JotCast | Notre Dame Football Live Chat April 21, 2021 | 4/21/2021

Notre Dame Football Live Chat April 21, 2021

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Eric Hansen

OK, 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 Wednesday at noon EDT.

3:01

I think the plan if for ND to develop content for its own app — Fighting Irish TV.

Alan from Whiteland, Indiana

2:59

Eric, with NBC having it's over the air network, their NBC Sports Network and now their streaming service Peacock, do you anticipate NBC creating even more programming featuring Notre Dame athletics as a whole and Notre Dame football in particular? Since NBC broadcasts no other college football other than Notre Dame home games, I would assume both parties would be very willing to create more content and strengthen their partnership, especially with Peacock now available. What say you? As always, thank you for answering my question.

Eric Hansen

2:59

It is arbitrary.

Erik (Granger, IN)

2:59

Why do different coaches have different names for the same position (e.g. Buck vs Will)? Seems arbitrary.

Eric Hansen

2:59

I hope it's Mike Golic Jr.

Travis from Newport Kentucky

2:58

have you heard any frontrunners for the next "voice of Notre Dame?" Where's your submission video?

Eric Hansen

2:58

I still think Tyler Buchner is the most talented QB on the roster with the highest potential.

Jon from orlando

2:57

guessing today. Who will be our best quarterback next year? Not necessarily starting but best.

Eric Hansen

2:57

Mario, if you come to these chats long enough, you'll find out you're asking the wrong guy if you bring up uniform questions. I can barely dress myself, let alone suggest what someone else should be wearing. Having said that, the Wisconsin game in Chicago is a Shamrock Series game, even though it's not technically ND's home game. So that would be an opportunity to do something different with the unis.

Jon

2:55

Mario from Stafford VA- Eric I hope you and your family are well. Just a quick question, I know the Irish have used various uniform combinations for the Shamrock series. I don't know if they will be bringing that back this year if fans are allowed in the stadium. Do you think they will ever use the early eighties Madonna blue jerseys again? They used the shamrock uniform for under the lights at Michigan 2012=2013? Anyhow using those uniforms for making all of the jerseys available for purchase from the past Shamrock series might be a good way to recoup some of the lost revenue from last year. Thank you Sir

Eric Hansen

2:55

If Brendon were good enough to be the No. 2 option last year until his knee gave out, he's good enough to fight for a chance to move up on the depth chart of play QB somewhere else. I can't see him making an impact at WR or RB, to be honest.

Ryan near S.F., CA

2:53

Looks like Brendon Clark is getting buried on the QB depth chart due to his knee. Even if he rehabs, his chances seem slim to naught. How do you feel about him potentially converting to a WR/RB hybrid? The kid has some great size and ground skills.

Eric Hansen

2:53

Notre Dame has not yet hired officially a grad assistant for offense. It could be someone to help on the O-Line. That would make a lot of sense,

Michael costa mesa calif.

2:52

ERIC ,thank you for insight. Don't you think that Kelly should have replaced Chris Watts ,who I believe gave last years line more physicality.Is it not a fact that Quinn is more of a technical teacher ?

Eric Hansen

2:52

Haha. Me doing that would be like the speaking version of karaoke. I appreciate the support, but they'd need to sell beer throughout the stadium for my schtick to go over well.

Mike McFadden, Williamsport, PA

2:50

Are you going to try out and audition for the open gameday announcer's position? You'd be great, seriously! Thanks for answering my question.

Eric Hansen

2:49

BK hasn't mentioned Lorenzo. We have Tommy Rees on Thursday, so that's a priority to ask about all the young receivers. There is a long road to go in determining the rotation. Don't rule anything out yet.

Guest

2:48

Mark Burlington, VT Eric - what's happening with the young receivers? Namely, Jordan Johnson? As a sophomore, it would be great to see him breaking through. Could Lorenzo Styles see any time (I know academics is an adjustment for these young men)?

Eric Hansen

2:48

On my to-do list to ask Saturday. My expectation is that George Tackacs would be the guy, but not ruling out Kevin Bauman.

Joe Asbury Pk Nj

2:47

I know we're solid at TE with Mayer but any idea about the battle for the Number 2 spot ?

Eric Hansen

2:47

There's an opportunity to be more dynamic in the return game, and the Irish need Jonathan Doerer to be his 2019 self.

martin orlando

2:46

i would like your thoughts on special teams......

Eric Hansen

2:46

Very seldom, and usually not a player. Maybe someone in the athletic office or a relative or friend of a player who's able to shed some additional context. I wish I had a funnier answer. But people tend to be really helpful in those situations, not critical.

Mike McFadden, Williamsport, PA

… who might that be and what was his comment regarding? Thanks.

2:44

Hi Eric, a quick fun question here today. As your job calls for both close personal & business relationships with the coaching staff and players, as they read and keep up with your awesome Chats, has any of them ever contacted you to comment or elaborate or critique one of your answers? IE. I can just picture a 325 OL/DL player call and say "Hey Eric, I'm not going in the 3rd round of the draft, put me down for early 2nd round buddy." :) Always a good time on Wednesday afternoons, I learn a lot from you. Thanks.

Eric Hansen

2:43

Hi Denis, thank you. I feel better about the O-line and where it's headed. Want to see the WRs in person and Kevin Austin healthy before I jump on that. I figured the D-line would be good, and it's exceeded my expectations. For now with Lou, the best way I can express his essence is every story I culd tell ends up with him being a class act.

Denis fron Niagara Falls,ON

2:40

Hi Eric. I imagine there were at least several aspects of the team that you were unsure of heading into spring. Is there something that you are more certain of at this point? And do have a Lou Somogyi story that you would share or did you not know him well enough? Thanks a lot.

Eric Hansen

2:40

I like what they've accomplished so far this spring. I need to see more of that in August.

Jay, Columbus, OH

2:39

Eric - snow in late April never gets old. Offense a concern for you or not? New QB, wideouts and OL...

Eric Hansen

2:39

Adams, thanks. 1) If Keys is progressing as convincingly as Brian Kelly purports him to be, he'd certainly be a rotation guy at the very least. 2) We're seeing signs of the real deal in the front seven. The summer and August will be critical for the secondary. 3) I'll see either CJ Williams or Tobias Merriweather. Both are elite WRs. Both are scheduled to visit in June.

Adam, (Dayton, OH)

2:34

Eric, thank you for all you do, love your work! 1.) Lawrence Keys appears to be showing out. Will ND be able to find him room on the field alongside Avery Davis, or will they have to take a playmaker off the field to put one on? 2.) Defense appears to be playing very fast and free...just like Marcus Freeman wants (From the takes I have heard, I obviously have only seen snippets haha.) Are they just beating up on a green offensive line, or are we seeing the real deal? How much has the o-line shown improvement from the first practice, and how far do they have to go to be good? 3.) Defensive recruiting seems to be energized. Who is an offensive recruit (not o-lineman) that Tommy Rees could land that would show recruiting is rising on that side of the ball as well? Thank you so much!

Eric Hansen

2:34

Travis, I don't know what the Bengals' needs are. I don't follow them close enough to know that. However, I could see both Liam and Aaron contributing right away if Cincinnati were to select them.

Travis from Newport Kentucky

2:32

Eric, being form the Cincinnati area, I am a huge Bengals fan, second to only Notre Dame. College football trumps NFL. I saw mock draft where Cincy took a WR first and was able to pick up Liam Eichenburg early 2nd and later drafted Banks. With such a heavy need at OL position in multiple spots and Notre Dames recent success with NFL OL, could you see my Bengals grabbing two ND linemen for some plug n play guys?

Eric Hansen

2:32

Jim. What Drew has shown in 11 spring practices is the potential to master the mental side of the game and ND's playbooks and processes. That's not insignificant by any stretch, and that gives him the chance to be a future starter. What will be his challenge once Jack Coan moves on is if Tyler Buchner, Brendon Clark and Steve Angeli are able to do the same (getting down the mental side). They all have size and athletic ability (and arm strength) that is superior to Drew's, so that would make it difficult to be the No. 1 guy.

Jim Tal, Valley Center, CA.

2:26

Good day Eric. Just wanted to run something by you real quick. Disregarding the possibility of injury, and based on what you know as well as your gut feeling, do you think Drew Pyne will ever start a game at Notre Dame? I don't know why but I get a sense he might be another Ian Book in that he might end up getting a lot more playing time than anyone could have possibly imagined. Thanks much and great work as always.

Eric Hansen

2:26

Until the past few years, team could win national titles with merely good offenses and elite defense. Now you need both.

2:21

Matt, there's a lot to unpack in your questions. I'll try to simplify. Kelly felt his best chance to GET to the playoff was ball control, complementary football. It worked. The playoff was a referendum on whether that style could win you games at the level. The answer was clear. It was not. This year's team has the raw material to play more to the playoff model than last year's team did. The key is to maximizing that talent .. specifically at the QB and wide receiver positions. Kelly's offenses at Cincy (especially 2009) did score points, but the Bearcats gave them up too. And they got crushed by Florida on the big stage in their bowl game (51-24). (more)

Matt in Augusta NJ

2:18

Hello Eric, I reed the comments Coach Kelly made about opening up the offense this year and needing to score more points. I completely agree. He mentioned leaning on a veteran offensive line and strong TEs last year as his reasoning for being a grind and running offense primarily. I think a veteran o line would help in a spread also. Did we have the wrong philosophy last year or just not enough athletes on the outside to warrant taking the TE’s off the field. Also will we have the athletes on the outside this year to score more points? Kelly’s offenses at Cincinnati we’re scored lots of points. Why haven’t we realized earlier we need to outscore opponents in today’s game.

Eric Hansen

2:17

I wouldn't tie the George Strait decision into the football decision. George only has one date on his calendar and its a rescheduled one on Nov. 13. There's a growing number of colleges that are planning for full stadiums in the fall. ND is not yet one of them. I expect that decision to come in May, when there will be much more concrete data which to make a decision. The are a lot of logistics questions to tackle and remember there will be a lot more than just students in the stadium. Stay tuned. The answers aren't that far away.

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