JotCast | Notre Dame Football Live Chat Feb. 21, 2024

Notre Dame Football Live Chat Feb. 21, 2024

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Eric Hansen

3:12

And that's where we'll end today. Thanks for all the great questions. We'll be back to do it all over again next Wednesday at noon ET.

3:11

Tom from Evanston, I liked your question, but you're right probably more of a story idea that something I could do justice in the chat format.

3:10

The one player who may or may not move out of the three-star category and who doesn't have a killer offer sheet is Elijah Burress. But keep in mind, Kyle Hamilton was a three-star safety when he was offered and committed ... so ...

3:09

Hi Adam. I'm not sure having five of 17 is filling it up with three-stars. I also think February of their junior years is really, really early in the evaluation process for a lot of kids. Look at the offers. Three-star offensive tackles Will Black's offer list includes Alabama, Georgia, Florida, Florida State, Michigan, Miami, Tennessee, Texas A&M and more. Shaun Terry and Matty Augustine also have strong offer lists that suggest they won't be three-stars for long. Hawaii prospects, such as Ko'o Kia are underexposed and generally way underrated. He still has offers from Oregon, USC and Washington (among others).

Adam , FL

3:05

What are your thoughts on the staff filling the class with so many high 3 star recruits? Many of these kids are tremendous fits for ND and have solid offer lists, but do not appear to be the elite recruits that can get ND over the hump in the playoffs. DL needs some beef.

Eric Hansen

3:01

Hi Jeff. Yeah, that might have been too much info. and I could have gotten really more specific. Ugh. There are always players like that in every class and Taylor would be one of them. I think James Simon at running back would be one and Nathaniel Owusu-Boateng at linebacker another. After the spring transfer portal additions/subtractions, that list may grow ... or not.

Jeff from Phoenix

2:59

Hey Eric, I first want to thank you for your detailed recount last night on FNS of your food poisoning associated with a former ND game at Yankee Stadium, with FLAIR! Ok, onward....So with the 2025 class filling up, there are some decisions ahead. Do you think ND would take a 5th WR like Talyn Taylor or a third RB? Can you give us 2-3 other recruits that might be 'must takes' regardless of previous commitments or class size? Thanks!

Eric Hansen

2:59

Thanks Palm Beach. I'll take the WBB question, since I am covering them this spring. My question to you is, do you think ND would be where they are in the standings had they had a healthy roster this season? Having said that, I like what Niele Ivey is building. I think they have a chance, with a healthier roster and adding 6-5, five-star center Kate Koval, to be an elite team next season.

Palm beach irish

2:57

Regarding the Women's basketball program the roster of players is limited in numbers. The program has drifted to middle of. pack in ACC after flourishing with Muffett..I hope the UCONN win this year is not the high water mark for the program. I appreciate your take on this issue

Eric Hansen

2:57

Hi Matt. So when you ask this question, I assume you are talking about last year only? If so, I would relate it to having an inexperienced offensive coordinator. I think that wasn't the only problem, but the one that affected O-line play in the games in which that unit took a collective step backward.

Matt from Austin

2:55

Hello Eric. I hope this finds you well. I'm very pleased with respect to our offensive line recruiting over the past couple of cycles. MA was a great pickup yesterday. Our coaches seem to produce draft prospects almost every year. With that being the case, why don't we have dominant line play on a consistent basis? We seem to have a great game or two, then get pushed around, especially by high quality teams. An example I would site is BF, who declared and will maybe be a day two pick, but didn't dominate very often despite the hype. I apologize if that was too long winded. Thanks Eric.

Eric Hansen

2:55

There's some great recruiting questions here that are a little too into the weeds for my comfort level, so I'm going to have to pass on those.

2:54

Thanks Mike. NOT a step down.

Mike from Rockville, MD

2:53

Hi, Eric, and thanks for these chats! I look forward to them each week! What are your thoughts about Bullough as LB coach and Mickens coaching the secondary? Is this a step up or step down from last year? Also, who do you think would be an ideal candidate for the open analyst position?

Eric Hansen

2:53

The best of the Lou Holtz years.

skip/Houston

2:53

please finish - ND has the best coaching staff since ...? Thanks.

Eric Hansen

2:52

Ray from Western Michigan, great lead-up to your question and then it cut off as you were starting to ask the question. If you could resubmit the question part, I'll get to it.

2:51

Hey Declan. Without bugging Tyler James, my stab at this is two more WRs, possibly one more RB, one more tackle if it's Jack Lange, two linebackers, one defensive end and another cornerback. ... I don't see the downside in putting the class together early, You still have to keep recruiting them, though. It also allows you to get a strong head start into the 2026 cycle. All good.

Declan, Belfast Ireland

2:46

Greetings Eric, which position groups are still being recruited for the 25 class? With so many commits space has to be getting tight and the staff is presumably forced to get picky and hyper focused on who they want. Wondering if you can flesh out the benefits/challenges of having such a stocked class so early in the cycle form a recruiting standpoint

Eric Hansen

2:45

I think anytime you add those kinds of assets, you give yourself a greater margin for error. Notre Dame's has been razor think both in 2012 and in the two playoff seasons, and they rose above it. To me, the biggest questions/challenges to making the playoff and winning a game (or more) there, until we see differently, is the offensive line and the wide receiver corps in that order. The defense should be plenty good.

Patrick from Los Angeles

2:42

Do you think the arrival of Riley Leonard, the hiring of Mike Denbrock and retention of Al Golden give ND a better chance to make the playoffs and, if the Irish make it, to make a run, than any ND team in the recent past? If so, what other factors, if any, give you optimism for a playoff spot?Thank you.

Eric Hansen

2:42

Hi Andy. I can understand your concern, given that Antonio Carter II was asked to make a similar transition (though he also was moving up for the FCS level) and really didn't grasp it. I don't think Rod Heard is being looked at as a niche safety. They've projected him as someone who could play every down ... and he certainly could play nickel if Jordan Clark got hurt. I like the safety options. There is little experience there and a lot of unknows, but I love the possibilities of that group, especially with Xavier Watts back to steady that group.

Andy - Lima, OH

2:39

Hey Eric, thanks for the great coverage! What can Rod Herd give to our defense other than manning the Dime backer position that we had in our Aztec defense last year? His traits as I’ve seen on film and from what I’ve heard don’t seem to align with deep safety. He seems to be aggressive and a good hitter, but he hasn’t played a whole lot of deep safety in his career. Are they expecting him to be able to do this? Or are they expecting him to be more situational and not necessarily the second starter at Safety? There seems to be a huge question mark at Safety that I don’t see an appealing answer to.

Eric Hansen

2:38

Hi Ron, well that is something that would likely happen after the 2024 season, and not during it, if that's what you're asking me. But remember Marcus is a defensive coach and Al Golden is not tied to a position, so there are lot of potential help in addition to a possible grad assistant and maybe some help from special teams coach Marty Biagi, who coached defensive backs and was a co-defensive coordinator early in his career. Happy Hump Day to you.

Ron dover De

2:35

Happy hump day Eric. With new aligned staff it seems that coach Micken’s is being stretched when asked to develop such a young defensive back field of safety ‘s and corners . If they find that it isn’t working is there anyone who would be a good fit to try and bring in. Thanks

Eric Hansen

2:34

Jules. We haven't spoken to Golden since the extension was announced, but will get that opportunity soon, so I hope to get his thoughts to give you someone other than an educated guess. But keep this in mind. Since Notre Dame first game a coach the defensive coordinator designation — Joe Yonto in 1977, only one coach has stayed in that job longer than four years -- and that was Greg Mattison for five years (1997-2001). Golden's contract would make his run six years in the same position, given he's already put in two years. So my expert psychic powers put the number at 6.3.

Jules, Joliet Ill

2:26

On a scale of 1 to 10 (with 10 being the highest) how confident are you that Al Golden will be around for the full length of his new contract? Has he possibly reached the point that many veteran/older coaches seem to get to where he is well paid, in a location that he likes, on a good team and no longer has the rigors of being a head coach? Thanks for all of your fine work.

Eric Hansen

2:26

Roger, thank you for that great buildup of which I am confident I am not going to be able to live up to. I will be talking to people in the coming weeks who will be able to answer those questions, and I'm not even sure all that has been settled with regard to the home playoff games. Today was a big day in terms of hammering out more details on a national basis. and remember a lot of this can and will get recalibrated from 2026 moving forward. I did note all your questions so I can ask them when there are answers to give.

Roger from Peoria

2:22

Eric: In the litany of "Can't wait for . . . "s, put me down for (i) the first day of ND spring practice, (ii) the Blue Gold game, (iii) the first day of ND summer practice, and (iv) ND at Texas A & M. This year add the December 8 ranking announcement determining the 12-team Championship field. Teams seeded 5 to 12 will play on December 20 or 21 at the home field of the higher seeded team. Local businesses (hotels, restaurants, sports bar) where seeded teams 5,6,7 & 8 play will be euphoric just as those teams' fans will be to have a home game, while a 9 seeded team's fans and businesses will not. But this is really BIG business. Any idea how tickets will be allocated between the teams, does the host school get the ticket revenue, or about ticket pricing? Will these be host school or Championship Committee (CC) decisions? I suspect CC decisions which, if ND is a host, ND Stadium will be different without students from the end zone to the 40. And my top "Can't wait for . . ." is ND Football Live Chat!

Eric Hansen

2:21

Bob, you are giving me way, way too much credit for medical prowess. I remember talking to Eli about the differences in the two surgeries for him, and it not really registering with me from a pragmatic standpoint, but how the mental hurdles were different. I appreciate your situation and will ask Mitchell Evans that question when we see him next and make sure to share it with you.

Bob - Loganville, GA

2:19

Eric - As a farther to a daughter that had 2 ACL repairs playing soccer prior to her 14th birthday I was pressed into learning about the different grafts used for ACL repairs. Do you know what graft Mitchell Evan used? If memory serves correctly Raridon used the quad which ultimately failed and on the reconstruction used the patellar. From my understanding the patellar has lifetime side effects particularly when kneeling and also a little longer recovery. But is considered the gold standard in regard to strength and re-tears.

Eric Hansen

2:19

Hi Ed. Sean Sevillano Jr., says he gets Louis Nix comparisons and is flattered by them. They certainly have similar body types and strength. There is not an urgency that Sean get reps this season or break into the rotation, but he does offer size that many of the other interior D-linemen don't have, so he can play to that strength. Don't get me started on Louis Nix III. We grew very close after his time at ND and got along great when he was at ND. His passing gutted me. But the privilege of getting to know him and the talk we had on the phone when he called me from his hospital bed after being shot will live on forever. Many, many great memories. One of a kind.

Ed Sayville NY

2:13

Hi Eric. I enjoyed the article on Sean S this week. While not an apples to apples player comparison, reading about the nose tackle position brought back memories of Louis Nix III, one of my all time favorites who I believe passed around this time of year. Assuming Gabe Rubio returns, do you think Sean gets some meaningful reps? Any memories of Louis to share

Eric Hansen

2:13

I really see only upside to it. The more committed recruits you have when others come to visit, the more positive voices there are and the more sense of recruiting the uncommitted targets will see on their visits. Notre Dame has done a really good job of getting good evaluations on kids, and that's why they're able to move confidently earlier in the process. And thanks, Don.

Guest

2:08

Don from rainy Los Angeles. The pace of getting recruits to commit seems to have increased this year. What are your thoughts both positive and negative (if any) on this. Thanks, I really look forward to your talks each week!

Eric Hansen

2:08

You may be right. James Flanigan is a nice pickup in the 2025 class at tight end. As you look at the depth chart I'll post below, Kevin Bauman does have a COVID option year for 2025. Evans and Sherwood do not. A big factor in calculating the numbers for 2024 and beyond is the recoveries of Evans and Bauman from ACL surgery, so ND could also recalibrate. But for now, they're looking only at Flanigan for '25.

Adam , FL

2:00

Any thoughts on TE recruiting? A 1 TE class of Flannigan just does not seem to be enough given the current depth chart.

Eric Hansen

1:59

Tom, you did a really good job of asking that diplomatically, and Notre Dame under Marcus Freeman hasn't always pursued legacy recruits. That's true in this cycle as well. And not every legacy recruit is interested in Notre Dame. either. In this case, Notre Dame feels very good about Bettis' ceiling and his habits and work ethic that would help him push toward that.

tom, boston MA

1:56

HI Eric, is the jerome bettis jr recruitment largely a show of respect to his father the Irish legend or is JR truly regarded as an elite guy that ND would be after if his last name were not Bettis? His film seems fair but not eye popping by any means, so i ask with all respect.

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