JotCast | Notre Dame Football Live Chat Aug. 21, 2024

Notre Dame Football Live Chat Aug. 21, 2024

Eric Hansen

2:58

Ugh, I'd love to say for some overtime, but I have an interview coming up in a couple of minutes I need to do. Thanks for all the great questions. We'll be back to do it all over again next Wednesday at noon ET.

2:57

Hi Kagan, there might be some overlap here. I think ND will put a starting O-line in pencil on Monday. In other words, put some ORs on the depth chart to keep A&M guessing. I think you're right in your read about the LT. Look, Knapp has pushed his way into the two-deeps when Jagusah was healthy. So he put in the work and deserves credit. But Baker could have shut the door and did not. Pendleton practiced at guard last year as a freshman, moved to center in the spring and then back to guard halfway through camp. How confident am I in the lineup you posed, confident enough to get a win, but not confident enough to say rest easy the problems are solved.

Kagan From Angola

2:53

How’s it going Eric? Hopefully as good as it gets we have football next Saturday!! A lot has happened since I last posted a question and this week’s is all about the Oline. When will Notre Dame announce a starting 5 across the line? If Knapp does take over the starting LT spot is that due to him being 100% ready to play or a lack of trust in Baker’s ability? I would also assume it has a little bit to do with Knapp being Rudolph’s recruit. Finally, where did Sam Pendleton come from at LG and how confident would you be with this lineup Knapp Pendleton Craig Billy S and Wagner going into A&M? Thanks for these looking forward to the season!

Eric Hansen

2:53

Ced, you're right I only get two and didn't get to prioritize that. I hope I can get the answer for you next week. ... ND won't have any further transfers. The portal is closed.

cederickwalker

2:52

ced Walker saginaw Michigan aka sagnasty saginaw pride I really believe anthonie Knapp will be the starting left tackle vs Texas a&m who will be the most likely player to transfer so we can be at 85 P.s. u didn't asked Marcus Freeman which coaches will be in the booth here come the irish trust the process the golden standard rally we are nd god country go irish love thee notre dame our mother pray for us

Eric Hansen

2:51

The hope is the RJ Oben has the impact that Javontae Jean-Baptiste ended up having ... but remember JJB didn't find that groove until late September ... and then he took off. That's the hope. Morrison himself says Christian might turn out to be better. I don't know about that, but I think projecting an eventual All-America ceiling isn't crazy.

Guest

2:49

Greetings Eric - JJP was pretty darn good last year. Are expectations just as high for RJ Oben? Also, could Christian Gray actually be better than Morrison? Thank you

Guest

2:49

Jonathan—Kansas City, MO

Eric Hansen

2:49

Tim, your dad is a smart man. And I think your read is right. And I think this is a pretty talented roster. But they still have to work through some weaknesses to make a run to the playoff and in the playoff.

Tim, Chicago

2:48

My dad always told us to win you have to have that "burning desire" and past ND champs had it; and my gut tells me these players and coaches have it now, Freeman has it, so what do you guys think, do they have enough to be champs?

Eric Hansen

2:48

I think Joe Rudolph said it best recently, it's fair easier to project a high school body to college O-line success when you have that player in one of your camps and get to work with him. That's why Knapp was not a surprise to Rudolph. But their bodies change so much, there's so much projection and oftentimes guys are changing positions as well. ... I think Loren Landow's strengths is there is no one-size-fits-all template. Those programs are individually tailored to the player's position and his and the team's goals. So someone like Knapp is trying to get stronger. Sullivan Absher moving inside is trying to get quicker, for instance. If I got into that much detail about what Mike Denbrock is going to run BEFORE the A&M game, he would find me and duct tape me to my grill.

Len from the Jersey Shore

2:43

Hello Eric!! First off a complement. The coverage has been awesome. Kudos to you, Tyler and the entire team. Three questions. Can you discuss the risk of OT recruiting? In general OL recruits need to mature and put weight on. A few like B Fisher do not. It seems ND often gets athletic but underweight OT's. Some gain weight and loose mobility (Tosh B), and others never gain the weight ( Aamil W). And of course some become Joe Alt. Then there are the shorter guard types that can play tackle (Zach M, Robert H and now Anthonie Knapp). Second, Does S & C coach Loren Landow create lighter and more mobile O Linemen? Does having hime change OT recruiting? Lastly, any chance Mike Denbrock runs some sprint draws ala the Denver Broncos of the mid to late 90"s? Or something similar. The Broncos O line was famously all less than 300 pounds but very athletic. The movement associated with the sprint draw created good blocking angles for the agile/mobile linemen.

Eric Hansen

2:43

Hi Matt. Thank your for at least claiming to adhere to my silly rules (and I believe you actually are). At first I thought you meant for the season ... then I see it's for A&M game, so let me recalibrate ... 189 passing yards for Leonard, Leonard leading rusher in this game, Love leading receiver in this game, Kiser tackles, final score 24-17 Irish. ...and thank YOU.

Matt from Austin

2:38

Hello Eric. I hope this day finds you well. Shoes on today. Super excited about next Saturday. Crystal ball time. 6 rapid fire. How many passing yards for Leonard? Who leads ND in rushing, receiving, and tackles? How many turnovers? Final score? I know, A bit silly, but fun to hear your predictions. Lastly, thank you Eric for taking the time darn near every week to answer our questions, keep us informed, and handle our thoughts with warmth, humor, and kindness. You are greatly appreciated and I hope you have a great Fall. Sincerely, Matt

Eric Hansen

2:38

Trying to get into lightning-round status with an interview coming up at the top of the hour ...

And thanks for the compliements.

2:37

Not strictly an NIL fight. I think geography, early playing time and SEC allure are all big factors.

The Beave. Grand Rapdis

2:36

Eric: Quick shout out on the podcasts. Great in depth discussions and very informative. Fully recommend to those in this group. I noticed in a recent article that Deuce Knight was among those attending the Leonard QB brigade to Alabama along with CJ Carr and others. Any thought that watching CJ in person could have triggered Deuce to start looking elsewhere? Or is this strictly an NIL fight?

Eric Hansen

2:35

Hi Matt. ... thank you ... One thing to keep in mind. The transfer portal doesn't reopen until December. So it's not like players can leave next week and pop up on someone else's roster. Yes it is possible that those younger players could be better options both short- and long-term. Remember Joe Alt was a three-star prospect and the fourth player ND tried at left tackle that season ... and well that worked out pretty good.

Matt, Salem, OR

2:32

Thanks for all your analysis and time this off-season. Coming into this season I was happy with 2 starters at OG from last year. When Scrauth won a spot, I thought what strength at OG. Is it possible to see someone other than Spindler or Coogan starting at LG as a positive? I worry about the readiness and the strength at A&M. I worry about both former starters transferring ASAP eliminating depth. I feel like fans are seeking positives on OL

Eric Hansen

2:32

Hi Jon. A lot of my high school and college friend and my relatives are probably the people who are annoying you the most. My mom, however, roots for Notre Dame -- for the reason she thinks people will be nice to me when they win. ... NBC confirmed what we reported in February that Dan Hicks, Jason Garrett, and Zora Stephenson "will call Notre Dame Football, which opens its home schedule against Northern Illinois on Saturday, Sept. 7, at 3:30 p.m. ET on NBC and Peacock." The Eagle-Blackledge combo could take over for say a Florida State-ND game in November, but that has yet to be determined.

Jon - Columbus OH

2:27

Hi Eric, its almost football season in Columbus. This place gets crazy this time of year. I hope one day the Irish are in the Big Ten playing against the Buckeyes, Wolverines, Huskers, and Nittany Lions every year. Onto my question - who will the NBC announcers be this year? Noah Eagle was great on the Olympics - does he do football? I hate to be overly critical but I cant get excited about Collinsworth. Love his dad and Tirico. Go Irish?

Eric Hansen

2:27

Hi Tom. I wouldn't rule out jumbo formations as a changeup, but not as a staple. And it wouldn't necessarily solve the weakest link dilemma in the O-line. But I do think Denbrock is clever enough to scheme around the growing pains to some extent. I also think he's an asset in actually evolving O-line play. I can't wait for the season to start either!

Tom Kennesaw, GA

2:25

Hey Eric, hope you are holding up with all the preseason work you are doing. We appreciate your insight into Irish football. Although the OL is thought to be the biggest questionmark, it seems that the coaches are pleased with the talent and depth but just have to see how the players perform in the games. With so many good players, like Rocco or Coogan, who may not start, do you think Mike Denbrock might look to use multiple OL in some form of jumbo formations?? Other teams have used an extra OL up front or in the backfield for short yardage situations. Do you see the Irish doing this to mix things up?? I enjoyed the Mitchell Evans at QB formation a couple of years ago and thought it was effective. Can't wait for the season to actually start. Go Irish!!!!! Oh, I look forward to seeing you in Atlanta when ND plays GT.

Eric Hansen

2:25

HI Marie. Thanks for being part of the chats and always making me use my noggin. If I were the head coach -- and this is only for the Texas A&M game -- I'd go from RT to LT with Wagner, Schrauth, Craig, Rocco, Knapp. My prediction what will happen is the same. Now if you said who might start against Florida State from RT to LT, I may go out on a limb and say Lambert, Schrauth, Craig, Knapp, Wagner. How's that? I don't think it would be an advantage for ND from a film study case in this instance in the scenario you posed. ... I'm not sure Harry is willing to unretire for a formal role and haven't asked him, just my sense. With him living close to ND, I do think he'd be willing to informally and talk ball with players who seek his wisdom.

Marie from Atlanta

2:18

hi Eric, I hope you’re having a great week. I Can’t believe football is only one week away. If you were the head coach, what would your starting O line be? Can you predict what you think the starting O line is going to be? Also, who do you think will be fielding punts? If either Knapp or Pendleton or both start is there any advantage for Notre Dame given the fact that there is absolutely no college film on either of them? Seitching topics, now that there is no limit on analysts do you think Notre Dame will take advantage? For example, if Harry Hiestand was willing to come back, do you think they would hire him as an analyst? I know there might be too many cooks in the kitchen there, but perhaps he could just work on developing the third and fourth string? As always, thanks for your insights and for hosting the chat.

Eric Hansen

2:17

Hi Bob. EA Sports ranked the toughest road venues for college football teams to play in, and Kyle Field was No. 1. The Athletic did the same, and Kyle Field was 10th, with five SEC schools ahead of it. The reason it wasn't higher is because of the product Texas A&M put on the field in the past decade. That's got to be a part of the equation, right? But here's an excerpt from The Athletic story:

I’ve been there when the press box shakes. Kyle Field is an awesome building that gets really, really loud, and opponents complain that their sidelines smell like horse manure.

The No. 1 team in The Athletic's rankings was LSU. ... I do think there are similarities among SEC teams --- hot, loud and really good competition and there's a good chance most of the people in the stadium are pickled. so to speak.

Bob (Oxnard CA)

2:11

Is playing at Kyle Field significantly more difficult than playing at any other SEC venue excluding Vandy and Kentucky?

Eric Hansen

2:07

Manny!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! The original exclamation point man. You've got some competition now in that regard. I think Leonard will have a more complete stat sheet than Hartman ... way better rushing numbers. Hartman actually did well in the pass-efficiency numbers. He finished 14th, ahead of, notably, Quinn Ewers, Heisman finalist Michael Penix Jr., Brady Cook, Jordan Travis, Shadeur Sanders and Drake Maye. But he had HUGE valleys statistically in ND's losses and didn't deliver the storyline of a playoff-contending team. Some of that was due to the offensive coordinator with whom he was paired. I'm not sure Leonard will exceed Hartman's standing in pass efficiency, but I do think he will be the QB who gets ND in the playoff and maybe a win or more in the playoff.

Manny from San Pedro

2:01

Eric!!!!!!!! I know your not a gambler but is it likely Leonard has a better, a same or a worse year statistically than Hartman!?!?

Eric Hansen

Jacob, Tyler is picking New Prairie, says LaPorte used up its miracle last year.

2:01

Hi Frank. And thank you. You've got a lot packed into two succinct questions. Let's start with why don't they move on? I think they believe they can still win this and that he's worth fighting for. And if they lose him, they will move on. I'm assuming when you refer to headache kids, you are referring to kids coming from schools that ND doesn't normally recruit. "Out of profile" schools are ones who don't normally even send non-athletes to Notre Dame. An example was Jacksonville Raines and Louis Nix. Though Raines did very well academically, it was a public school with no history with Notre Dame. Stephon Tuitt, Aaron Lynch were also out of profile schools ... ND does better with Catholic schools or public schools that send normal students to ND. There was plenty of drama with Nix, Tuitt and Lynch and yet I'm not sure ND gets to the 2012 title game without Tuitt and Nix. So, the Irish coaches have to weigh the headaches and the risk. In this case, they feel it's worth it.

Frank from Royse City, Texas

1:55

Eric, you are the best in the business. My question is why doesn’t ND just move on from Deuce Knight? He is still going on visits and doesn’t recruit for ND. Why hasn’t ND learned their lesson with these headache kids?

Eric Hansen

1:54

Tyler James is not part of the chat ... but I will text him and get back to you.

Jacob

1:53

Tyler, who you got for Laporte vs New Prairie this friday?

Eric Hansen

1:53

Thanks for chiming in.

The Beave. Grand Rapdis

1:53

Offline Comment: The post mortem on the Ohio State end of game defensive confusion is not surprising. I know a long term student football manager who is also a speech major who has continually commented (and well before last year’s game) that many of the calls are linguistically similar or even rhyme. Something so simple . . .

Eric Hansen

1:52

Hi Don, and thanks for the compliment. I'm not a big student of betting lines and trends. Not that it shouldn't be in my skill set, it just isn't. So I am guessing here. There are a lot of A&M fans who think of ND when it's fallen off the big stages -- like in the playoff and feel that will happen again. And yes, the O-line uncertainty plays a part. I am still picking the Irish, 24-17, in a game reminiscent of the 2018 opener against Michigan at home.

Don in Scottsdale

1:50

Eric, You and the team are doing a great job keeping us informed with informative, well written content. I see the line for AM is now ND -3. Is that because AM fans are throwing $ on their team or is it based on the OL "in flux"? Thanks.

Eric Hansen

1:49

Hi Chris. Wow, whoever is picking them for six, I'd be curious to get the recipe for those cocktails. As for me, I picked 11-1 and had the Irish at No. 6 on my AP preseason ballot.

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