JotCast | Notre Dame Football Live Chat Jan. 23, 2025 | 1/23/2025

Notre Dame Football Live Chat Jan. 23, 2025

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Jim Oregonia, OH

2:12

Eric!!!!!!! Upset over our NC loss, but I can't be too upset over the year we had. It was an exciting run and every week was like a mini playoff game after the NIU game. So now that Golden is going to the Bengals what happens next for DC? I would think it is going to be Mickens, but do you open this up to a national search? If you do, how does Mickens perceive this? I think if Freeman opts not to take Mickens then he is gone, but Mickens does not have any DC experience so you are kind of taking a chance there a bit. This is a bit of a delicate situation. Clark Lea didn't have any experience either but that turned out pretty well. Again, I think it will be Mickens, what say you?

Eric Hansen

2:12

Hi Rui. I think it's fair to expect more in recruiting and I think you will see it. And it needs to happen specifically at the positions we discussed earlier. And that's through HS recruiting and portal additions. As far as next year's offense and defense, we might want to wait until the portal window closes to do that? How about next week's chat, and I will commit to one next week.

Rui from Ossining, NY

As of this moment with what we have, please give me your starting offense and defense for next season

2:10

What a great season by the Irish...honestly i havent felt this confident that winning a National Championship is alot closer now than it ever was...with that being said, we still need to make a hurdle and get multiple 5-star type players into this roster...if we are going to minor in transfer portal but major in high school recruiting then examples like this have to happen...now...all the ingredients are there for a student athlete...there is no better time...if we cant get them now, lets be honest, it will be hard to get them PERIOD...thoughts?

Eric Hansen

2:09

Because of the transfer portal, I think you'll see less of those big position switches ... like Xavier Watts, like Tory Niklaus, Avery Davis, etc. Still will see subtle ones. Thanks again for you questions and compliments.

2:08

Hi Gus, really good questions and I hope I can match that with my answers. ... and thanks for the compliments. I don't think the surrounding cast of this team was built -- over long stretches -- to enhance what Angeli does well and camouflage what he does not. If you are not convinced at this point that Riley Leonard was the best fit for this team this season and vindicated that, I am not going to be able to do that today -- unless we both violate the no drinking rule, perhaps. And the offensive to defense flips, I don't think there's anyone on the roster where that would be a natural move, except maybe Schrauth and you want to keep him on offense. Remember, with Tillery, that projection of how he was being recruited happened before he showed up at ND. He didn't get here and then flip. And he was an elite defensive linemen as well. So this wasn't a lab experiment. They tried that same flip with Chris Stewart years earlier, and it didn't work. (more)

Gus,Ft.Mitchell,Ky

2:02

Hi Eric.Thanks for the great coverage of a terrific season,and one that exceeded expectations imo.Why does this staff seem to be so hesitant to go to Steve Angeli? All the kid has done is deliver when called upon.RL was obviously gassed or dehydrated or both after the first drive.And ,with so many O lineman on the roster,could any move over to the dark side,ala Jerry Tillery,and help with the numbers on Defense?Thanks again for the great coverage of the greatest tradition in sports.

Eric Hansen

2:01

Hi Len!!!!! Thanks for the recap. If I knew you were available, I would have put you to work and gone to sleep earlier!

... Yes I agree with you on the max protect question. Yes, Howard executed about as well as you could hope for as a coach. ND missed both of the elements you mentioned, but I think Mills the most. I would have to rewatch the game (and I will once this transfer portal carousel stops), to give you ah honest answer. But I do think Schrauth has a lot of great football head of him. Very bullish on him.... Yes it would have been beneficial to have more CB depth. It just wasn't ready. Gray and Leonard Moore played all but one snap of the four playoff games and USC in the finale combined. Wow.

Len from the Jersey Shore

Con'd loss to many individual battles, they loss their eye discipline and made things worse. KVA left his zone to go after Howard who calmly sent a TD pass to the open area KVA vacated. Gray never seemed to be able to read his keys and always seemed to break the wrong way. Ausberry did not seem strong enough to tackle Judkins ( my second MVP) and the team over pursued leaving the cutback open which was blocked well by OSU. Questions, do you agree OSU handled max protect well? And that Howard played so well especially accuracy and decisions? Which player on ND was missed the most, B MO. Interior Mills or edge rushers? Why did Billy S have such a bad game, considerably lower than other ND linemen who also struggled at times? Too bad there wasn't a backup for Gray to give him a chance to see things from the sideline.

1:55

Hello Eric!!!!!! We were lucky and caught the line at the Atlanta airport as they were setting up a new queue leading to TSA. So we only were in line for 1 hour. Glad you made it back. Sorry to hear Tyler had to fly home on Wednesday. I sat on the 45 yard line in the lower upper deck. A great place to view plays evolving, but not intricacies of line play as much. First a shout out to Ohio St coaches. Their game plan, IMO, was simple. Max protect and don't let ND defense get that big play to sway the game. It was Joe Gibbs of the 80's who famously said when asked how to pass block, keep one more in protection than the defense is sending. Ohio St executed fairly flawlessly and picked up every type of pressure sent at them. And when the ND D backs had the receivers covered, Howard (my MVP for the game) made sure it wasn't a negative play or a turnover. A simple but effective game plan built on the OSU WR's eventually being open. For the ND d when pressure wasn't getting to the QB, and as(more)

Eric Hansen

1:54

Hi Cowboy Mike. Please give us your hometown next Jayden Thomas is already in the portal and is picking up offers, so that point is moot. But why couldn't they have? One, there has to be a desire for Thomas to do that, to move to tight end. And while he's been a team-first guy, he already has his degree and he has no shot at 6-2, 218 to be an NFL tight end. And when you look at ND's tight ends, could a 6-2 guy work? Evans is 6-5, 260 and Eli Raridon 6-7 250, so quite a difference. Thomas is a really physical blocker but as a wide receiver. And there's not "if: about Evans leaving. He has exhausted his eligibility. ... One more thing with Thomas, they recruited over him in the portal two years in a row now, so it makes sense, if he wants to be a starter, to go elsewhere.

Cowboy Mike

1:39

I hate to see Jayden Thomas leave. I know the WR room is crowded but why can't they move him to TE. He is a big body and if Evans leaves there is not much at TE.

Eric Hansen

1:39

To me the biggest questions are at WR, TE and interior defensive line. What can be done is go through spring and see if that's still the case. And if it is, you might still be able to add from the portal from the new players coming into in during the 10-day window in April (16-25). And thanks for everything, Marie.

1:38

That was the game ND missed Mills ... and Botelho and Traore. Is it a different game with one of those three or two or those three? Maybe. ... I think Mickens is in a very similar place that Clark Lea was when they promoted him after Mike Elko left. Could they hire an experienced analyst? Not a bad idea, and someone maybe who's a former head coach too ... not as a safety net per se, but another strong resource and sounding board. Would Jim Leonhard be interested in that kind of role (no HC experience, but what a DC he was in college), I' don't hink that role would pull him away from an NFL full-time coaching job (DBs coach/passing game coordinator with the Broncos). You'd think he'd only leave for a defensive coordinator's job, but that's a name I like. (more)

1:32

Ok to your questions ... What happened to Notre Dame's defense in the first half is what Notre Dame hopes will happen when it upgrades its wide receiver room. What do you take away? What do you lean into as a coordinator? Take away the run, and you're on an island with the WRs. Play man and the QB takes off running. Lean into the passing game, and those running backs gash you. The biggest problem was pass rush and not getting home with the pressure. ND gambled with those pressures and won some and lost some. They lost a lot in the first half, and they lost a lot on the 3rd-and-11 late in the game. (more)

1:28

1:26

Ok, first things first. For those on the chat who want to see Marie and Tom F from Kennesaw. This is a pic of those two, plus Tyler and me in Atlanta at Grana. I'm still full from the chicken parm that was big enough to have its own zip code. Thanks to Marie for making this happen and for being so generous.

Marie from Atlanta

1:21

Hi Eric, disappointing loss for the Irish but what a great time in Atlanta this past weekend. So fun having dinner with you and Tyler. In your opinion, what do you think went wrong with the defense in the first half of the game, and what do you think could’ve been done in the game plan to put forth a better performance? obviously, Mickens is a potential DC for next year, but people are worried about inexperience, do you think a combination of Mickens and an experienced defensive analyst as such as Jim Leonhard might be a possibility? What will be this team’s biggest weaknesses in the next season and what can be done to remedy them? As always, thanks for the great insights and hosting the chat.

Eric Hansen

1:20

John, thanks for the compliment. Zibby is great, and if you ever met his dad, Eddie, wow. I'm lucky to know them both. And maybe he'll work his way back to ND at some point, though he just took at job as a high school head coach in Chicago and St. Patrick. It's nice to hear from someone from Nebraska in the chat. I met two new friends from that state this past year, both near you.

John - Elkhorn, Ne.

1:16

Hi Eric - I don’t have a question today, but really enjoyed your interview with Tommy Zbikowski - well done! Would love to see him back at ND someday coaching.

Eric Hansen

1:16

Jack, thanks. I would love some R and R, but not sure how much reality that is ... with the portal window, and me now migrating to women's hoops next week, but not complaining. You have to be creative, and I've got a big day planned with the grandkids coming up. ... I do think CJ Carr is the answer. Based on what I've seen. Based on people inside and outside the program who know football. That doesn't make it a slam dunk. But from my dealings with the kids, and how he's wired and who he is as a young man, I'm pushing my chips into the middle of the table. And willing to take the criticism if I'm wrong.

Jack, Strongsville,Ohio

1:13

Hi Eric. Thanks for all your great work during the playoff run. Time for some R & R. In your post game article you indicated you thought the foundation of this team was better and stronger than after 2013 BCS game. Agreed. But there is one element missing to win the championship and that is an elite quarterback. Consensus seems to be CJ Carr is the next man up at that position but is he really the answer? No one has seen him in a game setting and there have been many players in that position in the last 20 years some good enough like Ian Book and Riley Leonard but not at the level to achieve the national championship.

Eric Hansen

1:12

Blake Hebert and Noah Grubbs have mobility, but I don't think are seen as true dual threats. So, having said all of that, the less of a threat QBs are with their legs, the better they need to be as a passer ... and it's also another reason ND needs to continue to upgrade the WR position. So I can see why you are skeptical, but I think having SOME running skills is enough with the right scheme, coordinator and players around you. .... And I had to look up South Boston, Va., on Google Maps, because I thought maybe you got lost ... but nope, there it was right by Wolf Trap.

1:07

Wow, Mike for a so-called rookie questioner, you are looking like a ringer. Really good question. Let's look at thee current roster ... Minchey definitely gives you deal threat. CJ Carr is a better runner than you might think ... Not a Riley Leonard-level runner, but good enough to do the RPOs and to scramble like Will Howard did against the Irish. Not the short-yardage threat RL was on third and fourth down. Angeli is a better runner than you might think, and he processes defenses so fast, it kind of makes up some for him perhaps not being able to extend plays -- because he can makes the decisions and release so quickly. (more)

Mike from South Boston Va

12:58

Hey Eric!!! Long time follower but first time contributor. I look forward to the chat weekly and appreciate you doing it as it’s always insightful.how CMF is building the program as it is exciting to watch! But my question is this, with the success of teams with dual threat qb’s such as us and osu, plus in the pro’s also with last 4 teams standing there now, should we be recruiting more dual threat qb’s instead of all of the drop back guys that we have on the roster now?

Eric Hansen

12:57

I think the areas of concern in the offseason are similar to the longer-term concerns: Upgrading WRs and interior defensive line. You could throw some uncertainty at TE in there as well. And is CJ Carr as good as ND think he is? I am in that camp that he is.

12:55

Kevin!! Significant roster churn is the new reality, and it's OK as long as you don't have culture churn along with it. And coaching staff churn is part of the price of admission for success. Can ND do better next year? So, since they finished No. 2 in the polls, you are actually asking me if they can win the national championship in 2025? And mu answer is that falls in the range of viable outcomes, but not the most likely outcome. But what I will say is I feel like a national title is coming in this decade. Just not sure about next year. I think that's now significant this season was in where Notre Dame is headed long term as a football program. (more)

Kevin-Sleepy Eye,MN

12:50

ERIC!! What a great year! With upcoming roster turnover and at least one coaching change: can we be better next year? And why?

Eric Hansen

12:50

Oh Bob, I got a Mickens question earlier, but that was too well-played to not post. And I didn't say what I would do. I said what I thought ND would do. My vote is for Mike Mickens all day long.

Bob (Oxnard)

12:49

Eric, great job winning the interval this season on these chats! Do you think Mickens should be elevated to DC?

Eric Hansen

12:49

We don't have a date for the Blue-Gold Game, and the timing of Easter weekend complicates it. April 19 is kind of the sweet spot, with it being a week before the NFL Draft, but Easter is the 20th. So do you have it the weekend of the NFL Draft (26th) or super early (12th) and really, really, really compress the spring schedule? My sense is the later date. With spring break at ND running March 8-16, I think the 17th in a likely date to start spring practice. We should get something more official soon, and I'll share it then.

12:42

HI Joan. We're wondering the same thing, but I can tell you what's been shared with us and kind of guesstimate on the rest. The nine (of the 13) early enrolling freshmen who did not come in December to be part of the playoff prep are on a regular winter workout schedule as if the playoff never existed. So too are the transfers. As far as the other four and the returning players, I would think they will start soon, but it's a different track ... with recovery and so it might be some time before those two tracks sync up and are identical. (more)

Joan from Vancouver BC

12:38

Hi Eric, thanks for your great work. I always enjoy reading the chats.
With the extended season, I’m wondering what the team’s schedule is for winter workouts and spring practice. Looking forward to another great season next year. Thanks again!

Eric Hansen

12:38

There are eight total by the way, and they could add more in the spring, depending on scholarship limits and need. ... And no I don't think the CFP run hindered ND. They were able to multitask right through that. As far as the running out the clock thing, I'm not so sure I wouldn't have done the same thing in his position. I definitely DO NOT think that was giving up. This team? That coach? No. Not in their DNA to give up.

12:34

Matthew, because of how thorough Notre Dame is with the scouting process for the portal, starting all the way back in July, I tend to trust what they're getting out of it, because of that long research. Look at Jordan Clark for example. Even if you account for injuries, he didn't jump out at you stats-wise for what he did at Arizona State. And yet he was one of the best nickels in the country at Notre Dame. I think Devonta Smith might be even better in this cycle. I really like WR Malachi Fields. Dawson from Louisville was a nice DT pickup, but that's a position in which ND maybe could have done more with quality (they did get a second DT, just not a proven one). So big names don't always lead to big results, especially if concerned about them blending into your culture. (more)

12:29

Before I get to Matthew's answer, I'll share some breaking news ... offensive linemen Rocco Spindler and Pat Coogan have entered the transfer portal.

Matthew from Aldie, VA

12:25

Hi Eric, way to hang in there through this crazy CFP/transfer portal schedule. We appreciate you! How do you think our incoming transfer portal haul looks on the whole? To me we only seem to have a couple "big names." How would you compare it to last year's group? Do you think our CFP run put us behind the sticks or helped us? Should we expect more news on that front (now or in the Spring)? And finally, why do you think Coach Freeman elected to run out the clock before halftime with nearly 30 seconds and two timeouts at his disposal, down 14? In the moment, it felt like giving up. Thanks!

Eric Hansen

12:24

Manny!!!!! I hope your keyboard is not broken. That's the fewest exclamation points I've ever seen in a question from you. And I like your big-picture take on the game. I think you're right. I think Mike Mickens makes all the sense in the world as the next DC. And Marcus has been saying that he's ready since 2023, when I asked him that question in a press conference. No word salad on that one. It was a strong affirmative. What I do think Marcus Freeman will do is talk to the staff, hear their opinions. At least consider someone from the outside in theory and mull that. But Mickens brings so much even without DC experience, including scheme continuity and personnel familiarity ... both really valuable with the short runway to spring practice. Not that those are his best traits, but they are added ones that an outside hire wouldn't have.

Manny from San Pedro

12:16

Eric!! Today is not a sad day as we should appreciate the amazing year we had. If we lose Golden. Is Mickens promoted or do we look outside?

Eric Hansen

12:16

Where I will agree with you that an upgrade is needed is wide receiver, and I would add to that defensive line, especially in the interior. So this is a big recruiting cycle for WRs coach Mike Brown. And Al Washington needs to be more consistent as well, though he has developed well.

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