JotCast | Notre Dame Football Live Chat May 5, 2021

Notre Dame Football Live Chat May 5, 2021

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Eric Hansen

3:39

OK, I'm going to have to end it there to meet my print deadline. Thanks for all the great questions. I alert you to the next chance via my Twitter and the NDInsider Facebook account.

3:38

Caleb, I've never tried to make that argument that coaching movement = player movement. Should Urban Meyer have spent his entire career as Bowling Green's head coach? I don't think the two situations are parallel. Having said that, I like the portal in the sense that coaches can no longer control where a player CAN AND CAN'T transfer to. I am leery about the one-year wait being phased out, but at least it's consistent now, rather than a case of who can afford a good lawyer.

Caleb from Charlotte

3:36

Eric, what's your opinion of the transfer portal? Is it good for college football that players can transfer without having to get a release from their current university and also not have to sit out a year? After all, coaches change jobs when better opportunities come along.

Eric Hansen

3:35

Jeff, I don't think it will, but I'm going to ask the analysts that very question (and others) for this week's Inside Recruiting feature.

Jeff from East Longmeadow MA

3:35

Hi, and thanks for the great chat as always. I think if we look at the J. Johnson situation most of us could have seen the eventual transfer coming. It just never seemed to click for a bunch of reasons. Do you think this has any impact on WR recruiting - If Im a highlight touted WR - and more importantly a kid - do i look at the lack of success there as a trend indication? Does it have any impact at all?

Eric Hansen

3:34

Thank you!

ODO from Kincardine Ontario Can

3:34

Eric, long time Irish fan from Canada, thanks for everything you do on keeping us updated on our Irish team, stay safe.

Eric Hansen

3:34

I think the offense has all the pieces to be really good. What it doesn't have yet is the cohesion. It's an unbaked cake, but I like the recipe.

Stephen from Toledo OH

3:33

Hey Eric! Blue gold game gave me a lot to be excited about with the corners, lbs, and dL. The RB room looks better than at any other time I can think of. The most exciting was the speed of the WRs. They seemed quick and made good moves down the field and it just felt different than years past. I was a skeptic of Lenzy and after the spring game I totally understand why you all were so high of his potential. My question is do you see this offense being able to start letting it rip and being able to make plays all over the field or do you think the OL might not be able to protect long enough to really be able to make those plays happen regularly? Either way I’m encouraged for the future

Eric Hansen

3:32

Even though Fisher was a five-star prospect, I did not expect him to be as camera-ready for college as he is. I've got the same crush you do.

Bill from St Joe, Mi

3:31

Where you as impressed as I was with Blake Fisher in the B&G Game. He looks like a mauler. I project the OL to be from left to right, Patterson, Fisher, Cornell, ?, and Lugg

Eric Hansen

3:31

I don't think that matters as much as Tyler getting the CHANCE to compete. Kelly has played young QBs before, so that is not an issue.

Pat from St Paul

3:30

As always, thanks for the chats Eric! Lots of good QB questions here and, thinking down the road, if Buchner ends up winning the starting job would you think that would bode well for landing a Top 50 QB in the coming classes? Assuming that would mean a Arch Manning/Dante Moore would think the door is wide open to compete.

Eric Hansen

3:30

Thanks, Mike.

Mike McFadden, Williamsport, PA

3:30

And great Eric, I for one am not leaving, I am learning a lot about the team and football generally. Thanks.

Eric Hansen

3:29

I'm not sure all are worth keeping. I think there's something inherent about SOME five-stars that create a different dynamic on a team. I think over time, Kelly has gotten better at dealing with it. ... One stat to keep in mind, Jordan Johnson is the 77th transfer of a Kelly recruit during his time as head coach. Of the 50 who have completed their college eligibility, only two have been drafted into the NFL -- Aaron Lynch (5th round) and Eddie Vanderdoes (third round).

El Hombre, Stone Mountain, GA

3:24

Your work is always appreciated. Thank you. Coach Kelly’s struggles to land five stars is well documented, but what is even more discouraging is his inability to keep the ones he lands. Any thoughts as to why he struggles mightily in this area?

Eric Hansen

3:24

Biggest plus is how well the defensive front seven played without all the bells and whistles they'll add this fall. Biggest minus is how much work the offense has ahead of it this summer.

Ken - Pensacola

3:23

Eric- You be the main man! What's are the biggest plus's & minus's from the Blue-Gold game? Thanks & GO IRISH!

Eric Hansen

3:23

Tim, to present the question in this way really puts me in a difficult spot, because now the issue isn't about Jordan Johnson anymore, it's about this reporter's credibility and integrity. That's a no-win situation for me, especially because that may or may not be how they actually have framed Johnson's situation. Let me try to answer the question this way. I don't think Kelly should compromise the program's culture if one player doesn't fit, no matter how talented he is. Now if I player is struggling with the X's and O's in one aspect, maybe there are more creative ways to use those players situationally that doesn't compromise anything. To that notion, that's reasonable.

Tim - Pleasant Prairie WI

3:17

Hi Eric, I heard comments from a beat writer who shall remain nameless who believes Jordan Johnson's departure was Kelly's fault, and that Johnson and other talented players leave because Kelly has an offensive philosophy or system that requires the players to fit into it, rather than building - or at least tweaking - the offense every year to complement and fully utilize the skill sets of the talented players he has recruited. He also went on to intimate that Kelly's talk about players developing certain "traits" before getting playing time is just so much BS, and that Kelly scares players off by being overly critical in public of the off-the-field issues that keep them from getting any meaningful snaps. I realize Notre Dame's standards are high when it comes to who gets to play and it doesn't all start and stop with their physical talents. Do you buy the argument that Kelly goes too far in this area and should be more accommodating with talented, but sometimes troubled, players in terms of playing time?

Eric Hansen

3:16

Tom, thanks for the kind words. ... Among 2021 opponents, Wisconsin was 5th in total defense and Cincy 13th. They'll both be really good again. Other than Toledo (36th) no other opponent was higher than 40th nationally in total defense. Five teams were 93rd or worse. I would expect North Carolina and USC to be much improved on defense in 2021, thought not elite. ... I think Rees needs to reel in a couple of elite receivers in the 2022 class (and there are some scheduled to visit) and a five-star talent QB in 2023. ... I hope to have access to Coach Balis in June. We'll see.

Tom Kennesaw, GA

3:09

Hi Eric, well since this is the last Chat for awhile I have a couple of questions. We have seen that the 2021 defense will face some tough QB's from Cincinnati, USC and UNC. What about our offense? What are some of the toughest defenses we will face this year? In everything that has been written about JJ entering the portal, it sounds like Chip Long had a big hand in him coming to ND. We've seen the positive effect Coach Freeman has had on defensive recruiting. What does OC Coach Rees need to do to get to that level as a recruiter? I'm sure a dynamic offense this year would help. Finally, can you get some access to Coach Baliss this summer after the rest of the freshman report to get some insight into their conditioning, size, etc. plus the progress of the team in general? Thanks for all you do for us ND fans. No I will have to figure out how to combat my EH withdrawal for a couple of months. Enjoy your summer!!! Go Irish!!!!!

Eric Hansen

3:08

Offensive linemen tend to be more patient with the process than players at other positions unless they are absolutely buried. I suppose someone might consider transferring from that group, but I am not anticipating that to happen.

Todd - Buffalo

3:07

Are you hearing about any players (other than Johnson) that may be entering/considering the transfer portal based upon what the depth chart (or perhaps their perception of the depth chart) looks like now that spring practices are done? The example that comes to mind is the seeming high number of reps Fisher and Spindler got with the O-line. I know Kelly said that there were players getting more reps than perhaps their standing on the team might warrant, which I think is good - the only way to develop players and get a sense (both for the coaches and the players) of where players stand is to see them in action and spring is the time to do that. That being said, I could see someone getting disgruntled if a younger, less experienced and perhaps less skilled player is getting the reps. If you only have 2 years of eligibility left, seeing a younger guy move ahead of you might make you think its time to find a new place.

Eric Hansen

3:06

Sfeve, I don't know the answer to that at this time. With the draft. Really good question. With the draft, Blue-Gold and a verbal commitment all happening simultaneously. a few nuanced things like that kind of fell through the cracks.

Steve from St. Louis

3:05

Hey Eric. Hope all is well. Redbirds have been looking good lately. Do you know if JOK had any kind of loss of value protection as it relates to him falling in the draft due to the reported heart condition that may end up being nothing? I imagine he lost a lot of money sliding into late round two. Browns got a steal!

Eric Hansen

3:04

Because of the COVID rule, ND doesn't have to get down to 85 this year. 87 is the number, because Hinish and Doerer are exempt. That doesn't mean someone else might not leave and a transfer or two might be added. July 1 is the deadline this year for an underclassman transfer to be able to play immediately this fall.

Mike McFadden, Williamsport, PA

3:02

Hi Eric, I understand with JJ's departure, the team is at 87 scholarships. If so, we will see two more players enter the Transfer Portal this summer, correct? I ask question just so we are not caught off guard again. Who might they be? Thanks.

Eric Hansen

3:00

I think ND is starting to develop corners. They just need to keep the development going this summer and bring more of them along. Having Kyle Hamilton back is going to make the safety group look better, but I still think looking at the grad transfer market makes some sense. .. I really like the front 7 by the way.

johngipp

2:59

johngip, Lititz, Pa Being able to see the game live gives a much better perspective than TV. How did you view the DBs and what major concerns did you come away with in that group?

Eric Hansen

2:59

Tom, thanks. I do think Tyler Buchner forced that issue, that ND needs to see this summer what it has in him. Then they'll have to figure out in August how the reps will go. Yes, I think he's earned those reps, with his strong improvement over the spring, his willingness to work and the fact he's the most talented QB on the roster.

2:57

We're about to hit 3 p.m. ET, which is normally the end of the chat. Since this is the last one for a while, there are a lot of you still here live and there's a lot of great questions in the queue, let's do a little overtime.

Tom from Toronto

2:56

Hi Eric, I hope that this finds you and your family well. Thank you again for your excellent work and insight. Do you expect that Tyler Buchner will get a significant number of reps over the summer and fall so that Brian Kelly can make the best choice of who will be the first team QB, and do you think that he should get the reps, and why? Thank you.

Eric Hansen

2:55

Being healthy and having a great summer will help Xavier more than anything. I like what I have seen from him, how ever limited.

The Gipper, Omaha, NE.

2:54

With Johnson in the transfer portal, does this give Xavier Watts an opening to play regularly? He certaily has the speed to be a difference maker IMHO!!

Eric Hansen

2:54

Adam, since ND has five scholarship quarterbacks, there's no reason for Nos. 1-2 or 3 to be running the scout team. ... In the past, ND required those returning players to be in the classroom. Exceptions were made for maybe a class or two to be taken in the summer. Otherwise, they had to be on campus. Because of the pandemic this semester, they had the option to do remote learning.

Adam

2:52

Hi Eric! Adam from Grand Rapids, MI. I thought all three QBs looked good in the spring game. Is the guy who ends up third put on the scout team or relegated to mental reps? And finally, referencing your article on former players finishing their degrees. Are they able to take advantage of virtual/zoom classes? Or do these guys actually have to come to campus and sit in the classroom? Thanks!

Eric Hansen

2:52

I think the most positive aspect of offensive potential that happened this offseason was nowhere to be found in the Blue-Gold Game (and on purpose), and that's the shift in thinking by both Tommy Rees and Brian Kelly about how to make the offense more dynamic and the need to do so. ... I do think Kyren and Chris will be very effective even with some growing pains on the O-line.

Frank from Missouri

2:49

Recent negative commentaries about Notre Dame 2021 receiving corps have me concerned. And with a new o-line and new QB what do you expect for our scoring capacity this season? I am excited to see Kyren and Chris run but will they be able to get into the open?

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