JotCast | Notre Dame Football Live Chat Oct. 24, 2019

Notre Dame Football Live Chat Oct. 24, 2019

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Eric Hansen

2:47

That's going to do it for today. Thanks for all the great questions. We'll be back to do it all over again next Thursday at noon EDT.

2:46

Tim, thanks. It's Jur-KO-veck. He is not related to former ND lineman Mirko Jurkovic. ... As far as radio, I do the weekly Pod of Gold podcast with Tyler James and do SportsBeat daily with Darin Pritchett from 5-6 EDT (4-5 St. Louis time) on WSBT radio. You can listen free on the free SportsBeat app.

Tim - St Louis

2:44

A Bernie reference !! Unbelievable.. He does a morning daily radio show with "Bernie Bits". Some times he's a little crabby especially when defending the Cardinals. Question is: what is the correct pronunciation of "Jurkovec"? NBC was really butchering it lately. Was his Uncle an OL at ND ? Live the chats. Get your own live radio show ? you're the best.

Tim - Pleasant Prairie WI

2:43

Joe From Austin - I have heard Conor O'Neils Irish pub is good and has a great breakfast. Just going by what I've heard. Heading there myself for the first time this weekend.

Eric Hansen

2:42

I can't say I'm getting the same vibe. I've seen and heard a lot about this matchup. It's ABC's prime time game after all. Ohio State-Wisconsin and LSU-Auburn are also getting lots of attention.

Tom (Granger)

2:41

For a Top 20 matchup between Notre Dame and Michigan, there seems to be little buzz around this game. I have not heard much about it nationally, and even locally, it is not being discussed as much as usual. Any idea why that may be?

Eric Hansen

through some of the worst things that I could have gone through and if something worse were to come I think I’m prepared for it,” added Te’o.

2:40

Thanks Rocky. Te'o has dealt with injuries a lot during his NFL career. He's currently a free agent. Here's a snippet from an interview with him via TV station KHON from this summer:

“I’m in a position where I know that if I get a call, I’m ready, and if I don’t, I’m good. It all works out, hindsight is 20-20 when I look back and I can only thank god for everything that he has given me, and when I say thanks for everything he has given me it’s not just my blessings. It’s my trials, it’s my tribulations, it’s my adversities. That kind of turn has given me the blessings that I have today,” Te’o told KHON2 Sports Director Rob DeMello.

“It’s because I learned to handle adversity for what it is. I think, so much adversity has been thrown my way in such a short amount of time, and I kind of learned to embrace it and to kind of thank it for coming, because I know that through adversity I can become better, that I can discover strengths that I never thought I had. You can’t rattle me, because I think that I’ve been

Rocky from San Diego

2:36

Eric, thanks for the weekly chats. What is Manti Te'o up to? Is he still trying to latch on with an NFL team this year, or has he retired?

Eric Hansen

2:32

I'm not sure I agree with you about Kareem, and teams have certainly game-planned to try to minimize Okwara. This is a game where he has a chance to live up to the preseason buzz.

Patrick, Fort Waynem, IN

2:31

Eric, I am still waiting for Julian Okwara and Khalid Kareem to play up to their pre-season hype. I rarely notice them on the field. As proposed game-changers, they have fizzled. Was the hype over-extended or is the best yet to come?

Eric Hansen

2:31

Here is the ugly side of the Harbaugh numbers:
1-10 vs Top 10 teams.
1-7 on road vs a ranked team.
0-8 as an underdog.
and 0-4 vs Ohio State

I don't think there's heat from the Michigan administration, but there's certainly criticism from the outside looking in and some from his own fan base. ... That can eventually erode recruiting. ... Harbaugh's issues are perceptual, and it does matter even if job security isn't directly related at this juncture.

Nick from Madison

2:26

Eric - I know it's not your beat, but what's your sense of the heat on Jim Harbaugh? I saw something that he's only won one out of a dozen games or so against a Top 10 ranked team. Hasn't beaten Ohio State, ND. Folks here in Madison would rather see Harbaugh than Lovie Smith again. Michigan fans may be pining for the good old days of Brady Hoke. Perhaps more relevant to your loyal readers, does that tightening around the larynx affect the team's players?

Eric Hansen

2:26

Thanks Matt. A couple of things. Slovis, as a freshman, has handled the pass rush better than Patterson, a senior. He's a more accurate passer period. Now remember, ND was rushing only three a good part of the game Saturday night. I think inside pressure is important, but having Kareem and Okwara (and the rotating ends) coming off the edge is important too in this matchup. It could very well tilt the game in ND's favor.

Matt from St. Louis MO

2:24

Thanks for the chat, Eric. After watching Slovis in person and watching Shea on tv Saturday, I think the Irish should focus on inside rush, pressure coming from the middle so Shea can’t step up like Slovis did. Do you agree? If Irish control middle of the field on defense, Michigan will have a very hard time scoring. Our DBs are ready for this game and can stay on their receivers. Home field is huge, understood, but the Irish seem too dialed in following Georgia game for that to matter.

Eric Hansen

2:23

I'm sure Notre Dame hopes it plays a big role. Virtually across the board, the Irish are better on special teams that the Wolverines, particularly when it comes to the coverage units.

Oops, sorry, forgot to mention I’m in Chicago, RJ

2:22

How big of a role will ND special teams play vs Michigan?

Eric Hansen

I think the second question cancels out the first, because it is not.

2:21

What would Phil Jurkovec give you that Book is not? That's what you have to ask yourself if you're contemplating doing that. Then the next question is: Is it worth the risk?

Al from Chicago

2:19

I'm still amazed that the fans are surprised by Book's spotty performance. Tell me 1 quarterback that has succeeded in their second year under Kelly. Real question, why not have a set of plays for our backup QB?

Eric Hansen

2:19

That would depend when you think a national title run could come. I think 2020 might be the best chance of that. In that case, I would say yes, they would still be here.

Jack from Oak Park IL

2:18

Eric,Given how important the current roster of assistant coaches/coordinators has been to Notre Dame’s recent success on the field and the recruiting trail, do you think Coach Kelly can keep them around long enough to not just make the playoffs but win actually win a NC? Thanks

Eric Hansen

2:18

I don't think they have to be "much more" aggressive, but I do think there needs to be more of the vertical passing game involved.

Brian from DC

2:18

I feel like ND has to take a much more aggressive approach about passing downfield to optimize this offense. Too many screen passes and design QB runs in my opinion that allow safeties to cheat up. Your thoughts?

Eric Hansen

2:17

I am in no position to either win a national championship or retire.

Terry TylerII

2:17

If u was to win a national championship would u retire or defend it another year after winning it?

Eric Hansen

2:16

I think it'll be a great matchup. Michigan's defense is surging, but I thought last year's front seven was better.

Jim from Indianapolis

2:15

The OL has played much better the past two games. How do you foresee them playing against the skunk bears' D?

Eric Hansen

2:14

Joe, maybe one of the other chatheads can help you. We go up and down in the same day, so we don't get a chance to try any of the restaurants there. I hope you have a great time.

Joe from Austin

2:13

First time heading to Ann Arbor, so excited about the game. Any recommendations for breakfast or dinner spots, there? Going to need energy to cheer cheer for the Irish! Love you’re work, thanks for what you do.

Eric Hansen

2:13

You would have to ask them.

David Palmer

2:13

Why is it when all of the sports broadcasters start talking about strength of schedule and comparing game results of similar opponents, they always make it a point to identify hurt or missing players at the time the game was played, except when they’re talking about the ND. They seem to leave out the fact that ND hasn’t played with all of their starters yet this season ! I think the Georgia game would have had a different result if ND was full strength !

Eric Hansen

2:12

Tyler, those changes -- which annoyed traditionalists -- were pushed by Brian Kelly and Jack Swabrick, so yes. And I agree with you 100 percent about how that's played out.

Tyler - Cleveland Ohio

2:11

Eric! Love your work. I’ve noticed over the last couple years ND seems much more committed to making home games actual true home games with the crowd noise as a factor. As ND has moved in to the new age of college football by finally adding a video board and sound during games is this a product of BKs vision all those years ago finally coming together? Been going to games since I was 12 (now 28) and outside of UGA Game a couple years ND has seemed to Hold crowd noise and home field in a much higher regard than years past. I personally love the blend of tradition but new age Things being created and worked in. What about you?

Eric Hansen

2:10

There was not that kind of mention. BK actually volunteered the Davis info when I was asking a question about Avery.

Steve from St Louis

2:09

Avery Davis was clocked at 22mph during his run against New Mexico. Curious if there was any mention of Lenzy’s speed during his run against U$C?

Eric Hansen

2:09

Jeff, I'd have to cover this in an article in the offseason to do it justice. There's just too much here to get to all of it for you. Very good questions that deserve equally good answers. I will say this, when ND changed its price structure, it aliented a lot of the long-time ticket holders. Even though there are lower-priced seats in some sections, those with really good seats and lots of them have to pay significantly more.

Jeff from York, PA

2:07

Eric, I always enjoy your coverage of ND football. Thanks! Why is Notre Dame having trouble selling tickets when they play a power five opponent? Virginia Tech, Navy, and Boston College are formidable foes who could upset the Irish so it surprises me that so many seats are available for these games. As we saw in the Georgia game a crowd can have an influence on the outcome. I don't understand why more people in Indiana, southern Michigan, and Chicagoland aren't packing the stadium. If I could drive to a game in 4 hours or less I would be there every week. Where are the alumni? ND is 17 and 2 in its last 19 games. Do you think the tickets are overpriced? Do you think it's because of expensive hotels? Is it because people don't like BK? Is it because some faculty & alumni didn't want the Crossroads Project? GO IRISH! Play hard and beat Michigan!

Eric Hansen

2:06

Chuck, thank you. I'm not so sure that it's not more Ian Book choosing the shorter patterns, through pre-snap reads or post-snap progressions than it is Chip Long. And I agree, there needs to be more downfield shots -- not an absurd amount more, but more.

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