JotCast | Notre Dame Football Live Chat | July 23, 2026

Notre Dame Football Live Chat | July 23, 2026

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Eric Hansen

3:09

That's going to have to do it. I'm out of time. Marie I'll look up the return man question and include it in the transcript. I'll also add info on how to order the book in the transcript as well. Thanks for all the great questions. We'll be back Wednesday, Aug. 5, at noon ET for the next live chat.

3:08

Hi Adam, I am pressed for time, so I am going to do this rapid fire ... 1) The running game will be good enough to make this offensive truly two-dimensional. There are home run threats, just none like Jeremiyah Love. I think you'll see more home runs in the passing game. ... and yes the expectation is the O-line will be better this year. 2) All really good, but Leonard Moore is a top 5 pick. 3) Ian Premer.

Adam, Dayton, OH

3:05

Eric, Can't believe the season is so close, how excited are you?! 1.) While I think Aneyas Williams is better than many realize, Notre Dame arguably had it's best backfield ever last year (to me, it is those guys or Brooks and Bettis in '92). Is there a drop-off this year, and if so, how big? I think the expecation is that the line will be better this year, but is there a back on the roster that is a homerun threat? 2.) I think ND has 4 potential 1st or 2nd team All-Americans on defense this year. Boubacar Traore, KVA, Leonard Moore, and Tae Johnson. Who is ND's best defender/who would be your NFL draft pick out of that group? 3.) Of the lesser-known names on the roster, who would be your pick as the next to ascend to stardom?

Eric Hansen

3:04

Ha. It will be with us until the end of time or sports radio talk shows cease to exist, whichever comes first and whether it's warranted or not.

Robb, Edwardsburg

3:04

The ND to a conference talk that heated up post-CFP snub has abated. Is it gone for a while now or always lurking in the background?

Eric Hansen

3:03

Hi Mike, I actually did see that movie and I loved the exhange, when Rodney Dangerfield's character asks the professore (Sally Kellerman) out for a date. And she responds that she can't because she has class. And he says something to the effect of, well maybe we can get together wheh you have no class. Love it. I think the interior defensive line rotation will start with Jason Onye and Francis Brewu and then rotates in Tionne Gray and Elijah Hughes with a whole bench of folks battleing to be options in the third line of that rotation. On the edge, I think it'll be Boubacar Traore and Bryce Young, with Keon Keeley and Rodney Dunham in the next wave and several candidates vying to be in the third wave.

Mike, Phoenix

2:59

Eric, have you ever watched Back to school? In the bien h I only have 1 question in 17 parts. I kid, I kid. How do you project Jason Onye, Keeley, Hughes, Young, etc.

Eric Hansen

2:59

Gobble Gobble.

Guest

2:59

Eric "Turkey Leg" Hansen!! good morning!!

Eric Hansen

2:59

Hi Don, the main storylines for August ... not necessarily in order, just coming off the top of my head ... players coming back from injuries, like Quincy Porter, Ashton Craig, Kyngstonn Viliamu Asa, etc. 2) The battle for the No. 2 QB. 3) The competition at right offensive guard and perhaps center. 4) Who made a summer leap. A guy like DE Keon Keeley, for instance, is one to watch. 5) Does ND have strong options at the nickel and is Christian Gray the best of them.

Don in Scottsdale, AZ

2:55

Eric, seems like the off season has been smooth sailing. With that being the case what's the main story line for the August? Receivers, backup QB, Oline? The evolution of CMF ultimately may be the story as the program appears to be as buttoned down as I can remember. Reminds me if ancient times when Ara had things buttoned down.

Eric Hansen

2:55

Thanks RK. It was a fun project to work on, and I hope it lives up to your expectations. .... It's really his big picture understanding, which translates into better checks at the line of scrimmage, better at sliding protections, better confidence in know what works and what won't, when to take a risk, when to tuck it and run. If he has the kind of year I think he will, he would be in that first-round conversation, but there are others.

RK from Minnesota

2:52

Eric, I can’t wait for the book to arrive! You da man! In your opinion, what aspect of the game will CJ CARR improve in the most this year? Will he be the first QB drafted (hopefully not to Cleveland)!

Eric Hansen

2:52

You are correct about the coaches being able to watch film of those practices. In talking with sources, you also find out who your true leaders are in the summertime.

2:51

Hi Dave. Thanks for taking the plunge. YOU can violate the "no bare feet" rule if you'd like. Thanks for the compliment and here's to a great next chapter of your life. ... To your questions. Notre Dame in June has coach-supervised OTAs, seven of them. And in those they're doing install of the tweaks in the scheme on both sides of the ball and working on situational stuff like third-and-short and red zone. And there's a very regimented, well-thought out agenda. What happens over the player-led practices in July — no pads, no coaches — is a repeat of the same concepts. So it's not up to the players to set the agenda, just to execute it. (more)

Guest

2:44

Dave from Mitchell, GA...Eric, first time submitting a question but I have been following your chat transcripts for a while and absolutely love the content. You do an amazing job and it's something I look forward to each week. I have recently retired so I will be able to be more active on the chat now. Walk me through what the player lead OTA workouts look like. I understand the captains run the workouts and assume they are they going off a script developed by the coaches. I would imagine the players would have to be very disciplined to stay focused during these workouts without an actual coach directing them. Also, I believe the coaches can watch film of the workouts but can't have direct contact, is that correct? Thanks and keep up the great work!

Eric Hansen

2:42

Len!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! Thanks for doing all that research and I am enjoying the summer, and it has been busier than you might think. I think Notre Dame always has a target on its back. I think this Irish team has a roster more capable than most of doing something about it on a weekly basis. I really like how this team sets up, barring injury. ... I think THIS 40-year-old is ready for that challenge. He's not built like other 40-year-olds, the way he approaches the game and approaches life. He is an old soul.

Len from the Jersey Shore

There have been coaches that young, a few, in the past. But in this CEO Head Coach era there has not CFP Championship Coaches and Their Ages at Game Time

2014 Season (Jan. 2015): Urban Meyer (Ohio State) — Age 50
2015 Season (Jan. 2016): Nick Saban (Alabama) — Age 64
2016 Season (Jan. 2017): Dabo Swinney (Clemson) — Age 49
2017 Season (Jan. 2018): Nick Saban (Alabama) — Age 66
2018 Season (Jan. 2019): Dabo Swinney (Clemson) — Age 51
2019 Season (Jan. 2020): Ed Orgeron (LSU) — Age 58
2020 Season (Jan. 2021): Nick Saban (Alabama) — Age 69
2021 Season (Jan. 2022): Kirby Smart (Georgia) — Age 46
2022 Season (Jan. 2023): Kirby Smart (Georgia) — Age 47
2023 Season (Jan. 2024): Jim Harbaugh (Michigan) — Age 60

2:36

Hello Eric!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! Hope all is well with you and you are enjoying your summer. Between the CFP setup excluding ND from the playoffs and including inferior, in comparison to ND, teams in that playoff; the response by ND to not go to a bowl, and the mantra leave no doubt; and how big is the target on ND's back this season in comparison to other years? I would not call ND under the radar at all this season. Second question, is a 40 year old coach ready to handle that (more)

Eric Hansen

2:36

Hi Skip. I'm not in the weeds with some of these recruits, so I don't want to over reach what I really know. In general terms, sometimes a kid will go to the highest bidder and sometimes he just likes a school better and takes a lesser offer. As Marcus Freeman said Tuesday, money plays a part, but the bottom line is recruiting is still about relationships. And that's a big reason Notre Dame has been so successful. ... Harry came back at the urging of Tommy Rees. And when Tommy decided to go to Alabama as its OC, Harry decided it was a good time to retire. But he is still very active in the O-line community and was helping out with the Green Bay Packers this offseason.

Skip - Houston

2:31

“You gotta know when to hold’m and you got to know when to fold’m”. This strategy applies to poker as well as now to the NIL game. Notre Dame plays the latter game well, probably in the top 5. (1) My sense is that the price got too high for Fakaou and we folded. What is your take? (2) But I am at a loss to understand Henderson. I read he had made his mind up in October but I don’t buy this. What are your thoughts as to why he did not choose Notre Dame? (3) Re Tagliaferri - Oklahoma just put too much money on the table? (4) One last unrelated question – why did Harry Hiestand leave Notre Dame the second time? Thank you.

Eric Hansen

2:30

Hi Ryan. Receiving touchdowns? That's a good bet, but I think it's hard to pick, because so many of them have that potential. I am going to go with Aneyas Williams at RB for overall TD leader.

Ryan Frankfort Illinois

2:30

Good afternoon Eric with the season coming up soon who will lead the Irish in touchdowns I’m thinking Jordan Fasion GO IRISH ☘️☘️☘️🏈🏈🏈

Eric Hansen

“Jaden Greathouse, he’s finally healthy. How do we keep him healthy? We got to be intentional about certain things to make sure that we have them when it matters. Every individual is not the same, and so, what we’re gonna ask of Jaden Greathouse might be different from what we ask of Jordan Faison in fall camp, because we got to make sure that he’s ready to go as we get into the games. And so, there’s a lot of confidence in him. He’s been having a good summer."

2:29

Hi Ed, you are perfectly on time for the party. Welcome. I think Jaden Greathouse will be one of four receivers at the top of Notre Dame's rotation along with Jordan Faison, Mylan Graham and Quincy Porter. If he can stay healthy, he can have a renaissance year, because all of those guys help bring out the best in each other with different skill sets that can overwhelm a defense. Here is what Marcus Freeman had to say about Jaden on Tuesday: (more)

Ed, Sayville NY

2:25

Hi Eric. I’m late to the party today. If this has already been covered, say no more. What are you hearing about a potential re emergence of Jayden Greathouse as the season approaches? I realize time will tell health wise, but any optimism from sources around the program? Thank you good sir!

Eric Hansen

Not sure how much more I can add, but we saw it and heard from players in the spring about the differences he was making in their level of play.

2:24

Hi Patrick. Let me give you Marcus Freeman's response to this, when he was asked a similar question during our Tuesday sitdown with him:

“He’s been amazing. He really has. The buy-in from our players to coach Partridge. It’s hard when you have the same coach for three years that is an unbelievable coach in Al Washington. Then you get a new guy. You gotta create this belief and trust in him, and he did. He spent endless amounts of time with them.
“He’s a technician. He obviously has credibility just through the proof of the guys he’s coached. What he’s done with those guys, what he’s done in recruiting, what he’s done with the energy he brings to our staff, he’s been really, really good.”

Patrick, Fort Wayne, IN

2:20

Good Afternoon Eric, I am anxious to see how the defensive line plays with the teachings of Charlie Partridge. What early signs of Charlie's influence should I look for in the D-line's play? Who do you think will be most noticeable in the first month of the season?

Eric Hansen

2:19

Hi Jeff. I would start with putting something on Instagram in the offseason is much different than doing so in game week. And in Notre Dame's case, the policy of sports info is to put out an availability report on Monday, then not update it -- unless Marcus really feels like it on this Thursday Zoom — until roughly 45 minutes before kickoff on Saturday. But there's nothing that keeps that info from leaking re sources or if kids see someone walking to class in a protective boot and posting that on social media. There also is a layer of player privacy rights, that gets into some gray area. But the bottom line is, I don't expect the hypotheical you brought up to pla out DURING the season.

Jeff from Phoenix

2:12

Hey Eric, hope you are doing well! I appreciate your extensive update on player injuries from talking with MF on tuesday. So, I have a related injury policy question. Last spring, Joey O'Brien posted a twitter pic of him on a gurney waiting for his ankle surgery. This seemed out of the norm for ND sports information process. I wonder if there are new policies for disclosing individual injury situations in this NIL era? I can imagine some scenario where a key player (e.g. CJ Carr-ish or L Moore-ish) could post a pic or information related to an injury/availability ahead of a game, thus giving the opponent an opportunity to scheme for that change. That information is usually held close by teams until game day to avoid giving the opponent an advantage. Thanks and appreciate your thoughts on this!

Eric Hansen

2:12

I'm guessing you want the latter, and that would be to watch Notre Dame play for and win a national title in person.

2:11

Hi Matt! Due to your confession of violating the "no bare feet" rule, I'm going to go easy on you and just give you double-secret probation. ... Most overblown? Maybe a real recent one that's come up where some people are trying to frame Brian Kelly's leaving for LSU the reason why the ND administration is supportive of Marcus Freeman. I think Marcus earned that support on his own. ... Under the radar? Probably how good the offensive line can be with or without Charles Jagusah. ... Miami. Miami, a thousand times Miami. ... Greatest impact outside of the current players, coaches and administrators. Media is not the answer ... I would go with former ND players, especially the great reconnection Freeman has made with that group and how often they are around and what they do to impact the program when they come back. ... I am a big dummy when it comes to bucket lists, and in this instance ... is this something I want to do that's Notre Dame-related or what I think the fans would want to do? (more)

Matt from Muscatine

2:00

Hi Eric! I hope you’re enjoying your summer! Thank for hosting these chats and for all your great insights! I always look forward to them. Pardon the bare feet, but I’m submitting this ahead of time, so I think the smell will only bother me anyway. What, to you, has been the most overblown ND football storyline of the offseason, the most under the radar storyline, and the development that surprised you the most? Which ND football opponent are you most excited about this season and why (it doesn’t have to have anything to do with their game against ND)? Who, outside of ND players, coaches, and athletic department personnel, has had the greatest impact on the development of ND football and why? And, if you had to create an ND themed bucket list, what would be the first item on it and why? Thank you!!!

Eric Hansen

2:00

Mark!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! I will answer these the best I can. These vary from instution to institution, and they're constantly changing. But I will do my best. 1) Contracts are generally one year in length. 2) There are two pools of money, revenue share from Notre Dame and NIL outside of Notre Dame. It is my understanding the rev share checks are in monthly installmens and the NIL can vary. Some can be lump sums and some can be broken up into quarterly or monthly distribution. 3) Yes, there are separate buckets. 4) No not for moving up or down the depth chart. That could be reflected in the following contract. But they do have to remain academically eligible and follow rules. And in the case of NIL, they do have to fulfull obligations like making appearances. 5) Yes, Notre Dame does a great job of that both with current players and players moving on to the NFL or into the business world.

Mark from Memphis, TN

1:53

Hi Eric!!!!!!! In this era of NIL and pay-for-play, I have a few questions about how the process works. First, do players have contracts, and for what term do the contracts run? Second, how are players paid - one lump sum, multiple lump sums, per game/week/month? Third, are there separate “buckets” for pay from the university vs. NIL? Fourth, are adjustments made if a player exceeds or does not play up to his contract (I.e., moves up or down the depth chart)? Finally, given the sums of money being paid out, what support is given to players to help them handle and manage their money wisely? Many thanks and GO IRISH!!!

Eric Hansen

1:52

Hi Bo. Wait? There's points assigned to the questions? What can I cash those points in for? 1) Nothing on the menu this year. It was later in the afternoon, so we had ice water. Not complaining. 2) I am sure we will. Just not yet sure when that will be. I would figure it to be right around the time fall camp opens. 3) When ND had its official visits in June, I believe the recruits got to see the parts of the facility that were completed by then. I am not sure I earned the max 450 points, but I hope it's good for a Corona.

Bo from Michiana

1:49

🫡🍀🏈 A great Blue & Gold Magazine!!!! I love the history article on Jim Crowley. And the Green Bay snippets of those that forged paths at both location. My 1st question; worth 200 pts- Concerns this weeks meeting with Coach Marcus Freeman. I recall you saying that last year it was an informal setting; a roundtable of sorts with food served. What was on this years menu, if anything? 2nd question; worth 150 pts.- Does the media get an invite to tour the new facilities when they fully open and are you on the list? 3rd and final question; worth 100 pts- Did they show the new weight room to the commits and recruits during the OVs?

Eric Hansen

1:49

Let me come back to the return guys a little later in the chat. I wrote about that a couple of months ago, but I can't recall the list off the top of my head and need to look it up. ... Re 5-for-5, the two players that otherwise would have had expiring eligiblity in 2026 but now have that option, I'd pick up S Luke Talich and DT Elijah Hughes. Each could make good money as a fifth-year player and build draft equity. I don't know that Talich would make a full-time move to linebacker, but it's nice to have that hybrid skill set. ... I think the most troubling dynamic about Wisconsin is how much Badgers coach Luke Fickell knows about Marcus Freeman, Mike Denbrock and Mike Brown and what they like to do.

1:38

Hi Marie. Great to see you in the chat, as always. And thanks for the compliments. We will get to see the full practice on Aug. 6, which is the first one and then bits and pieces of some others in August. But at the first one, I'd be looking at players coming back from injuries and how they're moving around ... like Quincy Porter, Ashton Craig, Kyngstonn Viliamu-Asa ... and then the five June freshman arrivals, including TE Ian Premer and QB Teddy Jarrard. I also want to see how Colorado transfer DJ McKinney looks, since he wasn't able to practice in spring and he is a projected starter. We are not going to see full-go, contact periods, so you are really looking for how players move, how they are used, etc. (more)

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