JotCast | Notre Dame Football Live Chat | Feb. 11, 2026 | 2/11/2026

Notre Dame Football Live Chat | Feb. 11, 2026

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Eric Hansen

1:20

Hi Robb. You are right. It's not the weather. I wrote about this a couple of weeks ago:
Finding optimism for the future in Marcus Freeman’s Notre Dame coaching tree
Yes, Notre Dame is competitive financially. But beyond that coaches buy into Freeman's vision for Notre Dame. Mike Denbrock left LSU for ND for the exact reversal reason Brian Kelly left ND for LSU ... Denbrock believes the Irish can win a title and do so under Freeman. There's great support from the administration. And ND assistants who leave the Irish after working for Freeman tend to do very well after.

Robb, Edwardsburg

1:15

Hey Eric, Coach Freeman seems to be able to bring in top notch assistant coaches when someone leaves. What do you think are the driving forces behind his success? Pay? Championship quality roster? The bright lights of ND? It's certainly not the weather :))

Eric Hansen

1:15

I am doing just that as we speak. Thanks. Still waiting on my NIL deal from Keurig, but some other chatters have suggested Nespresso, which may make Keurig jealous and force their hand?

trophy

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Brian K, South Bend

1:14

Eric - Yes you ARE remembering me correctly, NOT Brian Kelly.

Now go celebrate with your favorite K-Cup for your Keurig Machine!! Cheers!

Eric Hansen

So just sharing what I know and what I don't. I think anything beyond that for me would be careless.

1:11

As far as what's going on with Jagusah until we get to that point. There have been setbacks in his recovery. The biggest issue is nerve damage and repair, which is very unpredictable other than it's very slow. I was fortunate to have a doctor with some knowledge about this reach out to me in very general terms to help me understand in a way that's not specific to Charles. He's not Jagusah's doctor, in other words. (more)

1:08

BrianK!!!!! And not Brian Kelly if I remember correctly ... I think the biggest reason you get vague answers is that no one knows. But here's the good news. Before spring practice kicks off in say mid March-ish (not at liberty to publish the exact date), Rob Hunt will speak to the media about all the injuries and recoveries. Rob is the associate athletic director/sports medicine and head football trainer. So what you hear from him on Jagusah and everyone else will be definitive and accurate. (more)

Brian K, South Bend

1:04

Hi Eric!! My question revolves around Charles Jagusah and when he is expected to be "healthy" for full participation (Spring/Fall). I've heard many things mentioned (regarding setbacks, additional surgeries, more setbacks) about Charles from several of those on the local ND beat (including BG via FNS, prior Chats, etc). Everyone seems very selective about what they say but seem to know more than is being divulged on their podcasts and websites. Without breaking journalistic integrity and what your sources have told you off/on the record...What can you share specifically about where you believe Charles is in his recovery, and what do you think the hurdles might be in his recovery? Finally, when do you expect him to be on the field in a meaningful way to help the Irish. Everyone knows how important he is to ND's success for '26 and many readers are probably thinking as I am. Thanks Eric, we all appreciate your weekly chats and knowledge on all things ND. Go IRISH!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Eric Hansen

1:04

Hi Ryan, if everybody's healthy. Still a big if. from left tackle to right tackle, I'll go with Jagusah, Black, Craig, Knapp, Lambert.

Ryan Frankfort Illinois

1:03

Good afternoon Eric who will be the starting offensive lineman during the spring practice and going into next fall I’m thinking Knapp Sullivan Absher Craig Charles jaguash and black GO IRISH ☘️☘️☘️🏈🏈🏈

Eric Hansen

1:03

I'm way way more into Summer Olympics than the winter games, but curling cracks me up. The snowboard stuff is pretty cool, but I'm going to go with ski jumping, because it's what my dad did ... and broke both kneecaps doing so.

1:01

At KR, I kind of like Aneyas Williams here. I'd like to see what some of the freshmen can do ... Javian Osborne maybe. ... I just did a story yesterday on why it's so hard to project freshmen playing meaningful downs, because lately its been largely injury-driven. But in the absence of injuries, Ian Premer at tight end makes sense and Joe O'Brien in the rotation at safety. (more)

12:56

Marie!!! I had to do a double-take. This might be the shortest question and the one with the fewest parts you've ever submitted. Are you trying to go easy on me? It's easier to pick breakout candidates for the fall than who will show their hand in the spring. But I will play along and say Guerby Lambert at right tackle and James Flanigan at tight end. If we did the longer on-ramp, I think Quincy Porter at WR tops the list and DE Keon Keeley is in that mix too. Punt and kickoff returns? Jordan Faison is still the PR leader, but someone like Dallas Golden or Ayden Pouncey or Bubba Frazier could challenge. (more)

Marie from atlanta

12:49

Hi Eric, thanks for hosting the chat. Who are a couple of players that you think are poised for a breakout this spring? Thoughts on who you think might get a look for returning Punts and kickoffs in the fall? Of the early enrollees , can you pick one on offense and one on defense that you think has the best chance to play some meaningful downs? Finally, a little bit off-topic, what’s your favorite sport to watch in the Winter Olympics? As always thanks for hosting the chat and all the great insights.

Eric Hansen

12:47

Denis, thanks for all the compliments. I almost thought you were going to nominate me as a candidate to coach, which would have been a disaster, except for my checkbook. Let's say Marcus Freeman had taken an NFL job in January, my pick would have been offensive coordinator Mike Denbrock, who's got strong leadership and organizational skils and knows Notre Dame as well as anymore. Under the radar? I haven't met the new guys ... so I can't suggest any of them. I'll go with Joe Rudolph, the O-line coach.

Denis from Niagara Falls, Canada

12:41

Hey Eric. If ND were to lose Marcus Freeman next year, who would be best equipped on the current team to step in as head coach? Not saying the new head coach is on the team now, but interested in your thoughts. And could you also choose an under-the-radar candidate on the staff? Thanks very much. And by the way, your thoughts, knowledge and opinions are second to none.

Eric Hansen

12:41

Hi Dave. None of the first-time June enrollees are on the roster. DJ McKinney is the only one among the transfers this offseason. So he's finishing up academic work at Colorado this semester before he enrolls in June. Then there are five freshmen, including quarterback Toddy Jarrard, who will also enroll in June.

Dave from Columbus

12:38

Any reason why DJ McKinney isn't on the recent Notre Dame spring roster update?

Eric Hansen

12:37

Jeremy!!! this must have been part of your original question and the return key got the best of you, as it does with me. As far as the indoor walking place, I have some ideas and if you email me, I will share them with you (ehansen@insidendsports.com). If you're talking the biggest threat to derail a title run, it would be losing Carr for an extended period, including the playoff. You nailed that. I feel like with the Super Bowl complete, we are done with the coaching carousel. But it's hard to never say never.

Jeremy from Goshen, IN

12:34

ERIC!!!! I do not live far from South Bend! hope you enjoyed the sunshine yesterday! My wife and I are looking for an indoor place to walk (not a treamill) any suggestions? What is the biggets threat to derailing ND from making the playoffs in 2026? An injury to Carr? Is the coaching carousel over?

Eric Hansen

12:33

Running backs because you lost two elite home-run threats, but you do have a lot of depth. Defensive end, because beyond Boubacar Traore as a pass rusher, there's potential but not proven production. Linebacker could fit in this category if Kynstonn Viliamu Asa's recovery timeline doesn't align with an early-season return. Backup QB too. Kenny Minchey was really good. But everywhere else, I think ND will be better.

12:30

Hi Jeremy. I think one of the reasons this team is looked upon as a title contender is because so many of those checkmarks are in the better category on top of having the same two coordinators returning for consecutive seasons for the first time in the Marcus Freeman Era and an incumbent starting QB returning for the first time since Ian Book in 2020. I'd say the two position groups in which there would be some question about playing at the same level as 2025 would be running backs and defensive ends. (more)

Jeremy from Goshen, IN

12:28

In your way too early 2026 season predictions, what areas of the team do you expect to be improved? worse?

Eric Hansen

12:26

Unfortunately, during our merger with On3 and moving over from Rivals, all of our Rivals content is somewhere in cyber-limbo. The good news is Chicago the band asked to put the story on its website and it still lives there. So if you'd like to read it, here it is:
Peter Schivarelli: The Legacy of a Notre Dame football walk-on

12:24

But walk-ons are an important part of the fabric of what college sports is, and I hope it's always a part of Notre Dame Football. ... Now to the why it tugs at my heart. Ahead of that change, I had an opportunity to do a story with Peter Schivarelli. He's the manager of the rock band Chicago and a former ND walk-on under Ara in the 1960s. And the premise of the story was how not only his life would have been different but the people around him would be had walk-ons not existed in the 1960s. And it's probably the sports story I'm most proud of because of what Peter was willing to share and how it has impacted the people who have read it ... and me as well. (more)

12:20

Notre Dame landed on 95 scholarship spots and 10 walk-ons as its ideal mix, knowing in some years they'd deviate a bit from it. There are Title IX factors involved. If you go from 85 to 105, there needs to be 20 women's sports scholarships added to keep the balance. So adding just 10 makes the commitment more manageable in terms of cost. Last year, I believe ND was at 93, but this year they're sitting at 100 currently. I think so of that reflects the all-in nature of 2026, where ND may not have had a better shot at a national title than the one that's right in front of them. (more)

12:17

Pat, this question really lands with me, not because I was ever a walk-on, but because of the amazing people I've met who were. So, let me answer you question first, and then I'll circle back to why it hits home with me. ... For those, not following the dizzying evolution in NCAA rules, last summer the 85-scholarship limit with unlimited total rosters was scrapped for a hard roster limit of 105 in which up to 105 could be on scholarship. There was a court case and settlement that led to this, but the bottom line is the judge insisted that current walk-ons be grandfathered in, so that they would not lose their roster spots. (more)

Pat, Philly

12:09

With less than 10 on the spring roster, is the walk on role essentially done at ND? And for the question, I'm including both the traditional on campus try out and the PWO. In fairness, I'm not counting Faison and Talich, but it strikes me that in the future ND will either give those guys scholarships out of high school or take kids like Hurleman from lower levels to fill out the roster. With muliple scholarhip specialists and a LS already committed even those postiions are now/will be accounted for with scholarhips....While I'm not particularly nostalgic about it going away, I do feel for guys like Nick Lezynski or Tre Reader who have used it as a springboard to potentially successful coaching/front office careers.

Eric Hansen

OK, enough blather. Off we go ...

Here are the other rules, but only no right and no spitting will be strictly enforced and no drinking won't be enforced at all, except for me.

12:07

PLEASE include your name and hometown along with your question(s). No 17-parters. No manifestos.

12:06

As for today's chat ...

► The Third & Gold Podcast is available at all places where you find podcasts, as well as our YouTube Channel. On our most recent episode, we caught up with recruiting analyst Tom Lemming of the Prep Football Report. The next episode will drop late next week.

► 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 our YouTube channel. We’ll be back next week, Monday at 7 p.m. ET, for another presentation of Football Never Sleeps with Tyler James co-hosting with me. And check out some great shows on the Blue & Gold YouTube channel as well, including the live Notre Dame Football Show, on Wednesday nights. That goes live at 8 ET tonight, with former Irish wide receiver Robby Toma joining Mike Singer and me.

12:05

► On July 1, Tyler James and I made the move to the On3 network and blueandgold.com and joined some amazing teammates. It’s proven to be a great move for us and, I believe, for our subscribers as well. And if you’re a potential first-time subscriber, we have a great deal — take a test drive for $1. With that, you get all of our premium content, plus all the value you get from a national team of writers and content creators, as well as access to every team site in the On3 network and a full year of The Athletic. Check it out at: https://www.on3.com/teams/notre-dame-fighting-irish/join/.

First, some other quick programming notes:

12:04

I wanted to let you know right off the top we'll be chatting next Wednesday at noon ET. We'll also be in weekly mode during spring practice in March and April. But I may switch it up the last week in February and do a women's basketball chat if there's enough interest.

12:03

Welcome to Notre Dame Football Live Chat, the "thawing out" edition (I hope).

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