JotCast | Notre Dame Football Live Chat Dec. 12, 2019

Notre Dame Football Live Chat Dec. 12, 2019

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Eric Hansen

1:43

Keep the recruiting roll going with O-Linemen and D-Linemen, continue the recent trend of recruiting more difference-makers at the offensive skill positions, recruit/develop cornerbacks, develop a QB who is in the top 10 -- if not the top 5 -- in passing efficiency.

Bob from Chicago

1:41

Finally ND has three 10 win seasons, what steps do you think ND has to take to compete with the Clemson's of the world

Eric Hansen

1:41

The mutual parting of the wasy wasn't about how the offense performed, and I tried to make that clear in the analysis piece that's on our website. I do think every part of the ND team should be scrutinized every offseason, including the O-Line. That's how good teams get great.

Sean, Portland OR

1:38

I'll try not to have a 17 part question. I am not sure that Chip Long was a "problem." The offense and Ian Book did the best they could considering the fact that they were largely one dimensional. There was no real running game. The running games manufactured by gadget plays using Lenzy's speed (good job Chip Long), and Ian Book making something out of nothing (good job Ian). I know there's not any home run running backs on the roster, but they all seem versatile and well coached, pretty consistent in pass blocking and picking up blitzes. Is the O-Line coach getting scrutinized to the level that he should be? To me - it appears that the most underachieving part of the team is the O-Line, by far. Agree/Disagree?

Eric Hansen

1:38

BK didn't have issues with Del, and so I think he stays for now. He did not follow Chip from ASU to Memphis when Chip landed the OC job there. If Chip landed a head coaching opportunity, and he wanted Del to be the OC, that's maybe a different story, but nothing like that seems imminent.

Doug from Sunny Florida

1:36

Eric, Del Alexander has worked with Chip Long for years and came to ND when Chip was hired. Have you heard anything about him leaving also? It appears that he's still on the recruiting trail which may translate into him staying but would be interesting to see if he follows Chip again.

Eric Hansen

1:36

Chad, thanks. I'd say in a category by himself. He's a guy who made ND consistently relevant again. If he wins a national title, then he gets a bump into that echelon of coaches.

Chad from Denver

1:34

My question for you is where will Brian Kelly rank with other ND coaches if he continues to put up 10+ win seasons but does not win a NC? How do you think he will be viewed / remembered? As always thanks for your time and keep up the great work.

Eric Hansen

1:34

Alex thanks and love the initial question. Ha. Notre Dame has geographical territories, where the assistants have relationships and can get the ball rolling. However, the way it is structured now, position coaches/coordinators then do the bulk of the work and establish relationships with the top targets at their position. Sometimes there's double-teaming - a position coach and a coordinator. That was the case on RB Chris Tyree. .... To your last question, I'll preface it with longtime recruiting analyst Tom Lemming says this is Kelly's best recruiting staff. So most of these guys are really, really good. Lance Taylor has a small sample size, but wow is he doing a great job. Jeff Quinn is on a role with O-Lineman. ... But I will say Brian Polian is the best in the initial phase and partly because he has to establish those ties in California and Hawaii. But in the final phase, I'll go with Mike Elston. Great evaluator, great closer, recruits a tough position to get to come to Notre Dame.

Alex from Jackson, MO

1:26

Is there any such thing as a great offensive coordinator who can come in and recruit superstar cornerbacks! All jokes aside, do the recruiters always primarily focus on their position groups, or do they recruit across the board and look for anyone who can help, no matter the position? In your opinion, who is ND’s best recruiter and why? Thanks as always. You’re a rockstar!

Eric Hansen

1:26

I wholeheartedly agree with you. I think it's something Kelly should and will give a good, hard look at this offseason.

skip from Houston

1:25

I have a follow-up question to last week's discussion about a clapping cadence v. a verbal cadence. Seems to me a clapping cadence gives defensive linemen the same start opportunity as offensive linemen, whereas a verbal cadence should give the start advantage to offensive linemen? Please help me here - what do you think?

Eric Hansen

1:24

Ron, I've answered some of your questions earlier int he chat, but I'll get to the one at the end. Our recruiting writer. Carter Karels, was in touch with 2021 QB commit Tyler Buchner last night, and Buchner was fully committed to moving forward with ND without Chip Long. So that should answer that question/

Ron from Raleigh NC

1:23

Eric , seems odd that Chip Long would leave without having another job 1st, was this an Elko scenario where Chip wanted a large pay raise or is he just taking the Memphis HC job without it being announced yet? Furthermore please tell me that Kelly isnt considering Rees as OC he is no way qualified to run top college offense he should go to a smaller school 1st to gain that experience. I mean with almost the entire offense coming back, next year could be great. I would not watch ND games next year if Rees got the job, having Quinn as OL is bad enough. I would give the OC job to the new guy Taylor b4 I gave it to Rees, your thoughts? Does this hurt QB recruiting in 2021?

Eric Hansen

1:22

Thanks Stan. Of the 10 seniors with fifth-year options, Jonathan Jones (LB) is in the portal now, something that happened this week. I think Gilman goes to the NFL, LS John Shannon moves on with his degree into the business world, and McKinley I'm on the fence with. Everyone else I would expect back. If you pressed me on McKinley, my sense is he looks hard at a new option for 2020.

Stan from Rockford IL

1:16

Do you see any other Seniors entering the portal? I'd imagine other than #2 JG-H and McKinley, the others figure they're better off coming back. Thanks for these chats and keep up the good work. Your recent post on A-Z re: the Camping Bowl was filled with interesting facts.

Eric Hansen

1:14

We'll get the answer for sure on Saturday, but I could see it being a collaboration. ... Denbrock called the plays in 2015, 2016 and the Music City Bowl at the end of the 2014 season.

Josh from mishawaka

1:12

Rumors are circling that Tommy Rees may be calling plays in bowl game. Others are saying that it will be Kelly. Do you know who it will be? Second question to settle an argument. A lot of fans say last time Kelly called plays was NC St game in 2016. Who called plays that game? Denbrock or Kelly?

Eric Hansen

1:11

I wouldn't anticipate much change at all. Have to see who the new hires are. There appears the direction is going to be continuity.

Michael from Chicago

1:09

What player’s decisions/futures are most impacted by the change to the O coaching staff? Are you making changes to your 5th year predictions? Any players that might have a better chance at PT (E.g. Davis and Smith at RB)?

Eric Hansen

1:08

No fair hitting the eggnog during the chat.

musicman4u2c

1:05

is there any truth to the rumor Urban Meyer is coming to Notre Dame if Kelly decides to step down?

Eric Hansen

1:03

I think part of that perception is grounded in reality and part of it is not. From a pass protection standpoint, Book was pressured, but here's the bottom line. Among Power 5 schools, no team allowed less sack yardage (76 yards for the SEASON) than did the Irish. From a running game standpoint, there was room for improvement. Keep in mind there wasn't someone like Dexter Williams available to run the ball and that two of the O-line starters missed the last stretch of the season. Having said all of that, ND's offensive line must be ELITE next year if the Irish are going to make a run at the playoff. They were not elite even when healthy in 2018.

musicman4u2c from Columbus Ohio

12:59

Was it me or did the offensive line seem to be very soft this year? The Georgia game was the only one they played with an attitude. But the rest of the season our RB’s were constantly getting hit 3 yards behind the line. QB scrambling for his life on every pass play. What happened to being physical and playing with a nasty attitude up front?

Eric Hansen

12:58

I think he'll have an issue with that considering he's the new Colorado State head coach.

Jacob, Hobart

12:58

I think the new Notre Dame offensive coordinator should be Steve Addazio, fired head coach of BC.

Eric Hansen

12:57

1. Clemson loss has nothing to do with this year. It's all about losing by 31 to Michigan. 2. I don't think Gilman comes back. I think Crawford might. I think Book will. 3. Not sure about starting but Jordan Johnson, Chris Tyree, Michael Mayer, Jordan Botelho, Rylie Mills and long snapper Alex Peitsch all should have opportunities to earn significant playing time. Same thing goes with any of the CB recruits who turn out to be more finished than advertised. Maybe WR Xavier Watts too. OT Tosh Baker is talented enough to fight for a position in the two-deeps. 5) False.

Matt from KC

12:52

Multi-part (so I will get to point): 1. What was the bigger factor in any perception bias keeping us down in the Playoff Rankings (the Clemson loss last year or the MI debacle)? 2. Chances Gillman, Crawford (medical), and I. Book return for another year at ND? 3. Any freshman get plugged into starting for us next year as they are too talented to keep off the field? 4. Does B. Lenzy move to the slot? 5. Are schedule is a beast next year, true or false, we could have a better team next year and end up 8-4 before the Bowl?

Eric Hansen

12:51

I think ND would have been right smack in the middle of that conversation. The sticky part is Georgia and its two losses. The committee had them at No. 5. Would they feel the need to keep ND behind Georgia because of the head to head? Of would they feel the Irish (by the eye test) had distanced themselves from that loss and would win a rematch? My sense is Oklahoma would have won a close vote.

Jeff B from Oklahoma City

12:46

Eric, hypothetical question for you regarding the CFP Selection. If Notre Dame had beat Michigan and that is a big if the way they got pounded, and everything else around them had played out the way it did, would they have been selected over Oklahoma for the 4th spot? They would have been 11-1 and had 4 wins over the CFP Top 25 which is a better resume than Oklahoma had in my opinion. That Michigan loss proved to be more costly than it appeared at the time.

Eric Hansen

12:45

My first notion of Rees moving into the OC job was ... he's not ready. I think who fills the corresponding coaching opening is very important in whether this would work. I'm open to the idea that it could work. Still pondering, asking questions and getting more info myself as to if that idea could be a good thing -- and a good thing in 2020.

12:42

Hi Marie. Let's unpack that. Let's start with Tony Alford. I know Tony would love to be a head coach, and I big reason he left to go to Ohio State was because he felt it wold accelerate his path in reaching that goal. It has not as of yet. He's a great great recruiter, a really good position coach, and great guy to be around, but he has been passed over at OSU when there have been opportunities to promote him to a position that would give him a stronger voice in running the offense. Fairly or unfairly, that is viewed as not a strength. So he would bring a lot except the penchant for running an offense. So I don't see that as a fit. I think there are a lot of people who feel similarly to you about Rees. I don't think Brian Kelly is necessarily one of them. Per Pete Sampson of The Athletic, Rees recently interviewed for the job of Northwestern's OC (and did not get it). So he clearly has the aspirations and thinks he's capable for moving up. I don't want to put restrictions on him because he's 27.

Marie from Atlanta

12:31

Hi Eric, This is a follow up to my Tuesday night question about Chip Long leaving, clearly I had some inside information, LOL. Do you think Tony Alford would be a candidate for the Oc position.? He checks a lot of Boxes most importantly he has prior ND experience. Also with regard to these Rees rumors, I feel very stongly he is not ready for the job and would like to know your thoughts. I think he should be tasked with improving Book and developing PJ and Brendon Clark. I know the narrative about PJ from the coaching staff has not been overwhelmingly positive, and I think the staff should be embarrassed that was leaked to the public, it is not beneficial to anybody. Others outside the program still really believe PJ is talented and a winner, and even though Book is the likely starter next year, if he starts tanking in the Wisconsin game PJ or Clark need to be ready to play. If Rees is made OC and it blows up next year, though I have been a Kelly supporter my feeling will be that it is time for him to go.

Eric Hansen

12:30

Will, I had that on my list to ask last Saturday and wasn't able to work that into a very small question window with Brian Kelly. I will try again Saturday with BK. We might even get a chance to ask Shaun himself after the Echoes Award Show Friday night. Early in the season, Shaun was vehemently against the idea of a sixth year. He reportedly has softened. He would be an asset for sure if he did come back.

Will New York

12:26

Any update on Sean Crawford? We could really use him back next year with our lack of corners

Eric Hansen

12:26

Cody, I am going to guess you meant to insert Ian Book's name in there, and I do expect Ian to return to ND for 2020 as I did before Chip Long's departure.

Cody

12:24

Cody Sears, South Bend, IN. Do you think Long's departure will influence his decision to return next year?

Eric Hansen

12:22

Jim, an outside coordinator hire doesn't guarantee that you'll have better production than the Kelly offense. An elite outside hire would if it meshed with the personnel and what Kelly wants to do as a program. Don't underestimate "fit" in the equation. Matt Canada was a very highly regarded OC when he landed at LSU a couple of years ago. But he didn't fit with head coach Ed Orgeron,, and they parted ways quickly. Joe Brady was a fit, and it worked out great for LSU. Your original question was: what are the chances? I would put them at less than 30 percent ... and that may be high. Kelly still will have to bring someone in from the outside to add to the offensive staff, and that will be a key hire as well.

Jim from Tampa

12:16

What are the chances that Kelly will hire an outside OC and give him true freedom to design and manage the offense? IMHO Long was hampered and constrained by having to run "Kelly's offense" which has been very predicable and under-achieving for years. Quality opposing coaches, even those with lesser team talent levels, know this and have regularly out-schemed ND on game day.

Eric Hansen

12:14

Jeff, thanks for the compliment. The best way to answer your first questions is it wasn't about gaining leverage for a head coaching job that was in hand. Chip could certainly land one, in the days ahead but that's not what this was about. The program and philosophical fit wasn't there anymore, so the split was mutual. ... As I stated in the article, I don't believe a new OC needs to be named, but I do think Brian needs to have a clear direction of what the offense will look like beyond Chip, and he does.

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