JotCast | Notre Dame Football Live Chat Feb. 7, 2024 | 2/7/2024

Notre Dame Football Live Chat Feb. 7, 2024

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Eric Hansen

3:19

And thanks to everyone for the great questions. We'll have a bunch of content coming this weekend from our interviews with the defensive newcomers (freshman and transfers), so check out insideNDsports.com for that. As for the chat, we'll be back to do it all over again next Wednesday at noon ET.

3:18

Ed, Let me have a week to think about this, because I can't come up with my best answer off the top of my head. Thanks for the question and for your patience.

Ed from Sayville NY

Most athletic, most physical, most competitive and biggest over achiever? Thank you good sir.

3:17

Hi Eric. During your time covering the Irish, which players come top of mind in the following categories:

Eric Hansen

3:17

Hi Aaron. Let's unpack these. 1. Allegedly more money and the talk of more responsibility. It's something we can ask Marcus Freeman next time he's in front of us. 2. Developing his long-passing game. Developing his accuracy/consistency. 3. I think Marcus Freeman is hitting the right notes with this. My criticism of Notre Dame's approach would be with regard to the slow timeline of the Guglielmino Athletics Complex expansion. As far as other areas, the world around Notre Dame and everyone else is changing so fast, it's going to be a constant self-evaluation to make sure they're in step.

Aaron, Washington D.C.

3:12

Hi Eric, thanks for the chat today. I'm going for a hat trick. Frist Question: What actions (if any) did Coach Freeman take to keep Chad Bowden at Notre Dame (pay, title, responsibilities, etc.)? Second Question: What areas (skills, decision making, etc.) do the Notre Dame's coaches believe are most critical to better develop in Riley Leonard for him to be elite this season? Third Question: It appears that Notre Dame is thriving despite all the seismic shifts in college football around transfers, NIL, etc. Would you assess that Coach Freeman has done all the major muscle movements required to have an effective program/organization in this new era of college football? Are there any gaps in Notre Dame's organizational construct and approach? I appreciate your time.

Eric Hansen

3:12

Chris, they are not listed in their bios. Maybe I can get a list of them during spring football and publish them then.

Chris from New York City

3:12

Do you know where academic majors are listed or could you perhaps provide them? Thank you.

Eric Hansen

3:05

Hi Andrew. I plead ignorance on injuries to him. He never missed a game. The good news is Jordan's best two games were his last two of the season, Stanford and the Sun Bowl. In fact, he was the defensive MVP of the Sun Bowl. The Irish need more consistency from him, and yet he committed to coming back and getting better. And I believe he will be better in 2024. And if he's not, there some good young Vyper ends ready to push for larger roles.

Andrew from DC

3:01

Hi Eric, Jordan Botelho had a very underwhelming season. What injury did he have? I never saw anything reported until after the season. Do you expect a big season from him??

Eric Hansen

3:01

I don't object to that, but I don't have the power to change it one way or another.

Chris from New York City

3:00

And, how about academic majors for the players. I do not believe that they are on the official player profiles any longer. Tranquill and Alt, for instance, I believe are engineering majors and perhaps that should be highlighted.

Eric Hansen

2:59

A quick break in the action. I'll allow a WBB question since I'm covering it this season and because Bob is awesome. Right now the latest ESPN bracketology has them as a 5 seed. They play so many ranked or tournament-bound teams over the last eight regular-season games, there's an opportunity to move up to the top four line and host or move down if they don't play well. But your question is if they play well ... so 6-2 vs. what's left on their schedule would be enough in my mind to get them to 4. If they're ridiculously good, maybe a 3.

Bob (Oxnard, CA)

2:56

If our WBB team plays very well down the stretch, where do you think they can be seeded in the NCAA tourney — in a best, though realistic case scenario?

Eric Hansen

2:56

Rui. I think those are legitimate concerns, given the geography of Notre Dame's fan base, the weather, the possible opponents, the timing with regard to when the students are here and the small window to sell tickets. I'll dig into this more during the season if/when it looks like the Irish are on a trajectory for this to happen.

Rui from Ossining, NY

2:53

Im concerned about a home playoff game during school break, and having our stadium not sell out and/or be 50/50...thoughts?

Eric Hansen

2:53

I have never heard of this happening, but I will check on this. If you can email me, I can get you the answer in the next week.

Colorado Irish

2:52

My son was an all-state High School 6 foot, 265 lb lineman. After injuring his knee, the orthopedic doc said he has good news and bad news. The good news is that you have a partial ACL tear. The bad news is that you’re done growing. Do coaches ever ask or do potential recruits ever provide X-rays of growth plates to prove they are still growing? Thanks!

Eric Hansen

2:52

Wow, this feels like Groundhog Day question I've answered before, but I will answer it anyway. Here's the math. Notre Dame is at 89 scholarships committed toward the 2024 season. I am including Gabe Rubio, who I think has a better-than-not chance or rejoining the team in spring or summer. Add Luke Talich getting a scholarship, which I think will happen, and you're at 90. So five is the minimum attrition rate that would have to happen by the start of fall-semester classes. The number would likely be slightly higher, and if so, there may be additions from the portal in the spring shopping season.

Jay, Granger

2:48

How many more transfers coming or going after spring practice do you see before the season starts. Thanks,

Eric Hansen

2:47

This question is tough, because I'm not sure what you're looking for --atmosphere, price, taste. I am not a fancy, schmancy get all dolled up kind of guy. So give me something like Rocco's, Portillo's or Fiddler's Hearth.

2:46

Hi Matt. 1. I think Duke transfer RJ Oben has A CHANCE to have the same kind of path at Notre Dame that Javontae Jean-Baptiste had. That is developing into a more complete, more impactful defensive end. 2. Among the running backs, it's hard to say who isn't a good receiving back. I'd put Jadarian Price at the top of the list, with Jeremiyah Love right behind at this point. 3. Spring practice is largely about impressions and not conclusions. I'm looking for players I feel show signs that they'll be able to find another level over the summer and into fall camp, also are there any dead ends for this team in a certain area or position group? Any unfixable problems? 4. Jaylen Sneed is an elite athlete who is learning to play a traditional linebacker role and has the intelligence and work ethic to make that work. 5. My grandkids say the best place to eat in South Bend is my house, and I'm not kidding. I was shocked too. (more).

Matt (KC)

2:39

Fast five! 1. What are we getting in RJ Oben, is he solid, chance to be spectacular, what? 2. Who is the best receiving RB we have as I get the suspicion that might be more incorporated into the offense next season? 3. Do we really learn anything from spring practices, what do you look for as reporter for insight? 4. Our LBs seem to be the younger and more inexperience group, not sure where Sneed will play as read article he had highest missed tackle % last year, but it seems to me we need a strong group so we don't have to bring a safety down to help against the run, do you think we have the talent now KVA or others to be a "strong" LB core this year? 5. Best place to eat in South Bend (not on gameday, just in general)?

Eric Hansen

2:39

Patrick. There are so many lawsuits, so much of a push in Congress, so many other forces at work here, if I can predict what the new model is going to look like today, then I need to charge for my predictions going forward. The court decisions have been favoring the players over and over again, so that should help guide you in how you think this may turn out.

Patrick, Fort Wayne, IN

2:36

Good afternoon Eric. I have a difficult question that you may want to explore in a more expansive format, but I will ask anyway. If colleges are forced to pay athletes for services rendered I can imagine a scenario where colleges no longer offer scholarships, but charge athletes for services that equal worker compensation or close to it. Much like the old days of companies building a town around their business and paying employees in company script to be used only at company owned businesses in that town creating a profit loop to exploit workers, colleges have enjoyed the upper hand and will do whatever it takes to control expenses and profit. Do you think this scenario could play out? The Big Ten and SEC have formed a committee to "get a handle" on NIL and, I assume, keep the cash cow profits of football and basketball in their hands.

Eric Hansen

2:36

Hi Doug. Yes, I wrote a story last Friday and we talked about what some of the players had to say about it on our Football Never Sleeps show. Hope that helps. Keep in mind, it's just three weeks of impressions.

DOUG, Coeur d Alene Id

2:33

Any feedback on the S&C coach?

Eric Hansen

2:32

I believe it will be Riley Leonard, barring injury.

Guest

2:32

STEVE CLEMENS
NEPTUNE BEACH FLORIDA
WHO WILL BE THE STARTING QB THIS COMING UP YEAR.

Eric Hansen

2:31

Florida State is testing those legal limits. We'll see how possible and how expensive it is to leave the ACC from what happens to Florida State in court. So, you are on point in wanting ND to not fall asleep with all the changes coming, but perhaps getting too far ahead when it comes to Notre Dame needing to be in panic/now-or-never mode.

2:29

Mr. Sean. I agree big changes are coming to college athletics. I don't agree with your GPS on how that will unfold. Perhaps this article for ESPN on the Big Ten/SEC partnership will give you a better perspective of what they're hoping to accomplish with the formation of that partnership. In the meantime, Notre Dame isn't going to bury its head and dream about college sports in the 1940s. They constantly take the temperature of what they feel is best for the program. Right now they feel like they're in a good position that most conferences would love to have them as a full-time member if that's the choice they want to make SOMEDAY. But even though you say the ACC is done-zo, ND's legal entanglements with the league are not. (more)

Sean, Schaumburg IL

2:23

Mr. Hansen, the NLRB ruling for Dartmouth is a huge ruling for college athletes. The Big Ten/SEC forming an advisory group is a step for the Big Ten/SEC to break away from the NCAA. It's going to happen. I hope ND admins are as quick to act as they were with transfer portal players. It's of paramount importance for ND to hitch their football wagon to the Big Ten/SEC. The ACC is done-zo. Do the ND admins have the appetite for this? Colossal change is coming to collegiate athletics.

Eric Hansen

2:23

Hi Jeff. I found some old articles on the topic. t is for safety and most college teams require their offensive linemen to wear them. Not all of them would by choice. Because of collective bargaining in the NFL, those players are not subject in most cases to team-imposed restraints when it comes to equipment.

Guest

2:21

Jeff from Fort Wayne Thanks for your insight on all things Irish. My question is why do almost all offensive linemen wear knee braces, but in the NFL I see no one wearing them. I suppose its for safety, so why would the NFL not use them?

Eric Hansen

2:21

Hi Dan. How does GREATLY impacted sound. The longstanding model of amateur athletics is changing at light speed with more changes to come, and those two will have to show strong leadership in making decisions about how Notre Dame goes about navigating that new world. ... I think Tyler is smart to keep all of his options open. And that could include transferring after he's received his degree to another school to take a shot at starting. If he were to join the Irish roster, I'm not sure what his role would be that wouldn't possibly impeded the development of Kenny Minchey or CJ Carr. Not saying it's an unworkable concept, but hard to see the fit here.

Dan from Whitby, Ontario

2:16

With the retirements of both, University President, Fr. John Jenkins and Athletic Director, Jack Swarbrick, how do you believe ND athletics and the football program will be impacted under the new leadership of President, Fr. Robert Dowd, and Athletic Director, Pete Bevacqua? Also, Tyler Buchner’s announcement to transfer back to ND to play lacrosse and finish his degree was interesting, in that he mentioned that he was (I am paraphrasing) “not closing the possibility of a return to football.” If we lose a QB to the transfer portal in the spring, will we see Tyler return to the gridiron?

Eric Hansen

2:16

Hi Sean. Northwestern transfer Rod Heard II, a June enrollee, was recruited to play primarily safety, even though he was a nickel for most of his career at Northwestern. We had him on the Inside ND Sports Podcast last month, and you can hear him talk about his role in that interview for more depth on the topic. Jordan Clark has the inside track at nickel, but Heard could certainly play there at a high level. So, if everything works out right, he'd start at safety alongside Xavier Watts. Again, sometimes there are surprises. ... Yes I think Christian Gray is good enough to challenge for a starting spot, but I think all three of them -- Mickey, Gray and Morrison will play a lot. Clarence Lewis could rotate in at corner as well. I'll go over 5 on your question re Watts.

Sean, Portland OR

2:09

Regarding the secondary next year.... 1) Does Heard play more safety or more nickel do you imagine? 2) Any chance Christian Gray becomes the #2 corner over Mickey, assuming Morrison will continue to start as #1 corner. 3) O/U 5 combined forced fumbles/interceptions next year for X?

Eric Hansen

2:06

But at this point, predicting how he's going to feel is really guesswork. We haven't seen how he performs in the spring, how he interacts with Mike Denbrock, etc. ... To the O-line question, I'm going to have you one source, and not a definitive source necessarily, in the Pro Football Focus film grades. I eliminated anyone who didn't get at least 35 snaps in run blocking (Aamil Wagner for example) or pass blocking. But among qualifying returning O-linemen the order for run blocking is Schrauth, Spindler, Coogan, Craig, Baker. For pass blocking, it's Wagner, Schrauth, Craig, Coogan, Spindler, Jagusah, Baker.

2:02

Hi Norris, and thank you. Do they actually have doldrums where you live? To Riley Leonard's strengths, he's a big strong guy -- 6-4 with a strong arm. He's able to recognize and handle pressure well. He's got an "it" factor when it comes to making big plays at big moments, but that includes his running, too. What he needs to work on is his accuracy/consistency and his downfield passing game. I'm not going to put odds on a kid transferring. It feels too much like making odds someone's wife will leave him. Just feels icky to me. What I will say is Steve Angeli, if he's No. 2 and Leonard is fully healthy, will have a decision to make and will have options. I would think he's shown enough that SOME teams believe he'd be good enough to start for them. What he'll have to weigh is walking away from relationships at ND and the ND degree, both of which he has said are meaningful to him. If he thinks he has a leg up on everyone else for 2025, that may keep him at ND. (more)

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