JotCast | Notre Dame Football Live Chat | Nov. 19, 2025

Notre Dame Football Live Chat | Nov. 19, 2025

Eric Hansen

3:41

OK, I am so late for getting to my next assignment, so I have to stop here. Thanks for all the great questions. There are some really good ones I couldn't get to, so if you are a blueandgold.com subscriber, ping me on the Lou Somogyi message board and I'll try to knock those out tonight or tomorrow. We'll do this all over again next Wednesday at noon ET.

3:40

Tom. There's nothing better than blueberries in pancakes, donuts and probably sprinkle into giant turkey legs if we ever got daring. so please!!! I think you go into those games wanting to improve your team in all aspects and look the part. That's why I asked Marcus that question on Monday, what does that look like? I do not think you accomplish that by playing your starters excessively. I think you have your backups ready to play and wanting to show out.

Tom from Toronto

3:37

Hi Eric, sorry to be late but we are thinking of changing the Friday morning blueberry pancakes to include raspberries. Do you think that is a good idea? With regard to the remaining two games, assuming that they can, should ND try to blow both Syracuse and Stanford out of the water, or should they play their best but not overdue it and substitute freely. It seems like Coach Freeman was a little ticked off with Pittsburg's coach's antics at the end of the game. I would like to think that ND and coach Freeman have more class. As ever, I look forward to reviewing the transcript and your insights. Thanks.

Eric Hansen

3:36

Hi Dennis. Thanks for jumping in today.

Guest

3:36

Dennis from Swoyersville Pa.Just wanted to say high. You are the man.God bless.

Eric Hansen

3:35

And if SMU beats Louisville this week, they'll not only have beaten Miami, they will have beaten the other unranked 7-3 team that beat Miami.

3:34

Adam let me address the Miami head to head. I think it should matter, but it's not a blanket head-to-head policy. When did it occur? What was the score? Has either team significantly improved or regressed since that point.? What else is on the résumé. And what are both teams' records? Let's take Miami. I think Miam is a pretty good team. But like the committee, I think Notre Dame is better based on the ENTIRE body of work for both teams at this moment. But head to head!!!!!! Well, OK, SMU (7-3) beat Miami (8-2) head to head THIS MONTH. Now they have one more loss overall, but they have one fewer on the ACC and are tied for first place and Miami is in fifth place. So why wouldn't SMU be ranked higher? Head to head? (more)

Adam (Dayton, OH)

3:29

Eric, thank you as always for the best chats! Apologies if this has already been asked, but what do the Irish have to fear as far as scenarios that could bump them? There is at least some angst over the Miami H2H scenario coming into play...I think you touched on that. Anything else that could bump ND? Texas Tech losing and 2 Big 12 teams getting in? Anything else?

Eric Hansen

3:28

Roger, I wish I could give you a fabulous prize for your creativity. Unfortunately, all I have to offer is excessive exclamation points!!!!!!!!!!!!!! I do see a reasonable scenario in which ND can move up a spot. The two most likely -- Oregon loses at home to USC or on the road at Washington OR Oklahoma trips up against Missouri or LSU. And thank YOU!

Roger from Peoria

3:25

Eric: I just read Tyler Horka's "Doomsday" commentary which describes a scenario in which the Irish WIN OUT but are LEFT OUT of the playoffs. How unfortunate that would be, particularly when viewed in the context of the cries "Ash Must Go!" after the two losses. Now the cries are "Ash is a Smash!" as the Irish D is performing better than all others with the possible exception of OSU. Contrary to being left out, do you see a reasonable scenario in which the Irish achieve a first round home game, and if so, how? Thanks for your great work, especially if you identify how the Irish get the home game!! And, GO IRISH!!

Eric Hansen

3:25

Ciao Paul!!!! I think what surprised me was how well Christian Gray played. If they get that version of him moving forward, Yowza/Sorprendente. I mentioned earlier about Marcus really breaking it down and playing to a standard, and winning the interval instead of polluting the prep with big-picture thoughts. As to the WBB game, I was watching out of the corner of my eye while I worked on football. Just an absolute trainwreck on both ends of the court. I think the good news is Iyana Moore and Milaya Cowles will get better as they reacclimate to playing. The bad news is No. 8 USC is coming to town on Friday.

Paul from Knoxville

3:16

Ciao Eric: Forza Irlandese!!! I was somewhat surprised at how well our D was able to limit Pitt offensively. Was there anything that struck you as surprising? Wrt the SYR game, do you know if the coaches prepare the team any differently to mitigate chances for a let down against a less capable opponent? I imagine practices continue at the same intensity but perhaps from a mental standpoint? Lastly, I must ask your thoughts on what happened to the Lady Irish against UM. I was unable to watch the game but saw the stats: Porca miseria! Era brutissima. Veramente una schifezza totale. In particular, how did our two posts get only 3 points and 3 rebounds combined??? I think Coach Ivey attributed our offensive woes mainly to an off night shooting, but what were your observations? Thank you again for hosting the chat e buona festa di ringraziamento in anticipo!

Eric Hansen

3:16

Thanks, 2581, and I agree on working those in over the next two games. I think it needs to be a priority in those games.to a point. And I should mention, there's a chance Noah Burnette, with them resting him now, could come back for the playoff run as well.

2581

3:14

One final comment: You always ask great questions of Coach Free at his weekly press conference, Eric. During the 4th quarter of the game, I wondered why ND didn't have Erik Schmidt try a field goal just for the practice. We didn't need another TD, and it would not have been a pressure situation ... So I appreciated you asking Coach Free if the staff had considered sending him out for a FG attempt. I am hopeful that Erik will get some FG attempts in the final two games because it would be great if he could go into the CFP with a made field goal or two under his belt... Go Irish !

Eric Hansen

3:14

Hi Jay. Thanks for your question. I didn't include the full background, in large part because I'm going to have to track down the answer and give it to you in a future chat. I believe Riley Leonard used that. Not sure about CJ Carr, but I'll get an answer for you.

JayFM - Detroit

3:13

Background: (cont'd)How much does this really impact the way you’re seeing it?”

Marucci’s hope was that Daniels’ response would be at least 5 percent. If we can get 5 percent more for a quarterback out of this, he thought, we’re doing pretty good.

Daniels pondered for a few seconds, then responded.

“Seventy-five to 80 percent,” Daniels said.

Question:

JayFM from Detroit…Eric thanks for doing the chats…longtime lurker, first time questioner. Jayden Daniels, LSU’s Heisman winning QB last year credited the Cognilize VR software with his rapid growth in his last season. Denbrock wanted to bring the tech to South Bend. Do you know if ND is currently using Cognilize or plans to in the near future?

Eric Hansen

3:13

As far as the PFF grades, we had Dalton Wasserman on our Third & Gold podcast recently, and he explained that. If you can email me, I can get your a transcription of his answer. I just can't do it right now, as I'm into overtime and that would take some time to take care of. I want to slip a few more questions in. And yes, I like your idea about draft prospects and PFF scores.

3:11

Barry/Larry/Jerry!!!!!!!!!!!!!! So let's look at the Power 4 conference title games. Ohio State/Indiana is a nothing burger when it comes to ND's ranking unless Michigan beats Ohio State prior to it. But let's assume for this conversation's purposes the favorites win out ahead of the league cc games. Also a nothing burger is the ACC. Georgia Tech or Virginia, I believe, if everyone wins out. That's your 11 seed, so they are behind ND. So really the only two that could muck things up are the SEC and Big 12. If Alabama won the4 SEC title over Texas A&M, both of those teams would be ahead of ND. If BYU beat Texas Tech, my guess is only one of those teams would be ahead of ND, but if I were you, I'd root for Texas Tech. (more)

Barry from Napa CA

3:05

Good morning Eric (aka Steve)!!! Two questions today, tapping into your amazing insights. First, I absolutely see the Irish in the playoff field through the next two reveals. But that last release can be doomsday for the Irish if lower seeded teams win conference championships. Of the most likely scenarios, which conference championship game(s) should ND fear most that will potentially push them out of the field? Second, while I enjoy seeing the weekly PFF grades, they must use differential equations to calculate the overall grade. Love’s overall grade was higher than any individual category as one example. That said, how much do pro teams use PFF to evaluate players, or is more weight given to their own eyes and tape? Could be a cool article to show where likely ND draftees fall on PFF grades in relation to other draft candidates…do they lend themselves to most likely draft round? Thanks for everything!

Eric Hansen

3:05

Hi Mike/Mo. !^^^^^! That entire class is going to sign in December. it's almost unheard of these days for someone to wait 'til the old February signing day. And many of them will enroll early as well. To your second question, without doing deep research on this, so off the fop of my head .. not just talent but opportunity factors in, I'd say the two DEs -- Dunham and Ewetade, WR Kaydon Finley, TE Ian Premer, S Joey O'Brien would top the list.

Mike AKA Mo from Maumee OH

3:00

Hi Eric !^! ND's 2026 recruiting class looks a cut above any that I can recall. If the top six players' rankings hold, ND could have six 5 star players in this class!?! A couple of questions regarding the 2026 class: 1) How many of these recruits do you expect to opt for the early signing period? 2) Does your crystal ball see any of the 27 recruits cracking the two-deep roster sometime during the 2026 season? Thanks!

Eric Hansen

2:59

Hi Ryan. Josh Burnham is as healthy as he's been since early in the 2024 season and it's showing up in his performances. Look for more of that on Saturday. I think our score predictions are pretty close this week.

Ryan Frankfort Illinois

2:57

Good afternoon Eric what do you think about the play of Josh Burnham vs Pitt i think he looked good also you were correct that i used to live in Pittsburgh Area i think the Irish win 49-10 or something like that on senior day Saturday GO IRISH ☘️☘️☘️🏈🏈🏈

Eric Hansen

2:57

I didn't occur to me to pull him when it's your last chance to make an impression on the committee against a ranked team. He got sacked once and wasn't involved in a lot of QB runs. And him playing against a defense of that caliber and moving things around at the line if scrimmage was an excellent investment. Now if it's lopsided this week and he's still playing, then I'm with you.

Terry from Cincinnati

2:55

I was surprised that Coach Freeman left Carr in to play the 4th quarter. Any thoughts on why Minchey wasn't brought in? Seemed like an unnecessary risk to keep Carr in the game.

Eric Hansen

2:54

I think the No. 10 spot might be better than the No. 9 if you want to avoid Ohio State in the second round and some other icky matchups. But let's say Oregon loses to USC and Notre Dame hosts Alabama in a December deep freeze when those two teams slide up a notch. That's a huge advantage.

2:53

Matt, what you lack in exclamation points, you make up for in flattery. Well-played!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! Notre Dame has had some REALLY good defenses over the past 10 years, so that's a high bar. The best three in the 2000s (not necessarily in order) were the 2012 team (7th nationally in total D), the 2023 team (5th) and the 2024 team (11th). Now remember that 2024 team played some elite offenses in its four playoff games that knocked back that standing. The current group is 29th in total defense but has made so much improvement. Can I grade them after the postseason? I'd put them in the top four, because they've been so good against the run. To your Chris Ash question, that's the magic in this when it could have gone sideways and south in a hurry, They both adjusted, and it's been something to behold. That Sept. 21 coaches meeting, if ND makes a playoff run, is going to be legendary. (more)

Matt from Austin

2:46

Good morning Eric. I hope this finds you well. With Gray getting healthy, and the emergence of Talich and Johnson, is this the best Notre Dame defense in the past ten years? How has Coach Ash adjusted over the second half of the season, or have the players just continued to learn his system? Lastly, how important in your opinion is it for the Irish to get to #8 in the rankings to receive a home game and possibly avoid OSU in the second round of the CFP? Thank you as always Eric. These chats are perfect for all of us and we're very glad that you enjoy them as well!

Eric Hansen

2:46

I Shane, doing good here. thanks. I asked him specifically about that potential 42-yarder as you noted, and I think I would have done that in that spot. Eric Schmidt had done well since the miss with the PATs and the kickoffs after missing the long FG early. And Marty Biagi said Tuesday night, it's not a mental thing, but a mechanics thing. So I would have done it. Last time a made field goal? Noah Burnette made two of them in the win over NC State on Oct. 11.

Shane from White Deer, Texas

2:40

Hey Eric, I hope all is well. I heard what Coach Freeman gave as an explanation about not trying to kick a FG late during the Pitt game. Do you think getting a couple of more tries in a game that has been decided would be something you would have tried? Maybe missing would just add to the pressure of the next kick. How long has it been since the last made FG? Also, Price only had 8 carries to Love’s 23. Do you think this was more of a showcase game for Love, or was it just the way the ball bounces, or gets carried, as it were? Thanks for the chat. Go Irish!!

Eric Hansen

2:39

I like both of those underdogs with the points, but that' s not what you asked. I'd like that Missouri game if they were at home and with their No. 1 QB. Since neither of those are true, I'll say USC with the road upset staying in their own time zone.

2:35

I think what they may benefit from the plays you mentioned once they get into a playoff situation. Then you're playing a much different level of defense than Notre Dame is used to seeing for most of the year. Every team in the top 12 of last night's CFP rankings is in the top 35 in total defense. and four of them are in the top 11. I think Jeremiyah Love having such great vision and having a penchant for jump cuts and spins to break him into a footrace makes misdirection plays and jet sweeps not as attractive. Maybe in the red zone? (more)

2:29

hi Marie. Enjoying it very much, even with the cooler weather. Thanks for reading Behind The Ballot, where I sized up the most-favorable and least-favorable playoff matchups for Notre Dame. So now I've been promoted to offensive coordinator? Is there a pay bump that comes with that? It's fourth and short at the 2-yard line and WHO am I playing and what defense are they in? That's going to have a lot to do with my play call. And if I have both Flanagan/Flanigans, that will affect my play call too. So just kind of generically speaking, thinking I'm getting a goal-line look from the defense, I'm putting Carr under center, so I can sneak it, hand if off the Price or Love, or I can take a quick drop and throw a fade to Malachi Field, or when healthy, Jaden Greathouse. (more)

Marie from atlanta

2:22

Hi Eric, I hope you’re having a fantastic week, and just wanted to say how much I enjoyed Behind the Ballot this past weekend. You are now the offensive coordinator for Notre Dame. It’s fourth and short inside the 2 yard line, what play are you calling? I know you probably should have several plays what would be two others that you would consider calling? Do you feel like the Notre Dame offense would benefit from some more misdirection plays and some jet sweeps? Why do you think they don’t get called very often? What do you think is more likely to happen this weekend, USC beats Oregon or Missouri beats Oklahoma? As always, thanks for hosting the chat and all your fantastic insights.

Eric Hansen

2:21

Hi Tom. Good thing you did resend, as I only see this version in the question portal. I think Marcus Freeman kind of has his own unique coaching vibe, but I will share that when I did the big piece on Peter Schivarelli a few months ago — and Pete has lots of interactions with Marcus — he saw a lot of parallels to Ara. And I didn't cover Ara and don't know what version of him like you do, but I did get to know the retired version pretty well, and I would agree with Pete S on that assessment. As far as the secondary playing faster, some of that is Shuler, yes, assuming that leadership role and some of it was putting Tae Johnson in the starting lineup. He is going to be an All-American sooner rather than later.

Tom F, Kennesaw, GA

2:17

Hey Eric, sorry if this is a resend. Computer quit and I lost the original email. I feel Freeman is sort of a combo of Faust's character and respect for ND, plus Holtz' fire and motivation and probably most importantly, Ara's ability to put players in their best positions and then coach them up to play their best on Saturdays. Your thought??? Shuler appears to have taken some time to adapt to the Watts' role as the "leader of the back". Now he and the entire defense (with the addition of Johnson) seem to be playing much faster and better. Agree??? They are really fun to watch!! Go Irish!!!!!

Eric Hansen

2:16

If you watched our Third & Gold podcast with Lamar Mickey, Jaden Mickey's dad, you get a great insight into how that situation evolved and how Mike Mickens even offered to help Jaden find a landing spot. So barring an incredible turn of events, I believe Jaden Greathouse will be catching passes from CJ Carr in 2026, and a lot of them.

2:14

The injury is real. His engagement with the team is real. The mutual desire to redshirt him at this point and use him in the postseason (which won't affect a redshirt year) is real. What I believe is that Jaden Greathouse will be back next year. I believe the coaching staff is confident he will be back next year. Could he have a change of heart in an era of legal monetary compensation? Yes. Do I think that's likely with Jaden. I do not, and the coaching staff does not, I'm confident of. And really, that's why the surprises are minimal with ND guys as far as the coaching staff is concerned, because of that open communication channel. (more)

2:11

Mr. Brian K (and not Kelly)!!!! Let me start with ... excellent question and I'm glad you brought it up. And I commend you for trying to do some research and not just blindly buying into a conspiracy theory, because it showed up in your uncle's (or my uncle's) Facebook page. There's a lot of garbage out there when it comes to reporting on ND football, but there's some great reporting too, including some of our respected competitors, so choose wisely. Here's what I think and here's what I know regarding Jaden Greathouse. (more)

Brian K, South Bend

1:59

Hello Mr. Eric!!!!!! Regarding the likely "Redshirt" year for Jaden Greathouse. There's been great speculation the past month and a half of fans and ND beat writers regarding Jaden's future at ND (or elsewhere). Most assumed Jaden really was hurt and Freeman confirmed that the past week or two in a media session. I find it unlikely IF he intended to transfer and not use a year of eligibility that he would still be allowed to practice and/or be around this team (think Jaden Mickey '24). They could definitely use his talent for next season, and as much of a threat as he showed in the CFP last season they haven't missed him much due to the production of Will Pauling, Malachi Fields, Riordan, etc. Do you think he will be back next season at ND? Thanks and GO Irish. ND 49-7 over 'Cuse on Saturday!

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