JotCast | Notre Dame Football Live Chat April 4, 2025

Notre Dame Football Live Chat April 4, 2025

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Eric Hansen

1:16

Hi Mike, well first of all, I'm glad I didn't scare you off during that decade of you joining the chat. I would be surprised if Jadarian Price comes back for a fifth year -- and yes he does have that option because of the medical redshirt year he had as a freshman. He did have 120 carries last year, just 43 fewer than Love. Running back is one position where longevity (and tons of carries) doesn't necessarily help your pro career. ... When you talk to TE Eli Raridon's teammates, they describe him as a freak still after two ACL surgeries. His production hasn't matched that ... yet, so this is a big offseason for him to start to push hard in that direction. ... And good luck to the Cubs and your choice of beers!

Mike, Phoenix

1:05

Eric, Happy Friday! I’d like to ask you about Jadarian Price. Overlooked and underrated. Big time runs vs A&M, Purdue, USC, etc. Last week you said he is on pace to graduate. Do you think he might want to come back next year after J. Love moves on to the NFL? IMO, I think he would be the man next year even with a loaded RB room and would improve his NFL stock. Do you think TE Rioridon has the ability to be a top 3 TE next year? He looks the part. Cheers! 🍻 I know you are a Cardinals fan but I have removed the no drinking rule for today as it is Cubs opening day. Hard to believe that we have been chatting for at least 10 years!!

Eric Hansen

1:04

That could take many forms. You could do it with just using the traditional running game more. You could possibly use a changeup QB like Kenny Minchey in the red zone. You could use a running back with director snaps ... but which one? You could also do that with Jordan Faison, who did throw a pass on a 2-point conversion. I think those are more practical uses for the concept you were digging at. If you just wanted to use a one-a-season trick play, I would think Jeremiyah Love could execute that, but something tells me that's up Aneyas Williams' alley.

12:54

Damon, thank you, hanging in there this week and appreciate you. And I'll be honest when I first started to read your question, I thought you were taking full advantage of the no-drinking rule being rescinded, but as I finished it, I thought "this guy is really on top of things." So, brilliant question actually. Now let's see if I have an answer to match. ... The part of your question that got me was about Wildcat formations, which Penn State did some last year with its tight end, Tyler Warren, and also had a backup QB who often took snaps in the red zone. ND didn't see him in their playoff, because he was in the transfer portal by then. But the possibility of direct snaps is real given the difference between having someone with the prolific running prowess of Riley Leonard and how to replace the dimension in the offense. (more)

Damon from Nashville

12:50

Eric, I hope you you are having a great week and thank you for taking time out of your busy schedule for doing these chats. This question seems silly with a 3-headed quarterback competition, but, can any of our running backs throw the ball? And, with our plethora of running backs and RB Coach Seider with a QB background, do you foresee some wildcat formations and more 2 back sets this fall? Would be a nice trick play to see one of them throw a TD pass. Thanks!

Eric Hansen

12:49

Hi Jules. Thank you and some of this is based on who's available and what's realistic ... No. 1 ... what the quarterbacks look like in actual competitive situations. 2. Really curious about the interior defensive line and how they compete, especially Onye and the two transfers. 3. Who sticks out among the young safeties. 4. The sophomore and freshman wide receivers. 5. Kevin Bauman and the tight ends.

Jules, Joliet, Ill.

12:34

Eric: Thanks for hosting these chats. It sounds like the press will have access to the full practice on Saturday. What four or five things are you most interested in seeing during that time?

Eric Hansen

12:32

Thanks Sean. Notre Dame's current players are such a big part of the recruiting process once players come on campus for visits. And I think they can be the most convincing purveyors of that message. And I think it matters too in what you mentioned about roster retention. And roster retention is REALLY OVERLOOKED by a lot of fans when it comes to the recruiting/portal/roster management equation. So thanks, for recognizing that and bringing it up.

Sean, Schaumburg, IL

12:28

Great FNS on Monday. I liked how you talked about Onye and how much support he received. Glad he's staying. How can the coaching staff/personnel dept utilize this to show recruits they care about the person not, solely, the player? Sometimes it's those instances on the margins that make a difference in convincing a player to commit and stay until getting that degree. Similar to DeVonta Smith transferring to be closer to his child. He said having those close relationships with Freeman/Mickens previously helped convince him Notre Dame would have a positive impact on him. Anything to gain an advantage in recruiting is beneficial, no?

Eric Hansen

12:26

Hi Bob. New leaders emerge and new circumstances will emerge to drive dreams, goals, etc. I would think one motivation would be how close the Irish came to winning a national title. And knowing now this is a program that could legitimately compete to actually win one -- and not just get to the playoff and get blown out -- would be a major motivation for the returning players especially.

Bob (Oxnard, CA)

12:25

Losing to NIU changed the mentality of our team and fueled subsequent success. How does the team re-create the eye of the tiger @ Miami 2025, especially without our loudest leader from last year (Coogan)?

Eric Hansen

12:24

Let's say it goes to 105, then ND could conceivably add from the transfer portal, which opens up again for 10 days from April 16-25. If the limit stays at 85, then look for there to be players leaving ND during that portal window. But there is some wiggle room with NIL money. ND got down to 86 last year, but was able to make the numbers work. As far as the women's transfers, I don't think any of the four in the portal for ND had the same reasons for transferring. Olivia Miles, for instance, was a business decision. I think Emma Risch needed/wanted a fresh start and may not be healthy enough to play college BB. Hopefully, after two hip surgeries in two years she can. Even if the portal losses had been fewer, there's a real challenge for ND to bring in five, six transfers in one cycle. And if they're all grad transfers, then it's even going to be more chaotic next offseason potentially.

12:19

Hi Terry. Thanks for coming over to press row and saying hello. It was great meeting you too! We are ever so close FINALLY to having an answer to the scholarship-limit question ... we think. ... Federal judge Claudia Wilken granted preliminary approval of the House v. NCAA settlement on Oct. 7. The final approval hearing is scheduled for MONDAY. This hearing has great potential to bring clarity to where college football and the college sports model in general are headed in this era of seismic changes. The scholarship/roster limits is just one aspect, but it's the one you asked about. So let's run the numbers. The current scholarship limit is 85. That could be raised to as many as 105, but it also might eliminate walk-ons. Where does ND stand at the moment? The Irish are sitting at 95, which isn't a bad place to be considering the range of where this could head. (more)

Terry, Huron, SD

12:09

Hi Eric, it was great to meet and visit with you after ND women took down Michigan. If nobody transfers this spring, what does ND’s scholarship numbers look like heading into the fall? Speaking of transfers, what the heck is happening with all the transfers in the womens program?

Eric Hansen

12:09

OK, off we go ...

Except for me. I chug coffee instead.

The No Drinking rule remains suspended indefinitely.

12:08

Here are the rules ...

PLEASE include your NAME and HOMETOWN along with your question(s).

12:07

As far as this week's chat ...

► Finally, at WSBT Sports Radio 96.1, we’re rolling through a busy and newsy Notre Dame spring football practice season. Darin Pritchett and I were together this week on Wednesday and Thursday, and each week moving forward on Weekday SportsBeat (960 AM, live streaming at wsbtradio.com). The weekday shows run from 5-6 p.m. ET. You can download all episodes as podcasts.

12:06

► If you missed the last episode of our aspiring-to-be-viral Notre Dame Football YouTube show, Football Never Sleeps, what are you doing with your life? Seriously, the show keeps its shelf life long after the live presentation, so you can catch up now or later on YouTube. This week we’ll have a special Friday (today) recruiting-oriented show at 4:30 p.m. ET with longtime recruiting analyst Tom Lemming. As far as our normal presentation, we are back in our normal Monday night 7 ET spot for the live presentation and will be on Monday, April 7, as well.

Now some quick programming notes beyond that ...

12:05

Most of them are similarly themed, as in what the hell is going on? I'll address a couple of them today. And if there's enough interest, I'll do a chat specific to women's hoops once we get past the April 12 Blue-Gold Game.

12:03

There are scads of women's basketball questions in the queue today. And while I welcome some of those, I really want to keep the focus of this chat primarily on football. So here's what I'll do ...

12:02

Welcome to Notre Dame Football Live Chat, halfway through spring football edition.

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