JotCast | Notre Dame Football Live Chat Aug. 30, 2023

Notre Dame Football Live Chat Aug. 30, 2023

Eric Hansen

3:06

Ugh, I typed too slow and I need to move on, so that's going to do it for this week. Apologies for the questions I couldn't get to. Thanks for all the great questions that I did get to. We'll be back to do it all over again next Wednesday at noon ET.

3:04

Hi Dan. I enjoy the chats as well because of you all. Fun part of my week. Butler Benton has assumed the role of assistant athletic director for football player personnel, which is wider in scope than what Bill Rees was doing. I think Butler is already proving to be a worth replacement.

Dan, Vernon Hills IL

2:59

Eric, I really enjoy the chats and your thorough answers to questions. How much will Notre Dame miss Bill Rees and who has assumed that role?

Eric Hansen

2:58

Hi Jordan. Jaden Greathouse, as Marcus Freeman has confirmed a couple of times, benefited from playing in a college-style offense against very good competition, and he took advantage of that. He has made similar remarks about Rico Flores. And yes, they're both really talented. ... The ACC will probably announce the Duke kick time two weeks before the game, but they do have the option to delay it to six days before the game.

Jordan - Shadow of the Dome SB

2:55

It's clear that Hartman and Greathouse have a great deal of chemistry and trust in one another. Do you think this is a by-product of being drafted to the Gold Team together when most of the other wr weapons went with Tyler or is it simply because Jaden is more developed than the rest of the wr room. Also, do you happen to know when the Duke game time will be announced. Thanks

Eric Hansen

2:55

Nolan Ziegler is not on the depth chart and I'm not sure he'll play anytime soon, but we'll see. I don't think we'll see the scenario you outlined regarding Steve Angeli unless Hartman's helmet pops off or his contact lens falls out (not even sure he wears contacts, I do). If Marcus Freeman wants to get Steve some reps with the 1s, he can do it in practice and against better corners than he's likely to see on most weeks this season, if not all.

2:52

Hi Tom, I appreciate you, too. 1) I've seen this with other players of Merriweather's caliber, where there is a mental hurdle to clear in the stage from being a phenom where everything you do is applauded to a key piece in the offense (or defense) where you are counted on, and your game will be picked apart on a weekly basis. Given his strong support system and maturity, I think this is something he'll conquer sooner than later or never. (more)

Tom from G.R. via Dowagiac

2:49

Eric, Happy Home Game Week!!!! I truly knew this offense was different, when Estimé slipped the blitzer and caught the dump off from Hartman in stride and kept motoring. Now my question(s): At this point is it a mental thing with Merriweather? With the throw in the endzone it really looked like he waited on the throw rather than attacking it. Do you see the coaches making an effort to get him involved early and often to get just a little glimpse of confidence or do they make him battle up from the canvas. Is Ziegler back and running with the #2’s or is he still on family leave? Finally, depending on Saturday’s circumstances could we see Angelli get a series with the #1’s (before hopeful bench clearing time) As always, appreciate what you do for all of us! GO IRISH ☘️🏈☘️

Eric Hansen

2:48

Hi George and congrats to the LL champs. I did watch the telecast, but I'm not as helpful as you might give me credit for being. Because I was covering the game and not just watching it for fun, I'm not paying much attention to the announcers. Just the visuals. I can see who made the tackle, etc., because I am familiar with the uniform numbers and am not used to relying on someone for that (I watch live with binoculars). What I did catch was a mixture of good and not so good. I know Noah Eagle was a late fill-in for an ailing Jac Collinsworth, so maybe that was why he called ND's center Zeke "Sorrell." Jason Garrett had more tidbits than I remember him contributing in the games I rewatched last year, but again I am so locked into what I am watching, I didn't notice a good portion of the banter. Am I fired as TV critic?

George from El Segundo

2:41

Hi Eric, and best wishes from the home of the Little League World Champions! Since you watched ND v Navy on TV like many of us last week, I’m wondering about your opinion of the telecast. Because you’ve always been the epitome of discretion and class, I’m not expecting you to go full Lasorda on us (“What’s my opinion of Kingman’s performance?”). But I do welcome your input on what appears to be another season of slick gibberish with way too many failures to provide basic information needed for a good telecast: who made the tackle, down and distance, etc., et al., ad Infinitum, ad nauseam (for all of us who still remember our high school Latin classes!). Thank you and here’s to a great year for you and the Irish!

Eric Hansen

2:40

Hi Patrick. There is a long list of things to be impressed with, not the least of which was one penalty and zero turnovers. Most room for improvement? Getting Tobias Merriweather on track and feeling confident. Most unproven, pass rush, though ND did get two sacks against a team that didn't throw it much.

Patrick from Los Angeles

2:38

What impresses you most about the Navy victory, and what areas do you see as having the most room for growth and improvement? Thank you.

Eric Hansen

2:38

Hey Dave. We got this question on the podcast too, so I'm ready for it. I don't think the Hartman response is an overreaction. Let's look beyond the numbers. Pyne led his team to 35 first-half points and zero in the second. And 12 offensive yards. So Navy found a way to neutralize him and everyone around him. Hartman was strong in both halves. He wasn't sacked (Pyne was five times) in part because he knew where to go with the ball to do damage against the blitz (9-for-9 vs. the blitz). He knew how to slide protections and check out of bad plays base on his read of the defense.

Dave Alvord - Bowling Green, OH

2:34

Against Navy in 2022 Pyne was 14-16 for 234 yards and 4 TDs… at the half. Compared to Hartman’s 19-23 for 251 and 4 TDs for the day. Hartman had a much better supporting cast than Pyne (OL, DEF, WR, coaching, etc). After one game, can we conclude that Hartman raises the ceiling or is everyone overreacting to a good performance against a bad Navy team?

Eric Hansen

2:34

Hi Bob. Hope you figured out how to watch the game. Quickness, toughness. Really good instincts.

Bob (Oxnard CA)

2:33

Just returned from a surf trip in Fiji and hope the team has better luck with jet lag than me . . . What is Hinish’s best attribute/talent as an interior DL?

Eric Hansen

2:33

Hi Don. I saw it every day during camp in a number of ways, which I've enumerated. From how he organizes practice, to leaning into sports science, to handling adversity, to having his OWN vision and trusting it, to learning from his mistakes, including not going to the transfer portal for a QB last season.

Don in Scottsdale

2:32

Eric, I was impressed with Freeman's organization of staff and their execution of the game plan game day. If he can keep it up this will be a good year. My question for you. Do you see his growth and is there something you are seeing that we can not. Keep up the great work; this season may be something special.

Eric Hansen

2:32

Thanks, Tom. To your questions. Not a lot of true first-time starters. By true -- former Virginia QB Brennan Armstrong is NC State's starter. Former Cal and Purdue starter Jack Plummer is Louisville's No. 1. He started against the Irish in the past for both of those teams. Phil Jurkovec is Pitt's No. 1. ... The true newbies you did not mention will be at Wake Forest and Stanford. 2) Tennessee State's strongsuit in a 4-7 season last year was defense. Not a lot of offensive stars, though Marcus Freeman touted QB Draylen Ellis and RB Jalen Rouse. 3) I think you'll see both from Golden -- D-linemen getting sacks and linebackers pressuring as well. The pass rush is still the part of the ND game we haven't had a chance to see prove itself yet.

Tom Kennesaw, GA

2:16

Hi Eric, what a great way to start the season.... well from MF's presser on Monday it sounds like you have a great relationship with him. He sounds like he respects your questions and the job that you do just like we do in the chats. A couple of questions: beside OSU and Clemson, what other opponents will be playing first time starters at QB? I hope this will give us a big advantage in those games. #2) Does TSU have some dangerous playmakers that could make this game tough? #3) Will our DL be able to generate some sacks or will Coach Golden have to find other ways to generate a disruptive pass rush going forward? As always, thanks for all your hard work and insight. Go Irish!!!

Eric Hansen

2:15

I think you are seeing tangible evidence of this — Benjamin Morrison last year being perhaps the best example of it. He was a June enrollee, and CBs coach Mike Mickens, DC Al Golden and Marcus Freeman were all willing to live with some growing pains early. Brian Kelly wasn't so willing to do that with a lot of the younger plays unless he had to. In Kelly's defense, he had a lot of assistant coaches who wanted to play the older players, trusted them, maybe coached them up better. Freeman has assistant coaches — especially Mickens, WRs coach Chansi Stuckey and RBs coach Deland McCullough — who are good at coaching young players and are fearless about giving them opportunities. I think with the newer transfer portal rules, there's more urgency to get players on the field earlier. So no, I do not think it's recency bias, Tanker.

Tanker, NM

2:04

Hi Eric, happy Wednesday brotha! The stellar Irish performance brought forth one prominent observation in mind and that was how much Marcus Freeman is much more tactful and successful in integrating all his weapons on both sides of the ball regardless of their class. Talent and speed finds the field in some capacity even if it is a Freshman or Sophomore, which was great to see. Firstly do you feel this is recency bias on my end or is there a stark difference in Freeman's willingness and ability to work talented undeclassmen into gameplans rather than shelfing them for years and referencing their "traits" as perhaps past leadership did. Would be interested on whether or not you feel this is a mrage that i'm perceiving and whether or not it has a material impact on recruiting top talent who expects to play right away.

Eric Hansen

2:04

Damon, thanks!

Damon from Nashville

2:04

Hi Eric, thank you for all your excellent coverage and reporting. Much-appreciated!

Eric Hansen

2:02

Sean you have to follow the money. The reason that those schools didn't have the votes to be admitted but might now is that ESPN is willing to make it worth it to the ACC financially to do so. Is it the best thing for the student-athletes? No. But in the game of conference survival, having a competitive revenue streams means everything. Just ask the schools that left the Pac-12. Without those additions, the ACC is locked into a below-market TV compensation package until the middle of next next decade.

Sean, Schaumburg IL

1:59

I just heard/read Stanford, Cal and SMU are potential additions to the ACC. Yawn. The cross-country travel, alone, will be a huge detriment to Stanford/Cal. What basketball/baseball team is gonna wanna head out to Atlanta/Chapel Hill/etc, for a roadie/3-game set and travel 6 hours back to Nor Cal and get up for classes at 8am on a Monday? This does nothing to convince me that the ACC is a league that will be picked apart by the Big Ten/SEC. Florida State will start the exodus to the SEC. Pitt/Cuse/BC look like solid additions to the Big Ten. Go Irish!!

Eric Hansen

1:58

Hi Tom. Thanks. Marcus is more involved in the front end of things offensively, during the week rather than on game day. On game day, he's like a lot of head coaches, more the veto man or the let's go for it on fourth down, etc. It would be pretty cumbersome to get too much more involved in that. Maybe between series. Some guys to eventually make the flip from being defensive coaches to offensive play-callers. Brian Kelly was a DC VERY early in his career. Maybe years down the road Marcus will want to do it and be good at it, but I don't think now is that time.

Tom from Toronto

1:55

Hi Eric, I have really enjoyed your work this summer, and in particular the in-depth articles on Sam Hartman and Audric Estime. Both really well written and insightful. Thank you. As to my questions, do you know whether Coach Freeman was involved in calling some of the offensive plays against Navy and regardless, whether he intends to be involved as the year goes on? And possibly a difficult question to answer now, if he does get involved in offensive play calling, do you expect that he will be good at it and that he will enjoy doing so? Thank you again for your excellent work.

Eric Hansen

1:55

Hi Bill, I have six of them and they only live a half hour from you. so maybe I could rent one to you? Thanks for the kind words. Don't watch the show on our site. Make sure you're watching on YouTube. Tyler goes over the instructions very early in the show. If you're still having issues, email me and I can try to walk you through it.

Bill from St Joe, MI

1:52

Hi Eric!! Have you had a chance to get an update on Zeke Correll’s ankle following the Navy game? BTW, I watch your’s and Tyler’s “Football Never Sleeps”, but it continues to be mystifying as to how to submit a question when you guys are “live”…Unfortunately no grandchildren with whom to consult.

Eric Hansen

1:51

Hi Damon, I think Notre Dame has a better chance of landing 2025 QB Deuce Knight than flipping 2024 Tennessee CB commit Kaleb Beasley. Neither is a slam dunk and Beasley isn't an impossible flip. If they could split that, I think the Irish would be happy -- ecstatic if they could get both.

Damon from Nashville

1:49

Eric, thank you for this chat and all your excellent coverage and reporting. A quick recruiting question: recently ND QB recruit Deuce Knight transferred from HS in Mississippi to the same high school in Tennessee in which ND CB recruit Kaleb Beasley (but is committed to UT). Does ND eventually land either of these players?

Eric Hansen

1:48

Hmmm Mike. Since I am a poll voter, should I criticize my own ballot or just everyone else's? I think I'll pick on my own. I think Michigan will be pretty good, but how will we be able to tell with the schedule? I did not have Clemson in my top 10, but had them 12th. I think Tennessee at 11 is a little high. I did not vote Oklahoma in my top 16. The team I went out on a limb about was Florida State. I would hav e them too high.

Mike, Phoenix

1:40

Eric, which teams in the top 10 do you feel will be overrated? This happens every year and lots of new QB’s starting at top 10 schools. People should never underestimate kids from the South side of Chicago. Do you feel the offense will be better this year as they spread the ball around instead of just relying on MM in years past? Do you feel MF wanted a shutout? Cheers!!!

Eric Hansen

1:40

To your last question, I would say pass rush. Navy only attempted six passes and was sacked on two other plays. If Notre Dame had an elite pass rush (and they might), that would level the playing field some against the Buckeyes on Sept. 23.

1:38

Hi Marie? Are you a Guinness partaker? I was actually sipping coffee, in part because of an early start to the day and in part maybe in support of Tyler James' jet lag. Not surprised at how much ND lined up in 12 personnel (one RB, two tight ends). Again, given Navy's blitzing and pressuring shenanigans, that made some sense. I also think Gerad Parker wants to have it in his toolbox and use it when it makes sense, perhaps not make it the offense's identity, but have it as a strong option when needed. Pro Football Focus gave the special teams a good grade, not great. And I would agree. They didn't get a lot of play from some units. The kickoff return team only appeared twice, and Navy kicked it away from deep man Devyn Ford both times. Punter Bryce McFerson never saw the field. I had a chance to sit on on the Biagi interview Tuesday night, and he seemed encouraged, with room to improve. (more)

Marie from Atlanta

1:30

Hi Eric, I hope you enjoyed the Navy game as much as I did, best season opener in a long time. Were you surprised how much ND was in 12 personnel and do think this will continue or Was part of the reason due to Navy being the opponent? How would you grade Biagi and the special teams ? If you could improve one thing only that would most help ND beat OSU what would it be? Thanks for hosting the chat, and thankful college football is back.

Eric Hansen

1:29

Jeff, I touched on this a little earlier, but I'll add to the answer. It's one game, so let's let things play out a bit. I think ND is playing the best receivers it think it has. I also think you might see some four-wide receiver sets and maybe even five-wide receiver sets down the road, depending on matchups. I think you'll see some plays with two backs in at the same time. But to your point, if the players who emerged as the top receivers in camp don't emerge as the top receivers in games, ND's coaches will adjust.

Jeff from Phoenix

1:26

Good morning Eric! Once the coaches have seen 3-4 games of receiver productivity, is it possible to get our 3 best receivers on the field regardless of the position designations of field/boundary/slot? Restated, are those positions somewhat interchangeable so they don’t end up with a situation where talent is waiting on the sideline? Thanks!

Eric Hansen

1:25

Hi Mark, and thanks! Was I expecting ND to play at this level? I picked the Irish to win 38-16, so I was expecting Navy's offense to cause more problems early and then the Irish adjust and pull away. They adjusted much better and more quickly on defense than I had anticipated. And it wasn't easy. DC Al Golden said Tuesday night was a formation and a play they had never seen on tape or practiced. There are five aspects in every game I think are common threads that are good to achieve no matter who are what the competition. ... excelling in rush offense, pass efficiency, rush defense, total defense and turnover margin. I'd add pass rush this week to the formula.

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