JotCast | Notre Dame Football Live Chat Nov. 20, 2024

Notre Dame Football Live Chat Nov. 20, 2024

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Jim retired in coastal nc

1:54

i am going to try this a third time I am impressed with how you reporters are so respectful with coach Free 2 questions I am disappointed with b collins what are your thoughts and can goins kick fg

Eric Hansen

1:54

Big step back in terms of penalties. Certainly correctible. You asked where they stand ... ND is 72nd in fewest penalties per game at 6.20. Not impressive, but teams in the playoff picture who are worse: Texas is 82nd, Georgia 88th, Colorado 112th, Texas A&M 114th, SMU 116th, Tennessee 118th, Ole Miss 121st and Alabama 127th out of 133 FBS teams. Self-inflicted wounds. ND needs to be better, and my sense is they will be better this week.

Steve, Kenosha WI

1:49

Hi, Eric. Can you put into perspective the amount of penalties ND has had this year by both units, in particular the offense. They seem undisciplined. Granted, some on the offense is due to inexperience but I thought it would get better. Last week was an underwhelming win in my eyes due mostly to penalties and subsequent 3rd and very longs.

Eric Hansen

1:49

Sean, I know fans want their teams to be perfect. But football and life aren't like that. It's how you adjust and handle adversity that gets you to your goals.

1:48

Hi Sean. He's approaching them similarly to the way he does each week. Look for ways to get better. And not looking beyond this game (except for the sports science people who are setting the practice and sleep schedules). Keep it simple and keep the focus on Army and not what might come in December. They're hunkering down like Doug in Sunny Florida.

Sean, Schaumburg, IL

1:46

Angst remains. The missed FGs on Saturday are a concern. Cost many of us a cover in the game. Leonard, again, had some accuracy issues. The tipped pass to Evans in the end zone. All he had to do was loft the ball to a guy who's 6'6". These are the small margins that can cost a team a game in the playoffs. How do you think Freeman is approaching these last two games with those small margins in mind?

Eric Hansen

1:45

Doug, I will not try to talk you out of your playoff picture speculation stance. Enjoy the sunshine. To your question, the things that will help Notre Dame offensively against a very good Army defense are: Playing with the lead, especially two scores if possible. That keeps the Army offense out of pure keepaway mode and limiting ND's offensive possessions. 2. No turnovers. ND is No. 2 in turnover margin. The game they got sloppy with turnovers, Northern Illinois, they lost. So don't give away possessions. 3. Take advantage of positions where ND's athleticism is superior clearly. Mitchell Evans, Beaux Collins, Riley Leonard in the run game. Jeremiyah Love. Army is ranked No. 5 in the nation in total defense.

Doug from Sunny Florida

1:34

Eric, there is a lot of talk regarding ND's placement in the playoff picture but I personally refuse to talk about it other than noting that we have to win out to even be considered. No sense in looking ahead when you have an undefeated Army team and a rivalry game with USC the next two weeks. Anyway, what do we need to do offensively to negate Army's stringent defense? Even thought they're ranked in the top 20, I don't see a lot of talk about the strength of their defense which appears to be one of the best in the country.

Eric Hansen

1:33

Thanks for sharing, Tom.

Tom F, Kennesaw, GA

1:33

Eric, another note just for everyone's info: I was a student trainer for that '66 team. The closeness continues to this day. A lot of GREAT players on the defense with an unbelievable amount of trust in each other and an unbelievable spirit. Ara's favorite saying was "we have NO breaking point." That team gave up 38 points ALL Year!! 7 were on a 93-yard fumble recovering TD by Purdue and 7 by Navy were late in the game, not against the first team. That is 24 points. 10 by MSU who was #2 team and 7 by Purdue who won the Rose Bowl and I believe finished in the Top 10. Great memories!!! Go Irish!!!

Eric Hansen

1:33

Hi Jeff. The current format is only guaranteed for two years, this one and next. There's already a push for a 14-team format, which would mean two byes. The way things are playing out this year would certainly give fuel for an evolution with the start of the new contract in 2026.

Jeff from Canton, MI

1:31

Hi Eric, when the playoffs were expanded to 12 teams I don’t think people envisioned that teams ranked 8th and 12th would get first round byes. And if Texas A&M beats Texas, the SEC champ will also likely be ranked outside the top 6, but still receive a bye. I think some major re-tweaking needs to occur that actually seeds the teams based off their ranking. Perhaps the 5 conference champs get in but are not guaranteed a first round bye. What do you think?

Eric Hansen

1:30

Hi John, thanks for putting up with us!! I think it's an interesting point, and I think I have two different answers for you. I think Nebraska was headed this direction no matter what conference they were in. I don't think they'd be in the playoff hunt if they were in the Big 12, say. But maybe with a coach like Matt Rhule and NIL money, it could level the playing field a little when it comes to the recruiting challenges Nebraska has. USC doesn't have those challenges, but I don't think the Big Ten membership will serve them well. But they do have the natural recruiting base and the ability to attract great coaches, so they could come back. They just need the Indiana version of the Big Ten schedule, perhaps, and not the one they were stuck with.

John from Chatham, NJ

1:26

Eric-Hope you and Tyler continue to be our eyes and ears for ND football!! Unrelated to CFP and ND/Army, I watched the Nebraska vs USC game this weekend. It really gave me pause to see where these two programs currently sit in the college football landscape. Nebraska was THE top program through the early to late 90's and even into the early 2000's. USC was on top of the mountain from 2002-2006. Do you think they made a deal with the devil in joining the Big 10? While it has provided tons of revenue for both athletic programs, perhaps they have lost their long term relevance? It really feels to me that they are great examples of the downside of the conference realignment trends. Thoughts?

Eric Hansen

1:25

there's some things that would have to all sync up. Maybe Oregon losing to Washington and then handily beating OSU. ND looking like a world beater in its next two games. And Texas A&M, ND's best win, winning the SEC. All of those things would help ND's perception. Still not sure that's enough, but that's what I think would have to all line up.

1:24

Kevin, thanks for the compliment and no the question didn't make my head hurt. What did was coming up with teams 21-25 on my AP ballot this week. It was slim pickins, I thought selection committee chair Warde Manuel did a good job last night of explaining that it won't be a one-size-fits-all interpretation when it comes to teams losing conference championship games. I had been seeking that info for weeks and finally got it, and it goes against what a lot of talking heads had been speculating as fact, that it wouldn't count against those teams. I would not rule out another upset of a top 10 team that you might not be expecting. And in all the scenarios you come up with, I think 6 or 7 (with 7 being more likely) is likely where ND will end up in the bracket ... which means No. 4 or 5 in the rankings. For Ohio State to drop below ND (more)

Kevin from Calgary

1:19

Eric, as always love the chats, you’re the best at ND analysis. I know college mayhem is always out there, but it looks like Ohio State will beat Indiana (probably soundly) and push them below the Irish in the playoff rankings and the status quo will remain the same until the conference championships, other than TAMU upsetting Texas and moving ND up a notch they’ll get knocked down in the playoff bracket anyway, regardless of who ends up SEC champ. My question is, if Ohio State loses a second close game to Oregon in the Big 10 championship, do you think there is any chance they drop below the fifth spot in the bracket and below ND (who would be sixth) and give the Irish the opportunity to play two weaker teams, by actual rank, in their first two playoff games (provided they keep winning)? And sorry if the question makes your head hurt.

Eric Hansen

1:19

Hi Bob, thanks again for lunch and getting to meet your awesome wife and awesome "service" dog. First, the hope is that all of those guys come back. And keep in mind D-line is sometimes a position where there are significant surprises from one year to the next. I would say the guys trending hottest at this point are Armel Mukam and Sean Sevillano Jr. But Brenan Vernon, Cole Mullins and Devan Houstan could all be wild cards. Of the D-linemen ND has committed or is still chasing, I'd say Jaylen Wiggins is the one who projects as most college-ready.

Bob (Oxnard, CA)

1:14

After Rubio, Hinish, and hopefully Onye, who is our best hope for interior DL next season who are currently on the roster?

Eric Hansen

1:14

The addition of Stanford, Cal and SMU has created new challenges ... as in what to do with Stanford, who was an annual opponent? And what if Clemson and FSU eventually leave.? So you asked about the when, and the ACC works with ND's existing contracts and committed dates to schedule the five committed teams each year (which some years had to be finagled to be four or six).

Here's the but ... and there's a but ..

1:09

Hi Rich. ND and the ACC worked this out a long time ago as far as which teams when and where. Here is what the original grid looked like in the years of 2026 to 2037:

Here is a grid that shows when each ACC team plays Notre Dame:

Boston College H: 2028, 2035 A: 2030, 2033
Clemson H: 2028, 2034 A: 2027, 2031 (Labor Day), 2037
Duke H: 2030, 2035 A: 2027, 2033
Florida State H: 2030, 2032, 2036 A: 2026, 2029
Georgia Tech H: 2027, 2029 A: 2032, 2036
Louisville H: 2026, 2032 A: 2030, 2033, 2035
Miami H: 2028, 2031, 2037 A: 2032, 2034
North Carolina H: 2030, 2036 A: 2026, 2031
North Carolina State H: 2031, 2037 A: 2029, 2035
Pittsburgh H: 2033, 2036 A: 2028, 2034
Syracuse H: 2026, 2034 A: 2029, 2037
Virginia H: 2026, 2034 A: 2031, 2035
Virginia Tech H: 2027, 2033 A: 2028, 2036 (Labor Day)
Wake Forest H: 2029, 2032 A: 2027, 2037

Rich-Key West

1:02

I have a question regarding the scheduling of the mandatory ACC football games. Does Notre Dame have any say in which teams they will play or is it decided by the conference? In addition, what say, if any, does Notre Dame have in the timing of the games?

Eric Hansen

1:02

Rick, thank you. I had a chance to talk to Eric Goins last night and I asked him about the kickoff ... and there was no strategy like that whatsoever. He said he knew he was kicking into the wind and he sometimes overstrikes when he tried to compensate for that. He's trying to break that habit, but on that one, he didn't kick the ball in the place he likes to strike and it resulted in a short kick. So, it was kind of a lucky mistake for him.

Rick from Peoria, Il

12:56

My question...Is it possible that the opening kickoff to C.Tyree was "game planned"? Did the ND coaches now that this was his "kryptonite" ??

12:55

Eric- Thank you for your steady hand in keeping the train on the tracks for all ND fans this year 😄

Eric Hansen

12:55

MANNY!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! I think with the heavy rotations ND has been playing all season on offense and defense and two well-placed bye weeks, this is a team that is well-positioned to be at its best if it can avoid further long-term injuries. ... I don't think either coordinator is looking for a HC gig this offseason. Denbrock just signed a four-year contract and Golden signed a long extension. That doesn't mean that can't be lured away or that there won't be demand, but there's not an eagerness by either one to be aggressive in pursuing something else. I think Golden would be more interested in an NFL DC job at this point than college head coaching.

Manny from San Pedro

12:52

Eric!!!!!! We have been in playoff must win mode since week 2. Will this help us down the stretch or will this team run out of gas!?!?!? What is the odds we lose one of our coordinators to a HC gig in the offseason!?!?

Eric Hansen

12:52

Hi Dave. Riley Leonard is coached to take what the defense gives him. So, if those are the players who are open, they'll get the ball. And if they're not, RL is coached not to force it to them.

Dave from DC

12:51

It was refreshing to see Leonard get the ball to receivers in space vs UVA. Do you think that wethere will be a more concerted effort to get the ball into the hands of our most explosive players, like Harrison and Mitchell?

Eric Hansen

12:50

The aversion to Love on more third-down plays is his pass-blocking. He has one of the worst PB grades per Pro Football Focus on the team, and Aneyas has one of the best. And now Aneyas' skill set is pretty varied as well. The good news is Love is fresh. He only has 114 carries .. compared to Boise State's Ashton Jeanty, who has 256. So, yes more but not every third down might make SOME sense. As far as more perimeter runs for Riley Leonard, according to PFF about a third of his runs have been perimeter runs and they've been successful and resulted in 8 of his 13 rushing TDs, so it's in the playbook. But it's easier to defend his runs on 2nd-and-25 and 3rd-and-16, which penalties put ND in way too much against Virginia.

12:43

Hi Joe. Let's start with the hardest part of your question, which is the 2025 offensive line. And there are so many variables, as you know, in why this is almost a futile exercise -- Ashton Craig's recovery timeline for one, how much would Spindler and Coogan want to return for fifth years, etc. Here's how I see it. The two givens are Aamil Wagner and Billy Schrauth. I think it would be ambitious to think Craig would be ready for fall camp, but maybe. I'll predict Coogan at center. Now I need a guard and a tackle ... out of Spindler, Pendleton, Jagusah, Knapp, Lambert, Black and Absher ... and find a place for Craig when he's healthy. It's a first-world problem. My guess would be Knapp and Jagusah, would one of them moving inside to guard, but I could see a lot of other combinations playing out. (more)

Guest

12:31

Joe from Massapequa NY . Hi Eric . Huge game Sat nite in the Bronx! Stop at Stan’s for a beer before the game . Its pretty well known. I have some concerns with this offense. I just do not understand why Love is not on the field on 3rd downs. Do u think this continues? I like Williams but not this week or next. Also , Does Denbrock have any speed option or other ways to get to the edge with RL? Teams have figured out the power . The PA pass was great on the GL but need more of that outside the RZ on 3rd and short. Lastly , predict ND starting OL in 2025 . I can’t lol . Its so deep and Black arrives as well.

Eric Hansen

12:30

Without Jeter at his best, I think a 45-yard field goal is a coin flip. And field goals inside of that distance would be better odds for Zac Yoakam. It would be great to have Jeter full go for Army, but USC is very important to have him ready for ... and a possible playoff game too.

“He’s probably a game-time decision week by week. I know he’s getting better. He feels like this has been his best week in practice and getting all the extra treatment that he needs. So I would say this week will be a game-time decision, but I feel like what he shared with me is that he’s definitely, still feels at his best. We decided to shut him down at halftime, just to try and recoup some of that time, so we feel like even that part has helped.”

12:28

Hi Damon Thank you, and appreciate you! Both head coach Marcus Freeman and special teams coach Marty Biagi expressed confidence that Mitch Jeter continues to incrementally get back to full health. Here's Biagi's quote on that during our coordinator interviews:

Damon from Nashville

12:25

Eric, thank you for all your great coverage. So appreciated! Thank goodness for the expansion of the playoff this year. We likely would have not still had the opportunity after the second week in last year’s format. Interestingly, if we went undefeated this year we would have a five seed. Now, if we were to be fortunate and win out with that bad loss, we are looking at probably a 6 seed. Anyway, how concerned should we be about our field goal squad? Kickers and leg injuries are no bueno. Do you feel comfortable about our chances making a 45 yarder if we need it?

Eric Hansen

12:24

Robert, we talked to Marty Biagi, ND's special teams coordinator, about this in the offseason. And especially with kickers, it just doesn't make a lot of sense to go to the high school ranks, when it's much more difficult to translate how those guys will perform at the next level. There's so much more risk than reward. With a portal guy, he has a proven track record over years at the college level. With punting, I don't think it's as urgent to get a transfer, but it does make more sense. Again, proven track record.

Robert, Dunedin Fl

12:21

Eric; Sincerest thanks for hosting the chats! Does ND continue to take transfer kickers/punters or build through HS recruiting? They have had several home grown successes over the years. Hunter Smith and Justin Yoon come to mind. How do think ND moves forward? I'm sure pluses/minuses either way. Appreciate your take.

Eric Hansen

12:20

There are three important areas in which this team is much better on defense than the 2012 group. This Irish team is No. 1 in turnovers gained, No. 1 in pass-efficiency defense and No. 6 in third-down conversion defense. Those will show up against playoff-caliber teams and give the Irish a chance to win in a playoff game.

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