JotCast | Notre Dame Football Live Chat July 17, 2024

Notre Dame Football Live Chat July 17, 2024

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Eric Hansen

2:32

OK, that's going to do it for this week. Thanks for all the great questions. I'll probably skip doing a chat next week and instead get into weekly mode after training camp starts on Wednesday, July 31. Because we have practice access and interviews Wednesday, Thursday and Friday of that week, I'm going to pencil in the next chat for Saturday, Aug. 3. Chat with you then.

2:27

There's a couple of questions re the wide receiver recruiting still in the queue that I'm going to ass on, since we hit that pretty hard. I'll pause if there are any last-minute questions. If you've got them, now's your chance.

2:26

Beave, I am impressed that you are video game-savvy and not telling those who are playing that game to get off your lawn!

Beaver. Grand Rapdis

2:25

Sorry. My bad. Was watching the EA Sports simulation of the ND v USC game in the reflection on my work computer and got turned around. Everything is backwards. You can tell football season is near and I need my fix.

Eric Hansen

2:25

Thanks, Joe, I expect a low-scoring game for some of the reasons you mentioned. Marcus Freeman still has to prove this is a better team on the road than last year, but having an offensive coordinator who can counterpunch against a good or great defense is going to help a lot. So will Mike Denbrock's experience of having coached in that stadium and dealing with the noise there. My prediction of a Notre Dame win based on the team's snapshots now is by no means a slam dunk, but I do believe the Irish will prevail.

Guest

2:22

Joe,San Diego Eric,you have done a good job of preparing us so far on the season--thank you!My question is what should we look for with A&M game?We know Elko is a very good coach,they have a good QB,and Jimbo did a good job in recruiting.The 12th man will be an issue,but would appreciate what your thoughts are at this time as I feel this will be a KEY game for us.

Eric Hansen

2:21

So, this really isn't about how well or not Sam Hartman or Tyler Buchner or Drew Pyne or Jack Coan ran the ball. This is about an elite running quarterback in a Mike Denbrock offense. Riley Leonard's 2022 season (when fully healthy) looked like this: 699 yards, 5.6 avg., 13 TDs. ... I think the total rushing yards and average are realistic this season. Leonard not only has speed. He has size and physicality, which really makes him tough to defend in the running game. The more he can advance as a passer, the more dangerous he becomes in the running game, because defenses won't be able to fully lean into defending that.

2:17

Bryan, definitely not a rookie-level question. Really compelling ... thanks. And I mean the football question. The humidity question was a good ice-breaker. ... Let me show you how Denbrock has used the QB in the running game in his nine consecutive years as an offensive play-caller. Let's start with DeShone Kizer in 2015 and 2016 at ND:
2015: 520 yards, 3.9 avg. 10 TDs
2016: 472, 3.7, 9 YDs
Hayden Moore, Cincinnati
2017: 312, 3.4, 4 TDs
Desmond Ridder, Cincinnati
2018: 572, 3.8, 5 TDs
2019: 650, 4.5, 5 TDs
2020: 552, 6.0, 12 TDs
2021: 365, 3.3, 6 TDs
Jayden Daniels, LSU
2022: 885, 4.8, 11 TDs
2023: 1,134, 8.4, 10 TDs
(more)

Bryan from Los Angeles

2:09

Eric!! Is it as humid in South Bend in July as I'm remembering? Anyway, first time caller, long time listener. My real question: How do you see Riley Leonard getting used in the run game, specifically? The last few years we've seen QBs used in option plays with the RB where they rarely kept it (or at least Hartman never did). This never seemed to have a great deal of success, and that was about it for planned run plays involving the QB. With Leonard they have a very dynamic runner, though. How do you think Denbrock will use this weapon??

Eric Hansen

2:06

Hi Ryan, I was having the discussion about Mitchell Evans will Darin Pritchett on WSBT's Weekday SportsBeat. I think physically he'll be good to go. The wild card is the mental aspect. I cited two example. Eli Raridon treated ACL tear No. 1 like a boo-boo, but ACL 2 caused a delay in his mental readiness long after he was healed physically, and he's obviously good to go now. Olivia Miles from the ND WBB team, same deal. On our Inside ND Sports podcast, she talked about how much tougher the mental hurdles were than the physical ones. Having said that. I have not heard that Evans has hit that speed bump. ... I think we'll get captains named early in training camp.

Ryan Mars PA

2:03

Good afternoon Eric with Camp starting in two Weeks Will Mitchell Evans be full go for camp and when will We Name the captains Go IRISH

Eric Hansen

2:01

I did not read the question correctly/thoroughly. I interpreted as him just being curious as to whether say Aamil Wagner might be better at LT ultimately (and the media has speculated about this a lot). I did not metabolize the blind spot part of the question. But Riley Leonard is right-handed. So are all the other QBs currently on the roster. Deuce Knight, the QB commit in the 2025 class, though, is a lefty.

Doug from Sunny Florida

1:59

Was Beaver suggesting Riley Leonard is left handed? Isn't he right handed?

Eric Hansen

1:58

J-Man! 1. Haha. He was a college tight end ... but not THAT fast. Here's a link to Al Golden training in the weight room back during his playing days at Penn State. 2. Let me check on that, but I don't think that is the case. I think their eligibility is based on the fall semester. 3. It will be treated as a home game and not a neutral-site game. I plan to get more details as we get closer to the season. But all that was in the works when I had my one-on-one interview with new AD Pete Bevacqua back in the spring. 4. The first-round playoff games, to be clear, will be televised by ABC (1), ESPN (1) and TNT (2). I would think there are elements of that infrastructure they could use (camera platforms, etc.) and some they'd want to do on their own. ... And thank you.

Jim on Topsail

1:51

E-man! 4 questions for you: 1. I read that DC Golden runs a 4-3-4 and sometimes a 4-2-5 ... is he really that fast? 2. With the CFP now running into the second semester (most schools), what are the eligibility requirements for "students"? Do they have to be enrolled? 3. What is the criteria for first round CFP games on campus, specifically ticket allotments and revenue? Will it be managed like a typical home game or will the visiting team be treated as if it is a neutral site game, i.e. 50/50 with tickets and revenue. 4. If ND is selected as a first round host will ESPN utilize the NBC telecast infrastructure already in place? Thanks again for the chats and hope your responses don't require too much research on your part. Go Irish!

Eric Hansen

1:50

Jack, I drove right past Strongsville on Sunday on my way back from vacation in Pa. ... That's a tough list to beat. Rockne has to be No. 1. And it's hard to argue with the national titles from Frank Leahy and Muffet McGraw. Some others I'd put in that conversation -- Ara Parsghian in football, Kevin Corrigan in men's lacrosse and Gia Kvaratskhelia in fencing with five national titles and 20 individual NCAA champs. ND has had some really good baseball coaches, though they don't have the national titles at ND to show for it.

Jack, Strongsviile, Ohio

1:45

Hi Eric. Hope your off season is restful. Because it is off season, here is a fun question for you. What would be your top three all time ND coaches across all sports. My 3 are Rockne, Leahy, and Muffet. Have a great rest of your summer.

Eric Hansen

1:44

No, Marcus Freeman was asked that in June and he was adamant that would not happen.

Beaver. Grand Rapdis

1:44

Eric: Is there any discussion of moving the winner of the RT battle (Wagner or Baker) to LT and moving Charles Jagusah to RT to lefty Leonard’s blind spot?

Eric Hansen

1:44

I like JonAnthony Hall as a football player and had a chance to see him play basketball and talk to him in person. ... They could still try to flip Hall later if they really like him. But I think Hines, Robinson and Meadows are all three better and it was the right move to prioritize them, whether the Irish get any of them or not. ... Yes on the offense this fall and the QBs waiting in the wings. ... If ND goes 0-for-3, they have time to recalibrate since there won't be official visits until fall. I think they'll expand their board, including potential flips, but the portal is the better avenue likely. Maybe a combination of the two. They'd like two more.

1:39

HI Marie. Good to hear from you and hoping to catch up with you soon outside of the chat. I remember I lost our NCAA men's tournament bracket bet. ... We hit on the WRs recruiting a little earlier with the link that I included for more depth. Let me hit these aspects one at a time. On a scale of 1 to 10, I'm going to go with a 3 after talking to longtime recruiting analyst Tom Lemming for the story. Tom is going to give it to me straight if a coach is lazy, or inept or struggling. Instead, he talked about how good of a recruiter Mike Brown has been ... and after a season of on-field production with him coaching WRs and Mike Denbrock leading the offense, closing on WRs will be a more successful endeavor. (And I am not writing off Meadows at this point). He also pointed to Mike Mickens' first cycle at ND and how it jumped dramatically in year 2 (Mickey and Morrison). (more)

Marie from Atlanta

1:28

Hi Eric, I hope you have enjoyed the last several weeks and thanks so much for hosting the chat, it’s great that you’re back and that football season is not that far away. On a scale of 1 to 10 one being not worried at all and 10 being the house is burning down, how concerned are you about wide receiver recruiting? Why do you think the Irish are having such a tough time closing? Do you think they should’ve pushed harder for John Anthony Hall? Do you think good offensive play this fall might get some otherwise not interested wide receivers taking a look at Notre Dame? Potential flips, or late bloomers in high school. Worst case scenario they go 0 gor 3 this week on wide receivers, who do you think they look at next? how much do you think they would use the portal next year to fill the wide receiver spot? As always, thanks for hosting the chat. We all appreciate your great insights

Eric Hansen

1:28

Hi Roger. Great here and thanks for asking. Matt Jeffery is a 5-11, 185-pound wide receiver, who -- as you mentioned -- is the No. 1 prospect in lacrosse in his class. He is a good enough athlete to be a factor down the road in football, as you mentioned, but not an immediate guy like Jordan Faison, in part due to ND's depth this year at WR as opposed to last year. He is on campus and working out with the team. The coaches have seen him in OTAs last month but won't seem him in an actually football setting until training camp starts on July 31. it is a big sacrifice for a player of that caliber to give up the fall lacrosse training season. Faison overcame that. Tyler Buchner would have a more prominent role next spring if he gave up football, He chose not to. But yes, I can't want to see him on the field in a couple of weeks.

Roger, Munster IN

1:22

Hi Eric, i hope all is well. Wondering if there have been any murmurs about the walk on WR Matt Jeffery, who is also a lacrosse commit I believe and was the #1 lax recruit nationally coming out of HS. Hoping he could be a sleeper athlete down the road and follow in the foot steps of Faison (admittedly easier said than done).. Rooting for the kid and just curious to see if he has made an impression yet. Have a great rest of your week, go Irish

Eric Hansen

1:21

Hi Beave. I think it's more of how the pieces fell, but there are some layers to it, some of which you suggested. ND had continuity on defense and also players who could benefit draft-wise from another year and could be financially compensated through NIL to stay. Joe Alt didn't fit any of that. It's hard to imagine he'd get drafted higher. Now Blake Fisher, yes, could have come back. And maybe if he had a long bond with the O-line coach or continuity with an offensive coordinator, MAYBE the decision might have been different. But NIL money actually going forward will keep some guys in college for another year, or at least be a factor in their decisions to stay.

Beaver. Grand Rapdis

1:17

Eric: The defense returned many draft-eligible and draft-worthy prospects who should contribute to a stellar unit for 2024. The offense went the other direction, losing several prospects to the NFL with remaining eligibility who could have arguably benefitted from another year in college. Is there a different feel on the defensive and offensive rooms contributing to this result? Or just where the pieces fell this year? It seems like the defense bonded as a group and each return announcement fueled momentum for others joining the deferral decision.

Eric Hansen

1:17

Hey Kevin!!!! I have seen some video and have seen spirited workouts, and it definitely is a different dynamic. What I can tell you, for better or for worse, the players have really bought in and embraced the approach.

Kevin-Sleepy Eye,MN

1:16

Eric!!!! Let’s talk landow’s summer. Unless I missed: I haven’t seen much video of team workouts. With Balis we had these spirited team workouts that I enjoyed seeing. What have you seen? Is everything about science based training or is there team-building-guys giving all they got for their teammates type training???

Eric Hansen

1:16

Hi Ced. I have no control over a competitor's prediction. Not saying they're wrong, but they didn't consult with me, or apparently you either.

cederickwalker

1:15

ced Walker saginaw Michigan aka sagnasty saginaw pride Im really shocked and surprised that blue & gold illustrated football preview book pick notre dame to lose 17-14 to Texas a&m I know we must get out to a fast start playing on the road the key this game will be the offensive line and our defense here come the irish trust the process the golden standard rally we are nd god country go irish love thee notre dame our mother pray for us

Eric Hansen

1:15

Hi Paul. I can't stand that either. So my advice is hang tight. Rivals has asked us for some customization suggestions for our site, and we're shrinking that box from four modules to two and actually changing what's in them. As we get further down the road, we'll be able to customize further. And we're told at some point, subscribers will have some control over customization. Thanks for asking and subscribing.

Paul from Katy, Texas

1:12

Eric: How do I hide the Rivals250 Prospect Rankings, 2024 Team Rankings, Notre Dame Futurecast 2025 Top Targets, and Notre Dame 2025 Commitment List boxes that block the right half of my home page in the new Rivals format?

Eric Hansen

1:12

Keep in mind if ND didn't bring in the transfers, some players might have stayed -- Clarence Lewis, for instance, at nickel. So at the positions I'm expected a transfer to start, I'd put Steve Angeli starting at QB, KK Smith starting at field receiver, Clarence Lewis starting at nickel. If he transferred anyways, then Karson Hobbs. I'd have Adon Shuler in Rod Heard II's spot at safety, Josh Burnham in FJ Oben's spot at defensive end, Zac Yoakam at kicker and I suppose Chris Salerno at punter.

1:07

Hey John. I was in your state last week, though still quite a distance from where you are. I just predicted an ND win in my last question, and I haven't had any second thoughts. And yes, I do feel it will be very challenging, for some of the reasons you listed. I don't think it's make or break for the playoff. I think this is a game ND could lose and still make the playoff by running the table. But it gives them zero wiggle room for the two tough November games, against Florida State at home and USC on the road. Now to your transfer question, which is pretty intriguing ...

johngipp Lititz, PA

1:04

Hey Eric, From triple digit temp Lititz. I feel the A&M game will be a landmark game for MF to start his 3rd yr. Will he overcome the road syndrome given Kyle Fields rep, 1st test of OL, Elko's d mind and past intimate relationship with Leonard? A loss in this game would make for a precarious path to the playoffs given ND's schedule. Your thoughts? Supposing ND had Clemson's philosophy (no transfers) what would the lineup look like sans the transfers and what effect would it have on your season prognostication ?

Eric Hansen

1:02

I don't want to say Mike Elko's familiarity with Riley Leonard is a non-factor. But it's mitigated by Leonard playing for a different head coach, in a different offense and with a different supporting cast. And there's no film of any of that, since Leonard was held out of the Blue-Gold Game in the spring while coming back from ankle surgery. I can do that math on your how many times out of 10 question, but my mind doesn't work that way. I probably overthink it. Because when they play a second time, for instance, all the blind-date elements are gone and maybe ND adjusts to the noise better than they did the first. What I can say is A&M gets ND's offense as a very unfinished product, but I think ND's defense is going to give that unfinished offense enough wiggle win to get a big road win.

12:59

Thanks, Paddy. But no thanks for a question that involves math haha. The question about Riley Leonard isn't so much about who he's been but who he can be. Heisman Trophy winner Jayden Daniels was regressing at Arizona State and had a pass-efficiency rating of 136.1 there in his final season at ASU. In his second year in Mike Denbrock's offense at LSU, he was a nation's past 208.0. I'm not saying Leonard will be over 200, but I do think he'll improve greatly over his career 131.7 rating. There are skills in which to build. As a runner, Leonard has a career average of 5.3 yards a carry with sacks baked into that and 6.1 last year on a bad ankle. He had 13 rushing TDs in 2022 over a full season. Only one QB in ND history has had the many or more rushing TDs in a season — Brandon Wimbush in 2017 (14). (more)

Paddy, Chicago

12:48

Great stuff on these chats; thank you Eric! As ACC coaches say Leonard is not as accurate as Hartman nor as good at the long game, and since Leonard is a good runner but not as electric as Buchner, what data is indicating he can be an elite QB this Fall (especially in light of a green O line). Question 2, given that O line, A&M's stout D line and Elko's familiarity with all things Leonard, at this stage how many games out of 10 again A&M would ND win this Fall in your opinion (if 10 were played ha).

Eric Hansen

12:45

Hi Len. I think you'll have a great time. And since I get to ask Marcus Freeman questions fairly regularly, there aren't a lot sitting on the table for me. I had an opportunity last month to be part of a small group that got to ask lots of questions on and off the record, and it was great. ... Having said that, ii it were me in the role of my job, I'd want a health update, especially on Ben Morrison's shoulder (which was one of the questions asked on the record in June). If I were in your shoes, I'd want to know how ND will manage the legal paying of players and NIL moving forward and how they prioritize spending money on high school recruits vs. transfer portal players.

Len from the Jersey Shore

12:41

Hello Eric and thanks for hosting. CMF will be at the Jersey Shore at a luncheon on July 20 along with 10 players. The luncheon is co sponsored by the 4 area clubs in the state. I will be there and I am looking forward to hearing him in person. I have heard so much about his ability to relate to a large or small audience. There will be 400 attendees, a sellout, at this event. There will be a short question and answer session. If Eric Hansen was there what would you ask him?

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