JotCast | Notre Dame basketball February 2025 chat

Notre Dame basketball February 2025 chat

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Tom Noie

11:31

Joe: Say for argument's sake that you're Pete Bevacqua, who did not hire Micah Shrewsberry. You decide that there are too many negatives and not enough positives and decide a change in the leadership of the men's basketball program is needed after this year. How does that play nationally? For any potential replacements. Coaches who would otherwise have some interest in the job would look at it and say, wait, they gave the previous guy only two years to win. Nobody does that. What if Year One for me goes off the rails? Do they want me out before it ever gets off the ground? See? Too early for that.

Joe from Boston

11:29

Hi Tom - How is Shrewsburys job not at risk after how this season has gone? The team is not competing and the ACC is not even close to what it has been in the past. This team looks worse than even the last few years of the Brey era.

Tom Noie

11:29

Alex: Question of the day, because it leads us to this - without question, this season, maybe the future of the program, forever turned on not being able to beat North Carolina. Saturday afternoon, first sellout under Shrewsberry, a blueblood program in your gym and you're up four in the closing seconds. Then you don't foul when you should foul. You foul when you shouldn't foul. I wrote after that (and was properly shouted down) that that game, that loss was a season turner for all the wrong reasons. It was Notre Dame's chance to make something of this season. Instead, a Dumpster fire. Notre Dame is 4-9 since the near-miss. There was no coming back from that. We're what, seven weeks removed, and Notre Dame hasn't come back.

Alex

11:25

Obviously this season has had multiple backbreakers, but in your opinion is there one that truly sticks out as the official backbreaker? For me it goes all the way back to UNC and the supposed veteran leader of this team making one of the most mind boggling plays I've ever seen from an experienced player in crunch time (referring to Allocco fouling Cadeau obviously). I felt that game took the wind out of any more positive momentum ND could've had to turn the tide on the season. Burton was outstanding in his first game back and it ended in a huge blunder by the head coach and senior leader of the team.

Tom Noie

11:25

We're not there yet. Notre Dame cannot be there yet. It just can't. Not after two years. That sends an entirely different kind of message.

irish Mike, Altoona, PA

11:24

Is it time to pull the plug on Coach Shrews? Effort has to be the one constant that a coach can control.

Tom Noie

11:24

Jim: It will be framed the opposite - if we had you Jalen or Brady or Ryder or Tommy, we'd have been able to win all those games. You're the missing pieces this program needs.

Jim Tal, Valley Center, CA

11:24

Hi Tom, always enjoy reading your stuff, be it hoops or football. Given the extremely disappointing nature of this season and the fact that the program isn't showing any signs of real improvement moving forward - at least for now - do you think any members of the touted incoming class might seriously reconsider their commitment to ND and look to perhaps play elsewhere? Could what's going on presently be enough to get any of them to bolt?

Tom Noie

11:23

Stephanie: Great questions on both. Burke Chebuhar was built up by the head coach to be this possible X factor who has now become a Why doesn't he play guy. I cannot figure out what the issue is with Brady Stevens. He's one of the first out for warmups (in uniform) then is in sweats for games. Why? Is he saving his eligibility for when his dad becomes a head coach somewhere? Wait, did I just say that out loud?

Stephanie

11:21

Why get someone like Burke Chebuhar and tell the guy to come here if you never are going to play him? My husband and I can't remember the last time he played. He's a big guy and maybe can do someone. Is Brady Steven's a walk on that isn't ever dressed?

Tom Noie

11:21

Frank: Not sure anybody thinks Notre Dame will be like SMU or Louisville overnight, but there's little reason why it cannot be Notre Dame. The frustation of which you speak comes from the fact that this team really, honestly, should be 11-4 in a decidedly down Atlantic Coast Conference. The lopsided, lethargic efforts against Louisville and SMU aside, Notre Dame had a chance to win six ACC games. Better decisions by the players, by the coaching staff, by everybody and the Irish get those games and the season is entirely different. But as Bill Parcells once said, you are what your record says and right now, Notre Dame's not good. It had a chance at good, but it threw that away.

Frank from Michiana

11:18

You've been covering the men's program since the lean John MacLeod years, which were hard to watch at times. Could you ever have imagined the negativity towards the men's program since the back to back elite eight teams? People are in such a hurry for everything these days that they think Notre Dame should be like Louisville (16 portal transfers) or SMU (10 portal transfers). I don't believe that will ever happen here.

Tom Noie

11:18

Steve: Anytime they want to show signs of digging out instead of down is fine by me. Just when you think it cannot get any worse, it gets worse.

Steve McTigue

11:17

I’ve been a season ticket holder for decades. I can’t remember us looking this much in disarray. Is there any hope of digging out of this hole? I honestly feel sorry for everyone!

Tom Noie

11:09

If there was, it would just be a ... distraction

HvG

11:09

Anything to add on the "distractions" mentioned Monday?

Tom Noie

11:09

Basketball at Marquette is as important as football at Notre Dame. That's it. That's all.

The Jet from Evansville

11:08

Why can’t the Notre Dame Program compete with Marquette Program most years?

Tom Noie

11:08

Mark: Whatever it is, it has to go. Set plays, please.

Mark from Rochester, NY

11:08

Since Coach has been building for Year 3 (if we can even say that), will he adjust the iso ball? The Jon Rothstein comment about more plays than Broadway makes no sense as there is no ball movement or creativity on offense. Looks a lot like Villanova with Eric Dixon

Tom Noie

11:08

Mark: We've still got five games left in this season. Next season is next season. Not turning the page just yet because, honestly, who knows what that might look like. You might not like what you see.

Mark from Rochester, NY

11:07

Where does the secondary scoring come from next year? I assume if Burton stays, he and Haralson will take a lot of shots.

Tom Noie

11:07

Mark: It was hard to watch that first half against SMU and not wonder if they're just done with it. The losing. The questions. The rants. The season. Everything. Sure, the second half was better, but that was compete or get beat by 40. Now what follows Shrewsberry insisting that what we saw Wednesday won't be seen again? Do we know? Does he know?

Mark from Rochester, NY

11:05

Tom, thanks for doing these as always. With the effort shown tonight (SMU), is it safe to say the team has packed it in? The Shrews outburst was followed by this? How long will the leash be heading into next year?

Tom Noie

11:05

Brian: None of those players have eligibility remaining after this season. They all have five regular-season games remaining in their college careers.

Brian from Georgia

11:05

Looking ahead to next season…and not being up-to-date with eligibility rules in the post-COVID era…are these the only Irish players who will be ineligible to return next season? Am I missing anyone?1. Matt Allocco (3 years at Princeton, 1 year at Notre Dame) 2. Burke Chebuhar (3 years at Lehigh, 1 year at Notre Dame) 3. Nikita Konstantynovskyi (2 years at Tulsa, 1 year at Monmouth, 1 year at Notre Dame … but does he have an extra year since he only played in 2 games during second season at Tulsa?) 4. Julian Roper II (2 years at Northwestern, 2 years at Notre Dame)

Tom Noie

11:04

Henry: Sir Mohammed was the one guy they couldn't afford to lose when they lost him because it torpedoed his development. Instead of figuring it out in non-league, he's had to do it in ACC play. He's not ready, but you can see there's a lot there.

Henry

11:03

What is your assessment of Sir Mohammed so far? Will Sir be more than just a cool name?

Tom Noie

11:03

Magic Eight ball says ... too early to tell.

Jersey Phil

11:03

Is Coach Shrews in over his head?

Tom Noie

11:03

JDub: A little of both. Little easier to win right away at SMU and Louisville, so there's that. If this recent run has offered Micah Shrewsberry anything, it's that you better constantly be evolving and evaluating yourself as a head coach.

jdub, fort wayne

11:02

Two straight games against teams with first year coaches. Both are headed to the NCAA tournament. They have shown a vast improvement. Year 2 at ND, they have shown regression. Apples to oranges comparison because of the types of schools or does Micah have a lot to learn and we are in for a long wait to return to the tournament?

Phil now from SZ

11:01

Given Shrews apparent inability to coach, inconsistent substitution patterns, and his proven ability to alienate the fan base, how many current players and recruits can be expected for next season?

wes

11:01

thanks Tom for the chat, i appreciate your coverage of ND sports. the last 3 basketball seasons have been tough to watch esp. this season. i was hopeful that the second year of Coach Shrewsberry coaching would result in a more cohesive offense and more set plays to fit the talent. Every box core i look at for any game i look at the number of assists which i think indicates a well-coached/prepared team. against Louisville ND had if i am not wrong 7 assists for the game. it appears that during the games Coach Shrewsberry on the sideline coaching players/play on most offense series, if true doesn't that indicate the lack of preparation during the practices they have since the beginning of the season? one last thing, i think the outburst after Louisville showed a lack of maturity and a coach in over his head. telling fans if they dont want to come to the games, dont come?? really??? Tom, Ask the AD if he is okay with fans not coming to the games.

Tom Noie

11:00

Taylor: You mean the North Carolina game in the Atlantic Coast Conference where Notre Dame was down ...52? That game crossed my mind last night.

Taylor

10:59

How much longer until Jalen Haralson request a withdrawal of his NLI? This is the most pathetic display of basketball since UNC game in 2021. Burton isn’t returning either. To be great somewhere else.

Tom Noie

10:59

Kale: Tommy Ahneman, come on down.

Kale Herdman

10:59

Kebba Njie has been criticized a lot this year, seems as though he really hasn’t improved his game on either side of the ball since we first saw him last year. He has a had a couple moments where he has flashed his talent against NC State and BC. Other than that he consistently turned the ball over and has been unable to finish at the rim, and his physicality for the most part has not matched up to most the of the big guys ND has faced this year. What do they do moving forward if Njie doesn’t improve at all…? Sundra at the 5? Another portal addition?

Tom Noie

10:59

Joe: No reason to panic just yet - until someone who's supposed to be on his way decides that, you know what, on second thought... Haven't had any indication that that's the case. The incoming freshmen need to get to campus and see it for themselves. If this program is 11-15 and 5-10 next year, then panic.

Joe from Boston

10:58

Hi Tom. How concerned should we be about the recruiting class we have coming in (albeit very talented and highly ranked) staying intact with how awful this year has been for the team and more so, the coach?

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