski - how many times did he have an open look, only to ball fake and reverse it. Kind of threw everything out of whack. They had to readjust on the fly and were left in late clock situations where the ball became a hot potato - you take it, no you take it, no I'm not going to take it - until Hubb is left with the grenade seconds before it blows up. Now if they reverse the ball - or even when they don't - and Laszewski or somebody is open, shoot it.

Jake from a small town in Washington State

1:17

Tom, there has been lots of talk on improving defense, rightfully so. Has there been any work done on the offensive side of the ball to make sure Hubb isn't stuck dribbling while the others just watch as the shot clock winds down? (Question coming from a previous Hubb critic that you convinced me otherwise)

Thomas Noie

1:17

Bill: Great observation - the resurgence of Notre Dame football is a result of Brian Kelly knowing he had to change the way he ran his program, or he wouldn't be around. So he changed. Look at the results. Same now goes for Mike Brey, who changed more than I ever thought this offseason with reshuffling his staff and bringing in some new voices. Let's see how it works. What would have to happen to give you hope early? Easy. Notre Dame just flat-out rolls over a few non-league opponents. Goes up 20 in the first half and just keeps tightening the screws. Would mean there's more of an edge to this group than previous teams. Also, beat Kentucky. Or Illinois. Or Indiana. Or two of three. Or all three. Don't get one, man, it's going to make it really hard to see anything changing in league play. Opportunity will knock for this group. They have to answer.

Bill from Stone Harbor

1:13

Just an observation, but I find it interesting that over the past 5 years, the ND football and basketball teams have reversed course. For most of the 2000s, football would never live up to the hype and basketball would outperform their expectations and now the opposite seems to be happening. What would be a development that would occur before conference play that would give you confidence that this team could finish in the top half of the ACC and challenge for a 6-8 seed in the NCAAs?

Thomas Noie

1:12

Kevin: All bigs who want to play might want to take a long look at Notre Dame. That has to be Priority One in the 2023 class, but then again, does it? Recruiting now is in this funky/fuzzy world because of the immediacy that is the transfer portal. If you're a college coach, what do you do? Allocate a lot of time and resources to recruit a kid that you may or may not get, or simply cherry-pick a ready-made contributor from the portal? Tough call, especially for a program like Notre Dame that likes to develop guys over four and five years, but also wants/needs to stay old to compete in the ACC. That's where the Irish find themselves with Ven-Allen Lubin. He's just what they need/want, but if they don't get him, they might get someone similar in the portal. It's the ultimate quick fix/fallback.

Kevin from Indy

1:09

Tom- you mentioned earlier Starlings recruitment might bring in some top recruits for the class of 23. Who else besides Booker are they targeting? Seems to be a lot of front court minutes open in the near future.

Thomas Noie

1:03

The starting lineup would be Nate Laszewski, Prentiss Hubb and Paul Atkinson (all locks) and then some combination of Dane Goodwin, Trey Wertz and Cormac Ryan. Just a guess, but it might be Ryan more of a lock with the final spot up for grabs between Wertz and Goodwin. Guy that doesn't start would be the sixth man with the seventh man (and maybe ascending a little more every day) freshman Blake Wesley. Spot minutes/roles for the other guys. Not to say they're out of the mix, but their path to consistent minutes/defined roles may take longer to figure out.

1:01

A question from Chris Kosiak on Twitter, who wants to know if the season started tonight (and really, it should..lol) who would be the top seven in Mike Brey's rotation?

12:59

Jeff: Surprised at no ACC vote? Me too, but not so much. We're not exactly in ACC country in Northern Indiana...and maybe the email/ballot was lost in the Notre Dame email shuffle. But that's OK. I'm most intrigued at what Indiana looks like this year under Mike Woodson. Can he coach college guys? Will they finally look like a cohesive, together group? What does it mean in terms of long term success in Bloomington. So it's definitely IU in terms of curiosity. As for players, can you imagine a talented/experienced/nasty (in a great way) big on this team? Like say, Kofi Cockburn at Illinois? A future pro with this collection of experienced guys? Man, that would realllllllly make this season interesting.

Jeff from Schererville, IN

12:55

A national two-parter, after I comment that I'm surprised the hometown paper of an ACC team doesn't have a vote in the conference media polls. What opposing player(s) are you most excited or most curious about seeing in action against ND this year, and what player(s) on any other team (ND opponent or not) would fit in with this group the best and help get the Irish not just into the NCAA tournament but also give them a good shot at the second weekend or beyond? Thanks for hanging out with us today. As you said a couple times earlier in this chat, it's been great stuff!

Thomas Noie

12:53

From Chris Kosiak via Twitter - If the season started today, who is Mike Brey rolling with in his top seven?

12:51

Are you experienced?

12:38

The easy answer is, well, everybody. But we're pretty sure what we're going to see from Prentiss Hubb and Nate Laszewski. They are who they are. What the Irish need are better/more consistent versions out of the Goodwin-Wertz-Ryan spots. Each of those guys have been good at times, really good at a few, but then have disappeared for key stretches. They have to be there every night in some way, shape or form. If this team has to lean too heavily on Blake Wesley, man, that's a red flag. Can't expect a freshman - no matter how good that freshman might be - to shoulder that load on a veteran team. Wertz and Goodwin and Ryan are veterans. Deliver like one.

Wadelite

12:35

Tom, for ND to have a season that exceeds expectations which rotation guy has to make the biggest leap in their level of play? IMO we have seen the ceiling with Hubb, Laz and Goodwin (none of whom I believe are average on defense). They just need to be more consistent on offense over the course of a season. I'd also like to see Goodwin's minutes reduced slightly as I believe he would be more effective. Not quick enough to guard wings or strong enough to guard bigs.

Thomas Noie

12:35

...If you have a senior-heavy team with some serious swagger, why not do something with Kansas and start that home and home at Allen Fieldhouse? You need the right mix of guys to go into that circus, though. Remember, for as good as and veteran as that 2014-15 Notre Dame team was, it still went to Cameron that season and looked like kids in losing by 30. But yeah, something with Kansas or Texas with its new arena in an area Notre Dame generally doesn't get to would be a nice change of pace. Good stuff.

12:33

Jeff: Awesome topic. Let's jump into it. There remains the wish to do something with the schools from Notre Dame's Big East days - mainly, the four that you mentioned in Marquette, DePaul, Villanova and Georgetown - probably in that order. Notre Dame thought it had a home-and-home with Georgetown couple years ago but Patrick Ewing pulled the plug. A home-and-home with Marquette rotates back on the schedule next season, starting at Fiserv Forum. Now that the Crossroads is set to expire (about time!) that will open another non-league slot for a possible home and home. Notre Dame and Kentucky will play this year and next, and then another opportunity becomes possible. I've pushed Mike Brey for years to consider doing something with Dayton. Maybe - MAYBE - that becomes an option. And rekindling the UCLA series is always an option that Brey doesn't want to get too far away from. Who would I schedule? Well, Dayton for selfish reasons...

Jeff from Schererville, IN

12:28

We've talked about schedules in this chat and I'm wondering if you've heard anything more about possible future home and home matchups with old Big East foes like Villanova, Marquette, Georgetown and DePaul and maybe even Dayton. :) I thought I heard Georgetown was scheduled but it's now off. And in a hypothetical sense, what would be your dream home-and-home non-conference matchup in terms of they would be good games, you want to see that opposing team's gym, and so on?

Thomas Noie

12:17

Rod Balanis worked on Mike Brey's staff for the previous 21 years - he was the only guy that had been here from the beginning through the early years, some tough years, and then the good years. He still had the chance to remain on staff, albeit in a different capacity. The coaching staff needed some new juice and a new directions and different (albeit old) voice. At the end of the day, Rod Balanis decided that, you know what, I still want to be a coach. I want to work with guys on the practice floor and recruit and not be stuck behind a desk at Rolfs Hall while practice was going on. That was a big reason why Balanis left - he's now an associate head coach at Howard. Don't think he ever was a fall guy, he was caught in a restructuring. It happens. To all of us. Happened to Rod. Wish him the best. He's one of the good ones.

joe from the south side

12:14

Tom, What do think about how the Balanis situation was handled? Seems like he was made to be the fall guy and left on a bad note, especially after 2 decades. Was that the case? Odd that they play Howard this year too.

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