JotCast | Notre Dame Football Live Chat | Aug. 26, 2026

Notre Dame Football Live Chat | Aug. 26, 2026

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Eric Hansen

1:57

For No. 5) Hmmmm. Haven't given this much thought. There are several with obvious head coaching potential and several who would be ready. Based on a bunch of factors I won't get into, I'll ride wiht Chris Ash.

1:55

2) Boundary cornerback unless Chris Ash dictate otherwise, like in last year's USC game. 3) Once Matty Augustine comes back (likely October if all goes well), that will shore up two positions (guard and tackle). The Irish could get think at tackle in the meantime pretty quick. There are solutions, but you may have to move people around to get there. 4) Yes, in a sense. It might feel less like an audible, but Drayk Bowen (and someone else when he's out of the game) is always surveying the offense and making presnap adjustments based on motion, formation, an an offensive audible. (more)

1:50

Matt, I will answer these without a note from your mom explaining your absence, only because these are usually pretty entertaining. Let's see if you have lived up to the standard: 1) Really good at both, which is why he is such a problem for opposing offenses. His coverage grade, per Pro Football Focus, is slightly better. His tackling grade in 2025 was by far the best on the team and third-best nationally at any position. (more)

Matt (KC)

1:45

It's been awhile, but I am back, I always enjoy your chats. OK, the fast five: 1. Bruntae Johnson is getting a lot of hype, is he more coverage or run stopping? 2. Will Leonard Moore cover a specific side of the field or usually be put 1 on 1 versus the other teams top wide out? 3. I know the O-Line is not settled yet (hopefully that is because good talent is competing hard), but is our depth good enough to sustain any injury issues that pop up? 4. I never played football so forgive me if this is dumb, but do defenses call audibles like the offense can, and if so, who does that, KSA, Bowen? 5. Coach Freeman seems to build a good coaching roster, who do you think the next coach is to get a head coach gig is off our staff?

Eric Hansen

1:44

Now I'm curious about him too, so it's not a silly question. I haven't even talked to sources about him for intel pieces, because sometimes your time is very limited with them and you're trying to get the most relevant info. But I watch him in practice. He stretches with the team, he does drills (without pads of helmet) that don't require upper body contact. He doesn't stand off to the side. He is very engaged. I think we will get a full injury report on Monday, and if his status isn't clear in that, that might be the best time to ask. If he has played his last game for Notre Dame, no one has convinced him of that.

1:41

Matt, one of the highlights of the Shields Hall tour for me was when I spotted a Keurig machine in the recruiting lounge. I was besotted. ... so thanks for your efforts. ... I think the reason why you haven't heard or read more about Charles is that he was ruled out for the entirety of camp back before camp started and Marcus Freeman had a press conference on Aug. 4. We are limited in our questions. So to use one on a player we know is not going to play in the opener probably isn't the best use of our ration. (more)

Matt from Austin

1:38

Good morning Eric. I continue to pepper Keurig to increase your NIL payments!!!! So far, no response. My question involves Charles Jagusah. I see virtually no news on his recovery. Is he with the team on a daily basis? A lot of ND fans hoped that he would be back. Any status update that you can share? Sadly, is it possible that he has played his last game for Notre Dame? Have a wonderful day E. Matt

Eric Hansen

1:37

As I mentioned earlier in the chat, I think Frazier has moved from a situational role into the actual WR rotation since Denbrock made those comments about him a couple of weeks ago. But I think what he envisioned before the surge were situations where Frazier could be a mismatch against a slower corner or safety ... in a deep route, in a screen in space, maybe with a reverse, yes. Instead of a bubble screen, it's a Bubba Screen?

1:35

Notre Dame is very very careful about what we see in practice. We saw one full practice, the very first day of fall camp and several partials, consisting of 25 minutes of stretching and individual drills. Those can be helpful in terms of injuries, personnel moves up and down the depth chart, etc., but you have to be paying attention. No help whatsoever in determing play call and formations. (more)

1:33

Hey the Beave. Let's start with the 5-for-5 and the redshirt thing. It took decades for Notre Dame to FINALLY acknowledge that term. And yet, jsut a couple of years later, the 5-for-4 rule was implemented, and redshirt no longer is a functional term. So when Notre Dame made the switch back recently, so did we. So going, forward CJ Carr is a junior and not a redshirt sophomore and so on. So the classifications are freshman, sophomore, junior, senior and fifth year ... and they correspond with your year in school. The exception is Jason Onye, who is a sixth year, per special petition thru the NCAA. Now to your other question regarding misdirection plays and Bubba Frazier's usage. (more)

The Beave. Grand Rapids

. . Is that what Denbrock was discussing when he referenced “package” plays? Or is it more likely he has a birdsong route or go route to utilize his speed?

1:25

Thanks Eric for bringing the goods every week. Was happy to see that the On3 depth chart listed the players by enrollment year without complicating with prior eligibility. Is there any reason to use the word “redshirt” anymore with 5 for 5? Isn’t a redshirt freshman really a sophomore in the 5 year scenario regardless of whether he played in year 1?. Can we also eliminate “student” from describing SEC athletes? Sorry I digress. . . Question: Haver you seen any misdirection in the ND offense in the reporter eligibility periods? Do you think we could see Bubba Frazier early in the year on a reverse? Is that what Denbrock was referencing when he discussed

Eric Hansen

1:24

G-stacks!!!! It was stunning and interesting and I don't think they'll ever let the media in there again LOL, but I will have a column on it tomorrow morning. I believe the lobby will be open to fans on game weekends (Fridays), but will double check and get it right in the transcript. And the lobby is worth seeing, with all the trophies, awards and nods to ND football history.

Gabe from Walkerton

1:21

E-Money!!!! How was the tour of Shields Hall? Was there anything in particular that surprised you about the new space? When will the entry lobby area be available to the public's viewing?

Eric Hansen

1:20

Thanks, Jack. I have never been to Green Bay or Lambeau Field, so this is something I'm really looking forward to. If I am Luke Fickell or DC Mike Tressel, I know I had a really good run defense last year and a really leaky pass defense. So I am going to play with a light box, meaning, I'm not going to cheat with any extra safety committed to the run. I'll play it straight up. If I'm going to take gambles, it would be with pressures. But my hope as a Wisconsin coach would be to do a rain dance for heavy rain and hope ND's run game isn't as good as the whispers have been suggesting.

Jack, Strongsville, Oh

1:13

Hi Eric. Have you ever been to Lambeau field to cover a game? If you are Luke Fickell, what is your game plan on defense to stop Notre Dame? Thanks as always for your interesting articles.

Eric Hansen

1:13

OK Tony, your list of cities was exhausting until I got to the "Eric the Great" part, and then iit all made sense and felt stimulating. ... I am pretty sure they will be allowed to do the Lambeau Leap. In fact, Irish freshman WR Kaydon Finley's dad — former Green Bay Packer Jermichael Finley — recently gave the Iirsh players a tutorial you can see HERE. My prediction for the first one? I'll roll with running back Aneyas Williams (though I if I wanted to be daring I'd go with an interception return by Brauntae Johnson). Hope to see you in GB.

2581

1:03

Tony from Lexington, KY, by way of Somerset, PA; Notre Dame, IN; Martin, KY; Salyersville, KY; Denver, CO; Washington, DC; Hazard, KY; Fisty, KY; and Olney, MD --- Greetings Eric The Great ! One question & one prediction: Will the players in the ND v. Wisconsin game be allowed to do the "Lambeau Leap" after scoring a touchdown (i.e., without a penalty flag being thrown)? If the answer is "yes", who do you predict will be the first ND player to take the leap on September 6th? Looking forward to seeing you, hopefully, in Green Bay ! I gotta get a lot of work done before heading north for the game (remember The Beatles song "Girl" on the "Rubber Soul" album, with the line, "A man must break his back to earn his day of leisure"? That's me...

Eric Hansen

1:02

I probably woudl go with the offensive line and the linebackers. But I might not be able to tell what's happening in the game at all LOL. ... I'll go with McKinney at the field cornerback, but I think Sanders is going to be a strong rotational player anywhere you put him. ... Most concerned? Maybe wide receiver, maybe kicker, but I feel good about all of ND's position groups going into the opener, which may be a first for me. ... I haven't looked at my choices yet for this weekend. ... Thanks for the challenging questions. I feel like I need to send myself to my room without supper. I'd rather do that that watch ONLY one position group.

What kind of torture are you cooking up for me Marie?

12:59

Wait! What?

Marie from Atlanta

12:49

Hey Eric, thanks for hosting the chat and I hope you’re having a fantastic week. If you were only allowed to watch one position group on offense and one position group on defense for the entire Wisconsin game which position groups would you watch and why what would you be looking for? CJ Carr is eliminated from the choices. You have previously stated who you think will start on O line , has that changed at all now that camp is over. Who do you think will win the starting job, Sanders or McKinney? Which ND position group are you most concerned about for the Wisconsin game? Finally, which game are you most interested in watching this upcoming weekend? Thanks for hosting the chat and all the fabulous insights.

Eric Hansen

12:48

Hi Paul. The Irish Athletics Center has three artificial turf fields -- one indoors and two outdoors. But they have a grass field beyond the boundary of the IAC that has a lot of grassy area around that field to use. And that is where Notre Dame practiced on Tuesday (and presumably will all week).

Paul from FL

12:46

Do we have a grass practice field? [Lambeau is grass]. Both outdoor fields in the aerial Shields visuals look like artificial turf.

Eric Hansen

12:45

As I mentioned earlier, Walton and Frazier were enrolled at ND when their senior track seasons would have unfolded. Frazier's best time as a junior was 10.59 and Walton's 10.60. The superpower Love had as a sophomore and junior at ND that he didn't have consistently as a freshman, was his ability to break tackles and get out into the clear and then outrun people. I think Walton will be that kind of back sooner than later. There is a lot of potential there, and a lot of work ahead to reach it.

12:42

Hey Tyler. Sometimes track speed doesn't translate perfectly or even well to football speed. In the cases you asked about, it really does. From a track standpoint, they are all grouped pretty close together, though Love never ran against them in the same race, as they did with each other. Love's best time in the 100 came during his senior year and was 10.54 seconds. He only ran in a couple of meets as a junior, so there's not a good sample size there. (more)

Tyler from Indy

12:39

I've heard a ton about the speed of Bubba Frazier, but not a ton about the speed of Jonaz Walton. Walton placed ahead on Frazier in the GA state 100m final, 2nd & 3rd. Does Walton seem as fast or faster than Frazier? Furthermore, with all the talk about Frazier's speed, how would it compare to J Love's? Would love to hear your opinion.

Eric Hansen

12:36

As far as Ian Premer, the ND coaches love his high ceiling at tight end. Right now Cooper Flanagan and James Flanigan top the depth chart. But Premer is pushing for a role in three-tight end sets or situationally or rotating in for Flanagan or Flanigan.

12:35

He started training camp at the field position and limited as well because of a hamstring injury. But once he was full-go, ND experimented with him at the boundary position, and he's flourishing. Sophomore Jerome Bettis Jr. and freshman Devin Fitzgerald continue to push for playing time as well at that position. Cam Williams hasn't show the consistency this month he did in the spring, so there's work to do for him. (more)

12:32

Hi Beth. Your read on Micah Gilbert starting at boundary receiver is right on point. He's always shown promise, but has had a lot of ups and downs due to injuries over his first couple of season and the backslides in confidence that sometimes go with it. But this spring and moreso in this August, he has really surged. So, that's a great development for the Irish. The next man in at boundary is kind of a late-camp surprise, sophomore Elijah Burress. (more)

Beth from Westfield, IN

12:30

Getting excited for the start of the season! It looks like Micah Gilbert will start at boundary receiver due to Quincy Porter’s injury. Who do you think will slot as Micah’s backup? Do you think the coaches are more likely to give Ian Premer more time on the field to get another big bodied receiver on the field?

Eric Hansen

12:29

Are you willing to sacrifice practice reps (and late-game reps as well) in 2026 and slow the developmental curve for young, promising players, one of whom likely will be your 2027 starter? If ND grabbed a portal QB, would Teddy Jarrard have signed in February? Would Blake Hebert have jumped in the portal? There are potential consequences for what seems like a good idea. I am satisfied that Notre Dame at least vetted the idea. But given the progress of freshmen Noah Grubbs and Teddy Jarrard, I think the Irish made the right move.

12:27

Manny!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! I am in the mood for a great Taco Bar™. I think the decision not to take an experienced backup was the right one, but more importantly, so does the coaching staff. Here's my thinking. Notre Dame looked at experienced options in the portal wanted to be starters, not backups. And if you got a player who was willing to be a backup, is he going to have enough upside from a talent standpoint to win games in the College Football Playoff against elite defenses? (more)

Manny from San Pedro

12:23

Eric!!!!!! Get the taco bar fired up we are nearing game week!!!!!! Why was the decision made to not bring in an experienced back up to Carr? Feel like every time he is hit I’m going to be nervous

Eric Hansen

“But if you hand it to them, there’s some special traits there and ability there that can help us be more explosive offensively. So, we’ll see how they continue to kind of grow along. And I wouldn’t be shocked if we went — as the season goes along — four deep. And by the end of the season, maybe all five of them end up playing.”

12:23

“When you hand those guys the ball, it’s reminiscent of what we’ve watched the last couple of years. And I’m not comparing them to those two guys [Jeremiyah Love and Jadarian Price], but I’m saying they have something else about them that is really, really cool. And they’re home run hitters. And you get them in open grass, and they’re going to make people pay.
“So, how do you balance that when that time comes? When do you get those guys in? Because in protection right now, they’re a disaster. And they have no idea where this is or that is. Quarterback’s pointing over here, ‘Hey, you’ve got him, and this guy, that guy.’ So anyway, there’s that part. (more)

12:21

Walton is No. 4 in a three-man running back rotation, and yet he and fellow freshman Javian Osborne will get their opportunities. And the more well-rounded Walton can be with all aspects of being a running back, the more of a chance he'll get. This was offensive coordinator Mike Denbrock on Walton and Osborne in Tuesday's post-practice interviews:

12:20

As high school juniors in the spring of 2025, Walton finished second (10.66 seconds) and Frazier third (10.72) in the Georgia Class 4A track and field finals. Walton also finished 10th in the shot put. They did not run in this spring's state track meet, as seniors, because they were already enrolled at Notre Dame as mid-year enrollees. Frazier has likely pushed his way into the Irish WR rotation, that will likely go 7 deep. (more)

12:16

There are a few questions in the queue today regarding these two freshmen, and they've been on my mind as well. And the answer is yes, with Frazier likely having a larger role early than Walton and maybe throughout this season. But both of the Georgia high school products just have been too impressive to put on the back burner. They both bring the speed. They're both super intelligent. The next step is consistency. They have a shared history as well -- in track and field. (more)

Dave from Columbus

12:09

Hi Eric, this team has lost a lot of explosive plays with Jeremiah Love, Jadariam Price, and Malachi Fields moving on to the NFL. My understanding is that Jonas Walton and Bubba Frazier have had a good camp as far as freshmen go. And they appear to be two of the few players on the roster who have a third gear. Do you think the staff will find a way to get that speed on the field on certain plays, like jet sweeps, bubble screens, etc.?

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