JotCast | Notre Dame Football Live Chat Aug. 28, 2024

Notre Dame Football Live Chat Aug. 28, 2024

Eric Hansen

3:16

Oh wow. I think I need to bring this to an end for this week. I would call Tyler Mom the rest of today, but I think he's in a bad mood already, Love it ... I have an interview coming up, so overtime is over. Thanks for all the great questions and sorry for not getting to all of them. We'll be back to do this all over again next Wednesday at noon ET.

Chris from Bloomingdale, IL

3:14

That is why I thought that you two would make such good co-parents for me err, I mean my friend. Tyler could be the organized one who disciplines us and brushes our hair (Mom) and you could be the kindly, good-natured one who occasionally imparts some wisdom along with some Dad jokes. I love you Mom & Dad! Here's some more of those things !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Eric Hansen

3:14

Congrats!

Tony, Lake Mary, FL

3:14

Also, it was super exciting watching the Lake Mary Little League win the LLWS. Parade on Saturday

Eric Hansen

3:14

Hi Jack. I'm in overtime and kind of the lightning round format at this point, so this will be maybe oversimplified ... keys, win the turnover battle, play with the lead and keep the offense balanced. Stifle A&M's run game and put the pressure on their passing game. ... Only have glimpses of McAfee and not a full body of work, so I don't know if I'd be able to offer a fair assessment. When I've seen him he's been loud and funny. But again, don't see him much. Conflicts with the times I'm working on my own stuff. ... and thank YOU!

Jack, Strongsville,Ohio

3:10

Hi Eric. What are the keys to a ND victory this Saturday. Also, what do you think of ESPN's commentator, Pat Macafee? Thanks for all you and Tyler's great work.

Eric Hansen

3:10

Hi Tony. Yes, I do feel like the O-line drama kind of sucked up a lot of the oxygen and there are some great storylines that hopefully we shared. And you mentioned some of the good ones.

Tony, Lake Mary, FL

3:02

Hey Eric, with nearly all the focus on the OLine this late summer, I feel like there has to be some guys that carried on in the proverbial shadows that would have received more attention. Namely Adon Shuler, Christian Gray, Jeremiyah Love. Then guys like Jadarian Price like I would now call a sleeper. Even with the inexperienced in games OLine, there are going to be some weapons. Do you feel like the OLine attention has allowed other guys to just carry on without the noise and actually be better had more attention been on them publicly?

Eric Hansen

2:59

Because rating teams based on 2023 doesn't make sense. They don't have the same schedule, the same players and sometimes not the same coaches. And remember Ohio State got humbled by Missouri with its third-string quarterback. To base a next year's ranking on a bowl game with so many opt-outs doesn't make sense. And keep in mind polls are not static. Every week you get new info. It's a snapshot. And so it will change and evolve. So no, waiting til the third week doesn't make sense to me. It's not a prediction contest.

Steve Findlay Ohio

2:57

Hi Eric, Thanks for these chats! Do you think these AP ranking should start later in the year, say the 3rd week? I know you voted Utah 5th after an 8-5 2023 season and getting embarrassed by Northwestern to end the season similar to Ohio State being humbled by Missouri. Just curious how these two programs don't beat their rivals the past 5 years yet appear in your top 5?

Eric Hansen

2:56

Hi Tom, thank you for being along for the ride! 1) His toughness, his learning curve, his chemistry with the other linemen. Pendleton similar traits and strengths. Coogan would be considered if Pendleton were injured, so not out of the rotation. You're still looking for your best five, and he'd be in contention if Pendleton were out. 2) He will use tempo at times, yes. Flow of the game-dependent. 3) Under. 4) Not sure, I want to say yes because of the defense, but I think ND will reload there, so maybe not. How's that for waffling.

Tom Kennesaw, GA

2:53

Hey Eric, well, with your help, it looks like we made it through another offseason. I'm probably going to have to double my blood pressure meds on Saturday night. I have several question before Saturday: 1) What does Knapp do so much better than the other tackles to get the start against A&M? Same for Pendleton? I am presuming that the coaches confidence in the guards allowed them to move Coogan to center?? Is Coogan completely out of the guard rotation? 2) Does Denbrock like to use a hurry up offense at times? If so, generally when?? 3) Over/under 2.5 False Starts Saturday?? 4) With all of our experience that we have on both sides of the ball, is 2024 our best chance to have a good playoff run or win a National Championship in the next 2-4 years?? Thanks again for getting us to this point again this year!!! Go Irish!!! ND 20 A&M 16...... very low scoring and tough for both teams inside the 20.

Eric Hansen

2:53

Breakout offense ... Beaux Collins. Defense ... Adon Shuler.

2:52

Oh Marie, I can tell you're fired up. That's like 18 questions rolled into one. Let me try to be succinct here since we're running out of time ... Winning by more than 7, .. won the turnover battle, O-line played well, defense lived up to its rep. Loses the game, A&M's QB played really well, its D-line lived up to its rep, ND did not play with the lead and had to play catch-up. ... I haven't researched all the coordinators enough to make a clear order, but if you had said when Gerad Parker left, who would you go out and get for OC, Denbrock would have been -- actually It was -- my first choice. And if you said you could trade Golden for someone else in college as a DC, I'd have a hard time naming more than 1 or 2 ... and even than that might be a stretch, (more)

Marie from Atlanta

2:47

Hi Eric, I hope you’re having a great week. I can’t believe game day is Saturday. Very exciting. If I were to tell you that Notre Dame wins the game Saturday by more than seven points what three things would you tell me had to happen? If I were to tell you, that Notre Dame loses the game Saturday what three things would you tell me probably happened? On a different topic there’s a lot of positive talk about the Notre Dame coaching staff. Amongst the OCs in college football where would you rank Denbrock and where would you rank Golden versus other DCs ? Finally, can you pick a breakout player on offense and defense for the game on Saturday? As always, thanks for hosting the chat and the great insights.

Eric Hansen

2:47

Hi Pete and thanks for hopping on the chat. Let me start with your second part first. I'm not sure ND makes the playoff, but they get a lot closer than 9-3 with Klein as the coordinator. And with Denbrock, maybe closer. As far as bad feeling with either Klein or ND, I don't think there are. He came, he interviewed and it didn't end up being a match. I think it's mutual admiration that it was that close, but not a match and I think it worked out in the end for ND getting Denbrock this year.

Pete, Erie, PA

2:45

Collin Klein follow up: No offense to anyone but with Klein the OC, does ND make the playoff last yr? The 3 losses were all close, one score late. Seems like a play vs Ohio St and 1-2 plays @Clemson were the difference. @Louisville needed more help but ND was only down 17-13 in the 4th Q. A better gameplan and who knows, ND could've blown them out early.

2:44

Eric, always enjoy the chats, thanks for your hard work! Is there a Collin Klein size chip on ND's shoulder? Should there be? I think yes, but without knowing more, maybe not a big one.

Eric Hansen

2:44

Wow Ryan, You and I have the same margin but you have a much higher scoring game than me. If you're right, I'll let you brag next week. I see Collins being a factor in week 1 and Mitchell more so later in the season. ... And for how the offense will look, maybe a bit like the 2015 Irish but without the offensive line that team had. But in concept, yes.

Ryan mars Pa

2:42

Good afternoon Eric how do you think the offense will look under Mike denbrock i think he will get Mitchell and Collins involved a lot my score prediction is 35-28 Irish what is yours GO IRISH 🏈🏈🏈☘️☘️☘️

Eric Hansen

2:42

Oh that was great, with or without the 87 exclamation points!! I think the "resting annoyed face" is probably the result of him trying to sift through the questions we take live from viewers while he's also trying to listen to what I have to say. But I will tell him to at least develop a fake laugh for my jokes. ... In all honestly, I am really glad to be business partners/co-workers with him. He is almost the exact age of my oldest son, maybe 10 days apart. But somehow I think he's the parent in our dynamic LOL. Yes, we would adopt, especially if you can write, edit, do graphics, etc. Charleston opted to go to law school at Arizona State. So we miss him, but we absolutely support his decision. Look for some new faces to pop up this fall who will be helping us. And yes, Charleston will always be one of our favorite people.

Chris from Bloomingdale, IL

Oops, I forgot these, I know that you like them...!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

2:37

Enough of all this football silliness, and on to more important questions. Do you feel, as I do, that Tyler James often times has "resting annoyed face" on Football Never Sleeps? He seems like a pleasant enough person, so I don't know if he is perpetualy tired or harried, or if that is just his default face. I am just a little concerned, particularly because he seems largely unmoved by the humor of one Eric Hansen. Also, are you and Tyler BFF'S? Also, also, would you and Tyler ever consider adopting a 50 something year old boy? Not me, I'm just asking for a friend. Whatever happened to Charleston Bowles, and are you all still best friends?

Eric Hansen

2:36

Yes, the offensive line, including Pendleton and Knapp, went against the Irish No. 1 defense, which helped determine whether they were the best options for the job. It's also helps guard against culture shock, becomes ND's whole front, its whole defense, should be top level.

2:34

Hi Sean, and really appreciate you jumping on board with us! I think the focus for those two and the whole offense in general is more about communication than being intimidated. At least Pendleton has been to loud/big stadiums even as a bystander. I think those guys had to battle so hard and against big odds to get to the top of the depth chart, some of the jitters have already been knocked out of them. Their poise was a big part of their ascent. I think the players on the other side of the ball are a bigger factor, really good ones. (more)

Sean, Schaumburg, IL

2:27

Hello, Eric. I signed up due to the great discount and your/Tyler's great insight and professionalism. The 2 Tim's at the other site and you two are top pros. Thank you. How will Denbrock/Rudolph mitigate the overwhelming feelings of Knapp/Pendleton on the first couple series? College Station is gonna be crazy. I have a good friend who was thrust into a WAC/Mountain West game as a sophomore MLB. He said the intensity of his teammates(one being Bryce Fisher) was intimidating enough. Add the natural intensity of the game, getting the play-call in from the DC and figuring out what the offense was running and it makes for an overwhelming situation. I have supreme faith in Denbrock recognizing this before the game starts. Will his early play-calling show that to acclimate them? I hope Knapp/Pendleton have had the opportunity to go against the 1s on D to help them acclimate to the speed of the game. 20-13 win for our Irish. Go Irish!!

Eric Hansen

2:27

Paddy, I like rubbing shoulders with good, genuine people, who have integrity and good hearts. Whether they're famous or not, that is the kind of person I enjoy spending time with.

Paddy in Chicago

2:26

Ok. You've rubbed shoulders with some big names. Beyond impressive.............

Eric Hansen

2:26

I do think Notre Dame sets the tone well with its culture and in its choices for who it recruits. But winning and losing factors into the equation. Winning always makes it easier to accept the competition and perhaps waiting for your turn, because it's easier to buy in then. As I mentioned earlier, I don't think O-line rotation would either be an advantage or likely in this game short of an injury/heat exhaustion. I wouldn't argue coaching is important. That's why Notre Dame was willing to pay to keep Al Golden and willing to do the same to go get Mike Denbrock from LSU.

More to come

2:21

Hi Len. Thanks for the multiple exclamation points!!!! I asked OC Mike Denbrock that question in last night's press conference as it pertained to the offensive line room, specifically. Here is what he had to say:

“I think it's, obviously, something that if you do a good job of making sure you're communicating everything that's going on, that the process is transparent, that alleviates a lot of the things that can come up down the road. And also the type of young man that's attracted to be part of the University of Notre Dame and the football program are guys that are here for the right reasons. They're in it for the University of Notre Dame football program, and they trust the coaches in the decisions that were made.”

Len from the Jersey Shore

2:13

Hello Eric!!!!!! CMF and his coaches all stress how each position room is tight, full of competition, but tight. In your opinion would the players agree? This is important since CMF has also stressed competition stressing about the number of starting lineups ND has had during his tenure. How will these rooms handle player mistakes among the chosen starters? How will these rooms handle playing time & roll changes within a position as the season progresses? And how do you foster continuity with these potential changes? Along those lines of thought does Eric think ND will rotate O linemen in the Texas heat? I had said this year that coaching was a top three of issues for this season along with O line play and young LB's coming along. Coaching went from number 2 to the clear number 1. Coaches need to get it right and manage it well going forward. Your thoughts as always are greatly appreciated.

Eric Hansen

2:13

Hi Joe, thank you and here's your two-part answer. I think it was a factor, not an overwhelming one but O-Line coach Rudolph does take into account strong combinations when he's setting a starting lineup. ... To part 2, I enjoy Rocco's, both going there and the taste of the pizza. I also like Barnaby's a lot, but for takeout Starlite is my favorite.

Joe from Baltimore

2:09

Hey Eric. Two part question. How much do you think the tandem of Knapp and Pendleton played into them both being named starters? And what is the best spot for pizza in the South Bend area? Thanks as always!

Eric Hansen

2:09

Hi Jonathan ... thanks for the compliments. ... I think Mike Elko couched that right. For him to say the opposite would have come off as arrogant and overconfident. I think it's pretty even actually. And with so much player and coach movement, it's getting more and more common. Here, for the record, is what Riley Leonard had to say about it last night:
“Yeah, that sounds like something he’d say,” Leonard said with a laugh when read the Elko quote. “He might just be sugarcoating for y’all. I don’t know. I think we’ve both got advantages. ,,,
“He knows what plays I like, what plays I don’t like,” Leonard said of Elko. “Everybody calls him a defensive coach. He’s really an everything coach, to be honest with you.
“He was in all the offensive meetings. He knew every play that was going in. He knew what I liked, what I didn’t like. So yeah, from top to bottom.”

Jonathan Wright

2:04

Jonathan Wright —Kansas City, MO Love your podcast and articles Eric. Finally game week! So excited and anxious. After watching Coach Freeman’s press conference I decided to listen to Mike Elko’s press conference as well. I was really intrigued with what he chose to share. The most interesting thing to me was his belief that Riley Leonard held a stronger advantage in his familiarity with Coach Elko’s defense for the last few years over his own familiarity with Riley Leonard’s game. Do you agree with this and where do you think this will show it self the most on Saturday night ?

Eric Hansen

2:04

So let's talk about the 85-scholarship thing. If the NCAA gets all its ducks in a row with what's already been proposed, this will be the last year for it. You'll then have roster limits and likely up to 105 players on scholarship. But ND and others still have to deal with 85 this year. But there's a workaround. Because of NIL money, ND can technically take a player off scholarship and make up the difference in NIL money. So let's say he was previous getting a scholarship and 50K. Now he's getting 120K and no scholarship. Life will not change for that player. It's really about the accounting and not the status. And even other walk-ons can get NIL money. So that is how ND dealt with it. No one got cut or demoted. The Irish adapted for the one year of gray area. I'm sure other schools did the same.

1:58

Hi Lorne and thanks for the great questions and fun perspective. ... Let me get to your questions. Yes, Aamil Agner, Billy Schrauth and Ashton Craig would all be draft-eligible after the season. I think it's close to zero chance any of them will. Tackles are much more in demand than interior players at the next level, and Wagner does not yet have an NFL body. He might be a five-year college guy. ... Schrauth does have an NFL body but three career starts. I'm not sure even with a great year he'll be eager to bolt. Ashton Craig can build his equity with another year or likely two. (more)

Lorne

1:46

Lorne from Reno. Happy opening week, Eric, and thank you for sharing your time and expertise on these chats. One of the (many) things I love about college football is how strengths and weaknesses change from year to year. Our defensive line looks great, but next year we have four new starters: it should still be good, but it will be one of next year's question marks. On the other side of the line, all of our starting offensive linemen can return, and that doesn't even count Lambert and Jaguseh (who may/should start next year) -- that's one reason CJ Carr has a huge smile on his face. Are the "Jr./So." trio of Craig, Schrauth and Wagner theoretically eligible to go pro after this year and, if so, do you think any will? If not, our line should go from question mark to awesome next year, though I suppose we'll lose some to the portal. Also (unrelated), any word on how the team is getting down to 85 scholarships (by asking I am guaranteeing that the news will break any time now).

Eric Hansen

1:45

Hi Kagan, I'm so old I get confused whether a hot take is a good thing or a bad thing. I like your examples. But I'm going to give you a bold take. Sophomore safety Adon Shuler will rise to the occasion in his first college start and factor into the outcome of the game.

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