JotCast | ND Football Live Chat Aug, 29, 2019

ND Football Live Chat Aug, 29, 2019

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Eric Hansen

12:38

Tim L, please include your hometown next time, unless of course you hometown is L. ... The depth chart was released Wednesday. Not a single surprise on it.

Tim L

12:36

When will the official depth chart be released? Any surprises at RB and WR?

Eric Hansen

12:36

I think it's difficult to open on the road, but this team gained a lot of confidence last season, not just on the field, but I think through Matt Balis and his staff in the weight room. That's also significant. I think the strong leadership so far also lends itself to a confident team. If the first half is tight Monday night, I would attribute it to ND having to make a lot of adjustments on the fly rather than timidity.

Bob

12:34

Manchester TN Hi Eric, I'm seeing a sort of quiet confidence, a sense of competence, and a sense of common purpose out of this team and coaching staff that I can't remember seeing at Notre Dame for a long time. That's rubbing off on me. Do you feel anything similar here, or does it appear to be more of the same opening night jitters that we have had pretty much every year in the past?

Eric Hansen

12:33

Tom, thanks for joining the chat and for the kind words. I think BK mentioned Kmet was getting close to a point where they could check on his broken collarbone via scan soon. Will check on that Tuesday, when BK is available following the Louisville game. Kelly was kind of vague about Young's timetable when I asked him about it soon after the injury happened. I'll make sure to check in that too, but my sense is it will probably be too soon to get much detail until we're into New Mexico game week the following week.

Tom Kennesaw, GA

12:28

Eric, Shoulder injuries are difficult to rehab and also tough to predict a return date. Nobody wants to see any ND player go through the problems Tony Romo had coming back too early. That being said has there been any recent update on the progress of Kmet and/or Young? I could see Kmet maybe by Bowling Green but I think that Young could benefit from the bye week after USC and be full go for Michigan. Thanks for all your great words of wisdom in helping us fans get through the off-season to now!! Go Irish!!

Eric Hansen

12:28

Thanks Mark. We've had on so many, and I have to tell you a lot of them surprised me. The most recent was Ryan Harris' assertion this week that OG Aaron Banks could play in the NFL right now. Had it been another journalist that said that or even some of the draft analysts, I wouldn't have blinked. But this comes from a guy who has been at practice, who played at a very high level at Notre Dame and played in the NFL for a long time. Bobby Bowden surprised me last November b y revealing Lou Holtz and his wife stayed at Bowden's house during the Holtzes' honeymoon. I'm sure I'll think of so many more as soon as the chat is over.

Mark, Orange County CA

12:24

Hi Eric, Looking forward to another season. Appreciate the great coverage you provide for us. What pod cast guest surprised you the most with their answer and what was the question?

Eric Hansen

12:22

Charlie, I hope you all didn't feel the direct effects of Hurricane Dorian.

12:21

It was a team that was completely demoralized by the last coaching staff by the middle of the 2018 season. New head coach Scott Satterfield spent the offseason rebuilding the broken confidence of those players, but there's a lot of fixing only recruiting, time, and player development are going to cure. It's not an overnight solution. What makes Louisville tricky is the buy-in of the players and the kind of blind-date effect you get facing a new staff and/or new coordinators in an opener. I expect ND to win 42-13, but I don't expect the Cardinals to roll over.

Charlie, Dom. Rep.

12:16

Louisville has talent. Their quarterback was highly recruited. They had terrible coaching last year (BVG, anyone?). Now that have a coaching staff, mostly from App St., that has a history of over performing expectations. Any cause for worry. We are 20 point favorites, but I am a little nervous. I think UL is a bit of a wildcard. Your thoughts?

Eric Hansen

12:15

Thanks, Cliff. I think the starters for Louisville will be Drew White (middle), Asmar Bilal (buck), Jeremiah Owusu-Koramoah (rover), with lots of rotation at the two inside positions in the Louisville game. At the end of the season, I see JOK still as the starter. The other two positions are more of a guess. I'll say White hangs on, but Jack Lamb overtakes Bilal. ... Wide receivers 3-4 for Louisville Lawrence Keys III and Braden Lenzy plays a little more than Joe Wilkins. At the end of the year 3-4 Michael Young and Keys.

Cliff from Battle Creek

12:11

Solid work as always Eric! On the 2 most unsettled, as it seems anyway, positions of linebacker and 3 & 4 receiver what's your prediction of the starters for Louisville but also the end of season? Thanks!

Eric Hansen

Off we go ...

12:11

A full transcript will be available later this afternoon.

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