JotCast | Notre Dame Football Live Chat May 8, 2024

Notre Dame Football Live Chat May 8, 2024

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Eric Hansen

1:00

Hi Dave. With 1 being not concerned at all and 10 being panic-attack worthy, I'd go with a 5. Here's why I say that. With all the new pieces and there being competition for most of those spots, there was no way this was going to be a finished product in the spring -- and it wasn't. Reasons to feel optimistic. Joe Rudolph has a long track record of success prior to his time at ND. Mike Denbrock's O-line process, play-calling, presence will enhance what Rudolph is doing. If you missed the podcast with Bob Morton, he really explains this as well as I've ever heard it, how an OC affects how effective an O-line coach can be, (more)

Dave from DC

12:56

On a scale of 1-10, how concerned should I be about Notre Dame's offensive line when they take the field in College Station?

Eric Hansen

12:55

No. And I am not sure how one relates to the other.

Guest

12:55

Is thee any discussion, now that Denbrock is onboard, with going back to natural grass in ND stadium?

Eric Hansen

12:55

Hi Len. I've never been to the Jersey Shore, but it sounds like fun. I do love the ocean. ... Last year I said Al Washington had something to prove on the field and on the recruiting trail and I think he stepped up to that challenge. Howard Cross was an All-American. Rylie Mills make a big leap in his consistency and production. Javontae Jean-Baptiste played himself onto the NFL's radar. I think this is a line with extreme depth and star power at the top. The end positions need to keep coming in August, and I believe that will happen.

Len from the Jersey Shore

12:48

Hello Eric, and thanks for hosting. I am lookin forward to the season at the Jersey Shore. I am also very excited about the upcoming football season. There is a lot to be excited for. For me the staff is as good as it has been in a long time. That is number one. This staff will get the team thru injuries and adversity IMO. In that note I always felt Mike Elston was a very good D line coach. He now has a Natty on his resume. So is the D Line coach from Ohio State. For ND to succeed this year IMO the D line needs to be ULTRA dominant. That will allow the new safeties and young talented LB's to develop as they get more playing time. And that will allow the O line a little room to come together and have us, the fans, see how talented they can become. Is D Line coach Washington up to that challenge? Can the D line be stifling as a unit? Eric, can the D line be that good and dominating?

Eric Hansen

12:48

I'm not anticipating Lambert could be a starter this season without an injury or two, but I think he'll be a starter eventually in his career at ND. ... Marcus' biggest area of needed improvement on the field is developing the instincts to make great decisions (go for it on fourth down, etc.) instead of relying so much on analytics. Analytics is something you want in your toolbox, but too much reliance on them can fail you.

12:45

I'm excited about all eight for different reasons, but the one who intrigues me the most, who won't likely play a lot in 2024, is LB Bodie Kahoun. He was really an under-the-radar guy until late in the cycle, but his production was off the charts. And his lacrosse background intrigues me. The CB interest me, because one of them might surprise and be able to help. Guerby Lambert probably has the highest floor of any of these guys. Brauntae Johnson is a breathtaking athlete who will make an impact at some point ... just not likely in 2024. (more)

12:42

Hi Marie. Really great week here. Thanks for asking and thanks for making the chats better with your questions. ... So let's review who the 8 June-enrolling freshmen are for those who don't follow it as closely as you do. OT Guerby Lambert, WR Logan Saldate, LB Bodie Kahoun, LB Teddy Rezac, S Brauntae Johsnon, S Taebron Bennie-Powell, CB Leonard Moore and CB Karson Hobbs. (more)

Marie from Atlanta

12:39

Hi Eric, I hope you’re having a fantastic week. Of the freshman, who will be coming in this summer, who are you the most excited to see, who do you think is the most underrated, and who do you think would have the best chance to play this fall? Do you think there’s any chance that by middle to the end of the season Guerby lambert could be starting at tackle? As Marcus Freeman continues to develop as a coach, what things do you think he could improve upon the most with regards to his on field coaching? Thanks for hosting the chat and for all the great insights. Please keep the chats coming.

Eric Hansen

12:39

I understand the curiosity of what happens if ND does not get to 85 scholarships. The best way I can explain this is the coaching staff spends a lot of time and resources planning for that exact number without going over. Kind of like the Price Is Right showcases. So they are confident they will hit that number without being too far under. That used to be the problem. The most likely path is players who will take a medical retirement and players buried on the depth chart who want the ND education and will become regular students.

12:36

I love what I do, so having news year-round is kind of cool. We'll each take some vacation time, but not at the same time ... so you will still get your flow of news this summer. ... I don't think the pendulum swung too far, not the way college football is now. The best teams have fewer holes than they did in years past, because of the transfer portal. I think 10 is the right number for scholarship receivers, and ND is at 11. But you have to recruit players with the mindset that they have to compete and earn their spot. So Mitchell and Collins up the competition level. That doesn't mean they're automatic starters, but it does set a high bar for those who aspire to start. They have to beat our someone with proven production and experience. (more)

Tony, Lake Mary

12:28

Hey Eric. Love the reporting and love being an insider!! Thanks for the hard work you guys put in. Is it enjoyable that the new college football actually has news year round, or was having a breather something you miss? A couple actual questions. Given the injury bug last year and the games where the frosh WRs were playing the whole game, Do you feel like perhaps the catching staff swung the pendulum a bit too far by grabbing both Kris Mitchell and Beaux Collins and now are trying to figure out how to get the experienced WRs playing time? What actually happens if the scholarship number doesn't ever to 85?

Eric Hansen

12:28

Jack, thank YOU. Appreciate you.

Jack, Strongsville Ohio

12:27

Hi Eric. I just want to thank you and Tyler for all your great work. Have a safe and restful summer.

Eric Hansen

12:27

In case you missed our 3-part series on new Notre Dame AD Pete Bevacqua:
His vision for ND's next national title:

https://notredame.rivals.com/news/new-ad-pete-bevacqua-shares-his-visi...

The front-burner issues

https://notredame.rivals.com/news/digging-into-the-front-burner-issues...

Embracing the chaos of navigating seismic change

https://notredame.rivals.com/news/notre-dame-s-pete-bevacqua-embraces-...

12:25

“What I will say about both of those series — the Notre Dame-Southern Cal game is one of the great matchups in the history of sports. It’s fundamentally important to us that we continue that rivalry, and we know that USC feels the same way.

“We also want to continue the Stanford rivalry. It’s had a great history of its own, and universities like Notre Dame and Stanford, we need to play each other. It's great to play each other. It’s important to play each other. Two top-ranked academic universities that also happen to put a real emphasis on athletics.

“Again, the exact times and locations and when that will happen, that could vary over the course of the next decade, but we start with the principle that we absolutely want to continue to play Southern Cal every year. We want to continue to play Stanford every year. And we don’t think they agree — we know they agree.”

12:24

Hi Michael. I did a three-part series with new Notre Dame athletic director Pete Bevacqua last month. I asked him about both the USC and Stanford series. Here was his response:

Michael in San Antonio

12:21

Has there been any discussion if Southern Cal will continue with the ND home and home series not that they are in the Big 10?

Eric Hansen

12:20

Hi Jules. Tom Lemming is having a good day so far. Thanks for that feedback. I've actually known Tom since I had zero gray hair, or kids or grandkids. ... On the predictions of where a kid might be committing, it is not a universal set of rules that sites play by, nor are the situations in which a kid wants to reveal the news necessarily similar. In our case, I would say most kids understand the forecast process, but if a kid expresses he doesn't want that out there, I know our site would honor that. And then once in a while you have a huge surprise. Aamil Wagner fooled everyone, including the ND coaching staff ... and they were happy to be wrong.

Jules, Joliet, Ill

12:15

Good day, Sir. Many of the college football recruiting sites enter predictions as to where a certain player will eventually choose to take his skills, (crystal predictions, heat casts, future waves, ouija board, etc.) In general, do these prognosticators get the players’ permission to publish these predictions? Thx for all of your great work. Love the Tom Lemming visits.

Eric Hansen

12:14

Hi Larry, and thanks for the great feedback. I would say among ND quarterbacks past or present, the one who comes to mind for me is the 2015 edition of DeShone Kizer. They compare size-wise, from an arm-strength standpoint. Leonard is probably a more savvy and accomplished runner. Kizer did a good job in the vertical passing game that year. Leonard's area of desired growth is becoming an elite passer. Mike Denback was the wide receivers coach at that time, but he was also the offensive play-caller in the Kizer years and helped very much with his development.

Guest

12:10

Larry from Topton, Pa: Hi Eric! I really enjoyed the podcast with Tom Lemming!! I have listened to several sources discuss ND recruiting, but when the conversation involves you, Tyler and Tom, it seems like I am hearing the straight scoop. What experience and knowledge! Now for a question, about Riley Leonard. While it is true we ND fans saw him play one game, vs ND, I was not focusing on the Duke QB that day, so I really do not remember much about him. So, for those of us who do not know him, with which ND QB, either on the roster or recent, does Leonard’s skill set most closely align? Thanks for keeping us going in the offseason Eric!

Eric Hansen

OK, enough of my blathering ... off we go ...

12:08

Because it's so nice today, the "no bare feet" rule will not be strictly enforced.

Here are the rules:

12:07

And if you want to include how warm it is in your locale, go right ahead, it's awesome here today.

PLEASE include your NAME and HOMETOWN along with your question(s).

As far as this week's chat ...

► Finally, we’re spinning forward into the offseason for Notre Dame and into a big week for former Irish players in the NFL Draft at WSBT radio. And Darin Pritchett and I are together this week on Wednesday and Thursday on Weekday SportsBeat (960 AM, live streaming at wsbtradio.com). The weekday shows run from 5-6 p.m. ET. You can download episodes as podcasts.

12:06

► Tyler James and I remain in weekly podcast mode. We’ll have a new one out Thursday afternoon. On our most recent Inside ND Sports Podcast, Tom Lemming, longtime college football recruiting analyst and the man behind the Prep Football Report magazine, joined us. Lemming discussed what the Irish are getting in CB Dallas Golden, how impressive a cornerback class of Golden, Cree Thomas and Mark Zackery would be, 2025 quarterback commit Deuce Knight's arm strength, who should be ND's 2025 QB starter, the impact offensive coordinator Mike Denbrock has made on the recruiting trail, ND's addition of Rendell, NFL Draft picks who exceeded expectations, offensive tackle talent on ND's roster, 2025 wide receivers committed to ND and more. The podcast can be listened to via SoundCloud or on your preferred podcast platform including: Apple Podcasts, Spotify, Google Podcasts, Podbean and Pocket Casts.

► If you missed the last episode of our aspiring-to-be-viral Notre Dame Football YouTube show, Football Never Sleeps, it keeps its shelf life long after the live presentation. We remain in our normal Monday at 7 ET time slot and will continue on doing so into the offseason. Remember, if you miss the live show, you can catch up anytime on YouTube.

12:05

Some quick programming notes:

12:04

Welcome to Notre Dame Football Live Chat, Final Exams week edition.

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