JotCast | Notre Dame Football Live Chat May 4, 2023

Notre Dame Football Live Chat May 4, 2023

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Stan the Stancake man

1:13

Here's a question I've wondered about for a while. When a player opts to enter the portal, does that end his academic career at ND, or is he allowed to remain in school until the end of the semester? BTW-Thanks for keeping sanity into the commentary; I admire you "Cronkiteish" approach of keeping hyperbole and sensationalism out of your work.

Eric Hansen

1:13

NIL is unpredictable and evolving in its role. Re-recruiting your own roster is a thing now, which Marcus can control to an extent. Where ND could give him (and coaches in other ND sports) a hand is a wider pool of incoming transfers. That to me, is where Freeman is the most hamstrung in roster building.

1:10

I think recruiting is going well. Notre Dame has the No. 3 class in 2024 currently and nobody yet among their commitments taking visits to other schools. They're also setting up well with an impressive official visitors list for June and some summer commitments. I feel really good about them at most positions. They HAVE TO finish strong at O-Line, D-Line linebacker and safety. That's where there's the most work to do. ... The last part of your question with regard to resources is difficult, because Notre Dame doesn't necessarily control ALL of that. (more)

1:06

Hi Marie. Great week here and thanks for your questions. Let's start with the easy one. I don't think ND will add at running back. If the coaches were concerned about Jadarian Price's comeback from the Achilles tendon injury, then maybe that makes more sense. And you mentioned the Chris Tyree safety net. Beyond that, if things got really crazy incoming freshman corner Micah Bell could help or Drayk Bowen could do some double duty. I think the depth chart will look like: 1. Estimé, 2. Price, 3. Payne/Love. (more)

Marie from Atlanta

12:58

Hi Eric, I hope you’re having a great week. With the loss of Diggs assuming all the running backs are healthy at the start of the season what do you think the depth chart will be? Any chance they look for another running back in the portal just for depth, or do you think they feel they can move Tyree back if they need to? Overall, how do you feel about recruiting so far for the 2024 class? It seems like Notre Dame is starting to close the gap but do you honestly feel that Marcus Freeman has all the resources that he needs to bring a national championship back to Notre Dame? Thanks for hosting the chat.

Eric Hansen

12:58

You need them to be gaining experience this year to step in next year. Ziegler is in a very good position to be the starting MLB next year. With Sneed and Bowen or Sneed and Ausberry.

12:57

Hi David. Harrison was recruited as a multi-position player and had offers on offense and defense. He briefly played linebacker at the end of the Weis Era, a position switch that Brian Kelly publicly said was stupid, back when Weis and Kelly didn't have much love for each other. High school positions aren't always realistic landing points in college. Joshua Burnham and Jaylen Sneed were QBs for example. I don't think this is a silly suggestion, but I'll tell you why it doesn't work for 2023 or 2024. First, Ziegler is very important as the No. 2 middle linebacker behind JD Bertrand this year. To move to safety, at 6-3, 225, he would have to change his body and maybe not for the best. As a middle linebacker with advanced coverage skills, he's really valuable. ... Then look at next year. Kiser, Bertrand and Liufau all likely will be gone (they all do have a COVID year option). You have five linebackers left with either freshman or redshirt freshman eligibility. (more)

David Osborne from Mt.Vernon Ind.

12:47

We keep hearing about the depth chart for safety's. Here's a thought how about move Nolen Zeigler to safety. He played safety in high school. The depth chart at LB wouldn't take a big hit. I believe Harrison Smith was recruited as LB. Just a thought.

Eric Hansen

12:46

There is no penalty, as in a luxury tax or probation. You HAVE to be at 85 scholarships (or fewer) on the first day of classes for fall semester. So if you have to cut someone to do that, that's the consequence. Notre Dame is actually under right now, at 82.

Steve from Brooklyn

12:45

What is the penalty if a school has more than the allowed 85 scholarship players?

Eric Hansen

12:44

Hi Ryan, we talked to Rivals national director of recruiting Adam Gorney about that on our podcast earlier this week, and I agree with Adam on Urlacher. The guy is so physical, minimally you'll get a special teams star and you may get something more of out him. I like the commitment. But ND needs to load up on safeties in this cycle and they need some prospect with higher floors. Love the Bryce Young commitment. He is just starting to show what he's capable of, and I imagine you'll see his player rating rise significantly this fall.

Ryan mars pa

12:41

Good afternoon Eric what do you think about urlacher and young committing to the Irish go Irish

Eric Hansen

12:40

I think the most prudent and realistic option is waiting to see how Angeli and Minchey develop and see how ready CJ Carr is after his senior HS season. My guess right now is that the Irish will look to the portal again in December to give those guys a chance to develop, but things can change.

12:39

So Notre Dame has some options in how it wants to deal with the 2024 QB situation, and one of those options ties into 2023. That is, bringing in a grad transfer with two years left ... who can back up Sam Hartman this season and compete to start in 2024. Now, does that kind of creature exist? Because very few transfer QBs have a game plan of waiting. That's essentially what Buchner was ... a backup in 2023 with the best shot to start in 2024. I think a rental for 2023, by the way, just to be the backup would be hard to find and would take away practice reps from Steve Angeli and Kenny Minchey that they could use to develop. (more)

12:35

Hi Jim. I appreciate you and the other chat-heads with all with your questions. I get a lot of story ideas from this chat. ... Between Zac Yoakam and incoming transfer Spencer Shrader, I think special teams coach Marty Biagi feels good about FGs and PATs. Punter Bryce McFerson may join the competition for kickoffs. And then McFerson will have competition from transfer Ben Krimm with punting, so there's a very good comfort level there. (more)

Jim Tal Valley Center, CA

12:32

Hello Eric, so appreciate you continuing to do these chats which always provide such great insights and info. Two quick questions. What sort of confidence level does the coaching staff have in the kicking game which could weigh so heavily on ND's ultimate success in 2023? Also, is it all but a given that after this season, the Irish will pursue another QB in the portal ala Coan and Hartman since there will be such a lack of experience at the position? Wishing you the best.

Eric Hansen

12:31

Ron, completely fair question and one I've been giving a lot of thought to and talking to people in the recruiting industry about. When you talk to Chris O'Leary, he certainly is an engaging, friendly guy, who comes off as authentic. Kyle Hamilton's commitment preceded him and five-star Peyton Bowen's shenanigans aren't his fault, but he has something to prove when it comes to consistently getting elite safety prospects to seriously consider and then sign with Notre Dame. As a position coach, I think he's done a very good job. That production needs to show up on the recruiting trail now and moving forward.

Ron dover de

12:27

Eric I hope your weather is better than it is on east coast today. Feels like fall rather than spring. Is there any particular reason why safety has been difficult to recruit players to fill. Is it the coach doesn’t have the personality or credentials to impress players to see ND as a place to play. Thanks

Eric Hansen

12:27

Wow, what a great hypothetical? I'd lean into yes. The faith Tommy has in Tyler and their history, I think, means more than anything to him. He could have gone a lot of places with either a guarantee to start or a clean path to it. He picked a place where he could end up No. 3 as easily as No. 1, so yest to your question.

Mark from Chicago

12:24

f Tommy Rees had stayed and Hartman won the spring competition is Buchner still Irish?

Eric Hansen

12:22

Off the top of my head, I think there are several who might fit here: K Zac Yoakam, CB Isaiah Dunn, S Marty Auer, OL Quinn Murphy, DE Kobi Onyiuke and a couple of incoming transfers from the Ivy League ... P Ben Krimm and DE Cole Aubrey. Yoakam would be at the top of my list.

Frank from Royse City Texas

12:18

Eric, if Nd doesn’t get any players from the portal, who are the wall-ons that may be given a scholarship?

Eric Hansen

12:18

Hey Denny, thanks for the kind words. ... Notre Dame sits at 82 scholarship players as we start the chat. I don't anticipate further attrition, but sometimes with medicals that's difficult to anticipate. Now, the Irish have every intention of adding. And without anyone leaving the roster, they could add up to three. I know safety is a priority and they are looking at some wide receivers. They don't have to add three. They can convert deserving walk-ons to scholarship status or just stay under.

Denny from Beaverton Or

12:13

Hi Eric....Is Notre Dame 3 or 4 players under the 85 scholarship limit? I know the portal is closed for new players to enter but do you see any further erosion of players maybe due to medical reasons or otherwise from the current roster? In the past it always seemed that we were a few players over the limit at this time of year but we always made the 85 scholarships by the deadline. I look forward to your chats so thanks for doing them.

Eric Hansen

Let's get started.

These are the rules.

12:12

As far as today's chat, please remember to include your name and hometown along with your question(s).

► If you missed our Inside ND Sports Podcast, our special guest Rivals national director of recruiting Adam Gorney broke down the national transfer portal picture as well as the facets that most affect Notre Dame. We also talked about Tyler Buchner's decision to transfer from Notre Dame to Alabama, how the transfer portal is impacting recruiting, the future at quarterback for Notre Dame with Kenny Minchey and CJ Carr, new Notre Dame safety commit Kennedy Urlacher's talent, what the Irish are pursuing in four-star WR Jason Robinson and four-star LB Kyngstonn Viliamu-Asa and more. You can listen on your preferred podcast platform including: Apple Podcasts, Spotify, Google Podcasts, Stitcher, SoundCloud, Podbean and Pocket Casts.

12:11

Some quick programming notes:
► Join us tonight for this week’s live episode of our weekly offseason Notre Dame Football YouTube show, Football Never Sleeps. Remember, if you miss the live show, you can catch up anytime on YouTube. In tonight’s rendition, Tyler James and I will discuss May roster movement, portal answers, NFL Draft recap and a look ahead to 2024, June freshmen who can make a difference, the Irish recruiting hot streak and whatever else you'd like to ask us live on YouTube.

No more puns, I promise.

12:09

Welcome to Notre Dame Football Live Chat, May the 4th Be with you edition.

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