JotCast | Notre Dame Football Live Chat May 25, 2023

Notre Dame Football Live Chat May 25, 2023

Eric Hansen

2:57

OK, that's going to do it for today. Thanks for all the great questions. I'll be back to do the next one later this summer, then we'll move back into weekly mode when training camp starts in late July.

2:53

Hello Guest. Unfortunately, I don't have your name or your hometown or your entire question, but I'll do my best. I'll put it as succinctly as I can, risking oversimplification. What Marcus is doing in taking the lead on every recruitment is smart. Thus, the primary recruiting relationship, or at least a pivotal one, is with him. The second part of it is he sells the school and what it can do for life after football. If I'm the father of a recruit, I want both for my son -- a great school he'd got to if there were no football and a coach I can trust to help my son grow on and off the field.

Guest

2:49

Hi Eric - thanks for all the great work! It’s intriguing to me how college football recruiting continues to face disruptive forces (e.g., NIL, Portal, new regs), evolve and adapt, and then face even more disruptive forces. High school kids always talk about “developing relationships“ with their position coach or HC, but the chances of a top position coach actually coaching a current high school sophomore is slim to none. We see many decommitments when a position coach leaves, and the recruit ends up following that coach. A no-wiggle definition of “commitment” helps (ref.Venables). Multi-coach recruiting “teams” are another alternative to maintaining a stable recruiting class. But I think the most important relationship is between the recruit and the institution. That almost sounds inhumane, but the only constant given the coaching carousel is the university itself and the culture it provides. In your view, what is the best multi-pronged strategy for consisten

Eric Hansen

2:48

Mike. Your question is well-intentioned, but you want to control something that can't be controlled and probably shouldn't be. I don't at all feel Owen Wafle used Notre Dame. Are there recruits who will use a verbal commitment as a place-holder then shop for better NIL deals? Yes, there is, according to what Rivals national recruiting director Adam Gorney shared on our podcast. The best way not to waste time is for coaching staffs to get a good read on those types of kids and move on, or accept the risk that comes with them and that it might not end well.

Mike McFadden, Williamsport, PA

2:41

Hi Eric, I truly believe that players and coaches 'use' Notre Dame as a stepping stone to improve their life positions ... AT Notre Dame's expense. Perfect example is yesterdays news that former DT Owen Wafle recruit when he committed in May 2022! He reportedly had only 10 offers with his leaders being ND, Iowa, Michigan State, home state Rutgers and last place SEC Vanderbilt. No Michigan, no Oklahoma as he has today plus he has more then doubled the schools to 21 without even playing a single football game since (camps?). I assume to soften the blow on ND, he strategically announces his decommitment hours before another DT commits to ND. My question is this: How best or what would you or the NCAA do to avoid the wasted time & money by schools, the media and the fans from this situation? I can think of numerous things with one being (ouuh, I know Eric) the media not reporting any verbals until signing date thereby preventing the recruit from notoriety, etc. Thanks Eric.

Eric Hansen

2:40

Can I have a couple of beers first? ... Doug, thank you for the question, but it makes my head hurt. I'm not sure any part of that is not plausible, though I think losing to Wake is the least plausible of the hypothetical situation you concocted. It's also possible none of those things happen. I think if Sam Hartman stays healthy all season, that's the one Marcus Freeman would be willing to roll with and take his chances with the rest.

Doug from Sunny Florida

2:37

Eric, 'Sam Hartman is in the top three in the Heisman race going into the last week of the season but his stock drops when he has a 3 INT game in a loss against his former team, Wake Forest, on senior day, also dropping the Irish from the playoff discussion.' Can you dissect this statement, highlighting the right/wrong/possible pieces and why you feel that way?

Eric Hansen

2:37

Hi Larry. Thanks for listening and watching. Football Never Sleeps will actually sleep this week as Tyler is on vacation, but Charleston is filling in on the podcast later this afternoon, so we'll have that up for you early this evening if I don't accidentally delete it. ... As far as Book vs. McKee, they're really very different QBs with different skill sets. McKee, at 6-6, is six inches taller and MUCH less mobile. He has Ian beat on arm strength, Books seems to fit better with the other QBs the Eagles already have with mobile Jalen Hurts and Marcus Mariota. I think McKee is perceived as the guy with the higher ceiling between the two, but could he help you THIS year if here was a rash of injuries? My sense is that Book has the inside track and McKee would have to outplay him decisively in the offseason to bump him.

Guest

2:25

Larry from Topton, PA: Hi Eric! Looking forward to the next Podcast and/or Football Never Sleeps! I have a question that strays a bit from the normal chat-fare, but maybe your readers will be interested in your answer to my query. As a loyal ND and Philadelphia Eagle fan, I was very happy that Ian Book was the Eagles’ third string QB last season. But now that the Eagles drafted Tanner McKee (Stanford) in the sixth round of the NFL draft, I am worried about Ian’s future with the team. From what you recall of them in college, how would you handicap the Book vs. McKee battle for the last Eagle QB roster spot? Thanks EH!!

Eric Hansen

2:25

Hi Ryan, and thank you. ... I think authenticity sells. And Marcus Freeman leaning into the "choose hard" mantra not only plays well in recruiting, but plays will as far as retention (for the most part). His message is at Notre dame you can have it all -- national stage, playoff-caliber football (or at least contending for that), legal NIL, NFL player development and a life after football. That will not resonate with everyone, but enough that ND should be able to put together strong recruiting classes. ... And when a guy like Cole Kmet, who's currently in the NFL, comes back and gets his degree this spring, it reinforces that message.

Ryan, Atlanta

2:19

Thanks for the great coverage and insights, Eric! You can usually get a sense of the recruiting pitch by what players parrot back in interviews. While there is no doubt that 4 for 40 is still a big part of the pitch, I get the sense that Marcus Freeman has leaned into ND as an “elite” institution. Meaning not just for everyone. Do you hear something similar? Does is seems to sell better? Thanks!

Eric Hansen

2:19

Hi Tim, and thanks. Actually there's a lot to sort out in training camp, but in a good way. Sneed did play some Will in the spring game and may eventually evolve into that position in 2024, but for 2023, his clearest path to playing time is at rover. That is as long as Al Golden follows through and allows Jack Kiser to move to Will (Kiser was injured for the Blue-Gold Game). So here's how I would slot the linebackers heading into training camp: Middle linebacker 1) Bertrand, 2) Ziegler, 3) Bowen ... Wlll linebacker: 1) Kiser, 2) Liufau, 3) Zinter ... Rover 1) Sneed, 2) Ausberry, 3) Kiser if he truly is playing Will.

Tim from Atlanta

2:14

Hi Eric. Always enjoy these chats. Can you clarify your projected LB depth by position following your observations of spring practice, including the Blue and Gold Game? It seemed that Sneed spent a lot of time at Will in the B&G scrimmage but maybe that had to do with injuries or players sitting out rather than him being slotted there. Thanks!

Eric Hansen

2:14

Hi Ryan. Based on who's visiting the first weekend in June and reading Tyler James' Heat Index, I deduce it will be RB Kedren Young, OL Styles Prescod or both.

Ryan mars pa

2:10

Good afternoon Eric who is the next recruit to Select the Irish and coach freeman go Irish

Eric Hansen

2:08

Thank you, Marie. You know apparel deals are not in my wheelhouse. If you've ever seen me try to dress myself, you know why. I've not given attention to researching what your question asks, so I would be guessing here. I do think the concept of NIL support is intriguing, just not sure how to make that work. That's something we can certainly explore this summer. I think the complaints about UA footwear are real. I would take a stab that re-signing with them is less than 50%. ... Trap game? No. 1 choice for me is NC State on the road in game 3. No. 2 choice would be Duke and Mike Elko on the road the week after the Sept. 23 Ohio State showdown.

Marie from atlanta

2:02

Hi Eric, I hope you’re having a fantastic week. What do you see for the future of Notre Dame apparel now that the Under Armour contract is almost done? Who do you think Notre Dame is most likely to sign with and what do you think will be the most important factors in that decision? Do you think ND will want to include some type of NIL support in the deal? Perhaps something where every player on the team is compensated a certain amount by the apparel company. How much does the actual apparel factor into the decision? For tyears We’ve heard a lot of complaints about under armor cleats. What do you think the chances are that Notre Dame resigns with Under Armour? Since game time were released this week thought it would be fun to throw in a question about the schedule. What game do you see ad the biggest trap game.? As always, thanks so much for hosting the chat and your great insights.

Eric Hansen

2:02

7To be fair to Justin, the reason he didn't schedule an official visit to ND in June is that he can come over unofficially (90 miles) anytime. It might be a good sign for ND if he does. He did name a top five Wednesday that included Notre Dame. How much of a blow would it be if he ended up elsewhere. Perceptually, huge. Reality? Also huge, but not to the extent of the perceptual hit. Assuming Justin Scott's college development arc matches his recruiting hype, these are the kinds of building blocks ND needs to make a run IN THE PLAYOFF, not just getting there. What is Plan B. The Irish are recruiting Canadian-born/Florida product Sean Sevillano Jr., whether or not Scott comes. They'd have to land him, and I think there's a good chance they will, and then expand their board or shop the December transfer portal.

Patrick, Chicago

1:54

Morning, Eric. What are you hearing regarding the looming decision of 2024 five-star DT Justin Scott? Everything seemed to point to the Irish early, but now things seem to be trending away with his upcoming scheduled visits. As a priority prospect in his class, how much of a blow would it be to Marcus Freeman, Al Washington and the rest of the staff if he chooses to play elsewhere? How do they fill that DT gap in that class without Scott and Wafle?

Eric Hansen

1:54

Still, if Andy Ludwig or Colin Klein had said yes, Parker would not have had a chance to interview. When he did, Freeman said he blew everyone away. So, from an experience standpoint and proven track record standpoint, it is a risk .. but one Marcus Freeman was comfortable taking. Just as Brian Kelly was with unproven/inexperienced Tommy Rees. As far as Parker coaching tight ends, in college football, having a position group responsibility is usually part of the job. Rees coached QBs too. Chip Long before him, tight ends. Mike Denbrock, WRs. Chuck Martin, QBs. Jeff Quinn was BK's OC at Cincinnati and he coach O-line. Hope that helps.

1:47

Hi George. I hope I can clear this up for you. There was a lot of interest in the Notre Dame OC job and a lot of people eager to interview for it. In Marcus Freeman's view, there were not a lot of those candidates who philosophically matched up with the continuity and eventual evolution Freeman envisioned for the offense. If he had been open to going in a completely different direction, the candidate pool would have been much deeper. I don't think Marcus was particularly concerned with optics. He had a history with Parker, and felt he had earned inclusion in the process. His belief in Parker may be difficult to understand from the outside looking on. (more)

George from Seattle

1:41

I’m still a bit confused about the offensive coordinator situation, both how we got here (despite reading all the articles and Jack’s letter) and how it will operate going forward. After Utah OC turned us down (is that what Jack is saying happened?), was our TE coach really the next best option? Surely there was someone somewhere in the country with more experience and success as an OC. And how is coaching the TEs not going to be a distraction? Shouldn’t he focus on OC duties and give TEs to someone else? Thanks

Eric Hansen

1:41

As far as Justin Scott, the only thing I can guarantee about the rumors you hear regarding him is that there will be more of them until he signs.

1:40

Sean, sincerely thanks for sharing some stories about your adventure to Belfast but no need to share in future chats if you end up vomiting, as you suggested near the end of your note/question. The kickoff for the Ireland game will indeed be 2:30 p.m. EDT/7:30 p.m. Greenwich Mean Time. The Irish will take a charter, meaning they won't be flying in and out of Chicago and adding a bus trip either way. That should help. When I was much younger, I had family in Europe and remember the jet lag. For us, it usually hit us harder going to Europe than coming back, but it's still a real thing to deal with. I do think it affected ND in a similar situation back in 2012. A team that wore the No. 1 ranking going into the national title game nearly lost to a bad Purdue team at home the week after playing Navy in Ireland. AD Jack Swarbrick considered a bye the week after Ireland this time but instead scheduled FCS school Tennessee State. I think that will prove to be adequate middle ground. ... (more)

Sean, Schaumburg, Il

1:26

Eric, I'm back! Belfast was grand so it was. So much family we saw back home. Spectacular weather the whole trip. Found a new spot on the Irish Sea to visit. Ballygally Castle. Part of the Giant's Causeway scenic route and Game of Thrones was filmed around there. The flight back was rough. I was trying to manage my sick 70-year old mother(cold/fever) and a frail/deteriorating 86-year old aunt with dementia. I saw the kickoff time in Dublin is at 2:30 pm EST. That's 7:30 at night in Dublin. Is that true? If so, is the team flying back straight from the game? That's a brutal turnaround and I'm fearful this Tennessee State game could be Appalachian State-Michigan. It's an 8-hour flight from Dublin to Chicago. 2.5 hours back by bus to South Bend. Jetlag is real. 2 full days to recover. Also, I've read Justin Scott and his family are seeking an acquisition fee. Sigh...losing a stud Chicagoland Catholic leaguer to Miami would be brutal. Miami? Seriously? I wanna vomit. Be well. Go Irish!!

Eric Hansen

1:25

Hi Robert. You're talking about two of the absolute best players at their positions in the 2024 class. Let's start first with Elijah Rushing, a weakside defensive end from Tucson, Ariz. Notre Dame has a lot of work here to move to the front of his pack, but as long as he takes his scheduled official visit to ND June 9-11, the Irish remain in play. ... With DT Justin Scott from Chicago, it comes down to priorities. What's most important to him? I think ND has a better chance with Scott, because of proximity to Chicago and academics and his relationship with Marcus Freeman. But there's work to do here too, especially with him scheduling official visits to his four other finalists (Ohio State, Michigan, Georgia and Miami). You may be right about the Dante Moore parallel, but maybe not.

Robert Moore - Virginia Beach

1:10

Do the Irish have any real shot at landing either Justin Scott or Elijia Rushing or are they both just pipe dreams ? The Irish already have 3 D-linemen, so how many would they take if some lesser-ranked D Lineman commit before Scott/Rushing announce ? I'm getting the feeling that Justin Scott is like Dante Moore last year .... almost committed but will go elsewhere at the end.

Eric Hansen

1:10

Jason and Len, I'm going to put your questions together and answer them together. Four-star defensive tackle decommitted from Notre Dame on Wednesday after being committed to the Irish for a year. I think the most accurate depiction of why is to describe it as a mutual parting of the ways. It appears Wafle was uncertain about his role as ND continued to accrue D-line recruits and wanted to take an official visit to another school to look around. ND doesn't allow committed recruits to take OFFICIAL visits to other schools (not will it let a committed recruit take an official to ND unless he has decommitted first). It's fair to say ND got involved in some interior D-line prospects it liked a lot, so to part ways seemed to be the most sensible outcome for both sides.

Len from the Jersey Shore

1:04

Hello Eric and thanks for hosting. You have prepped us fans to understand that recruiting top recruits will always include decommits and misses. What can you tell us about Owen Waffle? His decommit seemed a surprise. He was a large body with the frame to become a legit 300 pound DT with agility. After seeing the Logan Diggs story I get that some recruits never fully get comfortable with the ND decision. What is the story with Owen?

Jason from Grand Rapids, Mi

1:04

Good day from sunny and finally blue skied Michigan as the Canadian smoke has finally moved out. Question on the Owen Wafle decommit. I've heard everything from the staff moving on from him and telling him to go elsewhere (I hope that's not accurate) to a mutual decision to look elsewhere. ND certainly needs size and talent in the Dline so I don't understand why we'd turn from a kid unless grades, behaviors etc. Or is this simply a case where the rumors are running wild when it's just a simple case of a young athlete changing their mind. Thanks!

Eric Hansen

1:03

Hi Greg. In recent years, the coaches have been able to do some things in terms of supervised workouts in June, but they have restrictions. No contact. No offense vs. defense. No ball. And you're right there is a lot of weight training and conditioning. But there are also play-run practices, that don't have all the restrictions the supervised practices or OTAs do. That's where QBs can hone their timing and chemistry with receivers, among other things.

Greg from Charleston, SC

12:55

We hear a lot about the progress that is made during summer workouts before fall camp, especially with timing between QB's and WR's. What type of workouts are they allowed to have as I thought it was more weight training and coaches are not allowed to instruct the players during this time?

Eric Hansen

12:55

Hi Mike. The Smith Twins, for those who don't follow recruiting as closely as Mike does, are 2024 D-line prospects Jacob and Jerod from Cheshire, Conn. They have expressed an interest in attending the same school, though one of them has committed (Jerod to Michigan) and one has not (Jacob). Notre Dame has landed vyper ends and are still recruiting some who the coaches decided they liked better than Jacob and prioritized them. If Justin Scott weren't still in play, perhaps they would have stuck with Jerod, but given they want to play together ... So both sides simply moved on.

Mike BR, LA

12:46

What happened to the smith twins? A while ago, they seemed likely ND commits, and they just seemed to disappear overnight

Eric Hansen

12:45

Hi Joe. I have met Terry Brennan, Ara, Dan Devine, Gerry Faust, Lou Holtz, Bob Davie, Tyrone Willingham, Charlie Weis, Brian Kelly and Marcus Freeman. I know or knew all but Brennan, Devine and Faust pretty well. I'm going to take Marcus and BK out of the equation, because they're still active coaches. So my favorite is Ara Parseghian, as a coach, as a man, as a great example for all to study.

Joe Bugosh

12:41

Eric, Joe from Indy…Who was your favorite all-time Notre Dame football head coach? Thank you!

Eric Hansen

12:41

Hi Frank. Notre Dame has three scholarships to play with and a little over two weeks before summer school starts. Keep in mind, they will not add bodies just to add. It needs to be someone who will impact the team. So let's look at all the position groups. Depth appears to be outstanding at cornerback, offensive line and linebacker. Provided there are no recovery setbacks, I like the depth now at running back, tight end and safety. So that leaves QB, D-line and wide receiver. If there were portal fits at BACKUP QB, interior D-line and an experienced WR, I think those are luxuries more than necessities. The QB numbers are the most concerning, but it's hard to convince a portal QB he's coming in to be No. 2 at best and maybe not even that.

Frank from Royse City, Texas

12:31

Eric, what positions groups do you feel ND lacks depth and how are they going to address this issue?

Eric Hansen

12:31

Oh Jeff, you have the pluck of the Irish with you today, don't you? I do not yet have a comprehensive list. I know, for instance, CJ Carr will be an early enrollee. That's something we need to start compiling, because we are deep enough into the cycle (with kids having finished their junior years) where there shouldn't be to much uncertainty with most, if not all, of them. Once we do get the info compiled, I'll make sure you and the other chat-heads will have a chance to see it. ... As far as the scheduling, there are fewer holes that the advanced publicized schedules suggest. I do think you're onto something with the realignment speculation, new media deals (including ND's) and also the thoughts of whether scheduling for inclusion in a 12-team playoff should be different than inclusion in a four-team playoff. I'm supposed to be getting some time with AD Jack Swarbrick in the coming weeks, and that's a good thing to add to my list to ask.

Jeff from Phoenix

12:19

Good morning Eric! I have two unrelated questions so feel free to “pluck” just one. First, with the commitment of Thomas yesterday taking ND to 16 for 2024 and well past the midpoint for numbers, do you know which of them are likely to early enroll next January? Second, it seems like there haven’t been any recent big announcements about ND non-conference games looking out ~3-6 years. Do you think that’s due to the conference changes (PAC 12/Big 10 etc) or TV deal negotiations that are unresolved? Thanks as always!

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