JotCast | Notre Dame Football Live Chat | June 11, 2025

Notre Dame Football Live Chat | June 11, 2025

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Eric Hansen

1:45

Wow, Charlie, you're going to get me in trouble. We have way more access to the coordinators than the other assistants, so our sample size isn't the same. And I have a bias in that I love talking to O-line coaches -- Joe Rudolph and before him, Harry Hiestand. As a group, I'd put those 10 really high. But the context is what are you looking for? If you're looking for a great soundbite, it's OC Mike Denbrock. If you want really nuanced information, then it's O-Line Joe Rudolph and STs Marty Biagi. RBs coach Ja'Juan Seider makes a great first impression, but we haven't had him a lot. Max Bullough is caffeine personified, a badass who makes you want to run through a wall when you talk to him, but who you might have to bleep sometimes. QBs coach Gino Guidugli is pretty insightful and open. I haven't had Mike Brown very much yet, so small sample size. DC Chris Ash and DBs coach Mike Mickens are more guarded, but both have great backstories and are worth being patient with. (more)

Charley from the Sip

1:33

Hey Eric - can you rate the assistant coaches by interviewability?

Eric Hansen

1:32

Bryan Seeley was named CEO of a new enforcement organization called the College Sports Commission. He'll oversee NIL enforcement, direct-revenue cap enforcement, and roster limits and such. Now, will there be teams and individuals who try to circumvent those rules? Of course. And the sport's power brokers have confidence this new system will be effective in combatting that ... eventually. I hope that helps make things less muddy for you and everyone else.

1:29

HI The Beave. Welcome to the confusion club. Let's walk through this together and maybe find some clarity. First, let's look at the way it's supposed to work. FBS teams, including Notre Dame, can pay UP TO $20.5 million (and that number escalates in future years) to its athletes. As I mentioned earlier, 75% of that is likely to go to football. On top of that players can earn NIL money for true name, image and likeness, unlike how most of the NIL money worked up until now. In this new system, NIL deals must be cleared through an NIL Clearinghouse called NIL Go. (more)

The Beave Grand Rapids

1:25

Eric: I’m confused as to how the NCAA settlement does anything more than contribute ADDITIONAL funds to the NIL game. On top of the $20.5M from the school, what is to stop rich SEC alumni from directly paying huge sums for bogus (or legitimate) NIL deals? Do we now have a capped floor with an unlimited ceiling?

Eric Hansen

1:24

Yes Devan Houstan moved from nose guard/defensive tackle to offensive guard in the spring. I'm not sure either path provided an express lane to the two-deeps, but I do think offensive guard is the more realistic path for him. The portal additions plus Davion Dixon plus the notion Chris Burgess will eventually end up in side all made the climb at interior defensive line all the more improbable. He's a hard worker and so let's see where it goes. As far as Syracuse's QB situation, Angeli will have to beat out one-time LSU transfer Rickie Collins to top the depth chart. Should be a really good competition in August.

1:18

Hey Pete. Thanks for the longest question in this week's chat and also one with a great backstory! Peter Schivarelli and I connected after the House v. NCAA settlement became final and I need to call him today to firm up a get-together with him coming up later this month. So, thanks for the feedback on the story. And thanks for the Hansen trivia and the cool stories about the guys from Erie Prep. Speaking of Erie, I spent some time there last summer, found a Chinese buffet I really liked there and won a game of Putt Putt golf there LOL. .. to your questions .... (more)

Pete in Erie PA

1:13

Chapter 2: Back to Tom Hansen. He was not a football player but he was a walk-on, 6-2" G on the 1st 3 Digger Phelps era teams. Played with the football playing Townsend brothers when Digger was building the program. Became a starter his 2nd season and was a Senior on the 1974 team vs UCLA that ended the Bruins’ all-time record 88-game win streak. His main function was 3 yrs baseball RHB 3B, drafted by the Tigers and spent a few years on the farm. A 2 sport "star" to add to the Hansen legacy! So now you know. You're welcome! A couple questions: I saw a depth chart of ND OG's recently and was shocked to see at the bottom of the list, Devan Houston? For real? Seems like a more difficult path to playing time. Lastly, any idea if Steve Angeli will be the Orange QB? Will it take an injury?

1:12

Hey Eric! Thank you for the chat! Some easy ones for you... First an FYI. A while back I asked if you knew Tom Hansen. I doubted youz were related but you never know. I thought you might know of him since you're from up this way, Cleveland, right? and he was an Irish 2 sport star back in the early 70's. Plus he's a Hansen after all. You don't know all of them? Ha! Also, this ties in with your story about Peter Schivarelli. Great job with that story by the way! Hansen, Peter's friend Mike McCoy, Pat Steenberge and my brother all walked the same hallowed halls back here at Erie Prep. They all know each other and they're all huge fans of the band. My bro was part of the 73 Champs and gets on the field one more time every 5 years when they honor the team. He was a walk-on with Peter in 1969. McCoy was a senior then. Steenberge was a QB that eventually took over for Theismann in 71. Con't in chapter 2....

Eric Hansen

1:11

I'm going to pass on the 2027 QBs. That's a question for Tyler James. I interviewed one .. and really liked him and that's Israel Abrams from Montini Catholic in Lombard, Ill. But my sample size is too small. The top six receivers? It's easy to get to five ... Fields, Greathouse, Faison, Pauling, Gilbert. No. 6 right now would be Elijah Burress .. but it's a huge fall camp for both KK Smith and Cam Williams, and so those two are very much in play as well.

1:07

Hi Marie. Thanks for your keeping me on my toes, per usual. The two cornerback Dallas Golden and Mark Zackery IV would be on that list and then it gets blurry when we're talking about offense or defense and not just special teams. I'd say Chris Burgess maybe, less maybe Will Black except late-game stuff. Erik Schmidt is a great security blanket on special teams at kicker and punter. In another year when ND wasn't so stacked with LBs, I'd say Anthony Sacca, but not on this team. (more)

Marie from Atlanta

1:02

Hi Eric, I hope you’re enjoying the week and thanks for hosting the chat. Of the freshmen that have just arrived on campus in June, other than James Flanagan who else do you think has a legitimate chance to get some playing time? If you were going to offer two quarterbacks in the 2027 class based on what you’ve seen, who would you offer and why? Looking into your crystal ball, who will be the top six wide receivers when the season starts and of those six, who do you think will play the most snaps this year? Thanks for hosting the awesome midweek chat. I know we all really appreciate it.

Eric Hansen

1:00

Hi Ced. Dallas Golden, for those who don't follow the freshmen as close as you do, is one of 12 June-enrolling freshman and a cornerback who has a chance to play in a rotational role as a freshman. So does fellow June-enrolled freshman CB Mark Zackery IV and early enrollee Cree Thomas. Golden certainly has the speed and skills to play wide receiver at the FBS level, but can he help THIS team in a dual role? Unless there is a wild run of injuries at the WR position, I think ND has the quantity and quality to keep Golden focusing on defense. Now where I think he might help beyond corner is on special teams. I'd have in the fall camp gong show to see if he might emerge at kickoff returner or punt returner.

Guest

12:51

ced walker saginaw Michigan aka sagnasty saginaw pride do you believe Marcus Freeman will let dallas golden play both ways wr , cb God Bless This Football Team 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

12:50

Larry, thanks for being my public relations agent! Notre Dame would love to continue both series. But if logistics or "fowl" play (yes, that's a veiled chicken reference) changes the frequency of those games or makes them extinct, I do think there's value to playing on the West Coast with some regularity, both for recruiting and because it's in ND's DNA to play a national schedule. My sense is there would be quite a few willing partners that would get ND to that part of the country, either in a home-and-home or a Shamrock Series venue.

Guest

12:45

Larry from Topton, PA. Hi Eric. Thanks for keeping us ND fans informed and entertained during the offseason! Football Never Sleeps starts off my week, and I am thrilled that you and Darin are staying together on WSBT!! My question relates to the anticipated discontinuation of the annual Stanford/Southern Cal rotation. I understand the need to be in California to recruit in late Nov/early Dec is no longer critical. But I am concerned that not playing there annually, or somewhere on the west coast, could have a negative impact on recruiting. Don’t recruits and their families on the west coast want to see their ND-bound players live on occasion (without having to travel to the Midwest)? Could not playing out west hurt western (including Hawaii) recruiting for ND? At this point on the 2027 schedule, Notre Dame’s furthest “west” game will be at Michigan State. Do you think ND needs to find a regular west coast opponent? I will hang up and listen. Keep up the great work Eric!!!!!

Eric Hansen

12:45

Thank you, Beau. For me, the three that could cause the most problems outside of those five are Navy, Pitt and Syracuse with Steve Angeli. I think Navy is going to be the best of those three teams, but given Pitt is on the road and ND has to make the conversion of going from Navy's offense back to a traditional offense in one week. I'll make the Panthers on Nov. 15 the trap game. The weather could play into that as well.

Beau Harvey, Rockwood,Tn

12:36

Is there a game other than those top 5 that I wrote that we could possibly lose to is my question?

12:35

Hello Eric, hope all is well with you today. My question is with ND having a more difficult schedule this year in that their 5 toughest opponents being (IMO & in no order) Miami, USC, Texas AM, Boise, and Ark. Is there another game or games that you look at on the schedule that you kinda look at and go, "If ND doesn't have their head on straight, then they could lose to ???" I understand the last 2 years of flops to the 2nd games of the seasons bc we played like garbage, but is there that one opponent that if ND plays its 'A' game and "said team" plays its 'A+' game, that we may get upset? I don't see it happening, but just wanted to ask the guru that you are. Thanks sir.

Eric Hansen

12:35

The worst in that span? The 2012 Irish at No. 74. So, losing Riley Leonard's prolific running can be replaced by elite passing ... but you must get elite passing.

12:34

Hi George. That's what Notre Dame was banking on when they recruited him and why he became one of the two front-runners to win the job. The fact that he's at least an adequate runner with good size is important. History tells us you can win a national title with that kind of QB, even though there's been plenty of dual-threat QBs to lead their teams to championships in recent years. The key stat though is pass efficiency. In the last nine season, all nine were 18th or better nationally in that state. The last six were all in the top 10. Going back 30 years, never has there been a national champ ranked lower than 37th. The Irish last season were 49th -- the second-to-worst ranking by a team to reach the title game in the BCS/Playoff Era (1998-2024). (more)

George Smith, Seattle, WA

12:27

although CJ Carr will not be as good a runner a Riley Leonard, will the step up in the passing game he provides make up for it given that he can run a little bit?

Eric Hansen

12:26

Manny!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! You hit me in my Achilles heel. Jerseys are not something that moves the needle for me, so I don't normally invest a lot of time in knowing much about them, other than what 20-year-olds think are awesome when it comes to jerseys are not always what 55-year-olds will even tolerate. But given that Under Armour is in business to make money, I can't imagine they'd pass on a season to create at least one alternate set of jerseys.

Manny from San Pedro

12:23

Eric!!!! Finally the weather is acting like summer!!!! I’m disappointed there is no shamrock series game this year.. do you know if they will still do an alternate jersey?

Eric Hansen

12:23

Some schools leaned into recruiting-savvy people in the football GM role, and while that's an important skill, I think Marcus Freeman really benefits from having Mike Martin and his NFL skill set in that role ... with experience of building a roster where the numbers aren't equal and negotiating with agents, etc. And yes, because of the transfer portal, you can't just ignore the players already in your roster and load up the money on recruits. I would imagine Hannah Hidalgo will be well-compensated and players can still do "traditional" NIL to make more money ... true NIL deals like endorsing products. ... and thanks for the kind words.

12:19

Hi Jack, I have a little bit more coming ... but it's great to be here to do that chat. One of my favorite parts of my job. ... So the cap in year one, this coming fiscal year, is $20.5 million. The formula expected to be used is 75% of that will go toward football, 15% to men's basketball, 5% to women's hoops and 5% to all other sports. Within each sport, there's flexibility, and that's why you are seeing the proliferation of general managers in football and basketball. (more)

Jack, Strongsville,Ohio

12:16

Hi Eric. Welcome back from a short vacation. How do you think the $21 million as a result of the House settlement will be paid out this year? One could argue that Hannah Hidalgo based on her contribution to the WBB program the last 2 years should be the highest paid athlete for any team currently enrolled at Notre Dame. How do you pay out dollars to a three year starting LB vs. two unproven but highly acclaimed QBs. Thanks as always for your great work.

Eric Hansen

12:15

4) What kind of regulatory power will the commission have? Theory and practice might be two different things. We'll find out quickly. This is an area that I'll want to get more info about from ND athletic director Pete Bevacqua when we have a chance to meet with him, hopefully, in the coming weeks.

12:13

1) Yes this will be challenged in court. There were opt-outs and there's already an ongoing case from one of them (Hill v. NCAA). 2) There is a new commission that will oversee things like adherence to the direct-revenue caps, etc. 3) Will the U.S. Congress help out? That's the key to this whole thing ... getting the settlement converted into law. So, that's a very important phase 2. (more)

12:07

Len!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! Thanks for getting us started with a question about the landmark House v. NCAA settlement that bring seismic changes to the college sports model. You asked some really good questions related to that, and I'm sure there will be more. I also know for a lot of you, reading and talking about this is a lot like going to the dentist. So, I'll try to make this is painless as possible (more).

Len from the Jersey Shore

12:04

Hello Eric!!!!!! Every college football fan has been awaiting "The Verdict" to hopefully move along in this new era of college sports. I will miss the 70's; roster limits had been implemented, teams played a home and home with other teams for the most part regardless of brands, geographic conferences, TV was there but had not risen to anywhere near the level money is at today and where schools and conferences used ratings and branding to acquire a larger portion of the expanding pie and conferences became super or, in cases, no more. IYO where will this agreement be challenged in court? Will the new directing authority that is to be formed be able to set rules and enforce them? Will the US congress actually help out? Or hinder the developing procedures? As I recall in the 70's Oklahoma was banned from the UPI (coaches poll), bowl games and being on TV for violations? Do you envision that kind of regulatory power?

Eric Hansen

So let's roll ...

12:04

Only the "no spitting" rule is in play today, because I'm in such a good mood.

Here are what normally are the rules:

12:03

No 17-psrt questions, no manifestos, no questions with math that's so advanced it will make my head hurt.

Please include your name and hometown along with your question(s).

12:02

As far as this week's chat ...

► At WSBT Sports Radio 960, we’re rolling through a newsy Notre Dame offseason. Darin Pritchett and I are together this week on Wednesday and Thursday, and each week moving forward on Weekday SportsBeat (960 AM, live streaming at wsbtradio.com). The weekday shows run from 5-6 p.m. ET. You can download all episodes as podcasts.

12:01

► If you missed the last episode of our aspiring-to-be-viral Notre Dame Football YouTube show, Football Never Sleeps, what are you doing with your life? Seriously, the show keeps its shelf life long after the live presentation, so you can catch up now or later on our YouTube channel. We’ll be back LIVE Monday night at 7 ET for another presentation of Football Never Sleeps, this time with a special guest host.

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