JotCast | Notre Dame Football Live Chat April 6, 2023

Notre Dame Football Live Chat April 6, 2023

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Eric Hansen

2:22

OK. That's going to do it for today. Thanks for all the great questions. We'll be back to do it all again next Thursday at noon EDT.

2:10

And the quality of questions today has been outstanding. I'm enjoying it.

2:09

This is your golden opportunity to ask a question today, because we've got a smaller pool asking. We'll be back to a full queue next week.

2:04

Hi Bill. Yes and if you walk around the practice fields now, the fences are very well covered up to prevent unwanted witnesses.

Bill from St Joe, Mi

2:02

Eric, thanks for the best explanation I’ve heard regarding undergrad transfer candidates and the “concern” various deans have and as a result I better understand their concern. So with regard to spies during practices, Ara was very aware, and had guys looking for them in the trees just east of the practice field

Eric Hansen

2:02

You're good, Jonathan. Thanks for the question. And it's a good one. The rover position, which is a linebacker, is one that has survived through the past few defensive coordinator changes and schematic evolutions ... introduced by Mike Elko and embraced by Clark Lea, then passed to Marcus Freeman, then Al Golden. ND has had two players who have fit the skill set to a tee -- Drue Tranquill and Jeremiah Owusu-Koramoah, In those scenarios, you could play your base defense on third down if you so chose to. The hope is that Jaylen Sneed becomes the next prototypical rover and Jaiden Ausberry behind him. If/when that happens, it does alleviate some of the linebacker logjam. And yes, in practice Saturday we did see Liufau take some reps at Vyper, so that may come into play this year.

Jonathan

1:56

From Addison, TX. Hi, Eric. Am I sneaking this in on time? I’m interested and worried about the logjam at linebacker. Seems like both our experience and potential are spread among the what, 8 guys or so competing for 3 positions. Moreover, the big dime package would seem to man 1 of those 3 spots with a safety. How can ND get its best defenders on the field with this kind of scheme/roster mismatch? Or am I overreacting? You see any possibility of moving Liufau to viper or spelling a safety with Sneed?

Eric Hansen

1:50

The queue is wide open if you want to submit a question.

1:44

Again grad transfers are easy. There's no pushback. But if ND is going to compete at the highest level, at some point it would make sense to find a compromise over undergrad transfers in good standing. Especially seniors who have not yet graduated and juniors. Again freshmen in good standing should not be a problem. ND women's basketball got All-America center Angel Reese to visit last offseason after she left Maryland and before she eventually landed at LSU. Alohi Gilman in football was another such transfer as was Amir Carlisle.

1:39

Hi Jeff. I wouldn't classify it as a "test case." Football likely would have gotten CJ Williams and Anthony Lucas through admissions had they chosen ND in their respective transfer processes following their freshman seasons. That doesn't mean universally all freshmen could get in, but it's easier for a freshman than a junior and here's why.: The academic argument is the deans do not want to award a Notre Dame degree where most of the work was done at another school. That's one hurdle for non-grad transfers. The others are transfer credits. There are some ND simply won't accept, and if you disqualify those, sometimes those students won't meet the NCAA's progress rules toward graduation and thus become ineligible. (more)

Jeff from Phoenix

1:34

Hey Eric, I see that a MBB guard from Arizona State may be considering transferring to ND. Since he would be moving after completing his freshman year, could this be a 'test-case' for ND football taking other undergrad transfers in the future?

Eric Hansen

1:34

Chip Long came in and changed the profile, and Rees, as QBs coach, was right there with him. Long said as long as the QB wasn't "a statue" he didn't need someone with running ability, that the RPO game replaced the need for that. So you ended up with QBs like Brendon Clark and Drew Pyne -- neither one a statue, but not in the mold of either Buchner or the previous ND QBs. When you look at the 2025 class and the QBs Notre Dame has offered, they're all over the place. Deuce Knight is a true dual threat. George McIntyre isn't that far removed from a statue but has a hell of an arm. The other "pro style" QBs are all pretty athletic that ND is looking at. ND is aiming much higher in terms of overall prospects, looking at guys with NFL futures.

1:27

After Golson came Gunner Kiel, who was listed as a pro-style, though he ran a fast 40 and had mobility to extend plays and to get involved in the run game. Then it was Zaire, Kizer, Wimbush, Book, Avery Davis and Phil Jurkovec. All but Book were classified as dual threats, and Book very much turned out to be. When you look at the ND record book five of the top 10 single-season QB rushing performances came from that group and six of the top 8 in the record book for rushing TDs by a QB in a season. (more)

1:21

Hi Jeff. It's a good question and one with kind of funny answers when you look back at how QBs were classified at one point. I think the two categories are more blurred than ever before. But in terms of skill set, it's really evolved over time in terms of what the Irish prefer. When Brian Kelly arrived in December of 2009, he lamented the QBs he inherited were square pegs (Dayne Crist, Nate Montana, Tommy Rees). Andrew Hendrix and Luke Massa were in Rees' recruiting class and were June additions. The first full cycle Kelly had to find a QB he went after Bubba Starling as his No. 1 target. He was such a dual threat, Rivals put him in the "athlete" category. Starling signed with Nebraska, but then signed a pro baseball contract before ever suiting up for the Huskers. Then Kelly eventually took aim at Everett Golson, a dual threat QB who was committed to North Carolina. (more)

Jeff from Phoenix

1:05

Good morning Eric. For QB recruiting profiles, Rivals lists each as either “pro style” or “dual threat”. ND took Buchner from the dual category, but Angeli, Minchey, and Carr are all pro style. For 2025, it looks like ND in involved with Underwood and others (pro) but also Duce Knight in the dual category. So, does ND have a preference for a certain profile or is it more to take the best athlete? Are the categories not really differentiated? Thanks-

Eric Hansen

1:03

Hi Jerry. It was both. Again, timing and chemistry issues as well as drops. There are a lot of QBs (4 sometimes 5 in drills) and a lot of WRs (10 this spring) trying to get in sync with each other. Let's see how things look in a couple of weeks when the Blue-Gold Game rolls around. ... If this isn't the year Tobias Merriweather breaks out, I'll have egg on my face. And so will a lot of his teammates, who have been wowed by him in practice. ... The defensive line play stunned me. They played way above my expectations. I need to see more to make sure it's real, but it was a nice first impression.

Guest

12:59

Jerry M. from Dallas. Eric, if Sam Hartman struggled in the last practice, how much of that was inaccurate passing as opposed to dropped passes? Is this the year Tobias Merriweather breaks out? Finally, how do you feel about the Defensive Line after the practice?

Eric Hansen

12:59

Just letting you all know, if you've never asked a question before but would like to .. or if you have additional questions, this would be he week to do it in the subscribers-only format.

12:58

Hi Tony, I touched a little bit on this in Marie's question, but let me address the other aspects. Chris played some slot receiver very early in his high school career, and always has been proud of the receiving aspect he brings to the running back position. He's always struck me as a kid very grounded in reality and slot receiver would be the more realistic path to the NFL, given his size and skill set. He's dropped a few pounds to play the new position and it shows. We haven't yet had a chance to talk to Chris, but when I spoke to Jadarian Price and Logan Diggs this morning, they intimated that Tyree was all on board. As far as Riddick, I can ask Chansi Stuckey when he comes up in the coach rotation. I believe that happens in the final week of spring practice, just ahead of the Blue-Gold Game. I'm not sure he'll know who Theo Riddick is, though, since there are so few ties now to the Kelly Era. ... As far as Zeke Correll, he had a very strong winter program and would be difficult to overtake.

Tony, Lake Mary, FL

12:51

Hey Eric, as many have noted the move of Tyree to slot/WR seems like a great move to maximize total talent in the field. Is there indication the Tyree is embracing this move whole-heartedly or more he is seeing it as his only means to being on the field? They are subtle, yet, important distinctions. And although this question will likely not make it high enough in queue to ask the coaching staff, but I am curious if they are showing him film of Theo Riddick. He was an RB, but did so many great and memorable things as a pass catcher, or somewhat CJ Prosise who made the opposite switch but did the hybrid hat successfully, and that led to longer than average RB NFL careers because of it. Unrelated, is there indication that Zeke Correl as starting center is not a foregone conclusion?

Eric Hansen

12:50

Hey Mike. There are different degrees of limitations, and even a coach like Brian Kelly, who opened everything up at Cincinnati, behaved differently at ND. At UC he felt he needed to be more open just to get media attention for the program. So that's a little backdrop to your actual question. I think coaches tend to be more secretive when there's a new head coach or a new coordinator, because they want that season opener to be as much of a blind date as it can be. Have I heard of coaching staffs monitoring media coverage of opponents in an attempt to gain a competitive advantage? Not universally, but yes. I happens. One interesting pre-internet story, Bob Davie -- before he came to ND -- was accused of trying to sneak into an opponent's practice one time to take notes.

Mike from BR, LA

12:43

Coaches in every program limit access to practice. Is this b/c they’re concerned with other teams essentially being able to scout, kind of. Are you aware of any staff having coaches or analysts who read the press coverage of other teams’ camps/preseasons? It strikes me as absurd, but then again, I could see Saban having an analyst who did only that

Eric Hansen

12:43

Hi Stan. I think Sam Hartman is exactly as advertised, and it's not just what you see on the field, but how the players around him respond and how much they respect him and how he's handled blending in and being humble and earning things. ... I think Steve Angeli is well thought of by the coaching staff, but I think of the four scholarship quarterbacks on the roster, his ceiling is perceived as the most limited. So why Angeli lighting it up in a game would be welcomed, his practices would have to show a clear superiority as well to create a dilemma.

Stan the Stancake man

12:39

Chester, Virginia - Hello Eric, I wonder if what you have seen of Sam Hartman so far confirms that he will be the QB the Irish have long needed but somehow always fell short of recruiting? Also a hypothetical - What if because of some quirk of fate, Steve Angelli has to line up at QB during a game and lights it up? Would that create a dilemma for the coaches?

Eric Hansen

12:39

Both of those juniors will be draft-eligible and Joe Alt is already being talked about as a first-rounder in 2024 if he does come out. It's interesting to note, though, of the 22 true juniors that have entered the NFL Draft since the league opened its doors to underclassmen, none of them have been offensive linemen. There have been players like Quenton Nelson, who bypassed a fifth year, but no one so far has passed up a fourth at an O-line position. To you hypothetical, I'd say the two players with the inside track are the guys who are No. 2 at the moment -- Tosh Baker and Aamil Wagner at tackle. Ty Chan, Charles Jagusah and Sullivan Absher would be in the next wave. Michael Carmody could move back outside and challenge, but he'd need to get up past his current weight of 280. I'd say the other starters would be Billy Schrauth, Rocco Spindler and Pat Coogan at center if Zeke Correll doesn't cash in his COVID exemption for a sixth year.

Jay from Cincy

12:28

If Alt and Baker go to the NFL next year what does the O-line look like in 2024? Thanks

Eric Hansen

12:24

Marie, there's not downplaying the ugliness of the offense, and yet to me that's part of the process if you're trying to identify them and fixt them early in the spring. When you looked at the pieces individually in position drills, they looked pretty good. Together, it didn't mesh well -- yet. Again, lots of newness -- QBs, QB coach, offensive coordinators and new receivers. Not a lot of chemistry and timing yet. The defense was giving them a lot of exotic looks. I was surprised with how well the defensive line and safeties played, because I expected those two areas to struggle a bit. I need to see more, but they executed very well in that practice.

12:21

Junior Jason Onye hadn't played a single down in two years at ND until Senior Day last Nov. 19 for the BC game. There, he got eight snaps. After the season, I kind of wondered if there was a future for him at ND given all the high-pedigreed talent the Irish had on the defensive line in the younger classes. Something happened during winter workouts and he surged big time. He's now 6-5, 292, powerful, smart and has a nice burst. He's currently No. 2 at nose guard, with Gabe Rubio sliding over to defensive tackle. If he persists and builds on what he's done halfway through spring, he'll be a guy who sees a lot of snaps behind Howard Cross III in the D-line rotation. Not every player who flashed early in the spring sustains it, so we'll keep tracking it. We'll have a chance to talk to D-line coach Al Washington and presumably Onye next Wednesday. (more)

12:15

Hi Marie. Thanks for your questions. It's actually going to feel like summer here next week, so I'm looking forward to that. ... I'm expecting things to work out for Chris Tyree at WR, in part because he is so good with the ball in space, but there is a learning curve. He's running different types of routes, catching the ball more often in traffic and having to track the ball longer sometimes. He's also working a lot with four different quarterbacks in drills. In the Saturday open practice, he was having trouble with drops (as were some other receivers). I don't expect that to persist. He seems to be happy with the move so far, so I don't anticipate him getting antsy about the portal. I did wonder about whether he would embrace it before the move became official. But I feel like he thinks he can really help the team more in this new position. (more)

Marie from Atlanta

12:10

Hi Eric, I hope you’re having a fantastic week. Hopefully the weather in South Bend is starting to be a little more spring like. If things don’t work out well for Chris Tyree at wide receiver, are you at all concerned that he would consider entering the transfer portal? Can you give your thoughts on Jason Onye?, I know there’s been a lot of good things said about him, how much do you think he will see the field this year? Finally, I know it was only one practice, but were you more disappointed in the offense or encouraged by the defense? As always thanks for hosting the chat and giving us your great insights.

Eric Hansen

Let's dive right in.

12:09

Here are the rules:

12:08

As for today's chat itself ... please remember to include your name and hometown along with your question(s).

12:04

► We’ll be recording our Inside ND Sports Podcast late Thursday afternoon with national college football writer Dennis Dodd of CBSSports.com as our special guest. We’ll be talking a lot of big-picture stuff — NIL, realignment, ND’s upcoming media rights deal — and more. You can find the podcast link Thursday evening at insideNDsports.com. You can also listen on your preferred podcast platform including: Apple Podcasts, Spotify, Google Podcasts, Stitcher, SoundCloud, Podbean and Pocket Casts.
► Finally, if you haven’t had a chance to get familiar with our new recruiting writer, Charleston Bowles, I highly recommend you give him a follow on Twitter at @cbowles01.

12:03

Some quick programming notes:
► If you missed this week’s live episode of our weekly offseason Notre Dame Football YouTube show, Football Never Sleeps, you can catch up anytime on YouTube. In our latest episode, Tyler James and I discuss Notre Dame football's open spring practice, how concerning the Irish offense's performance was, why the defense was successful, which players put in notable efforts along with the latest on the recruiting trail. And we answered viewer questions.

12:02

For those of you who have been subscribing all along, we appreciate you. For those who signed up for the free trial, thank you and we hope you find the premium content worth sticking around for.

12:01

Because the queue probably won't be quite as full, feel free to submit more than one question.

12:00

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