JotCast | Notre Dame Football Live Chat April 2, 2021

Notre Dame Football Live Chat April 2, 2021

Eric Hansen

3:02

That's going to do it for today. Thanks for all the great questions. We get to interview Jack Coan for the first time, on Saturday. So be looking for that on the web tomorrow night. ... We'll slide back to our regular Wednesday noon time slot next week.

2:59

Tommy Tremble tops the "helped" list. I'm not sure anyone hurt their stock. I suppose Ben Skowronek, because he was injured?

Lee from Lancaster, SC

2:58

Hi Eric, in your opinion, did any of the former Irish that participated in the Pro Day event help their draft status? Did any player's performance hurt their draft status?

Eric Hansen

2:58

Probably not in our lifetimes.

AJ Hamel

2:58

When will Notre Dame be joining the Atlantic Coast Conference as a full time Football Member

Eric Hansen

2:57

I think they can have three really good ones, but there's not someone on the roster who can play the rover quite like JOK, so on passing downs, there may be only two linebackers on the field and another safety or corner.

Lee from Lancaster, SC

2:56

Eric, how much will it hurt the Irish defense that they don't appear to have an elite player at linebacker like Jeremiah O-K?

Eric Hansen

2:56

Kyren Williams, Michael Mayer, Kevin Austin, Chris Tyree and... Avery Davis/Lorenzo Styles Jr. tied for fifth.

RK from Sartell MN

2:55

Who will the top 5 playmakers be in 2021? Also, what is your over under on wins? Mine is 10.

Eric Hansen

2:54

Don, very much appreciate that. Happy Easter.

Don Phoenix

2:54

Just joined and havent read any questions so I wont ask one as it's most likely answered. Happy Easter to you, your family and staff. Thanks for the work you do. First read every morning.

Eric Hansen

2:54

No, I think it was to give Avery and Kyren something they wanted at a very low cost to the team.

Gabriel Weiss from North Liberty

2:53

I saw Avery Davis and Kyren Williams got to run routes in front of the scouts on pro day. Due to this they will lose a spring practice, as you know. Do you think ND allowed this to get the younger, maybe unproven players under them more first team reps in practice?

Eric Hansen

2:53

Mark, that competition will take shape more in August than now, but two new entrants into that mix are Chris Tyree and Lorenzo Styles Jr. And if one of those two wins the job, shame on ND if they're not more aggressive in setting up returns rather than fair catches.

Mark, Orange County CA

2:52

Hi Eric, Happy Easter to you and your family. I am glad you put law school on hold and pursued sports journalism. Who is being coached as a punt returner for 2012? Will ND be more aggressive with their punt returns in 2021 or will it be more like last season, get the offense on the field and let them move the ball?

Eric Hansen

2:52

Jim, thanks. I am enjoying the fully vaccinated lifestyle and my grandkids are over the moon for that. ... Yes, he could have been used more. I think there were some injury issues earlier in the season and some drops later, but certainly in the red zone, he could have been an asset.

Jim Tal, Valley Center, CA.

2:50

Hi Eric, after the way Tommy T. tore it up on Pro Day, it simply reinforced my belief that he was significantly underused as a receiver by Rees and crew. Yes, I realize that Mayer is a force but that doesn't mean they couldn't have incorporated Tremble to a much greater extent, especially in light of the fact that the outside receiving corps was solid but hardly elite. Tremble should have been a more consistent weapon in the Irish arsenal and not been fundamentally a blocking tight end albeit a superior one. In your opinion, did ND really get its money's worth out of Tremble as a pass catcher? Glad all is well on your end. Continue to take care.

Eric Hansen

2:50

It should have read cases, and it does now. I owe you a beer. Thank you.

Matthew

2:49

From Houston. Just read your response at 1:36. How do you make your "asses" for playing time?

Eric Hansen

2:48

Sue, Happy Easter to you too, but April Fool's was YESTERDAY.

Sue Kovensky

2:47

From Hollidaysburg, PA. Is it true that Coach Brian Kelly hired Brian Van Gorder as a defensive assistant?!? Happy 🐣

Eric Hansen

2:46

Rick, thank you. There is a lot of talent in that area and it tends to be transient and willing to leave the region. Some of it comes down to the connections of the assistant coaches. They're able to work other productive areas of the country better. There is a defensive tackle from DeMatha in the 2023 class that has been extended an offer, Jason Moore. Just judging from the offers Tyler and I have been able to confirm in that class, there seems to be a re-investment in Florida.

Rick

2:38

Richard from Crofton, MD: Hi Eric, I have been a big fan of your chats for many years. Why doesn't Notre Dame have more recruiting success in the Baltimore/DC area with Catholic high schools. The Washington Catholic Athletic Conference has become a hotbed for national recruiting over last 25 years. Schools like DeMatha Catholic, St Johns, and Gonzaga Prep are annually in the top 25 in football, and turn out a lot of highly recruited kids. What needs to change to start getting some of the kids from this league? The ND basketball program has been able to tap into this league, hopefully Brian Kelly and his staff can start to bring in some talent from this league.

Eric Hansen

2:37

Hi Alan. Red zone efficiency tops the list. The Irish were a Kelly Era-worst 102nd nationally (out of 127) in 2020. Next would be passing efficiency. ND was 43rd nationally in 2020. Alabama, Ohio State and Clemson were 1, 9 and 15, respectively. Now how does he get there? I'll write about that later in the spring when I get a better feel for the assets at hand.

Alan from Whiteland, Indiana

2:31

Eric, I very much like Tommy Rees as an offensive coordinator and believe he understood the ability/limits of last season's offensive personnel, especially at wide receiver. Having said that, what are the one or two areas in which Rees can improve both his performance this season and that of the Notre Dame offense as a whole? Thank you for answering my question.

Eric Hansen

2:29

Thanks, Matt. Yes there is a wider net being cast, with earlier offers to elite players. All of them have at least the potential to be academic fits. Not all of those conclusively are. So before it ever gets to admissions, a lot of those players will confirm through the performance and ambition academically whether they're in position to get admitted or they'll prove otherwise, and ND can back off that kids before it ever gets to admissions. So the admissions dynamic remains basically unchanged. Kelly knows that he needs to let players go who can't last at ND. It's one thing to bend/adapt admissions standards, but that young man still has to compete in the classroom. So that vision is part of the recruiting process.

Matt in Augusta NJ

2:20

I have read your recent articles on recruiting and really enjoy them. There has been talk on how to crack into the top 5 yearly in recruiting rankings. I believe it was Tom Lemming who mentioned ND going after players earlier, and recruiting them before they know if the player has the grades/academic courses needed to be accepted. Is this a plan that the football program has enacted, and if so what does admissions think of it? I believe admissions will allow a few borderline players in yearly and work with coach Kelly . If the players work out the next year he might get another player in the next class. If the players he asks that are borderline do not work out it reflects poorly for him asking for borderline players the next year. Is this the relationship Kelly and admission have and has it changed at all?

Eric Hansen

2:19

2:17

He certainly could, but I think Jeremiah Owusu-Koramoah already fits that bill.

Denny from Liberty Hill

2:17

Eric, I remember thinking Chris Zorich was the Perfect "first guy off the bus". Not too many players thru the years seem to match up in this regard. I feel like Rocco Spindler may fit that bill in a couple years. Would you agree?

Eric Hansen

2:17

There is a wave of speed arriving in the wide receiver corps. This spring is about identifying the best options beyond Kevin Austin and developing those players so that the speed translates into actual production. My expectation is that Austin, Braden Lenzy and Avery Davis enter fall camp as the starters with plenty of up-and-comers who could fill out the rotation. Putting aside Joe Wilkins and Lawrence Keys, who are not among the younger players, I think you'll be excited to see Jordan Johnson, Xavier Watts and Lorenzo Styles Jr. in the Blue-Gold Game. Keep your eye on the development of those three.

Robb from Virginia

2:12

It goes without saying that to be an elite team we must have better downfield weapons. How do you see our receiving core so far? Is Austin (who is now listed as a 'senior') healed and can we count on him and Johnson breaking into the starting rotation and are there any new names we can count on? Our inability to make big plays downfield was glaringly absent against Alabama and in the ACC championship game. They stuffed the run and we were shut down in both games. We always seem to have the potential - will it be a reality this year.

Eric Hansen

2:12

Thanks, Pat. it has not been formally approved, but there are strong indications from the NCAA internally that the intention is to end the dead period on May 31.

Pat from St Paul

2:11

As always, thanks for the chats Eric! Question on the NCAA dead period...is there an inside information or just general optimism that it will be done come June? Thanks!

Eric Hansen

2:10

Jordan Botelho.

Mike from Rochester NY

2:10

Hi, Eric, hope you and your family are all well as we hopefully are starting to emerge from this pandemic. Which D-lineman do you think has the potential to be the biggest surprise coming out of spring practice?

Eric Hansen

2:09

Bob, thanks for your comment, and all the best to you.

bob mason Littleton CO

Sorry about that. Hit the wrong button. Kelly has brought the program back up to where the ND job again will be a coveted position that lots of very talented coaches will be interested in when the time comes. That may well be his legacy. Thanks for all you do and stay well. All the best from the foot of the Rockies.

2:09

Npt a question. An observation that's a bit under the radar. I remember when the ND head coaching job search was a national joke. The one thing Brian Kelly has done is build the program back up to where it will once again be a coveted

Eric Hansen

2:09

This is not as easy to unpack as I wish it was. 1) There is no shame in being an NFL starting right tackle. 2) A lot of left tackles undergo this kind of scrutiny as we get within a month of the draft. 3) You shouldn't expect sugar-coating on Pro Day. I don't think NBC would want to project that, at least. 4) If that's what Brian truly feels, then he should say that. He could end up being wrong. 5) The comment surprised me. I think Liam's success against some elite pass rushers over the past couple of years earns him some benefit of the doubt. 6) I don't blame you for being confused.

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