JotCast | Notre Dame Football Live Chat July 26, 2024

Notre Dame Football Live Chat July 26, 2024

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Eric Hansen

2:38

OK, that's going to do it for this week. Thanks for all the great questions. Because we have practice viewing and interviews Wednesday, Thursday and Friday next week. I'll set the next chat for Saturday, Aug. 3 at noon ET. Thanks for chatting and/or lurking.

2:37

The Yellow Jackets played Georgia very tough at the end of the year (lost 31-23), then romped over UCF in their bowl game. BUT, they really need to improve their defense if they're going to be more than a .500-ish team this season.

2:36

Hi Tom. Yes, ND will have revised numbers either at the start of camp or very early on. And I think the guy everyone is keeping tabs on is right tackle Aamil Wagner, who's lack of mass to this point has been his biggest impediment to moving up the depth chart. I don't think it will be anymore, but we will see. I'm curious where young defensive ends Bryce Young and Boubacar Traore show up with strength/weight gains as that will help them too ... and curious where freshman RB Kedren Young will be with his size, as I see him as a possible third-dpwn specialist. ... I am one of those who considers Ga Tech a trap game. Not saying they'll beat the Irish or scare them but they have potential to make it interesting, based on how good their offense was last year and is expected to be this year. In a big turnover game, that could be a factor. (more)

Tom Kennesaw, GA

2:30

Hi Eric. Thanks for taking the time to get all of us through the off-season to camp finally ready to open. A couple of questions: will ND take new height/weight numbers when camp opens? If so, will you see these numbers so that we can see who has made progress since spring ball? Who do you hope to see take big steps in this area? Being here in Atlanta area I am a little curious as to why so many people think the GT game will be a "trap game". Can you please shed some light on that thinking. Have a great camp and as always GO IRISH!!!!!

Eric Hansen

2:30

Al Golden signed a three-year contract extension. That doesn't mean he'll be here for all three, but it's tougher to tempt him during those three. He loves what he's doing here and has a great present and future, it appears, at ND. And ND is willing and able to financially compensate elite coordinators. So it would take an exceptional situation for him to opt for something else in the near future.

Lorne

2:27

Lorne from Reno. Hello, Eric, and thanks as always for the chat. I was shocked that Al Golden was not hired away this off-season. What in the Wide Wide World of Sports is everybody thinking? I am thrilled to have him back for another year, and based on how the defense looks, I would think he will have suitors after the season. Won't he?

Eric Hansen

strength of schedule and the rhythm of the schedule, where those toughest games fall.

2:27

Hi Dave. Let me preface this with, I may be misunderstanding your question. I don't think ANY team wants to load up on the 12 best teams it can schedule. But you want a schedule to be strong enough to get you to the playoff. The rhythm in a schedule also matters, so does the number of home games. Notre Dame, like most Power 4 schools, wants to play seven home games (or six and a Shamrock Series offsite home game). To make the math work, you're going to have to schedule a couple of teams that don't require a trip to their stadium as part of the deal. So you're going to end up with a couple of Group of 5 teams on your schedule that will take a paycheck over a return game. You also can't peak to a crescendo every week, so you wouldn't want 10 other really killer games. You need to spread them out. Yes, a 9-3 team MAY make it into the playoff, but not universally so. Notre Dame should be able to make it on at 10-2 most years, but this could be a year where 11-1 is the bar, because of the overall (lack of) ...

Dave from PA

2:17

My question is about scheduling and ND’s approach moving forward. In today’s landscape where TV rights money is critical, wouldn’t it be best to load the schedule with the 12 toughest games we can schedule? If you keep the Navy game as a destination, your ACC tie ins (which should have a couple of manageable wins each year, but still name brands mostly), USC…then load up the remaining slots with Marquee match ups (think Michigan,OSU,PSU,Bama,Georgia,Texas,OKlahoma,etc). The talking heads are already forecasting that a 3 loss team with one of the toughest schedules in America can get in to the playoff. ND would have prime time content to drive TV rights value, they can sell recruits on playing the best competition in the country in every major market, and in most years if you go 3-3 or better in monster match ups, you still have a shot to get in with a schedule featuring 11 power conference teams and Navy? I’d love to hear your thoughts.

Eric Hansen

2:17

Hi Ced. Notre Dame has some time to recalibrate and reset its board after losing Derek Meadows, Dylan Robinson and Tanook Hines last week. ND has two WR commits in Jerome Bettis Jr. and Elijah Burress, and wants two more. They're still going to pursue Meadows, despite his commitment to LSU. We'll push out names as the offers go out. But since official visits won't resume until the season gets underway, there's not a huge rush to extend offers until then. ... Yes 2025 CB commit Dallas Golden would be a very good WR, I believe, at the college level, or a safety. The Irish like him at CB for now. Freshman safety Tae Johnson could also play WR down the road if it came to it, but with the transfer portal and renewed efforts with high school recruiting, I think those players will likely stay on defense.

cederickwalker

2:09

ced walker Saginaw Michigan aka sagnasty Saginaw pride what positions concern you the most going to training camp July 31 and any new recruits at wr for the 2025 class do u think Dallas golden can play wr 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

2:09

Denny, wait a minute. Your kids GIVE you stuff and don't ASK for money? What universe do you live in and how can I get there? Kidding ... sort of. I think Notre Dame will be the more complete team on the field that night. Texas A&M has some aspects of that team that are really good, especially it's defensive line, but I think ND is better and deeper in most places, enough to win a close game in a tough road environment.

Denny - Bullard, TX

i see this game as two teams with strong defenses and great QB’s and inexperienced but talented offensive lines. Kyle field will be a tough venue in August. So my question is what do you think will be the main factor for the Irish to pull out a win?

2:07

I will be at the A&M game this year with my three “kids” that are all Aggie graduates. As my retirement gift from them is all expenses paid to the home and home games in 2024 and 2025 in South Bend. So an Irish win would be sweet as well as save me from a lot of razzing!

Eric Hansen

2:06

Joe. I will try to do this best going off the top of my head. I am just getting to know some of these guys and haven't interviewed all of them. Having said that, I'd put Morrison, Watts and Schrauth at the top of the best interviews for different reasons. I'd say Mitchell Evan and Christian Gray make me laugh the most. And personality of a coach or player I didn't expect ... probably Gino Guidugli among coaches. And among players ... Charles Jagusah.

Guest

Joe from Lutherville, MD. Try again. Who is the best interview on the team? Who is the funniest? And which player (or coach) blew you away with personality that you didn't expect. Thanks!

1:57

Joe from Lutherville, MD. Hi Eric. I need your picks for some crucial awards.

Eric Hansen

1:54

That is what he has been telling everyone who asks, and that has been the expectation all along. We'll get a look at him moving around on Wednesday, but a resounding yes is expected.

Guest

1:54

Scubavt from Jamestown TN , Will Mitchell Evans be ready to play this fall?

Eric Hansen

1:53

Yes, linebacker recruiting an development is trending in a very positive direction. In the first 20 years of Rivals player rankings, Notre Dame recruited a TOTAL of six players in the Rivals100 regardless of position who were linebacker prospects. That included one, Daelin Hayes, who was recruited as a defensive end. If ND can reel in Nathanial Owusu-Boateng and Madden Faraimo to complete this cycle, it will give ND SIX total top 100 players who happen to be linebackers in a four-cycle span. Cheers!

1:50

Hi Mike. I'm not trying to one-up you on the "oldness" scale, but I was covering college sports when Lee Corso got fired as head coach of Indiana. And one of my grandkids used to think I was 24,000 years old. He's since amended that to 50-something which has put him back in the will. ... I do not agree THIS YEAR that game one is the all-or-nothing harbinger. Maybe in some years. But this is an offense that should be a lot better in November than in August. And so there's a good chance if there's a rematch, ND would do much better in a playoff game vs. A&M (if both somehow made it) than in August. And you can flip that script, ND could win at A&M (picked ninth in the SEC by the way), and if it's a team that gets hit hard by injuries or doesn't evolve offensively, they would get beat in November by Florida State or USC. I am picking ND to go 11-1 and make the playoff. (more)

Mike, phoenix

1:46

Eric, Happy Friday!! I’m old enough to remember going to watch the IRISH play as a 9 1/2 point underdog at Michigan in 1993. Set the tone early for a fabulous season. IMO, the A & M game sets up the same. Win and have a great season. Lose and it turns out not as good as expected. Really wish ND would open every year vs a good team. Schedule is a little light by ND standards. Freeman needs a big road win. I’m keeping expections for Riley Leonard tampered after drinking the cool aid last year for Sam. How special do you think our LB’s can be this year? Maybe most talented set of LB’s since the 3 amigos. Enjoy the rest of your summer. Cheers!

Eric Hansen

1:45

Hi Beave. Your recollection is conceptually spot on. Father Jenkins was on board with that thought too. But I think there has been a change in course. And it's not just college football but all across college sports.

Beaver. Grand Rapdis

1:43

Eric: Your recent articles talk about how ND remains “competitive” in the NIL space and ND’s recruiting success backs that up. I recall an interview you did several years back with retired AD Jack Swarbuck which indicated that if NIL progressed to the point of paying payers directly, ND would opt out of playing in the top tier of college football and would opt to play with schools that likewise embraced true amateur athletics. Is my recollection off? If that was Jack S’s view, was it based upon a misperception of how and how quickly NIL would play out? Or did he and ND suddenly change course?

Eric Hansen

1:42

Hi Bob. I'm more of an pass efficiency rating guy than completion percentage, because that also reflects interceptions and downfield passing, etc. Let me give you Sam Hartman's game by game numbers in that regard last year first: 231.7, 217.0, 217.6, 206.2, 140.0, 112.2, 115.6, 150.9, 152.8, 70.9, 198.2, 174.0. The losses were 140.0 Ohio State, 115.8 Louisville and 70.9 vs. Clemson. The 1115.6 was the escape at Duke. I would put the number at 140 for Leonard, because of his dimension as an elite runner. Had Hartman had that skill, his 140.0 against Ohio State would have been enough to win that game. ... If ND can get the left guard right (Coogan or Spindler), I do think you'll see more consistent and more powerful INTERIOR O-line play this season.

Bob, Loganville, GA

1:35

Eric, What completion percentage must Riley Leonard reach in our biggest 4 games (A&M, Louisville, FSU, USC) for the Irish offense to score 28 or more points in each game? Will there be an obvious improvement to the interior OL with Craig at C over Correll? Duke, Louisville and Clemson dominated the interior OL last year.

Eric Hansen

1:34

I don't expect Marcus to be tight-lipped on Ben Morrison's status unless he legitimately doesn't know. What I've found about Marcus Freeman in the time he's been at ND, he doesn't lie about injuries, but he will not necessarily volunteer info if you don't ask about it. He'll get asked about it. And thanks for the feedback on Bob Morton.

Jeff from Phoenix

1:32

Hey Eric! First I just want to echo praise for Bob Morton on FNS. Based on Bob's friendship with Jeff Faine I looked him up, and wow, what a great story on his life, if others are interested its at the ND site and titled "Strong of Heart". So, quick question, any off-season workout intel on Ben Morrison? Do you expect Freeman to remain tight-lipped to avoid an advantage to TAM? Thanks-

Eric Hansen

1:32

Len, thanks for the report!

Len from the Jersey Shore

1:32

Great twitter picture from ND football of the players on stage with the cast.

1:31

Eric, CMF was awesome. I can see why the players relate to him. He traveled with 9 players. Riley Leonard, Howard Cross , Mitchell Evans, Steve Angeli, Jack Kiser, Rylie Mills, Jordan Clark, Beaux Collins & Xavier Watts. The group was at the Yankee game on Friday. Benjamin Morrison was suppose to join in the Friday travel melee. I met Rylie Mills and he was a very big man. I ate lunch at a table with Howard Cross and Riley Leonard. RL was very engaging. HC had stronger looking arms, forearms and hands then anyone I have seen in a while. I can see how he has the strength to use hand play to ward off potential blockers. A funny aside the group got caught in normal Saturday Jersey Shore traffic, coming form NYC, and were late to the event. There was a alumni rep question session with CMF and then a Q & A with CMF but mostly with the players. They went back to the city after the event and saw Hamilton on Broadway that night meeting the cast before the performance. (More)

Eric Hansen

1:31

Hi John. It took me a minute to figure out the Jackson you were referring to was Notre Dame hockey coach Jeff Jackson, who will retire after the coming season. If I'm wrong, let me know. One thing I have noticed over the years covering college coaches is that the great ones DO adept and evolve constantly. However, the changes in college sports in the last couple of year or so and in the couple of years ahead are SO seismic, it affected the timing of those retirements and chased other coaches into the pro ranks. What I have noticed about Marcus Freeman is that he embraces those changes and has a strategy to deal with them and believes Notre Dame will give him the power to thrive in that environment. That's a powerful dynamic. So, whatever age the coach is, I think he's at an advantage if he embraces this new reality and has a strategy to not only survive in it, but thrive.

johngipp Lititz, PA

1:25

Hey Eric, With the retirement announcements of Saban and Jackson, they both inferred college sports is not what it was. This got my puzzler to puzzle (ala the Grinch). Are the new HCs who are cutting their teeth in these turbulent times at an advantage over the greybeards set in their ways? As an example Riley at USC went heavy in the transfer portal and regressed while Freeman was selective and improved. It seems that MF's philosophy of recruit and take selected transfers at a position of need who fit the program is the perfect elixir in the present scenerio. It seems to be the balance between Dabo's no transfers and other HC's can you breathe strategy. Does my puzzler make sense?

Eric Hansen

1:24

Hi Marie. I've gotten to a couple of your question earlier, but not all ... so let me hit you with the access question. We will get one full practice -- next Wednesday -- and that's it as far as full ones go. And then we have some partials that will consist mostly of stretching, position drills but not many -- if any -- competitive periods of 7 on 7 or 11 on 11. Not complaining, but it is a bit of a rollback from previous seasons. We do have lots of interview access, which is great. ... Good sign in the first three days would be healthy players, good speed at the skill positions, good chemistry in the passing game and players making a leap in their games. Again, it will be hard to tell the first week what to make of the O-line. At least ND has the front seven on defense to test them throughout camp. And I appreciate you.

Marie from Atlanta

1:16

Hi Eric,

I Hope you’re having a great week. Thanks for sneaking in an extra chat. How much access are you getting during camp this year? I’m assuming the first three days of practice will be noncontact, what would you like to see in those first three days that would make you feel good about things that happened over the summer? What could you possibly see that might be a bad sign? Also, any inside information on Ben Morrison, do they still think he’s going to be ready for the Texas A&M game? Thanks again for holding the extra chat. I know I speak for all the chat heads when I say we really appreciate it !

Eric Hansen

1:16

Hi Bob. I have a pretty long list, even given the fact that the team won't be in full pads this early in camp. So let me give you what the top of the list will look like. I'm eager to see the June arrivals, players we didn't see in spring, especially S Rod Heard II, a projected starter, and WR Beaux Collins, who had a chance to be one. Also the Aussie punter James Rendell and the eight later-arriving freshmen -- with Guerby Lambert, Logan Saldate and Tae Johnson the most intriguing of that group. No. 2 would be the speed of the wide receivers and the chemistry timing they've built over the summer with QB Riley Leonard. Third would be the injured players coming back, like Mitchell Evans and Ben Morrison and how they're moving around. I'd be offensive line up at the top if this were a padded practice, but there's only so much you can glean in this setting.

Bob (Oxnard, CA)

1:05

What are you most hoping to see in the first practice of fall camp?

Eric Hansen

1:04

Manny!!!*^%$#)^!! Thanks for the infusion of exclamation points. And I will duly note your opinion of the Shamrock Series unis. I'm just glad no one is evaluating my wardrobe (at least not openly). The anticipation continues to be that Ben Morrison will be 100 percent by the middle of August. Marcus Freeman will update that on Wednesday, but I don't think they would have moved freshman Karson Hobbs from boundary to nickel (as a depth piece) if they expected the injury to linger. For those not following the team closely this offseason, Morrison -- a junior cornerback and arguably ND's best player on either side of the ball -- underwent shoulder surgery in March. He has been working out with the team this summer, but not at full capacity.

Manny from San Pedro

12:59

Eric!!!!! What is update on Morrison. Is he going to be good to go for A&M!?!?!?!?!?

12:58

Eric!!!!!!!! It stinks summer is rounding the corner but football!!!! Let’s go. For the record I love the shamrock jerseys!!!!

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