JotCast | Notre Dame Football Live Chat | Jan. 28, 2026

Notre Dame Football Live Chat | Jan. 28, 2026

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Eric Hansen

2:10

As far as how Mickens' exit affects the things you asked about, I can do a much better job of answering that once I know who the replacement is. And keep an open mind. If someone told you the guy who followed Todd Lyght -- one of ND's all-time great CBs as a player -- would be replaced by a guy from the University of Cincinnati and become an incredible coaching upgrade, at the time that would not be something you'd likely believe. As for the Keurig machine, I'm still waiting for me NIL offer.

2:05

Hi Matt. I hope YOU'RE staying warm. I heard Texas got a little taste of winter. As far as heading into spring, I don't see a lack of talent in any position group. But there is work to be done, including with some of the transfers. Most of them are high-reward prospect who are less finished than grad transfers. But Marcus Freeman has a strong developmental staff. So don't get fazed when the untrained eyes freak out about the growth and growing pains taking place in the spring. That's what progress should look like in the spring, even on a team expected to make a playoff run and maybe a deep one. (more)

Matt from Austin

2:00

Hi Eric, hope you are staying warm and the Keurig is working. As we enter the spring, hopefully, what do you see as our biggest challenges? Seems hard to believe that DL and WR corps are now strengths and the RB room may be lacking. I was curious as to your thoughts. Also, although I'm sure that this question will fill the inbox, how do you see the Mickens exit affecting recruiting, schemes, and on field performance of our DB's? Any thoughts on a successor? Thank you as always for taking the time to be with us. Matt

Eric Hansen

1:56

To your second question, Mickens was a huge factor. Huge. So is Marcus Freeman. But Mickens' recruits tended to play well above their star ranking. And it's hard to beat three straight years of finishing in the top 10 in pass-efficiency defense, including two times at No. 1. Great personality. But again, Marcus may not be the recruiter start to finish on every recruit like he'd hope to be, but he's far more than a closer. And as a head coach his relationships with players are deep and authentic, and that takes away some of the sting of a loss like this.

1:52

Roger, are you secretly a rapper? I liked your rhyme. If made me chuckle out loud. COL? As far as whether coaches (or ADs) have lists in their desks, that's more mythology than reality. I think most coaches know guys they'd like to work with or have worked with and want to again. And then there are times you start from scratch. But think about how Marcus' mind works. He likes to focus on what's right in front of him, not give time to things or events that may not ever happen. With it being a DBs coach, I think he would have some ideas, but would widen the net to hear others' opinions. And believe me, this is a job where people would knock on his door. (more)

Roger from Peoria

1:48

Eric: Sunday hit us with what the dickens, we lost Mickens. He certainly left the Irish secondary in a much better place than when he arrived. Perhaps a "thank you" to Kelly is in order, although that can be a challenge to consider. His replacement will have big shoes to fill. Prior to his leaving the opportunity to play for a coach who helped recruits get to the NFL was a bonus for Irish recruits. Two questions. Am I wrong in assuming the Irish at all times have a list of potential replacements for each coaching position should a coach leave? In today's recruiting realities ($$$, culture, education, potential to win, early playing time, ($$$ again), etc) how much of a factor was Mickens himself in securing the recruits the Irish want? Thanks for being the best and as always GO IRISH!

Eric Hansen

1:47

Hi Mike and/or Mo !^! It's funny, because we're usually the epicenter of these winter storms, and for us, it didn't even cause people to buy in excess eggs, milk or bread. But to your question. For me Teddy Jarrard at QB and Ian Premer as a third tight end, so technically not two-deep (but a regular), are the two I'd pick. But one of the two freshman RNs could find their way into a deeper RB rotation. Kaydon Finley could join the two Ohio State transfers, and Jordan Faison and Jaden Greathouse in the WR rotation. I think both specialists have a chance to start, but neither a slam dunk. You didn't ask that or for defense. And on defense, there's some incredible talent coming in, including three five-stars on that side of the ball, but not a clear path to the two-deeps.

Mike AKA Mo from Maumee OH

1:33

Hi Eric !^! Snowmageddon in the Toledo area is over, but the crazy cold temps remain. Reminds me of a typical winter's day on the ND campus "back in the day". My question is this: out of all the true freshmen from the stellar 2026 recruiting class, which two offensive players (excluding QB Teddy Jarrard) might have the best chance of making the two-deep roster by end of the season, and why? Thanks!

Eric Hansen

1:33

Hi Penny. Thank you for keeping Marie company. I think you've shown up on my Twitter feed, and you know your stuff. Since, I haven't been able to wedge a WBB chat in, I'll answer this here until I do. Because of the great recruiting class coming in next year, I don't think it's as hot as some think or some want it to be. I do think it's fair to expect that next season be one where ND needs to play like an elite team. I'm doing a WBB column on Friday, and I'll get into more depth there. Thanks for your question.

Penny, Adrian, MI

How hot is Coach Ivey's seat? Thank you for continuing the chats.

1:29

Thanks for the chats!

Eric Hansen

1:29

Hi Ed. Jarron was so much fun to talk to, I ended up doing two stories. Thank you for reading both. And I like what you did there in the last line. ... There was some smoke coming from some Ohio State websites about Marty Biagi possibly heading to join the Buckeyes. My colleague, Mike Singer, is always all over this stuff. And he reported that Marty is staying. But until the coaching carousel stops spinning, you never say never. But I expect Marty to be coaching at ND in 2026 and likely beyond.

Ed from Sayville

1:26

Hi Eric. Are you hearing anything about interest from teams/programs regarding Marty Biagi? In addition I enjoyed the columns on Jarron Jones. Now that he’s studying at Canisus, he’s gone from the Golden Dome to the home of the Golden Griffins.

Eric Hansen

1:26

Hi Patrick. If there was a good time to leave, this was it. Recruiting for 2026 is done. Portal done. Spring practice is still off in the distance. Players are in winter workouts, getting bigger, faster, stronger. I don' t think Marcus Freeman will drag his feet, but a mid-February change would have created more urgency.

Patrick from Los Angeles

1:24

Eric, how important is a quick hire for Mike Mickens' successor, and do you have any intel on who excellent prospects might be? Thank you.

Eric Hansen

The Irish need the next step for him to develop into a more able pass rusher. Keon Keeley too. That'll be an interesting position to watch this spring.

1:21

Hi Jon. Congrats on the snow blower. If it's a gas one, don't forget at the end of the season to drain the fuel. Otherwise, you're carburetor might get gummed up. And a person who that happened to lives in this house! I think most fans see what you see, and the coaches, though, see improvement. Let's run some numbers for you. Bryce on defense played 60 fewer snaps than in 2024 (314 to 374) in large part because the rotation got deeper. Josh Burnham and Jordan Botelho were sharing reps. But Bryce's Pro Football Focus film grade improved significantly from 57.7 as a freshman to a nice 72.8 score last season. Where he made big strides was as a run defender. That's what he did best. His lowest score was in pass rush, and I think that's why it's perceived that he got stuck in the mud with regard to his progress. (more)

Jon C - Bellaire, OH

1:07

Hi Eric - nearly 20" of snow here in Ohio. Perfect timing by me for the snowblower purchase - what a life saver! My question is on Bryce Young. He had a really promising Freshman season and flashed with all of the punt blocks. Last year, to me at least, he had a bit of a Sophomore slump. Was that your take? And what is the outlook for the upcoming season? Because of his unique size, I can't tell which position fits him best. It seems like him bulking up significantly and using his speed inside would make the most sense. Curious to hear your thoughts.

Eric Hansen

1:07

As far as where the professional element of this is going, it's not just the shenanigans, but that basically everyone is a one-year free agent and tampering is the rule, not the exception. And if there's a better concept to fixing it that collective bargaining, then I haven't heard it yet. As far as strongest and weakest positions groups, there shouldn't be many of the latter. When you consider both the top of the depth chart and the depth, I think you'd have to put cornerbacks and safeties at the top, but there are a lot of good ones. I don't think these are weak by any means, but there are a lot of unproven players in the tight end and running back groups that have loads of potential.

1:03

Hi Marie. having a working furnace again and a friend with a plow on his truck make for a great week in these parts!

My colleague, Tyler Horka, did a good job of putting together a hot board that night. LINK. And I tend to get more involved as the process plays out and is reaching a conclusion. But two names I liked on Tyler's list were former Irish DB Jeff Burris, most recently an assistant with the New York Giants, and Oklahoma CBs coach/co-defensive coordinator Jay Valai. I have been talking to some coaches and ex-coaches about who they might think is a good fit, but if Marcus wants an exhaustive search from me, then he better get me an NIL deal with Keurig! (more)

Marie from Atlanta

12:53

hi Eric,
I hope you’re having a fantastic week. Thanks for hosting the chat. Just like everyone else very disappointed that Mickens is leaving. He’s been a fantastic coach. Who would be a few of your top candidates to replace him and who would you choose and why? What do you think can be done about the shenanigans surrounding players and agents, I am specifically thinking about the incidents at Clemson as well as the Duke QB. Do you agree with many who are saying the only way to preserve college football will be if the players become employees? Going into spring practice, which do you think are the strongest and weakest position groups and which position groups are possibly underrated or overrated? Thanks for hosting the chat and all the great insights.

Eric Hansen

12:52

Hi Michael and thanks and Happy frozen Wednesday to you. Safety Brandon Logan will play baseball and will PRIORITIZE baseball, with football being very much on the back burner. He's a position player (outfielder), and an elite one at that. And trying to double-up is much harder for position players in baseball than it is for pitchers. So his involvement in football this spring will be minimal.

Michael from Chicago

12:50

Happy hump day Eric! I saw Mark Zachery has left the basketball team to focus on football. Is Safety Brandon Logan playing baseball and if so will it interfere with his time with the football team or does football practice take precedent?

Eric Hansen

12:50

The amount of interest from coaches wanting to fill that position should be incredible. ... Now what do you look for? The trifecta that Mickens was 1) expert evaluator, 2) expert recruiter, 3) expert teacher. What if that guy is only a cornerbacks coach who doesn't coach safeties? Then you have a decision to make. Coach Chris Ash oversee the safeties with help from Marty Biagi and an experienced analyst? Maybe. All those things come into play.

12:46

How these play out varies from coach to coach and year to year. But they start with the same general concept: Marcus asking how can we upgrade after a coaching loss? And that's a tall order. But it was with Deland McCullough and BD ended up with Ja'Juan Seider, In this particular situation, Chris Aah was hired last winter as a DC and did not get to bring anyone with him. So his input is very valued, plus he has lots of connections. And I would imagine Charlie Partridge and Al Washington and even the offensive coaches have names too. (more)

12:41

Ciao, Paisan! Well, please thank your son and wife for me. That is great news. Really glad you're enjoying the site. Mangia!!! Well figuratively, not literally LOL. Hope you guys steered clear of the ice storms down there. ... I'm glad your asked this question, besides question "everything" being on brand for Notre Dame football. I think from the outside looking in, it feels like this is a chain-of-command type of things. And certainly in the Marcus Freeman regime, it really is not. Football is a lot more collaborative under Marcus. He's not a guy who prides himself as someone with all the answers, but a guy who asks the right questions. (more)

Paul from Knoxville

12:31

Ciao Eric: Great news -- my wife and son purchased a B&G subscription for me, and I am very much enjoying reading all your articles as well as those of your colleagues. Che bello!!! Wrt hiring a new DB coach, do you know how he will be selected? For example, does Coach Ash interview candidates and present a single recommendation for Coach Freeman's approval, or does he offer 2-3 options from which to choose? Or is it a consensus recommendation from all the defensive coaches? Or something completely different? Also, in your judgment what are the most important characteristics for a new DB coach? Any thoughts on which coaches have all or most of these? Thank you for hosting the chat and keeping all of us well-informed.

Eric Hansen

12:31

It is a loss, but Marcus Freeman got another year out of Mike Mickens and it's possible Mickens could come back to Notre Dame at some point after adding to his coaching toolbox. And so that's not misunderstood, I mean learning more about the D-line and it's nuances.

12:30

Manny!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! The exclamation point OG! I think Marcus Freeman did consider Mike Mickens for the DC job when Al Golden left for the Cincinnati Bengals after the 2024 Playoff run. But ultimately he opted for experience. And I think one of the benefits of taking the Ravens job for Mike is that he'll get to learn another system and from a head coach, in Jesse Minter, who will call his own plays on D, even though he'll have a D-coordinator. (more)

Manny from San Pedro

12:24

Eric!!!!!! I’m sure this will be a hot topic today, but I’m curious. Why was Mickens not given real consideration for the defense coordinator position last year. Seems like such a loss and this was inevitable without a promotion.

Eric Hansen

12:24

And so unless Hebert makes a significant leap in the passing game processing this spring, he'll have a hard time holding off Noah Grubbs and eventually Teddy Jarrard when he arrives in June. To me, Jarrard is the most likely of those to eventually emerge as No. 2, but there's a lot of football ahead for the others to prove me wrong.

12:22

Hi Damien, please add the hometown next time. Like your question, though. At 6-3, 225, Blake Hebert is 5 pounds heavier than junior-to-be Loghan Thomas was going into winter workouts. He is very good a zone-read plays and has some Riley Leonard physicality and speed to his running game, which is attractive. Where I believe he is challenged is reading defenses, processing fronts and sliding protections --- changing plays as well at the line of scrimmage. That's not unusual in a younger quarterback and yet the two freshmen are perceived to be very advanced for their age at that. (more)

Damian Becker

12:18

Figuring that you have seen him compete in practice and face live ND defense. at this point in his development what are Blake Herbert's strengths; aside from not playing in a game, what are his weaknesses, and if he was QB1 what would be NDs offensive approach and what are intangibles that Herbert has that could offset inexperience at the start of the season?

Eric Hansen

12:17

Next, you have some backs, like 5-11, 240-pound Kedren Young, who project well as a short-yardage backfield option. CJ Carr will be strong and more adept in those situations. And having a 6-1, 215-pound physical slot receiver, like Jaden Greathouse, back helps in both short yardage and red zone, the way he can outmuscle DBs for position and shield the ball with his body. And Mike Denbrock will be the first to admit he needs to call better plays. All reasons to be optimistic.

12:14

Jeremy!!!!!!! My frozen tundra brother since we live so close, although so much of the country seems to look and feel like South Bend these days. Thanks for reading, asking and watching. In talking with some insiders, there is strong optimism this becomes a strength next season. Now it still has to play out on the field, right? But here are some reasons. With Guerby Lambert moving out to tackle and presumably Charles Jagusah being healthy enough eventually to fit in somewhere, this is projected to be an offense line that can move people off the ball. And that is a huge offseason emphasis -- physicality. Having a huge guard like Sullivan Absher or Will Black in the lineup will help to that end as well. Does Knapp move inside? All that is on the table. (more)

Jeremy from Goshen

12:10

ERIC!!!!!!! I've been following this chat for many years and look forward to it! I am hoping this chat is like Football Never sleeps and goes year round! Now to my question, of the issues that could have held ND back in the 2025 CFP I think of short yardage situations. I know MF does an analysis and "challenges everything." Carr not being a natural at designed runs/read option isn't changing for 2026. How does ND improve in this area?

Eric Hansen

OK, off we go ...

12:08

And because you all have been so great about not making me regret rescinding the no drinking rule, we'll continue the chats on a weekly basis through at least another couple of weeks, and all the way to spring if there's interest without interruption.

12:07

Only the ones pertaining to gambling and spitting today will be strictly enforced. Everything else is rescinded.

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