JotCast | Notre Dame Football Live Chat Jan. 6, 2021

Notre Dame Football Live Chat Jan. 6, 2021

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Alex from Jackson, MO

1:45

Prior to the game Kelly gave an interview about how poor the prior bowl games were, and how great football was about to be played. His team then goes out and gets beat with ease. He then has an attitude when he is asked tough, but absolutely legit questions about how his teams play on the biggest stages and where the program goes from here. I don’t understand why he can be so arrogant prior to, and so tender hearted when people ask him legit questions afterwards? Maybe I am missing something? Not sure I have a question, but more a thought. From

Eric Hansen

1:44

Someone asked me earlier about Jordan Johnson's Twitter. I'm not saying ignore it, but I'd also consider the context. Here's a freshman who had been away from home since June and wasn't playing much and had some growing up to do and all that added together makes you miss home more. So I think his emotions are valid and real, but I think he came to Notre Dame for football AND reasons beyond football, and it wouldn't surprise me if he gets beyond the urge to look for an escape hatch.

1:42

Tom, I would expect it to be an open competition. If everyone is healthy (and Austin will be coming off foot surgery), I would put Austin, Lenzy and Avery Davis on the inside track. BUT, I think they'll take a long look at Jordan Johnson, Xavier Watts, Joe Wilkins, Lawrence Keys. Lorenzo Styles Jr. is enrolling early and I am expecting him to make a splash.

Tom , Springfield Illinois

1:31

Hi Eric- who do you see in the primary rotation as receivers going in to spring practice and most likely to emerge in fall?

Eric Hansen

1:29

Stan, thank you for the kind words. I hope you feel better that you got your rant out. There are only two players out of the 13 who either have committed fully to coming back (Hinish) or are leaning that way (Doerer), so that answer it pretty easy. Honestly, of the others I might have said Nick McCloud.

Stan from Rockford IL

1:27

Eric! Best wishes to you and your loved ones. WE so appreciate these chats, especially after we need healing from the last two losses. Quick rant! I hope you’re ready for the dismissive incoming attacks re: everything ND football after those two lopsided losses. The questioning of coaching strategies is fair game to me. NDs always predictable O’ game plan doesn’t work against healthy prepared elite D’s. It puts our players in unwinnable situations, making the attacks on the players uncalled for and sickening. Questioning their drive for excellence and desire to win, and calling them quitters or losers, are too prevalent on ND blogs and discussion boards, and from most ,I trust, who show far less commitment in their lives than these players. OK! Rant over! My question: Which players at ND might benefit both themselves and ND from another year at ND?

Eric Hansen

1:21

Ron, I understand and appreciate where you are coming from. But today's football player wants and education AND a crack at the NFL if they're coming to a place like Notre Dame. And there's a chance Ovie and Houston will have their degrees when they walk out the door. Full disclosure, I just got back to work today after a little time off, so I haven't had the chance to dig into their individual situations. Jack Lamb, an early enrollee in 2018, will have his degree at the end of spring. Ovie and Houston were also early enrollees in that class, so it's possible they'd have it by spring or summer. I think the portal makes it easier for kids to make a quick/rash decision, but sometimes a change of scenery is needed.

Ron Dover, de

1:19

Happy New Year Eric, another great job by you again this year with these chats. As a senior in my generation you were taught to not give up and keep working weather it’s sports , school etc. We were taught don’t quit. Today it appears the message is if I don’t get what I want I leave I run away and not try succeed. Looking at Houston, Rutherford, and Ovie that’s seems to be the message. I get a grad transfer with one year saying I won’t play much so I will go somewhere else for one last year. But undergrads doing it is troubling. It seems to reinforce that I am not in school for an education but to play ball. So am I wrong about these guys? Does this portal concept encourage this behavior? Thanks

Eric Hansen

1:12

Fred, you know your football. Or you and I are equally deficient, because I do agree with you for the most part. Let's go with option No. 1.

Fred from Huntsville

1:11

I expected to lose but also expected to score more than 7 legitimate points against a defense that is only slightly better than average. I read the article stating ND needed playmakers but I think that is only part of the issue. I think Book again played poorly under the spotlight and Rees again showed his inexperience. I would probably assign each of these issues (lack of playmakers, QB, and Offensive coordinator) equal blame in the offensive debacle. Would you agree with this assessment?

Eric Hansen

1:09

Patrick. thanks. The 9-year-old I think wants to live here. And he would certainly upgrade the place. I can't wait 'til they can come over whenever they want. ... thanks for that thought. I would say they are going with Kelly's blessing. Again, you have to get the math to work. I wouldn't be surprised if a couple ended up at Vandy. They'd certainly be able to handle the academic load there, but it's a steep, steep rebuild.

Patrick from South Bend

1:08

Thanks for another great year of coverage. Hope you and your grandkids get to hug soon. Two part question, is it likely most of the guys in the transfer portal like their chances for playing time elsewhere, go with Kelly's blessing necause of numbers game and second part, how many if any might end up at Vanderbilt? Thanks for all you do to keep us up-to-the minute on ND football despite all the restrictions.

Eric Hansen

1:07

Sean. As I mentioned earlier, ND has to make the math work. They are more interested in upgrading talent at certain positions than they are keeping someone on the roster who's never going to get to start of play significant time. Ideally, those players would have their ND degree, before jumping in the portal, and many of them will. I don't see the red flag. Ovie surprised me. Houston Griffith didn't necessarily. He's a hard-working talented kid, who continues to get beat out by players who are nearly as talented. Perhaps a fresh start is all he needs. Had Lamb stayed healthy, he'd probably be in a position to challenge for more playing time, but it'd be hard to jump over three players to get there at this point. Are you still on the ledge? I'd say a healthy amount of roster churn is a good thing, especially if they're walking away with ND degrees in hand.

Sean, Portland, OR

1:03

Hi Eric - I am surprised about the number of transfers. Particularly Oghoufo, Lamb, Rutherford, Griffith. In the case of the others like Jahmir and Jafar, I'd probably transfer too. Is this a red flag? Does it have to do with Clark Lea leaving, lack of playing time and opportunity, or both? I fear that this is a really bad thing, talk me off the ledge please.

Eric Hansen

1:02

Peter, if I understand your question, players with expiring eligibility this year only don't count against your hard cap. Notre Dame had 13 such players. Only two are expected to return, so ND can be at 87. That exemption goes away if you transfer, so Jack Coan from Wisconsin counts against the hard cap of 85. Had he stayed at Wisconsin, he wouldn't have counted in the Badgers' 85. Next year schools have to be back at 85. There is hope among athletic directors, including Jack Swarbrick, that there will be some allowances to go over in the coming years, because of giving everyone another year of eligibility. The way things are constructed now, it would put a huge squeeze nationally on the number of recruits in the 2022 class.

Peter Burke Coto De Caza, CA

12:57

Can you explain the recruiting numbers rules this and oncoming years?

Eric Hansen

12:57

Ted. Please include your hometown next time with your question. ... I'm going to do a story on roster management in the age of the one-time exemption and the COVID rule this weekend. So I can get into a little more depth there. 1) Yes, it's a national phenomenon, so it's not just ND. 2) Notre Dame signed 26 players in December, will add at least one in February and added a grad transfer QB with possibly more grad transfers. There were 13 players with expiring eligibility. That meant the potential for 72 players to return. Add 28 to that, and you have 100. The hard-cap scholarship limit is 85. So there were going to be 15 departures at least, one way or another.

Ted C.

12:48

I know that with the new transfer rule there was the expectation that there would be a lot of movement this off season, but it seems a lot of players jumped in fairly quickly. How many more do you believe enter the portal, and can all of this be attributed to new rules and lack of PT, or is there something going on "behind the scenes" most of us aren't aware of? Also, I try not to read into any players social media, but it seems Jordan Johnson's twitter seems pretty ominous. Any rumors of him leaving South Bend this offseason? Thanks answering all our questions.

Eric Hansen

12:46

Mike. You're awesome. And thank you. The one-time transfer exemption is going to change college sports. And we already can see by the sheer numbers nationally in the portal that it brings a different dynamic. I don't think all of that is necessarily bad. But there's going to be fallout. What happens to the kids in the portal who can't find a suitable opening on another roster in 2021. I think after a few awkward years and adjusting some rules around the portal, it could be a system that works for everyone. I don't envision the NBA scenario for quite a few reasons, rest assured.

Mike H- Arlington VA

12:39

Hello Mike H here from Arlington, VA and thank you for being awesome at your job! Sir, my question is- do you see the transfer portal becoming an issue in college sports, I believe you hit on this before-sorry (for example the players looking at what NBA’ers do and jump to other star teams AND where is their will to Try and give it a year and not just give up, is it a generational issue?)

Eric Hansen

12:39

I think there is the makings of a pretty good defense, so hiring the right coordinator, who can also recruit, is the starting point. Notre Dame has to get better at the Buck linebacker position, and there's plenty of competition there. And they need to find an answer at rover. There are some good candidates. There's questions at safety beyond Kyle Hamilton. Cornerback needs to get more dynamic and deeper. Maybe another grad transfer at each of those positions? I love the D-line. There's talent on on the offensive line, but chemistry will be the challenge. RBs are in a good place, and there's no reason the WRs shouldn't be in the same place. Tight ends are great. QB play is huge. Notre Dame must begin to evolved away from the ball-control model. It's great to have the capacity to do that within certain games and against certain opponents, but the offense must evolve to be more explosive.

Javier from South Florida

12:34

Eric, thanks for all the ND info you provide to us, and your excellent analysis. The 2020 season was amazing! It went way above my expectations for the regular season, but the post-season was (expected but) disappointing, with the 2 loses to the CFP blue-bloods. As ND looks to reload, next season's expectations are not huge. What do you think are the development keys to make it a 4th consecutive 10 win season, both in players and coaching?

Eric Hansen

12:33

There are a lot of Jack Coan questions in the queue. This one is open-ended enough for me to hit on several aspects of this grad transfer. I think Jack comes in with the expectation of getting a chance to earn the starting job. I don't think it's a slam dunk, but I think he'll have an edge. The tough position Tyler Buchner is in is that he's only played one year of high school football, and he had a phenomenal junior year. He was injured as a sophomore. And California canceled the fall season of football his senior year after he had transferred to La Mesa Helix High to play against tougher competition. Drew Pyne will also compete, as will Brendon Clark if he's healthy. I suspect the uncertainty with his knee is one of the reasons ND chose now instead of after spring to peruse the grad transfer QB market. Ron Powlus III will also be on the roster,

Jeff, Cleveland Irish

12:28

Eric, How do you see the Wisconsin QB transfer, Jack Coan, impacting the QB competition? I am hoping incoming freshman, Tyler Buchner, takes advantage of the opportunity and this is all a mute point. I know it's a lot for me to expect out of a freshman, but I think (based off what I've read and videos I've seen) he has the pedigree for it and is up to the challenge!!

Eric Hansen

12:28

Dave, they used to do it after the bowl game when recruits signed in February. Now they have those discussion long before, because of the early signing period in mid-December. They want to be as efficient as possible with roster management and hitting that 85 number on the nose, if possible. And yes, there have been conversations that have prompted players to want to explore transferring. There have been others that have led to players staying as well.

Dave from Washington, DC

12:25

Does the coaching staff meet with players one-on-one after the bowl game to discuss what their role will be moving forward? And, to your knowledge, has this discussion ever prompted players to make a decision to transfer?

Eric Hansen

12:25

They're not just doing this to explore. And once you're in the portal, you're not guaranteed a spot to come back to. Given Notre Dame's relationship to the hard cap in the 85-scholarship limit, I can't imagine there would be room if anyone reversed field on their transfer. There's also a soft cap for players who would have had expired eligibility, due to the COVID exemption. That will affect only Kurt Hinish for sure and likely Jonathan Doerer.

Matt from LA

12:23

What are you hearing regarding some of the defensive players, like Ovie and Houston, entering the transfer portal? Are they intent on leaving or are they exploring options while they wait to see if they have a place in the new DC's system?

Eric Hansen

12:23

Rick, the COVID picture is ever-changing, and I'm far more optimistic than you are about more normal elements to the 2021 season. That doesn't mean I'm right. If it appears the conditions in the fall of 2021 aren't that much different than 2020, I'm sure Notre Dame and the other schools will address that this summer. My sense is ND will play its original 2021 schedule. What I'm less sure about is how the who thing with fans will work. ... to your second question, I don't make the decision on that. Notre Dame wants to be independent, and nothing this year changed that. If I were in charge, I'd also remain independent if I were ND.

Rick from Northville, Michigan

12:19

Regarding the continuing Covid-19 pandemic, some experts are saying that "herd immunity" will not be achieved until late 2021 or early 2022 depending on the rate of vaccinations. This delay could possibly present problems for the 2021 season similar to 2020. Are you aware of any contingency plans to stay in the ACC for 2021 if COVID is still a problem? Also are you still of the opinion that ND should remain independent in light of this year's success in the ACC and possible future changes in the NCAA?

Eric Hansen

12:18

John, I agree with that. With the talent that is on the roster and the talent that's coming in, there needs to be quantum development. I give the program a bit of a pass last season, with one spring practice and a crammed session of training camp, when there wasn't time or circumstance to work as much with chemistry/timing with the younger receivers. This year, I'm going to assume there won't be that obstacle or at least it won't be so formidable.

johngipp

12:15

Lititz,PA Hey Eric, Hope the new year finds you and your family safe. I have a question about wide receivers in general and coaching in particular. You did not need to be a football guru to see the disparity between Clemson/ Alabama and ND at this position. Its obvious recruitment needs a big upgrade. What also concerns me is that the receivers toil in obscurity until they are upper classmen.

Eric Hansen

12:14

The next wave of receivers, is speedier and twitchier. That group has got to be developed. That's not a position where experience is an absolute necessity. Notre Dame's recruiting is starting to reflect that. So there's hope.

12:13

There's one more important dynamic. Notre Dame's commitment to play ball-control football and complementary football. It was smart, because it got them to the playoff. It worked against Clemson the first time and a prolific North Carolina offense. But Brian Kelly found out it's not going to win playoff games. Not without playing the perfect game and getting an incredible amount of luck (multiple turnovers from the opponent). I think he knew that before this season. But he built a system that fit his current personnel. Notre Dame needs a QB who can be top 10 in passing efficiency nationally moving forward. Not a knock on Book, but it's what the next step looks like (more).

12:10

Marie, thank you for your great questions and your passion. ... There's more layers to this question than it might seem. First, when you get to these playoff matchups, you're going against as good as there is in coaching. Brent Venables from Clemson and the best defensive mind of our generation and maybe all time in college football, in Nick Saban. Next, when Notre Dame has struggled in the big-stage games, it's usually been the offense that has set the table for problems on both sides of the ball. So that's not just Rees, but Chip Long and Brian Kelly. ... Specifically to Rees, about moving up the timetable somehow, I think John McNulty's presence on the staff helps some in that regard. Knowing Tommy, he'll look for ways to learn from his mistakes. I still think he had a really good year, but did not finish strong. (more)

Marie from Atlanta

12:04

Hi Eric, Thanks for doing such a fantastic job hosting the chats this year, they have been something to look forward to every week. The lack of offensive creativity during the game was disappointing. I am sure Rees will be a brilliant OC one day but has a ways to go. What specifically can he work on in the off season to improve his abilities. Is it possible he could spend some time learning from a seasoned college or NFL OC to help speed up his learning curve?

Eric Hansen

12:04

Let's go.

We've got a full queue, so if I don't have deadline obligations at 3, we're going to sail into overtime today to get to more of your questions.

12:03

Please remember to include your name and hometown along with your question.

12:02

Here are the rules.