JotCast | February 26 Notre Dame hoops chat

Tom Noie

2:41

That will do it for today. As for our next chat next month, stay tuned. I hope it's a few weeks into the month before we chat again. That would mean Notre Dame found a way to scratch and claw its way to Charlotte. If you have a question or comment that cannot wait, drop me a note at tnoie@sbtinfo.com

2:24

John: Correct, but Micah Shrewsberry is wary of carrying 15 guys on scholarship in any season. That's one reason he has Luke Devine and Matthew MacLellan on "scholarship" at the end of the roster, and the bench. It's hard enough to keep 13 guys happy. Now two more? Not happening. Now, as mentioned, if a main guy fell into Notre Dame's lap next season, Shrewsberry would figure out how to make it work. But 13 > 15.

John

2:22

comment on scholarship limits. You indicated below the limit is 13. That’s no longer the case. My understanding is that roster is limited to 15 which can be any combination of scholarship and walkons. The sole exception is Brady Stevens not counting toward the limit because he was grandfathered in as being a walkon for the 2024-2025 season which guarantees him a spot. So if everyone stays, we have one scholarship available for a transfer or two if first year walkon Luke Devine is cut from the team. I think my math is correct

Tom Noie

2:22

Jim: Easier said that done. Proven/capable bigs have their sights set on places other than Notre Dame. It would have to be the perfect storm scenario like with Paul Atkinson. That scenario wouldn't exist today. Notre Dame wouldn't be able to afford him. Hard to thread that needle in the dark. When it's raining. When it's windy. When your eyes are closed.

Jim in Charlottesville VA

2:21

The Irish need to snag a Proven Capable Big—Center—for next season. I hope Shrews sees that his Team needs that guy.

Tom Noie

2:20

Mike: Depends on the guy, right? If it's a guy who's going to flip everything, then you better consider it. In fairness, Braeden Shrewsberry is already playing at a steep, steep, steep NIL discount because of his last name. So there's that.

San Diego Mike

2:13

As a follow up to the transfer availability Q&A being 0 if everyone came back.. is there a chance Shrews would take either of his sons off scholarship so he can add a guy. I feel like sacrificing 80k (idk how much ND costs) so that he doesnt get fired would be a smart move! (easy for me to say when Im not cashing those checks)

Tom Noie

2:12

Jim: When it's February 19 and there are five games left in the regular season and you're still not guaranteed of making the conference tournament, you have, have, have to do everything you can to put your team in position to do that. Experimentation be damned. Now's not the time for that. Gotta win games with the best combination of guys who can help you do that. Just Get to Charlotte. Someone put that on a T-shirt...

Jim in Charlottesville VA

2:10

Okay. The GT game might have been a One-Off by Imes. I would like Shrews to take a chance to the contrary. What’s the harm, in the rest of this season, of finding out?

Tom Noie

2:07

The answer is indeed zero,. Notre Dame would be at 13 scholarships in that scenario - Freshman (3) - Nick Shrewsberry, Jon Sanderson, Ghan Solongo; Sophomores (4) Tommy Ahneman, Ryder Frost, Brady Koehler, Jalen Haralson; Juniors (3) Cole Certa, SIr Mohammed, Garrett Sundra; Seniors (3) Markus Burton, Braeden Shrewsberry, Logan Imes. Even though they promised there would be no math in journalism, that does add up to 13, right?

San Diego Mike

2:04

Lets make a bunch of assumptions here for the sake of my question at the end here: Assumption #1) Towt, Njie and McLellan are all gone due to eligibility running out; Assumption #2: NO ONE transfers (ya right); Assumption #3: We do not add any more recruits to 2026 class... Question: How many scholarships would be available to snag a transfer? I'm counting 0, but I actually dont know the scholarship rules anymore

Tom Noie

2:03

Jim: Look up program guy in the basketball dictionary and it will say, See Imes,Logan. Never a front-line guy, but one of those guys you have to have in your program. He makes everyone better.

Jim in Charlottesville VA

2:02

Hello Tom and All! We know that Logan Imes defends well. I have come to like him on the Point of the Irish Offense. Thoughts?

Tom Noie

2:02

Mike: Are you new around here? No? Joking with that question then, right? Notre Dame has more money than it knows what to do with. It could build the best athletic facilities of any school anywhere. It could pay its coaches top, top, top dollar. It doesn't do any of that. Why? It still believes in the student-athlete experience. It doesn't want to be seen as a place that values athletics over academics. Two quick stories to illustrate - when Mike Brey was the head coach and the Joyce Center fell into a sorry state of sorriness, athletic director Kevin White promised Brey that a renovation was coming within two years of Brey's hiring. It took NINE more years before the renovation went official. Why? Football needed stuff first. Same with Rolfs Hall. Notre Dame fell way behind the hoops arms race until it finally decided, let's just flip Rolfs into the practice facility. It doesn't give any more money than absolutely needed to athletics. Ever.

Mike from St Pete

1:58

Back to the NIL question, why would football have to "sacrifice" so basketball could get more? Surely the ND athletic machine has enough money (or ways to get it) to keep everyone happy...

Tom Noie

1:58

Stay tuned...

San Diego Mike

1:58

were you actually serious about Njie potentially petitioning for another year?

Tom Noie

1:57

Take the dog out for a quick walk...it's 56 degrees in Northern Indiana today. We're coming off two feet of snow and below-zero wind chills. When the sun's out (as it is today) and it feels like spring, gotta get out while you can.

Sean,Greensboro,NC

1:56

Sorry you had to step way>need to refresh your beverage?Ha Ha.

Tom Noie

1:56

Sean: We still don't know. He's been asked to build it in a way where patience is paramount. it would be nice to have an answer or two or a clear direction, but those are sliding doors right now in college basketball. It was a four-year rebuild, and then when you saw the roster for his first year, you tacked another year onto that. I get that everyone wants to win now or win more now, and that would all be possible if Notre Dame had unlimited NIL or transfer portal additions but it doesn't. This is how it has to do it.

Sean,Greensboro,NC

1:54

Is Shrews the right coach for the Irish in this era of college basketball? How long of a leash will he get? Thanks.

Tom Noie

1:33

Mike: Too early to tell. I lean toward getting them on campus before we really can say, OK, I see where he fits. His game is similar to Braeden's, though Nick is a bit taller. Regardless, Notre Dame shouldn't be in a position next season where it needs Nick Shrewsberry as a freshman. It needed Braeden Shrewsberry to play. There was no other option. There are options next season. Best path for Nick Shrewsberry would be to redshirt next year. Like, too many guys, not enough minutes. Let him grow his game and get stronger. If Nick Shrewsberry is playing heavy (or any) minutes next season, not sure that's a good thing. Not any knock on the kid, but the program should be beyond leaning into a freshman guard, regardless of last name.

San Diego Mike

1:31

Whats the deal w/ Nick Shrews? Is he a bigger / lower / ~same recruit as his older bro? Similar game to Braeden? Saw him w a nice dunk the other weekend and wondered what type of player we should expect

Tom Noie

1:30

Patrick: Understood, but that's where you're banking on Garrett Sundra and/or Brady Koehler hitting. It's such a fine line that Notre Dame has been asked to walk to the point where there can be zero misses in recruiting. And I'm not as hung up on the .... they've got to get a center ... thing. It's not a big man's game. Spread the floor with guards and shooters and drivers and a guy or two who know how to go and get the rebound and take your chances. That's where the coaching has to also hit. Not as talented? Big deal. Go and out-scheme other teams. We've seen it done before. We need to see it again. Soon.

Patrick, Granger, IN

1:28

I agree with your theme that Coach Shrewsberry needs more time to rebuild. However, there are several things that have me concerned with his ability to have success going forward. While I get that his first year here was recruit who you can get in quickly, none of the first 3 classes have included a true PG (I know Markus is working towards that - hopefully we will see that work out next season) or a talented power forward or center. He's gotten a highly regarded true PG coming in for the 26-27 season, so some hope there. However, there still is no clear path for a power forward or center.

Tom Noie

1:28

Mike: NIL is such a secret that nobody really knows, though if I had to guess, and it would be just that, I'd say the only teams that Notre Dame is spending more money than in the ACC would be Boston College for sure and maybe Georgia Tech and that's it. I had someone who should know mention after the Louisville game that two players on the Louisville roster (Mikel Brown and Ryan Conwell) make as much money as the ENTIRE Notre Dame roster. How can the Irish be expected to compete with that, I was asked. I had no answer. Well, there is one - you can't.

Mike from St Pete

1:25

I know NIL is cloaked in darkness and secrecy, but does anyone have any idea where ND ranks in the ACC as it pertains to money committed to men's basketball? And what it would take (double? Triple?) to REALLY compete for top talent/retention?

Tom Noie

1:18

Paul: Because you're putting your faith in Notre Dame doing what it has been asked to do by the administration - build the roster back up through a core group of guys who will then have been with the program for four and three years, regardless of who's there or who's not. Again, and it cannot be stressed enough, it's not just a coaching thing or a roster thing or an administration thing. It's an everything thing that Notre Dame finds itself headed for a fourth straight losing season. Notre Dame is one of those schools today that has to decide if it wants to be good in football or good in basketball. Obviously, we know that answer. it doesn't want to sacrifice everything that must be sacrificed to be good at both. So basketball suffers. Basketball has to figure out a way to do it that might not be doable.

Paul R from Clifton park

1:14

I understand Shrewsberry will get another year and it is about a process, but how do we see this group making a leap next year? Even with burton the NCAA tourney was probably a long shot. If Burton leaves, how does this same core group take the next step? What happens if even 1-2 of the key guys transfer given we cannot get impact players in the portal?

Tom Noie

1:14

Sean: Deep breaths, my man. Patience. It wasn't going to happen for this program overnight, and probably wasn't going to happen in two or three seasons. Frustrating? Absolutely, but understand that the frustration should lay at where college basketball is today, and where Notre Dame cannot go. Not saying there's no way Notre Dame shouldn't be better (it absolutely should), but look at the way Notre Dame is being asked to do it in relation to how everyone else is doing it and you kind of understand what a massive ask it is. No excuses there.

Sean,Greensboro,NC

1:11

With respect, if only Burton had not been hurt, we would be in the Top 10 of college basketball, right.? Do you not get tired of making excuses for the sorry state of this team, and it's poor coaching in game decisions? (i.e. Worst free throw shooter on the team in the game with the game on the line? ) Tired of losing and looking bad doing it.And you wonder why no one comes to the games.You can be a loyal fan but there has to be an expectation of a win, which is not the case.Thanks for letting me sound off.Frustrated and tired of losing.

Tom Noie

1:11

Dave: Year Three of rebuild, but really, it's Year One. The first two seasons didn't have rosters that were anywhere near capable of sustaining much of anything. You don't see improvement in terms of won/loss record but there have been times this season where they've looked way more competent as a team than they did the previous two years, where it was basically, let Markus Burton figure it out and see if he can carry them. A lot of times, he did. There's progress, but you have to look beyond the record. It's there. A a segment here, a stretch through a half there.

Dave

1:07

Tom 3rd year of rebuild and talent is better but team doesn't seem to be better not seeing the improvement that Coach is what am I missing

Tom Noie

1:07

Jeff: Pete Bevacqua is at almost every game, either sitting in the stands with his sons or at the broadcast table next to Pat Garrity. Can't say he hasn't made an effort.

Jeff from Schererville, IN

1:06

Does Pete Bevacqua go to more games than Jack Swarbrick did? Every time I go to a game I see Bevacqua there usually sitting alongside Garrity which I think is good. If nothing else it shows Pete cares about the program enough to show up at games even if there is the perception that the ND admin only cares about football.

Tom Noie

1:06

Tim: I'll check in from time to time with how the former guys are doing. J.R. Konieczny is on track to be player of the year in the conference at Florida Gulf Coast. Nice story, but he's also at a level where he maybe should have been at the start. Tae Davis is putting up similar numbers at Oklahoma that he did at Notre Dame. Carey Booth has been OK at Colorado State.

Tim from Chicago

1:03

Tom do you keep tabs on how former ND players are doing in their new homes...I'm think J.R. Kozjdjaldjfal, Tae Davis, Carey Booth, etc. Did any former ND players break out and shine?

Tom Noie

12:39

Jeff: Whew, there's a lot there. All good stuff. Agree with the stretch run, though Boston College was up 13 at Notre Dame last month. Just don't want that to become the de factor first-round ACC Tournament game where the winner moves on to Charlotte. Take care of business at Pittsburgh and at home against North Carolina State and Stanford. Wing it against Duke and hope for some Irish luck. As for next year's schedule, I believe Notre Dame is due a home game for the SEC/ACC Challenge since it played two straight on the road (South Carolina, Georgia) to start the challenge. A home and home with Dayton may never be in the cards. Can't have that A-10 drag on your resume. As for Rome, I'll be home. Not enough money in our budget to cover Notre Dame football and its likely deep run through the College Football Playoff, and go to Rome. Would be a great time, but that was a different time. It's all good.

Jeff from Schererville, IN

12:36

1 comment about this year and 2 questions about next year. As difficult as this season has been at times, I see a realistic path to 16-15 overall. ND is just better than Pitt and BC and has already beaten Stanford. It feels like this team might have an upset left in them which makes Duke or more likely NC State a possibility. You can build on that strong finish for next year, speaking of which, do we think 26-27 non-conf schedule will be Villanova in Rome, 3 games in Vegas, 1 road game in ACC-SEC and then home games with TCU and Ohio St (return visits for this year) and 6 schools ND should beat (although we know how those can go)? Gotta get a home and home with Dayton in there for you one of these years. :) Second question about next year: are you brushing up on your Italian so you can cover the Rome game in person? :)

Tom Noie

12:23

We just don't know when we're going to see it, or what it might eventually look like. There has been progress this season, a segment here, a play there, where you've seen it and said, haven't seen that before. It's hard to see when this team is 3-11, but it's there if you look. If you know...

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