JotCast | Notre Dame Football Live Chat March 25, 2025

Notre Dame Football Live Chat March 25, 2025

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Eric Hansen

1:40

As far as Knapp and Craig, Tyler James put together a comprehensive look at every injured/recovering player. Here is the LINK. Both Craig and Knapp, as the story indicates, are expected back and ready for the season. I did a story earlier with Craig after the NCG indicating the same thing. Now keep in mind, timelines can shift because of setbacks, but that's what it looks like right now. As far as going with an less-experience offensive line, I think what you're asking me, can reserve overtake any of the five returning starters? It is possible, but not likely. Remember you're looking for the best five and then fitting them to positions. (more)

1:34

Ok, going to do these one at a time. It's not your question, it's that my brain only has so much bandwidth, so simpler the better on questions ... and please shorter. ... OK, I believe Billy Schrauth is ND's best lineman. He was not ND's healthiest lineman in 2024. A healthy Billy Schrauth in 2025 can make a big difference. I'm not sure I see the analogy with Howard Cross, but I will take you word for it. The best players play. And Schrauth at less than 100 percent was deemed better than other players at 100 percent. And I think it works that way at most positions. And if that percent drops to a point where that player is less effective than his replacement, then he sits and the reserve steps in. (more)

1:29

OK. I'll settle for refilling my coffee cup. I just need to reread the questions, because I think they're all O-line-related, and yet I can't figure out how the quarterbacks are involved. Let me sort that out first unless you were asking about them too.

1:27

Len!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! I think I need a beer.

Len from the Jersey Shore

1:25

cont'd - Riley had experience as a starter and escapability. If either because of talent, injured players not being ready, or level of play; will coaches be comfortable with a less experienced O line this season? How about if those less experienced players prove they have the best upside? Minchey has the most mobility, Angeli has the most experience, and Carr the most upside. None is as ready to play as Riley was last year. Does ND go with more experience on the O line, even if those 5 are not the best 5, due to the QB situation? As always thanks for hosting. Sorry for the length of these O line questions.

1:24

Hello Eric!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! I have a few O line questions. ESPN showed an all too early AA team with Billy S as second team All American OG . Besides ESPN and you, others have said Billy S is ND's best O linemen. Frankly, he has not consistently played at the level knowledgeable people like yourself have purported he had the talent for. He has been injured and has played injured. In a previous chat I asked if he was hurt based upon his performance in the CFP championship game. Turns out he was and is somewhat limited this Spring. Is Billy becoming the O line version of Howard Cross? HC played hurt due to his talent and many other injuries/missing player on the D line. Did Billy play hurt due to his talent and many other O line injuries? Besides Billy, will Knapp and Craig be ready to answer the call this fall? Last year coach Rudolph, Denbrock and Freeman were willing to go with a talented O line to start the season with very, very little experience. Riley L abilities were a part of that decision. (More)

Eric Hansen

1:24

Sean. First time I remember seeing you in quite some time. Welcome back. I agree with your statement "can't go on like this." But let's save the hot seat meter until late in the cycle or signing day. Lots of ground still to cover and lot of really good WRs are set to visit.

Sean Greensboro NC

1:23

Is Mike Brown on the hot seat since he seems unable to land elite wide receivers? Cannot go on like this.

Eric Hansen

1:22

The three things I need to see in the spring that bode well for 2025 success? 1. A QB with the skill set and confidence and leadership to win four playoff games, 2 Wide receivers to match, 3 Pleasant surprises and healthy players on the defensive line that will make ND a better run defense than last year and upgrade the pass rush. ... What would worry me besides the opposite of those three things and a run of injuries or key portal exits in April? The offensive line not being as good as I expect it to be and struggles at safety perhaps. The Miami opener will be tough but I think the A&M game on the road in 2024 was more formidable given the circumstances. ... As far as WBB, I am not confidence, but I picked ND in my bracket to get to the Final Four.

1:15

Oh Marie, you don't want to know how my bracket is doing. I am not below the Mendoza line but I might the Mendoza line for other people in the pool. I told you I would be lousy this year, and that prediction is the one that is coming true. Now the WBB bracket, not too shabby. The surprises are really hard to decipher given we've seen a total of 20 minutes and none of it in pads or even competitive situations. But I'll come up with at least one .. WR Will Pauling moving around as well as he is following cleanup surgery on his foot is surprising. The other surprise to me is QB Blake Hebert. Really mature, really put together well physically, impressed with how he processes things. More surprises to come as we get more info. (more)

Marie from Atlanta

1:11

Hi Eric, I hope you’re having a great week, how is your bracket doing? I know it’s hard to glean anything from the limited viewing you have of spring practice but from what you’ve seen so far, can you give us a couple of positive surprises. What three things do you need to see this spring that would have you very confident Notre Dame will have a great season next year and compete for national championship? Can you also list a couple things that if you see in the spring will have you worried about next season? I know it’s really early to start talking about fall games but how concerned are you about the opener in Miami? One WBB question, do you think the girls will beat TCU and if so, do you think they will be Texas? As always, thanks for hosting the chats, I know we all look forward to them and appreciate all the great insights.

Eric Hansen

1:09

Ced, Micah Gilbert had his arm in a sling on Saturday after practice. We have not had a chance to interview him or Mike Brown this spring and Marcus Freeman doesn't come up in the rotation for a while. But we might get an official word tomorrow. At the very least, we'll see if he's practicing. it's a media viewing day on Wednesday, which is why we're having the chat today.

Guest

1:03

ced walker Saginaw michigan aka sagnasty saginaw pride I notice the 1st day of spring practice micah gilbert wasn't doing wr drills any word on him 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

1:01

Barring an injury, I see Knapp as a guard UNLESS Ashton Craig's timeline slows way down and he's not ready to be the starting center for the opener. In that case, Knapp to center,

1:00

One more time ...

12:59

Hi Rizzo. Greetings from the Hoosier State. When you say "by the end of camp" I am taking you to mean August training camp and not spring practice. So that's what I'll dial my Magic 8-ball to.

Rizzo. Naples , FL

in your crystal ball at the end of camp, do you see A Knapp at tackle, guard, or center ?

12:49

Good day Eric from the sunshine state

Eric Hansen

12:48

Having said all that, playing for a national title isn't necessarily going to be THE swaying factor in whether a kid picks Notre Dame, especially if geography is in play. What it can and will do is maybe open doors at the front end of the process to get kids interesting in visiting that might not have been open to otherwise. And that's not insignificant. The deeper pool you have of elite prospects with mutual interest, the better chance you have of landing a difference-maker at that position.

12:45

Manny!!!!! The OG of exclamation points, the man who started the exuberant punctuation trend&$#@)_)(*%%%***!! I am in the minority, I think, but I think it's WAY WAY to early to draw conclusions on how the 2026 recruiting cycle might turn out. And as I look over our visitors list on The Inside Lounge at insideNDsports.com, is see lots of big-time prospects taking unofficial visits this spring and lots of them lining up official visits in June. I think once we get to the end of June, that'll be a better checkpoint in terms of edging out on the ledge or not. And keep in mind, ND had a lot of turnover in its "front office." Those jobs have now been filled. And recruiting is about building relationships, not microwaving them, so give it some time (more).

Manny from San Pedro

12:40

Eric!!!! Spring football is here. Usually after a NC appearance our recruiting would be peaking. Why have we been in a lull? I was hoping to see more elite players want to come here and be apart of this special place

Eric Hansen

12:40

Jordan!!!!! Thank you for your tireless compliments. Keep 'em coming! 1. Six is too many if everybody stays on the roster and everybody is healthy. But that can change quickly. But what if it doesn't? New RBs coach Ja'Juan Seider has said he can get four ready to play and use in a rotation. I think Nolan James could live being a back burner guy for a year, especially since Love and Price are likely NFL bound after 2025. But what about Gi-Bran Payne or Kedren Young, whoever doesn't end up in the rotation? There's a chance you could move Payne to another position. Young would be a trickier situation if he's the odd man out, which I don't think will happen. 2. Finding the right quarterback, developing the wide receivers and interior defensive line and making sure you have enough quality to go with the quantity, starting to figure out the tight end situation and whether a portal addition is needed.

Jordan, from Seattle

12:34

Eric!!!! Thank you for hosting these chats and your tireless coverage of ND sports in an object yet humorous manner. Two questions. 1. Im not complaining, just asking … is our RB room too crowded? Do you anticipate a portal departure after spring ball? 2. What are the biggest challenges you see facing this team (coaches, staff, and players) this spring? Thanks for your insights and good luck to WBB.

Eric Hansen

12:33

He made getting that ND degree a priority. And he is going to achieve that, but he has other dreams. Now, maybe he wins the job and it all comes together. All four quarterbacks have goals and priorities to weigh. And at other positions too. And ND's culture makes it very attractive to stay and factor in big in the decision. But it's not everything to players who have options.

12:31

Hi Tom. I think your question about loyalty is interesting, because I think we sometimes put ourselves in that situation and kind of project how we might feel in the same situation. But I don't think loyalty will factor into any of them staying or going. It's about their goals. Does Steve Angeli want to play in the NFL for instance? If he does and he's not No. 1 AND there's a great situation to start elsewhere, is he being disloyal for chasing a dream, having been loyal to this point and having his degree in hand by May? (more)

Tom from Toronto

12:22

Hi Eric, I would start with some strong compliments on your excellent work, but I would not want you to get the fat head and possibly leave this gig and all of your fans high and dry. I wonder whether you expect that there is loyalty to the team among the quarterback contenders. I would like to think that playing/practicing under Coach Freeman with his emphasis on the team and not on the individual would have rubbed off some, if not all, of on them. So in your view is there a reasonable possibility that all three of the contenders for starting quarterback will stay on the team and not jump to the portal regardless of who is named the starter? Maybe I am too optimistic thinking that being a part of this team and playing for Coach Freeman and the possibility of playing for a national championship should be enough. From a practical point of view, the second and/or third candidate is a concussion or injury away from running the team. Am I too much of a Pollyanna? I would appreciate your opinion. Thank you.

Eric Hansen

12:21

Freshman eligibility has been back for 53 seasons heading into 2025. Eleven freshmen have started at least one game on the offensive line. Seven of those are tackle. Only four of them started more than six games -- Knapp, Joe Alt, Ryan Harris and Sam Young.

12:20

Hi Matt, if I had been asked to step in for Olivia Miles THEN I'd be exhausted, but watching and writing about it was fun and not exhausting. Thanks for looking out for me, though. As good of a prospect as Will Black is, it's hard to see a path where he'd be a starting option when you have Charles Jagusah, Aamil Wagner, Guerby Lambert and Anthonie Knapp. Now, Jagusah or Knapp likely is going to end up at guard. I think the best-case scenario for Black -- barring injury -- in 2025 is a No. 2 tackle. Keep in mind history and math (more) ...

Matt from Austin

12:14

Hi Eric. I'm sure that you're exhausted after this weekend's women's basketball games. Irish looked great at times against UM, but must be more consistent with our ball handling and turnovers. That being said, thank you very much for taking the time to host a chat. It seems that our offensive line can be a real strength this year if healthy. Can Black have a spot in the rotation as a five star or does he need some time in the weight room and with the coaches? Secondly, is there any reason that our LB crew can't exceed last years great performance? Thanks Eric!!

Eric Hansen

12:13

And I don't know that splitting reps three ways rather than two is necessarily going to slow the separation process. Now, if there were a new offensive coordinator, new QBs coach and/of a brand new scheme being installed this spring — and none of those are in play — than yeah, that would seem like a slowdown factor. My expectation is still that the separation won't occur to Freeman's liking until August, but that won't necessarily keep all four scholarship QBs on the Irish roster.

12:11

Hi Kevin. I think guessing at ulterior motives is not easily dismissed, but I do think it's important to remember the No. 1 objective is to find the right quarterback AND that there's enough situation that the team knows who's No. 1. I also think Marcus Freeman has put together a history of being transparent with his players with where they stand. A good example was Tosh Baker coming out of spring last year. They knew Aamil Wagner was No. 1 right tackle at that point and Charles Jagusah was No. 1 at left tackle, and yet Baker elected to stay. (more)

Kevin from Boston

12:08

Could there be a concern that the coaching staff might be tempted split QB reps *too* equally before the spring transfer portal window in order to avoid losing one or more of Carr, Minchey, and Angeli? I could imagine that in trying not to tip their hand on who they're envisioning as the starter, it could be easy to lose out on some meaningful reps for the eventual winner of that competition.

Eric Hansen

12:08

OK off we go ...

I can live this week with just the No spitting and no fighting rules being followed.

Here are the rules ... or what used to be the rules.

12:07

12:06

PLEASE include your name and hometown along with your question(s). If you want to brag about the weather in your locale, it's going to lose steam the deeper we get into spring up here.

As far as this week's chat ...

12:05

As far as the chats going forward, I'd like to do one a week through the end of April, but we're going to bounce around days of the week, especially with the women's basketball team -- which I also cover -- still being active in March Madness.

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