JotCast | Notre Dame Football Live Chat | November 5, 2025

Notre Dame Football Live Chat | November 5, 2025

Eric Hansen

3:24

OK, I have got to move on to my next assignment. Sorry I left some really good questions in the queue. I blame my slow fingers for that. Thanks for all the great questions, answered or otherwise. We'll be back to do it all over again next Wednesday at noon ET.

3:22

I need to see what this team looks like with Milaya Cowles in the lineup. She did not play in the exhibition (nor did Iyana Moore). Both of those are important pieces in what this team looks like. I am going to the game tonight, so let me give you my two cents after that. Deal?

Paul from Knoxville, TN

3:21

Ciao ancora Eric: I forgot to ask one more question, if you have time. With the WBB season starting, do you think the Irish have an above or below average chance to be a balanced team, and why? On paper, we appear offensively-challenged, and I'm concerned that our becoming Hannah and the Hidalgonettes will not get us very far. Your thoughts?

Eric Hansen

3:20

The Beave, I am really curious how ND will play this. You actually could move a safety like Shuler into the box and play Johnson and Talich deep. I think Sneed will be disruptive. He is confident against these types of offenses. KVA and Ausberry will be better now that they've experienced it. But Bowen makes the most sense for the role you asked about. Thank you for the compliment and the well-placed pun.

The Beave (Grand Rapids via Tallahassee today)

3:18

Eric: In the past several years where ND has handled Navy’s triple option effectively, we have had an assignment-correct stay at home linebacker excel in the role. Jack Kiser was outstanding. Who out of our current athletic but possibly less assignment correct linebackers will fill that role? I recall KVA and Jaiden Ausberry struggled last year. Drayk Bowen? Does Greer Martini have eligibility left? Are we less likely to bring up safety help like Adon Shuler now that Navy has a legitimate passing threat also? Thanks as always for your insight and educating the ND masses (pun intended)!!!

Eric Hansen

3:18

Yes, I was basing that on the AP poll and not the CFP Top 25, which just came out last night. I did not expect Iowa to be ranked.

Len from the Jersey Shore

3:17

Hi Eric! just a factoid that you probably realize already. You told us correctly that the Big 12 had zero wins versus AP top 25 opponents before the CFP rankings came out. The Big 12 ,per the CFP rankings, now has one win versus a CFP top 25 team. Iowa State beat Iowa earlier this year and Iowa is ranked. Thanks for giving so much perspective on the rankings before and after the show.

Eric Hansen

3:17

Hi Len, about a week and a half ago, I did a story on the games outside of ND's own that would help ND's case the most. To try to boil it down for the chat format, parity at the top of the Big 12 and ACC helps ND. USC winning out, including beating Oregon helps ND. Pitt winning the two games after ND, Miami and Ga Tech, helps ND. Alabama beating Oklahoma and Georgia over Texas helps ND. And the Irish looking like a team that gets better each week helps ND, no matter what the scores are. Beating Navy 27-10 and looking good doing it would be a plus to me.

Len from the Jersey Shore

3:12

Hello Eric!!!!!!!!!!! It seemed to me that the new metric played a part in the CFP's selection. And I can see issues if the wrong team, from ND's perspective, were to win certain games, like Texas winning out and A & M finishing with just that loss to Texas. All ND can do is win their games. One by one tell us what needs to happen in ND's 4 games the balance of the season to give the best input to the CFP committee? What must they avoid? . For example if Navy only scores 10 points Saturday Night but doesn't turn the ball over keeping a high Time of Possession therefore shortening the game, and ND wins by just 17 points, would that hurt the team in your opinion since ND is a 25.5 pt favorite?

Eric Hansen

3:12

Hi Lorne. I think you're weighing a banged-up Gray vs. a healthy Zackery. The best-case scenario is one in which both play and both are effective. If the healthy version of Zackery overtakes Gray, there won't be hesitation to make that adjustment, just as there wasn't to expand Tae Johnson's role over a portal pickup in Jalen Stroman. But I wouldn't not give up on Gray raising the level of his consistency once healthy.

Lorne

3:10

Lorne from Reno. Thank you for sharing your knowledge and expertise with us again. I liked your take on Kelly: we were better off for having him (we strived for "above mediocre" for years; he produced several exceptional teams and, as importantly, raised expectations) and are now better off that he's gone. Please don't take this as a shot at Gray -- I've been high on him since he chased Mickey to the portal --- but do you think there's a chance that Zackery remains the starter even when Gray is healthy? Zackery's PFF coverage grade against BC was impressive, Gray hasn't been the same since USC and tOSU last year, and we have a pretty impressive history with frosh DB's.

Eric Hansen

3:09

Hey Paul, I'm into overtime, so I'm only going to be able to answer in English this time.

I would wait until after this week to pick out a ledge. It's not like Marcus Freeman is in denial about the problems or defensive, so I believe that there are plans to fix them, just as there was with the defense. But I can understand the frustration with how elongated that process is. The next two games will tell us a lot about this team and its viability as a team that could make a run in the playoff.

Paul from Knoxville, TN

3:07

Ciao Eric: Che bruta partita! I was surprised that coming out of a bye week ND played such a clunker. Do you think it's cause for concern or perhaps positive that we could win on the road even when playing much less than our best? I'm also wondering about some issues that continue to arise periodically: untimely (and undisciplined) penalties, red zone inefficiency, and short yardage difficulty. These have been claimed as "fixable" issues, but if so it appears that the fixes don't last or are inconsistent over time. What do you assess may prevent them from being "cleaned-up" more reliably? Grazie ancora for hosting the chat!

Eric Hansen

3:06

Mike!/Mo^^^^! I'm seeing different numbers for season grades for Knapp, so that's going to affect my answer. Maybe one of us is looking in the wrong column? There has been improvement, over last year and from the start of the season. I think we can both agree with that. Is he going to turn into Joe Alt at some point. He is not. But I think he's going to be the starting left tackle for the rest of the season. I do know this the guy is smart, has good technique and works his butt off. But he'll be challenged next spring IF everyone is healthy by some young athletic tackles with more size and reach and maybe by Charles Jagusah as well if they feel LT is his best position coming back.

Mike AKA Mo from Maumee OH

2:58

Hi Eric !^! I'd like your take on the growth/performance of LT Anthonie Knapp. I believe last season he was a Freshman All-American, and had a PFF grade for the season of 64.5. This season, he had a rough day in both the Miami and A & M games, but seemed to settle down after those two tough challenges. I realize that PFF grades aren't the "end-all be-all", but his YTD grade is 59.5 and he just doesn't seem to pass the eye test at times. Sophomore Slump? Surrounding cast? Eventually better suited to another O-line position when Jagusah returns (next season)? Thanks!

Eric Hansen

2:58

Hi Roger: I matched your colon (in your question, not (elsewhere). He is my potpourri of answers. Yes, that's still the practice, though not mine. I sleep at my house. Two defensive key defensive players. It's hard not to say all 11. I'm going to go with Jaylen Sneed as one of them and play a hunch with Tae Johnson. Last year Leonard Moore surprised even himself with how well he did against it. Yes, ND did practice some for Navy during the bye week and that's typical every year Navy falls deeper in the schedule. But they still had a full week to work on BC.

Roger from Peoria

2:45

Eric: A potpourri of Q's for you? Navy start is 7:30 PM at home. Next week Pitt start is noon on the road. With such diverse starting times, how do the Irish approach game day preparation? If memory serves me correctly, when I was at ND during Ara's era, the team stayed together off campus the night before home games. Is that still the norm? And 2 Q's regarding Navy. First, what 2 Irish defensive players will be key for the Irish to scuttle Navy? Second, any chance the Irish used some of the bye week to prepare for Navy, giving less preparation for the BC game? Thanks for helping make ND football so much fun to follow!!!!!!!!! And, if I may, were you as impressed as I was to see Malachi Fields overtake the BC defender trying, without success, to catch Love on his 94-yard jaunt? GO IRISH!!!!

Eric Hansen

2:44

Hi Tony the great! (I resisted calling you Tony the Tiger, and I am assuming that will be appreciated?) I don't think the coaches want to rush either of those guys back, and I don't think either of those guys are patient. If they get both back before the playoff, that's a win. But by Pitt? That seems overly ambitious for two players who were not expected to practice this week. I have a feeling we haven't seen the best of Christian Gray yet. If you ever met him, he makes it easy to believe in him.

2581

2:40

Howdy, Eric the Great ! Tony from Lexington, KY by way of western Pennsylvania where I was raised (I saw John Huarte lead ND to a thrilling 17-15 victory over Pitt @ Pitt Stadium in November, 1964!). Assuming that Notre Dame beats Navy this Saturday, ND and Pitt will both be 7-2 when they clash in Pittsburgh on November 15th. It will be a HUGE game with CFP implications. What are the odds that Billy Schrauth will be back in the starting lineup for that game? How about Gabe Rubio? I would feel much better about the game if Schrauth & Rubio were on the field!

And how about Christian Gray? A lot of folks criticize Christian, but he has made a lot of big plays for ND the past 2 seasons. I hope he is able to play as well. Go Irish!

Eric Hansen

2:40

Hi Marie. Doing great here and double dipping with some women's basketball tonight as the Irish open their 2025-26 season. ... To your questions: 1) The most intriguing matchup is doing with Navy's offense, a more multi-faceted version of the traditional triple-option led by quarterback Blake Horvath. Navy is the nation's No. 1 rushing team. They don't throw the ball a a lot, but way more than they used to and they throw it well. The Mids are 18th in team pass efficiency and fourth in third-down conversion percentage, so they like to play ball hog. 2) I think when you have two backs the caliber of Love and Price it's hard to go too deep unless it's a lopsided game. Again, maybe some more opportunities in November. Absher did very well in his pass blocking against BC. Run blocking needs work. That actually is more his background for his high school days, so maybe just getting used to playing next to Knapp after working on the right side in practice for most of the season. Thanks for being part of the chats!

Marie from atlanta

2:28

Hey Eric, I hope you’re having a fantastic week. I have to be honest I haven’t watched any Navy football this year, what are the concerns for Notre Dame and what are the key matchups? Seider has certainly stuck to his guns about only playing two running backs, do you feel like this is a mistake? It seems like a third running back might be helpful in certain situations. Additionally, with the way college football is now there is a certain pressure to keep the room happy. Aneyas Williams has barely played this year after burning his red shirt last year, probably not a recipe for a happy situation. Finally, how do you think Absher played last weekend and what does he need to do to improve his play? As always, thanks so much for hosting the chats and all the great insights.

Eric Hansen

2:28

Hi Doug. I think the 2026 version of him will be much better at that. I think the 2025 version is willing, but not consistent enough with that yet to make that a really attractive option. But I like your thinking on that, and eventually ...

Doug from Sunny Florida

2:27

Eric, I'm going to try to bring some warm sunny weather with me this weekend but it's not looking too good, 48 and possible rain. Could place a premium on running the ball. We've tried different looks in short yardage with not much consistent success. One that we don't seem to be using, especially at the goal line is the RPO with the QB keeping the ball, especially with the defensive ends crashing down on the RB up the middle. Any idea why CJ doesn't seem to keep the ball or any idea on what else they can do to have more consistent success?

Eric Hansen

2:26

John!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! I think that's an interesting theory, and I can't and won't poke holes in it.

John from Scottsdale

2:26

Eric!!!!!!!!!! Nice article on Brian Kelly but my question this week looks forward and not back. I think the BC game demonstrated Coach Freeman’s growth as a coach especially in the last 2 years. I don’t think ND wins that game in his first 2 years as coach. Your thoughts?

Eric Hansen

2:26

Hi Bill!!! Aneyas plays on special teams every game, so he's played in all eight and does not have a redshirt year available to him.

Bill from St Joe, MI

2:25

Hi Eric!!! Has Aneyas Williams already played in 4 games this season? I’m aware the Seider leans to playing just 2 running backs, but I’m surprised we haven’t seen more of him since he was so effective down the stretch and particularly in ND’s playoff run last year.

Eric Hansen

2:24

Tom, thanks for your thoughts. Believe me, when it comes to sports, nothing ever seems to be unanimous when it comes to opinions.

Tom from Toronto

2:23

Hi Eric, it was good to see ND ranked no. 10 in the first college football playoff rankings. It would appear that the team's destiny is in their own hands. That's a good thing. I was disappointed to see the complaints about the ranking, one writer indicating that it was based on "feelings". That brought to mind something that Deputy Sheriff Wilkus Minix once said to me a long time ago, "opinions are like a** holes, everybody's got one". And I can't remember who said this next gem, but "it was like picking the fly sh*t out of the pepper with boxing gloves on". It will not be easy for ND to take care of business, but I think that they are up to it. Dealing with a different sport, many of us in Canada are mourning the Jay's loss in the final game of the World Series. A great game. A tough loss. But they did their best. That's all we can ask. No real question. Just some thoughts. Thanks.

Eric Hansen

2:21

Hi Mike. Do the clouds yell back? I started these during the Charlie Weis Era. I'm going to have to do some digging to figure out the first year.

Mike, Phoenix

2:20

Eric, which LB had the biggest boneheaded play of the day? Sneed for shoving a guy in the back on 3rd/10, KVA doing a nose swipe, or Bowen for reaching down to pick up his mouthpiece while having the ball in his hands after a fumble? For the record I’m an old guy who yells at clouds. And the nose swipe is galactically stupid. Can’t imagine Wes Pritchett or Michael Stonebreaker doing something so ridiculous. Freeman should have punted instead of the fake. Pitt is no longer a trap game. It’s a season defining game. What year did these chats start? I know at least since 2015. Cheers! 🍻 and Go IRISH!☘️

Eric Hansen

2:17

Hi Dave. Notre Dame's director of scouting, Matt Jansen, starts that process in the spring by getting feedback from the coaching staff. In July, he'll build a database of 30 to 50 players per position group, not knowing who's going into the portal and not necessarily knowing what ND will need. Over the course of the season, those lists get added to, deleted from and refined. Eventually, as it gets closer to the transfer portal opening, they start vetting the players their most interested in, so it won't be a speed-dating process. So a lot of that work is ongoing. What ND will actually need has not yet been determined.

Dave P

2:10

Toms River NJ. How busy is Mike Martin searching for portal additions and what positions?

Eric Hansen

2:10

Hi Ryan. THIS is the version of Drayk Bowen I expected to see this season. It just took him a while (and a lot of others too) to get used to the scheme change. Three outstanding performances in a row now. Thanks for the score prediction.

Ryan Frankfort Illinois

2:06

Good afternoon Eric what do you think about the play of Drayk Bowen He looked good against Boston College My score prediction for this week is going to be 42-10 Irish GO IRISH ☘️☘️☘️🏈🏈🏈

Eric Hansen

2:05

Terry, I get this a lot, but I understand why people ask about this. So here is this week's version. I would not expect him back during the regular season. Full stop. For the playoffs, maybe. For next year, certainly.

Terry, Ithaca,NY

2:03

Will Jagusah play this year? Will he be back next year? IYour thoughts.

Eric Hansen

2:03

Hi Rich. He was hurt to start the season, and preferred to play in limited snaps while not near 100 percent healthy rather than sitting out completely until he felt perfect. He is as close now to full health as he's been in a long time. And it showed. I believe Tyler James is doing a feature on Burnham in the near future that will take you through that whole process, so keep an eye out for it.

Rich-Key West

2:01

I was very pleased to see Josh Burnham have such a solid game last week. It seems as if he has been buried on the bench most of the season and his those players getting the playing time have not been overly productive. Has he been hurt or just hasn't earned much time on the field thus far this season?

Eric Hansen

2:00

Hi Matt. Marcus Freeman is very consistent in the way he addresses those issues. He'll tell the players constantly nothing and no one is worth 15 yards. These are young people who make mistakes. He gets that. He just doesn't want them to make them twice. As a media group, we get access to Marcus Freeman after games, on Mondays in person and a short Zoom on Thursdays. You don't get unlimited questions in any of those settings. Mondays have the widest window of opportunity (30 minutes). Luckily, we have a good beat that asks good questions.

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