JotCast | Notre Dame Football Live Chat April 20, 2022

Notre Dame Football Live Chat April 20, 2022

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Eric Hansen

3:09

OK, have a Jerome Bettis piece I need to turn around. Thanks for all the great questions. We'll be back to do it all over again next Wednesday at noon EDT.

3:08

David, I'm up against the clock here. In short, yes there's been a difference in who ND is going after and who they're landing. And yes, there will be risk in taking players who have academic conditions to meet. Those situations aren't universal. Sometimes it's better grades ... sometimes a foreign language requirement or a certain math class. But there was also risk doing it BK's way -- waiting until the academic hurdles were met, then extending the scholarship offer when it was too late.

David - NY

3:05

Hi Eric: Thanks again for the weekly chats. I wanted to see if you had an early intel on how recruiting philosophy changes i.e. "convince the best players that ND can do the most for them" vs. "we shop down a different aisle" translates logistically in regard to who we accept commitments from? I've never understood why ND accepts commitments from kids in the red and then we face the negative storylines of decommitments when those kids leave the class. Sure we are usually better prepared and have kept other recruits warm, but to me its not the best strategy. And part 2. Has what puts a kid in the red academically changed? And will it? Marcus is pushing to take us to the next level and though BK's acceptance of what ND could recruit to was frustrating some of the barriers are real. Thanks in advance!

Eric Hansen

3:04

Great question. I'll poke around an answer that next week.

David from DC

3:04

Any indication that the Irish will return to Culver for camp in August?

Eric Hansen

3:04

They look tremendous to me and both got drafted very high. Some of the offensive linemen will play for both teams because of overall numbers. Fisher and Alt were drafted on different teams, so you may see them both playing laft tackle on Saturday. .. Remember, it'll be a mix of starters and reserves playing with each other, so the continuity won't be what you'll see in the fall.

Dan (Plymouth, MI)

3:02

Appreciate the opportunity to ask questions. I am back again with another OLine question. What have you seen this spring from our future All Pro Tackles? Do they appear bigger, stronger? Do you think they will remain in their current positions for the 2022 season? Alt at LT and Fisher at RT? Can’t wait to see them, and the entire OL on Saturday in the Blue - Gold game!

Eric Hansen

3:02

Hi Pete and thank you. I hit on this a little bit in other questions. Let me try to focus on the latter questions. ... Captains, probably first week of training camp. What do goals look like ... I think they're on every level. Individuals set goals. That feeds into SWAT team goals. But ultimately Marcus Freeman wants a unified team with common goals.

Pete Cuozzo ND ‘82, Naples FL

2:59

Hi Eric, belated kudos for the HOF induction. Well-deserved and overdue! In the three months or so between the Blue-Gold game and the start of Fall camp, what do you see as the most important focus areas for the offense, the defense, special teams, and the coaching staff? Will the focus be on individual goals, position group goals, SWAT team goals, or overall team goals? Lastly, when can we expect captains to be named? Thx…as always.

Eric Hansen

2:59

Nathan, in a very small sample size (since they're both brand new), the feedback has been positive. I think they complement each other because they do different things. One reward time for community service. Another is more about social media clicks and followers. The better news is, this is the beginning of these, not the end. So expect more NIL options and initiatives to come along in the coming months. Those associated with FUND believe ND does not have to be the most lucrative collective. That just need to be in the NIL game with options.

Nathan from Denver

2:55

Hi Eric - a couple of questions: First, I know it's really early but do we have any reaction from recruits & current players yet to the FUND and NBC NIL initiatives? Second, how do you think the two programs compliment each other? Third, do you think these two keep ND in the race with other collectives?

Eric Hansen

2:55

In terms of how ND compares, there was a survey about that a few weeks/months ago, and I think ND finished third. ... There is some funtionality that could be improved with an expansion of the Gug, no question. It's not about an arms race for recruiting when it comes to ND. It's about pragmatics and helping your football team get better Sunday through Friday. ... The indoor facility is really, really impressive (and functional). As for the rest of that BK stuff, I actually answered that in last week's chat. It's a fairly long answer and it's right at the end of the transcript. Here's the link.

Matt in Augusta NJ

2:50

Whats up Eric. With Brian Kelly’s latest comments about the facilities and “training table” at Notre Dame lacking in comparison to LSU, I ask what the next step for Notre Dame would be? Is it just a cafeteria for the football team alone? I would think ND has better football facilities than most programs. Same time, to compete with the best you need to “ keep upthe The new indoor facility is beautiful, but does ND already need to upgrade to keep up with the big boys? How many schools actually have better facilities and food options then ND? Is it just the SEC schools, USC, select Big Ten Schools( OSU, Penn St?, Michigan). Who is ND on par with when it comes to facilities?

Eric Hansen

2:50

Bob, there's no reason that can't do the human tunnel and the Jumbotron. I'll have to ask about that one, but it has not come up yet.

2:49

Terry, I think Blake Fisher could play anywhere, but I wouldn't want to take a future first-round draft pick at tackle and move him from that position. I'm sure Harry Hiestand doesn't want to do that.

Guest

2:49

Bob, Lansing. Eric with Coach Freeman reinstating game day mass then team walk to the stadium; is there any chance of bringing back the student on field tunnel prior to the game. Always felt that did more to create spirit then a loud jumbo tron

Terry, Ithaca,NY

2:48

How is this for OL (Left to Right): Alt, Fisher, Patterson, Spindler, Baker. Fisher is second coming of Nelson.

Eric Hansen

2:47

Hi John. We update our depth chart regularly through spring. You can always find it in our dropdown menu on the home page under the football tab. It's not behind a paywall. We'll update it again after the Blue-Gold Game. If you're asking of Dante Moore is looking for the highest midder, that's not my read. But I do think he's interested in what NIL opportunities there are out there. I think most kids are.

John - Palmyra, PA

2:42

SSOOOO proud of ND for not bending on Rhett. There are other fish in the sea. Can you update position switches as it relates to affecting the 2 deep? Also, is Dante Moore showing his true colors in that his is purely an NIL decision? If so, bye! Thoughts?

Eric Hansen

2:41

The answers to the rest of your questions have been contained in various stories we've done on Balis the past six years. I don't know that there's one that encompasses them all. Here is my latest. Here is a story that goes into a lot of depth from the summer of 2017 on a day in the life of Brian Kelly after the 4-8 season and months after Balis was hired. Maybe I can do one this summer that provides a more updated comprehensive look if ND will grant me the access. Bottom line, an incredible hire by Kelly and a man who's had a PROFOUND effect on Notre Dame's bottom line from 2017 on.

2:35

Len that's as close to a 17-part question as I've had since I banned them over a decade ago, but I will try to answer as many part of that as I can. I love your passion. Tyler James did the Prince Kollie story for us. I would say his conditioning was just one layer of why he struggled last season. The adjustment from small (school) ball to college was overwhelming for him. Getting COVID set him back weeks. He lost confidence in himself. The body fat loss was actually 20% to 7%. Some of it was too many to-go orders from a famous chicken fingers chain, he said. (more).

Len from the Jersey Shore

2:23

Hello Eric on this Blue-Gold week pre game chat. I saw a stat on Prince Collie that he dropped from 20% fat percentage to 8%. He said not buying in enough to training regimen held him back last year. If you know could you tell us how is that fat % calculated? In Body? Some other scan? More importantly what is the link between succeeding in Coach Balis's program and playing time? What link if any have you seen thru the years? Does the training also help reduce Injury chances? And what are the targets for fat%? Is it by position or by individual or a little of both? I know the trainers do strength measurements on the players. Do they do other metrics? Flexibility? Mobility? In short what can you tell us about the importance of the training program? If there is a more in depth article you can refer me to that would be great. Thanks as always for taking the time to share your insights with us.

Eric Hansen

2:22

There are times kids silently commit to help the coaching staff out, but they are attached to a certain date (like a mom's birthday) for an annoucement date. Sometimes they commit, but still want to do something special at school to make it public. I think why the commitments slowed was because February wasn't a month for visits. Once the visits resumed in March, momentum started to build again. There may be a lull late May, early June, then more commitments in late June, because kids are taking official visits.

Dan, from Vernon Hills Il

2:20

Eric,
I noticed that Braylon James was a silent commit to Notre Dame for a while. Is it possible that there are others, for whatever reason, that are also silents and could this be why there seems to be a slowing of commits at this time?

Eric Hansen

2:20

I think the same priorities as it was going into spring ... getting players comfortable with the new defensive scheme, improving cornerback and wide receiver play, coaxing improvement from the QBs, developing chemistry with the O-Line and getting special teams right. Some of Marcus' focus to figuring out where best to put his energy/presence during gamedays and during game weeks (which meetings to go to, etc.)

Chris - Newmarket, NH

2:17

Hi Eric, coming out of spring practice what do you think should be the top priorities for Coach Freeman and the rest of staff when they get back on the field in the summer/fall?

Eric Hansen

2:17

Well Marty, it doesn't sound like it's Happy Hour yet in Phoenix. How many did ND lose when Clark Lea was calling defenses for the first time? Or Tommy Rees calling offensive plays? There's risk on a first-time head coach. This is also a head coach that continues to be proactive about asking questions and learning. He doesn't pretend to have all the answers. So I admire that about him. The second-half Fiesta Bowl adjustments were pretty much non-existent on both sides of the ball. I took into account that he prioritized holding the recruiting class together over bowl prep and that he didn't have a full staff. My projection is he learned a lot from that game. All coaches make mistakes. Think about Kelly and Tulsa in 2010, for instance. I'm going to have to disappoint you, because I think Marcus will make mistakes, but he'll also do some very good things, including recruiting better than any head coach has since Lou Holtz.

Guest

2:10

Marty, Phoenix, Az. I’m concerned about MF’s play calling ability. He made that “ bone head” call late in the 4th quarter and gave the reason for it “the players were tired”. He’s never been in a position to call plays before. Question: your guess on how many games will he lose making critical mistakes at the wrong time?

Eric Hansen

2:09

Hi Dave. Not sure where you read or heard that, but it wasn't here. He visited a long time ago and then kind of moved on. I like his skill set, throws a very nice deep ball. He's verbally committed to Tennessee but can't sign a National Letter of Intent until December.

Dave Knoxville

2:07

I thought 5 star6'6" QB Nico Iameleva from Downey, CA was all set up to come to ND. Yet he signed with TN. What happened?

Eric Hansen

2:05

Hey Doug ... we do have sun up here too! I asked Harry Hiestand that question on April 7, and this is how the exchange went:

WHY FISHER ON THE RIGHT AND ALT ON THE LEFT, WHAT DO YOU LIKE ABOUT THAT OR ARE THEY INTERCHANGABLE?
Yes, I really think that, especially after 10 practices. I just left them where they had played last. They both have the size and range to play the edges on either side. Blake right now is more powerful as a run blocker, so some of the stuff we do to the right is a little different than what we do to the left. He’s just more powerful there.

Doug from Sunny Florida

2:02

Eric, the talk this offseason without wavering has been Alt at left tackle and Fisher at right tackle. What more does Alt give the team beyond Fisher that would warrant him being named the left tackle? Do you see this as the long term scenario or do you see Fisher overtaking Alt for the left side?

Eric Hansen

2:02

Hi Jim. thanks and I appreciate you. I we've been writing this spring, new special teams coach Brian Mason has a history or a strong punt return game and the propensity to block punts. He has brought that philosophy to ND now. Matt Salerno is one of the players who was working at punt returns, but so has been Brandon Joseph. Jaden Mickey and Jadarian Price. I think there were even some other options the last time we saw punt return practice. I want to defend Matt a little bit here. There's a chance he was doing what he was told. And now the script is different.

Jim Tal, Valley Center, CA.

1:56

Hi Eric, always appreciate your insights. One of the glaring weaknesses of ND for a number of years has been its pedestrian punt return game. Safety and ball control as your be-all emphasis just won't cut it. You've got to make things happen in this phase of the game. That being said, I heard where Matt Salerno is still getting plenty of reps as a punt returner. Listen, he's a serviceable player but he offers no dynamism when it comes to the potential of making big plays. Please tell me that the Irish are looking at more dangerous options in this area. The time is long overdue where the Irish finally put some excitement back into returning punts. Thanks much.

Eric Hansen

1:55

Hi Eamonn and thank you. You are right about 86, and that number doesn't have to be 85 until the first day of fall-semester classes. I suppose ND has the flexibility with the player you named, but there's a commitment there that I don't think they'd ever want to renege on. The coaches have a sense of who is considering leaving. Roster management is a high priority, because you don't want to start the season with, say 81. In terms of position groups that could have some attrition -- vyper end, maybe corner, maybe O-line.

Eamonn from Portland OR

1:44

Hey Eric, I'd like to ask you about scholarships. I believe the team is at 86 and they would still like to add a potential WR transfer or two. IF no one transfers out after the spring, and I know that's unlikely, could players like Vinson, Salerno, Powlus, come off athletic scholarship to get the team to 85? 2nd question, what position groups do you think are most likely to have a transfer out post-spring? (not asking for any players' names since I know it's not appropriate to speculate on individuals). Thanks as always for imparting your knowledge!

Eric Hansen

1:42

Hi Phil. That's cool that you know him. One piece of advice. Never challenge him to a beer chug contest. He will wipe you out. Well Sam Pendleton is scheduled for Monday, so we'll have to see if he picks Notre Dame, but there may be a visitor in either the 2023 or 2024 class who kind of gets caught up in the weekend and pops unexpectedly soon on Sunday. Maybe one of the offensive linemen in the 23 class and maybe DB Eil Bowen (Peyton's younger brother) in the 2024 class. Those aren't predicitons, but there's a lot of visitors and a lot of momentum right now.

Phil from Napoleon, OH

1:36

Phil from Napoleon, OH Randy Vocke laughed when I talked to him and says Hello! Who do you think the next commit will be for ND?

Eric Hansen

1:36

I just checked, and it will cost $4.99.

Brian - Ashburn, Va

1:35

Do you know if the Blue Gold game will be on the free version of Peacock or will require a paid subscription?

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