JotCast | Notre Dame Football Live Chat Jan. 7, 2022

Notre Dame Football Live Chat Jan. 7, 2022

Eric Hansen

3:03

That's going to do it for today. Thanks for all the great questions. We'll do this again soon, hopefully next week. I'm trying to dodge the heaviest days in this busy news cycle. Keep an eye on the Insiders Lounge and my Twitter @EHansenND for specifics about the time and date of the next chat.

3:01

Andrew, I think even with Jaxson Dart at quarterback, they'll be much improved. Even more formidable in 2023.

Andrew from Plymouth, IN

3:00

Looking at next year's schedule there are probably 8 games ND should win; with BYU, USC, Clemson, & Ohio State being the most difficult games. How much more difficult does the schedule become if Caleb Williams ends up at USC?

Eric Hansen

2:59

Thanks, Rick. Off the top of my head, Quenton Nelson, Jaylon Smith, Will Fuller, Stephon Tuitt, so many ... But I'll go with what the 2022 team lacks the most and that's Kyle Hamilton. I wouldn't mind having the 2015 version of DeShone Kizer.

Guest

2:56

Eric, great to see you on this site as I was a previous sub and joined your chats at the Trib--good luck in the new venture! If you could add one previous player from the Kelly era to the 2022 team to help our chances at a national championship, who would it be? Rick from St Pete

Eric Hansen

2:55

Hi Denny. He is absolutely going to be supportive of his players and work to get them better.

Denny from Beaverton Or.

2:55

New Year's greetings and wishes for the best of luck in your new endeavor. After all the excitement of the few weeks leading up to the Fiesta Bowl, the euphoria of the first half and the gut wrenching slow death of the second half, one thing sticks in my mind. It was a comment Marcus Freeman made after the game regarding the play of #6 when he said something to the effect that "I would not trade him for the world." I wonder if that simple comment speaks volumes about the man and the future direction of the Notre Dame football program. Thanks Eric...just a comment on my part.

Eric Hansen

2:55

I think Chris is going to get some snaps in the slot regardless of numbers at WR, because he's good at it. I still think he's the No. 1 back going into spring and likely coming out of it. ... I did not hear Pat Narduzzi as a consideration, no.

Tim Thompson

2:53

In Nantucket. Because of thin depth at receiver, will Chris Tyree be at slot more where he can more easily get to space, with Diggs and Estime assuming more duties ar running back? Was Pat Narduzzi ever a thought for head coach. In a short time he has a Heisman candidate at qb, a Biletnikoff at wr and an all-American db, plus being ranked for first time in awhile?

Eric Hansen

2:53

I think it's 1) Marcus aiming high. 2) People in the business having respect for the kind of head coach they think Marcus will become. 3) ND being competitive with salaries.

Sean, Portland OR

2:52

It seems that Marcus Freeman is also an excellent recruiter when it comes to his coaching staff. 1) Hiestand returning to ND when it seemed like he no longer wanted to coach (or at least coach in college) 2) Plucking Cincy's special teams coordinator after Cincy beat ND this year 3) Keeping the majority of the key coaching staff together despite them having longer relationships and potentially more money at LSU with Kelly 4) Laurinitis joining the staff despite having a successful career elsewhere 5) Mutual interest with Wiggins' at Alabama 6) The fact that Hartline remotely had any interest 7) Many of the DC's being floated out there have excellent track records and even major head coaching experience

Why do you think this is? ND seems poised to improve it's coaching staff at the vacant positions (OL/WR coach)? Is there a sense among Marcus and potential coaches that ND is close to taking the next step? Is ND opening up their pocketbooks more than before?

Eric Hansen

2:51

Rick, first of all thanks for the follow. If I understand your question correctly, yes we have all that info in our Rivals database, both team recruiting rankings dating all the way back to the start of Rivals in 2002 and individual rankings for every player. It's easy to look up. Email us at insidendsports@gmail.com if you're still having issues.

Rick from Nappanee

2:49

I also followed you over because of the great insight you and Tyler offer us fans. I'm kind of a data geek and follow with interest the recruiting rankings. I know there are surprises and disappointments in players and I was wondering if there's a source that would offer rankings for past recruiting classes that are playing now or have transferred out? I'd like to compare rankings to success on the field.

Eric Hansen

2:48

I think when the playoff expands to 12 teams the answer may be different than it would be today, because it could change recruiting patterns. I don't know that Iowa and Minnesota would ever have the talent bases to upset the Big Ten East champ in that title game, then face to more elite teams in the playoff.

Len from the Jersey Shore

2:47

Hello Eric, Happy New Year and best of luck to you and Tyler with new venture. Back in the 70's when 85 scholarship limit happened the field was leveled, somewhat. Since that time TV contr., conf. branding, team branding etc. tilted the field again. I recall when Joe Pa told Syracuse that he would only take two PSU home games to one for Syr. if they continue to play. A Syr. team, for younger readers, that had a greater football history/tradition than PSU at the time. Now all teams use their clout to increase the separation between the haves & have nots. Staffs are out of control with non-coaching hires, facilities spending; now the NIL arms race has begun in earnest with all that Texas A & M money earmarked for recruits but not directly in return for a letter of intent. I heard the number was 30 M. From the mid 70's to early 80's we saw Clem. (before elite), BYU, Penn St (1st time) Miami (1st time). Not sure we will see that again. What do you expect Eric? Can an Iowa say, or Minn ever win?

Eric Hansen

2:46

and thanks!

2:45

Of the five they are involved with, I'd pick Dante Moore, with Nico Iamaleava and Jackson Arnold right behind. I think Arnold will be the first to make up his mind and that would be my educated guess as the one who ultimately lands at ND at this point.

Mike in DC

2:43

Happy New Year and congrats on the new site. Two questions for you: who is your favorite QB prospect in the next cycle, and if you had to pick just one right now, who do you think ND is most likely to land?

Eric Hansen

2:43

Bert, thank you and thank you ... and thanks for sharing your story. ... It was almost a lose-lose proposition, but I would have done what Marcus did and not punt. There was no guarantee, the way the ND was playing and was gassed, that the Irish would have gotten the ball back. So I would have gone for it too and hopefully called a better play.

Bert from Windermere

2:41

Hi Eric nice to have you back: one coment and one question. I did not participate in the last one because I was travelling and missed the opportunity to tell you that your comments about your grandmother and your mother was very moving and brought tear to my eyes. I remembered the sad tales my uncle told me of living in NYC during the depression and my experiences living in Puerto Rico during WWII while my father was away in the service for five years. Would you have punted with three minutes to go and three time outs rather than risking a turn over deep in OSU territory and a punt that would put the game out of reach.

Eric Hansen

2:40

I think it's fair to say it won't be until after the national title game that we'll really be able to gauge Holmon Wiggins' actual interest. He may just be willing to listen or end up being more invested. He's got a title beyond WRs coach (assistant head coach of offense). Two thoughts. ND mihgt be able to offer him more money ... and perhaps a role that would enhance his chances of becoming a head coach someday, with more say in the offensive meeting room. ... That's a big reason Tony Alford left ND for OSU years ago, what he thought would be a faster track to a head coaching opportunity.

Pat from the burgh, PA

2:35

Hey Eric sorry if it's already been discussed but with the mutual interest from Alabama's wideout coach Wiggins, have you heard anything on why exactly he has mutual interest? Just seems strange to consider leaving alabama for ND when he was reportedly offered some sort of OC role with Sark at Texas and turned it down for a simple pay raise and assistant head coach title.

Eric Hansen

2:35

Don, thanks for the suggestion. ... yes agreed on the full staff thing. Especially against a really good program and a very successful coach.

Don in Phoenix

2:34

Eric, Congrats on the new home. Just saw Tom M's question. I ran into the same thing and remembered I was on B&G for a bit when it was Rivals. email stayed in the system. Changed password and all's well. Does ND win the Fiesta Bowl with an experienced HC and full staff. Not knocking Freeman, he'll have plenty of time for that, but in retrospect we all should have thought something like 1/1/2022 was a possibility.

Eric Hansen

2:33

Hi Kevin. They are renewable annually. Yes they have rescinded scholarships for disciplinary reasons. Otherwise, at Notre Dame at least, they're pretty much automatic until graduation. Then there are options for both parties.

Kevin Kane Bonita Springs

2:31

Are ND Football scholarships for 4 years, or renewable annually? If annually, has UND ever rescinded a scholarship from a player after year or two years etc.? Or is renewable automatic

Eric Hansen

2:31

Sorry for the slow response there. The Harry Hiestand deal appears to be very close, so I posted my story on What Harry Hiestand's return means for Notre Dame Football.

2:29

Thanks, Tim. I know exactly where East Liverpool is from by days working summer jobs in college with the Ohio Dept. of Transportation. ... It starts with playing really good run defenses and defenses period. Alabama in 2012 was 1 in rush defense and 1 in total defense. Clemson in 2018 was 4/5. Alabama in 2020 was 17/32. Okie State this year was 3/5. But it doesn't end there. The Irish did not have the elite talent and QB and WR to make those teams pay for focusing on the run. So recruiting better at those positions becomes part of the answer.

Tim from East Liverpool, Ohio

2:12

Hey Eric, love the chats. Hailing from the hometown of Lou Holtz, I miss the physical smash mouth style of football we had in that era. My question is why do you think our run game disappears in every major bowl game? We've had great lineman and good backs but can never seem to establish a solid run game in the big bowl games. Thanks

Eric Hansen

2:11

As of the moment -- and it can change quickly -- it would be Justius Lowe, a 6-1, 180-pound wide receiver from Lake Oswego, Ore. He verbally committed to Utah in mid-December, but didn't sign. Since then Notre Dame, Florida and USC have all joined the chase.

Michael from Walnut, CA

2:06

what’s the biggest recruit to possibly sign in February?

Eric Hansen

2:05

Hi John. I've seen the Cutcliffe suggestion a lot in my email inbox and other places. I like the concept of adding successful, experienced coaches in analyst roles on both sides of the ball. As it pertains to Arch Manning, no matter what David Cutcliffe does after leaving Duke, I don't see Notre Dame being a factor. He's going to stay in the south.

John Utterback - Palmyra, PA

2:01

Will Coach Freeman entertain extending an offer to Coach Cutcliffe to be a sounding board for Tommy for a few years and to coach the Q’s? He could also help us to make landing Arch Manning a real possibility.

Eric Hansen

1:58

Thanks, Mike. I read those comments as well. Notre Dame was slow to get out offers in the 2022 cycle. Eventually, they focused on Gavin Wimsatt and Steve Angeli, with Allar an unranked (and underrated) prospect who was starting to take off. They were even slow to pull the trigger on Angeli. They could have signed both, and Angeli would have been fine with that. I'm not sure if Allar would have gone along with it. In fairness, the pandemic prevented many in-person evaluations, so it was a screwy cycle. ND needed to offer and evaluate earlier and aim higher in 2023, and they have.

IrishMike Altoona PA

1:53

Eric, congratulations on your new venture! Living in the heart of Nittany Lion Country, I read an interesting article today! 5-star Lion QB commit, Drew Allar, suggested he really wanted to attend ND, but the Irish came in very late in the recruiting process, some two and a half months after Penn State offered! Seems like a big miss on the part of the Irish. We’re they already committed to Steve Angeli? I can’t fathom letting a 5 star QB get away!

Eric Hansen

1:53

Marcus and Tommy Rees are co-conspirators on this one. So far, there are elite prospects in both the 2023 and 2024 classes (and even one in 2025) that are showing mutual interest. Now it's about closing ... and prioritizing the right one. The 2023 cycle will be a good litmus test for the answer to your question.

Michael Jordan

1:51

Freezing in Buffalo right now, but appreciate your time. Do you think Marcus Freeman will be able to recruit elite skill players/quarterbacks? It seems this is really the big difference consistently among the elite teams compared with ND.

Eric Hansen

1:51

Joe, very much a problem on game day. Very much one I believe is fixable and will be fixed moving forward.

Joe H Williams Bay Wi

1:50

Hi Eric I was traveling on New Year’s Day and had to listen to the Fiesta Bowl on the radio but couldn’t help feeling that we made no meaningful halftime adjustments especially on defense Do you think that is a fair assessment and do you think that will be a problem for us going forward with this coaching staff

Eric Hansen

1:50

Thanks Dave. With spring semester classes starting Monday, most of the portal action will be adding people in the summer. Joseph, if he chooses ND, could be here for spring. Smart teams commit to starting communication with more prospects than they'll ever get involved with, then peel back as needed. I think beyond safety, wide receiver has some urgency, followed by cornerback, and then a QB for depth. Maybe a running back for numbers. Maybe an impact defensive end should Foskey leave.

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