JotCast | Notre Dame Football Live Chat Nov. 15, 2023

Notre Dame Football Live Chat Nov. 15, 2023

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Eric Hansen

1:56

Just real quickly on Duke's Riley Leonard and Utah's Cam Rising. I love, love, love Riley Leonard, but I'm not sure he would be able to get through admissions because I don't think he'd have his degree from Duke and he's not a freshman, so he falls into that area that usually gets a hard no. Taking that out of it, and assuming he did want to transfer and play a fourth college year, you'd need to restructure the offense to take advantage of what he does the best. Same to an extent with Cam Rising, and he also has to get a waiver for a seventh college season. There's risk there with him coming off a serious knee injury and never having had a pass-efficiency mark higher than what Hartman has right now. Michael Pratt from Tulane is another name that comes up. Two chats from now, I'll get you a more comprehensive and realistic list.

1:48

Ideally, the games become one-sided enough and early enough that both Angeli and Minchey gain game experience in those two games. Even if you bring in a premier portal QB, there's a chance of injury and then one of those two or CJ Carr would be your starter next year. But playing against those teams as a defensive coordinator's afterthought is very different from playing at Texas A&M in the season opener as THE most important part of that opposing DC's game plan to get you to play to your weaknesses. (more)

1:45

Hi Mike. Here's my thought about playing Steve Angeli and/or Kenny Minchey the next two regular-season games. Here's my questions to you before I give you my answer. What would playing Angeli or Minchey for a half provide you as a coaching staff that you don't know already about those two through weeks and months of practices and training camp? And against the nation's No. 63 and 128 defenses? Second question, are you willing to lose one or both of those games to put that mandate into place? If it's clear to your team and it's their belief that Sam Hartman gives your team that best chance to win, then what message are you sending them by playing someone else? (more)

Mike McFadden, Williamsport, PA

1:39

Hi Mr. Eric, Great coverage of ND football here and thank you. I was totally over impressed with QB Steve Angeli vs Pittsburgh in 4th quarter. At this stage of the season and with ND's results at 7-3, wouldn't it make more sense for coach Freeman & OC Parker to play Steve a full half (1st or 2nd, I don't care) vs WF and Stanford before reaching out to the portal to see how he does for comparison to QB Sam? Quick second question, two names came up at our ND Club Gr Williamsport mtg last night, ... current Duke QB & current Utah QB. Do you hear the same sir? Thanks Eric. GO Irish !!!

Eric Hansen

1:38

Hi Denis. I think putting Kelly and Rees together is too many variables. For instance, had Kelly stayed (and assuming Marcus got a head coaching job elsewhere), I don't think recruiting would have been as strong and I don't think Sam Hartman comes here or CJ Carr is on the way. So let's just do Tommy Rees, since Hartman was already committed and recruiting was complete for the 2023 cycle. My guess is they lose to Ohio State and beat Louisville and Clemson.

Denis from Niagara Falls

1:36

Hi Eric. Don't know if you can have a go at this or want to. What's the record this year with Brian and Tommy still here along with Al Golden? Thanks very much.

Eric Hansen

1:35

Jim, this is another question that's better for a story ... and a deeply researched one ... than a chat. And I did several of those types of stories during and just after the Brian Kelly Era. THE OVERSIMPLIFIED answer is the reasons have been different over different stretches of time. Style of offense, sometimes QBs who were great fits for the college game and bad fits for the pro game, a whole list of reasons that changed over the years. Again, great idea for a story, but won't work in the chat.

Jim Tal, Valley Center CA.

1:29

Hi Eric, hope all is well on your end. In your opinion, what are the reasons that over many years Notre Dame has been genuinely deficient at nurturing and fully developing quarterbacks to the point where they had any degree of productivity at the NFL level. I mean you've got to go all the way back to Steve Beuerlein to find an Irish QB who had even a modicum of success at the top professional rung.

Eric Hansen

1:29

Tom, thanks for sharing ... I would feel better about the offense's performance if Jayden Thomas were all the way back and Deion Colzie's original timetable of an October return had played out that way. I expect improvement, but some hiccups as well against a defense this week that's the ninth-best they've faced this season (63rd overall this week in total defense) and the one that's the worst (128th out of 130) next Saturday at Stanford. I think you're third-down goal is very fair. Your projection for no three-and-outs " Yes, you're dreaming.

Tom Kennesaw, GA

1:23

Eric, you are 100% correct about Ara. As someone who was blessed enough to have been a part of the '65-68 teams he was like a father figure/ mentor to so many of the players and managers/trainers of his teams. He was so helpful to any of us after graduation. The '66 Championship Team is as close-knit a group as anyone can possibly imagine. Players still communicate regularly some 55+ years later. He cared about us becoming wonderful husbands, fathers and helping society much more than whether or not you became an All-American. Too bad he is still not around to mentor Coach Freeman. Thanks for everything. Oh, a question: how do expect the offense to perform in these next two games??? Go Irish!!! Mine is NO 3 and outs...sustained drives which means 3rd down conversions. Am I dreaming?

Eric Hansen

1:22

I thought Charlie Weis would come out on top. It was Mike Denbrock, and against the best competition by far. Another interesting tidbit Brian Kelly was a much better play-caller at Cincinnati than he was at ND, likely a reflection of how much more was on his plate at Notre Dame outside of gameday than it was at UC. So just let me know who and what I am supposed to compare.

1:16

OK, Len, this question definitely would not fit in the chat format and would be a better story. But what's the assignment -- comparing him only to Lanning and Riley ... and if so, why just those two coaches? What's the theme here? When I do something like that, It's not an off-the-top-of-my-head kind of thing. It requires research, and sometimes the research surprises you. A example of this is a few years ago, I did a look at every offensive and defensive play-caller since 2005 and how they fared against opposing defenses (or offenses) in terms of performing better against them in points and yards than their season average. I also included the percentage of games against top 10 offenses/defenses and those against the top third in the FBS. And the results surprised me. (more)

Len from the Jersey Shore

1:11

Hello Eric, The season is winding down. It was very different than I expected. Despite the loss to Ohio St. , despite the mistakes on the last two drives (offensive and defensive), I came away thinking the program was trending nicely in the direction we all would like to see. That is capable of qualifying for the CFP expanded playoffs in most years. Injuries and questionable coaching has swayed that momentum a little further downwards. This question is probably a better suited question for an article at season end. But maybe the short version will be okay for a chat. Marcus Freeman was a young hot upcoming coaches when ND hired him. It was great that ND was able to sign him. Likewise so are Dan Lanning of Oregon & Lincoln Riley of USC. I am sure there are a few others that could be added. How would you rate MF and the ND program against these other coaches and their program? How would you contrast the resources and challenges that each coach is facing?

Eric Hansen

1:11

Once instance that has no commonality is Brian Kelly changed to become more in touch with his players and become more accessible. Marcus NEVER EVER had that particular problem. Every offseason requires self-reflection. This offseason for Marcus, the stakes are higher. I hope this clears things up.

1:10

So, instead of going through an exhaustive list of what I DIDN'T mean, let me just address your main theme. And if you need or want more clarity on some aspect of this, feel free to email me and I can provide that for you. I DID NOT COMPARE Brian Kelly's season of 2016, the number of wins, or the circumstances to Marcus Freeman coming up on the end of year 2. I compared the PROCESS of a deeper dive. Marcus Freeman is at a crossroads -- a very different crossroads than Kelly faced and for very, very, very, very different reasons. What is common among them is the opportunity to change the trajectory of the program for the better. (more)

1:05

Hi John and oh no. This is why there are times when people bring up some deep, big-picture questions and I pass on them, because this format doesn't lend itself to building out all the necessary context from possibly being misunderstood. At times, I'm willing to take the chance and preface it as being oversimplified. So, Matt from KC, for instance, gives me five quick questions and is looking for very surfacy answers without the deep dive that maybe others would be looking for. So I try to oblige him, given we're all kind of agreeing on the format/context. (more)

John from Scottsdale

12:55

I would like to revisit a response you gave in last weeks chat because it seemed to paint this season in a much worse light than it deserves. In response to being asked what you would do over the rest of the season you wrote “At the end of the year, I do what Brian Kelly did at the end of 2016, have some valuable exit interviews and do a thorough evaluation of everything from coaching personnel to gameday operations. Everything's on the table.” First, from your reporting and excellent articles I know that Freeman is constantly evaluating everything. So this action that may already be on his to do list and may be every year. Second, you compared a head coach who had 20 years of coaching experience coming off a 3 win season to a second year coach coming off his third loss of the season. So my questions. Do you think the program is at a turning point like it was in 2016? Or did I misunderstand your answer(which is possible). Do you think there is any way Gerald Parker is retained if a thorough evaluation occurs?

Eric Hansen

12:55

Hi Jack, and thank YOU. My favorite Notre Dame coach that I've interacted with is Ara. Period. End of Sentence. I didn't cover him (not quite that old), but followed him as a kid and admired him from a distance. Had lost of interactions with him in his life after coaching, and let me to you ... as GREAT of a coach as he was, he was such a classy person and an incredible soul. So, glad I had a chance to intermittently spend time with him. ... I had an offer to do a book (not based on me, but an ND book) both last year and this year, and I needed to prioritize and give the energy to insidendsports.com. So, the timing wasn't right. The publishing company was impressive, with the people they have. Maybe a project down the road. ... Favorite Thanksgiving dish ... I've told the story about my favorite side and the story about my grandpa Pasquale, so I won't bring that up again. On pure taste alone, it's my mom's stuffing. It's so good, she isn't hosting T'giving, but she is making the stuffing at that gathering.

Jack, Strongsville Ohio

12:47

Hi Eric. Some off the cuff questions because of the previous bye week. Who has been your favorite coach at Notre Dame and why. Are you planning to write a book about your Notre Dame years? Most importantly, your favorite Thanksgiving dish? Thanks for all the great work!

Eric Hansen

12:46

Hi Clint. Rocco Spindler suffered a knee injury late in the Clemson game on Nov. 7 and is undergoing season-ending surgery. The cool thing about Rocco -- and Billy Schrauth spoke to this Tuesday night -- is how much Rocco is in his ear and helping him get ready for his first college start on Saturday. I think from a raw material standpoint, Schrauth is as good as interior lineman as ND has on its roster. Getting actual game reps in high-leverage situations can only help his prospects for moving into the starting five next season.

Clint from Winnipeg

12:43

What specifically was the injury to Rocco Spindler and when did it occur? Is this as good of an opportunity for Billy Schrauth as it seems?

Eric Hansen

12:42

Quickly, on Chip Kelly, I think that's imminent but not official. ... He was 46-7 and 33-3 in the Pac-12 at Oregon, and is 33-33/25-25 at UCLA with great recruiting talent all around him. So, yes I am surprised he wasn't more successful in that job. No, it wouldn't surprise me, with UCLA going into the Big Ten, that they'd want to make a change.

12:39

I can't answer the staff number question. Purely guesswork ... we don't have enough info to make that projection yet. .... I think Al Golden will have some opportunities this offseason that are attractive, and I'd say better chance he is not here in 2024 than he is. Parker could be on staff and not be the offensive coordinator. So in terms of him being the offensive coordinator next year, the way I look at it is this. Is he one of the best 10-12 OCs in college football now? If the answer is no, then is there enough evidence that his growth curve will put him in that category in 2024? If the answer is no, and I think that's reasonable, I think the chance of him not being OC are greater than him retaining that title. (more)

12:34

I have a hard time answering the question about convincing someone with a degree in hand to stay. It would be great to have, say, Joe Alt back, but is that in HIS best interests? If I could pick anyone, that's my pick. But realistically, with someone who might benefit from another college season, I'd say Xavier Watts. But again, he's leading the nation in interceptions ... with him on track to get his degree and have that when he goes to NFL training camp, its the timing better for him now? (more)

12:31

Hi Marie. Life is good here in South Bend this week. Let's start with the transfer portal and other positions. Marcus Freeman has said that if there's a way to upgrade your roster, you need to pursue it ... relative to the portal. So all positions are being scouted and vetted. Now which ones are most likely to be more urgent? Some are clear now. Wide receiver, defensive end, kicker. Some seem clear that you wouldn't go that route ... running back, cornerback, linebacker, tight end short of an unforeseen injury or departure(s). The positions where we have to see who's returning will determine whether there's a pressing need at interior defensive line and safety. My sense is that both of those position groups will take a hard look at it. Offensive line is a harder projection, but I would lean away from that. (more)

Marie from Atlanta

12:23

Hi Eric, I hope you’re having a great week. Now that Freeman has stated they will go to the portal for a QB next year. What other positions do feel need to be filled through the transfer portal? Of the players who have eligibility for next year which players do you think it is most important ND convince to stay? How many coaches on the current staff will not be on the staff next year? Who is more likely to be on staff next year Al Golden or Gerad Parker? Were you shocked by the Chip Kelly firing? As always thanks for your great insights and for hosting the chat.

Eric Hansen

12:23

John, I think this might have been in the queue last week, and I wanted to get to it and whiffed. So I'm giving it early attention this week. Robert Hughes (who goes by Rob now) is one of my favorite players to get to know during my time covering Notre Dame. We are Facebook friends, so I keep up with a lot of what he's doing, and he and his family are very involved in horses, and specifically rodeos. This is a great reminder for me to do a catch-up story on him sooner than later and/or get him on our podcast. Thanks.

John - Elkhorn, Ne.

12:19

Hey Eric - hard to believe it’s the last home game. I’ve been very impressed with Jeremiah Love. He reminds me of former Irish Robert Hughes. Any idea what Robert is up to these days? Thanks!

Eric Hansen

12:18

What I am confident when it comes to Marcus Freeman is that he will do what he thinks is best for the program and do a thorough evaluation after the regular season. His conclusion may or may not match yours. ... I don't think the AD, outgoing or incoming, would have a mandate in this situation, but I think it's fair to expect input from both, and I think Marcus Freeman would welcome that.

12:16

There are a lot of question in the queue relating to Notre Dame offensive coordinator/tight ends coach Gerad Parker this week as there were last week as there likely will be the next few weeks. I'll try to use as many as I can that show different facets of the issue of what direction ND should/might go offensively that covers new ground. This one accomplishes that and compliments Bob Morton. If you have never listened to our podcast, I'd make a point to do so this week. The guy is incredibly insightful. ... So to your questions, Don ... The question about making QBs coach Gino Guidugli a co-offensive coordinator ONLY makes sense if Marcus Freeman has already made the decision to go another direction with the offense in 2024 with a new coordinator AND Freeman was considering Guidugli in that role. And I don't think it would be a face-saving move. Everyone would know what happened. (more)

Don in Scottsdale

12:09

Eric, the podcast with Bob Morton was enlightening. Seems like the O is out of synch. Based on history Joe Rudolf is not the issue. CMF doesn't seem like a guy who is firing Parker. Does it make sense to make coach Gino co coordinator to allow Parker to save face? This off season will determine Freeman's future at ND. I am hopeful he makes a change with the OC as that seems like the cleanest move. How much say does the AD have in all of this?

Eric Hansen

All right, let's get rolling.

Here are the rules:

12:07

12:06

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

As far as this week's chat goes ...

12:05

► And, finally, thanks to all who have been listening to WSBT radio this season, as I have rejoined Darin Pritchett as a co-host on Weekday SportsBeat (960 AM, live streaming at wsbtradio.com) on Wednesdays and Thursdays during the 2023 Notre Dame Football season. I'm also co-hosting the pregame shows with Darin and Tyler Horka (which is not a clever stage name for Tyler James). The pregame show on Saturday this week runs from noon-2:30 p.m. ET. The weekday shows run from 5-6 p.m. ET. This week’s pregame show starts at 9 a.m. ET. You can download episodes as podcasts.

► On this week’s Inside ND Sports Podcast, former Notre Dame offensive lineman Bob Morton (2002-06) joined us. Morton discussed the 31-23 loss to Clemson, if it was a reflection of bigger issues for ND, how he would handle ND's quarterbacks the rest of the season, what he'd like to learn about QB Steve Angeli in the next few games, what is most wrong with ND's offense, dealing with coaching scrutiny as a player, if Sam Hartman should be making more play-calling decisions at the line of scrimmage, ND's offensive line being named a Joe Moore Award semifinalist, expectations for offensive linemen Billy Schrauth and Ashton Craig, evaluations of offensive linemen Zeke Correll and Blake Fisher, preparing next year's offensive tackles 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.

12:04

https://bit.ly/jandr

12:03

► 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’ve settled into our Monday night 7 ET time slot. Remember, if you miss the live show, you can catch up anytime on YouTube. Tyler James and I are also doing a live postgame show of our takeaways after every game. We’re also partnering with WSBT-TV this season, including collaborating on highlights and analysis. Here’s sports director Pete Byrne and me doing a quick run-through of this week’s game.

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