JotCast | Notre Dame Football Live Chat Nov. 25, 2020

Notre Dame Football Live Chat Nov. 25, 2020

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Eric Hansen

1:04

Jack, thank you for being part of the chats. I was going to come to Ohio, but we decided to move Thanksgiving to spring just to be on he safe side. I have a family member with a compromised immune system due to recovering from leukemia, so we decided we're all going to honor him by moving Thanksgiving to a time when he can enjoy it with us.

Jack Strongsville Ohio

1:01

Eric. No question today. Thanks for all the great work you do throughout the year on the football beat. Enjoy Thanksgiving with your family. Are you coming to Ohio for your mom's stuffing and turkey this year.

Eric Hansen

1:01

Mike. I don't think Charlie was the first in college football history to offer a scholarship to a long snapper, but it certainly was very uncommon when he did. Now it's standard procedure. And the Jeff Samardzija question is not close to being accurate. Notre Dame itself had tall receivers before Jeff and certainly in college football Randy Moss was well ahead of Jeff's arrival.

Mike McFadden, Williamsport, PA

12:58

Hi Eric, I am a member of the Gr Williamsport (PA) NDC. 23 years. I have several duties w/them and speak often to our group during our monthly mtgs. Can you pls verify two recruiting q's for me as I have made these statements which I believe to be true. One, wasn't Charlie Weis the first coach in all college football to offer a scholarship to a long snapper? I recall many ND fans disagreeing with him saying "Oh, look what Charlie did now"? Now it is routine these days to do that. Two, wasn't ND the very first team in all college football to offer a tall rangy lanky body type WR, that being Jeff Samardzija, rather then a short fast quick body type? Again, tall WR's are typical now. What coach recruited Jeff? Thanks. And Go Irish !!!

Eric Hansen

12:56

Jim, thanks. The ACC thought it through when formulating its tiebreakers for this season. If the teams that don't play the same number of games are tied in the loss column, then you default to head to head. And that gives a 9-1 Clemson team the edge over 10-1 Miami in that scenario.

Guest

12:53

Eric - love this chat and the info you provide. I’m curious about the ACC championship game and whether you know what happens if, let’s say, Clemson ends up playing one less game than Miami and ends up 9-1, and Miami finishes 10-1. Technically Miami then has a better win percentage - which is the factor that decides who plays. But guessing the ACC would consider Miami and Clemson tied with Clemson getting the tie breaker. Thoughts? Thanks, Jim from Morganton, NC

Eric Hansen

12:52

Not unless there are COVID-19 issues.

David K from Elkhart, IN

12:52

Does ND have the option to forego the Wake Forest game?

Eric Hansen

12:51

If Notre Dame can play with the lead, I would expect to see the Irish try to play ball control and shorten the game and limit possessions. The multiple tight end looks help that along. That's how this team is constructed. That's its calling card. Notre Dame has won time of possession in every game this year except Florida State. The average # of plays for their opponents is 62.8. That's seven below the national average and that's with a double-OT game (77 plays) averaged in.

Mike from Rochester NY

12:42

Happy Thanksgiving, Eric! Do you think the Irish will try to use multiple tight end sets to run the ball a lot and keep NC’s offense off the field? I know the two injuries on the O-line make this a bit more of a challenge but next two guys in are no slouches and those tight ends are great blockers. It would just seem you’d want to keep the ball away from Sam Howell & company as well as keep our defense fresh, since it’s supposed to be 68 degrees there on Friday.

Eric Hansen

12:41

I think it makes sense to stay with your standard personnel packages on first down and second and short/medium. That's the beauty of Jeremiah Owusu-Koramoah, because he can be a nickel and cover the slot or he can be an extra pass rusher or he can stuff the run. ND's third down package usually means taking Drew White and Shayne Simon off the field and subbing in Bo Bauer and DJ Brown. Up front, there are three defensive ends and Myron Tagovailoa-Amosa. Daelin Hayes usually kicks inside.

Guest

12:36

Joe H Williams Bay Wi Hi Eric Thanks again for the weekly chats I really enjoy your insights I’m wondering that with the explosive offense we will be facing on Friday do you think that Clark Lea will feature more nickel and dime looks or do you think he’ll stay traditional and employ more blitzes to pressure Sam Howell Also if we do go more nickel and dime who do you think will get those snaps for us.Thanks

Eric Hansen

12:34

Hi Dave, thanks for being on the chats. The thing I ask myself when I throw out an idea like that is what can I gain from a move like that and what do I lose? Ian Book himself is an excellent runner (4.9 per carry), reads defenses better than Avery, can get you out of a bad play at the line of scrimmage and into a good one. So I lose all that as well as the team's third-leading receiver and fastest receiver when Lenzy isn't on the field. What do I gain? The element of surprise and a player who might break a long run. So I might consider it for a specific play, but I wouldn't want to do that for an entire series or more.

Dave from Alpha, NJ

Just wondering if you think ND will add a new wrinkle to the offense, Possibly allowing Avery Davis to run a little wildcat???

12:29

Hi Eric. Thanks for always having these chats.

Eric Hansen

12:28

Thank you so much, Kim. Both players would be starters on a lot of other teams. Both have great pedigree. Both have worked hard for their chances. My only misgiving, maybe, is that they're next to each other. The communication/chemistry will be tested. Having said that, I expect them to play at a high level.

Kim. Wichita Ks

12:26

Kim Wichita Ks Eric luv all that you do you’re the best! My feeling is Josh and Zeke will do great. How do you feel about them?

Eric Hansen

12:25

Hi Bill. Thanks for posting. I believe that is the plan. And now that the players are out of school, the coaches/administration will have the challenge of structuring their days for a long time. With the COVID protocols in place, that makes it even more of a challenge. You can't just take them to a movie or out to dinner or to an arcade. But that's the sacrifice they all signed up for. I guess the good news is there's a very short lull between what likely will be the last regular-season game (Dec. 19) and a potential playoff game on Jan. 1 or an Orange Bowl berth on Jan. 2. It'll feel like a normal bye week.

Bill from Naperville

12:21

Bill from Naperville, IL: Hi Eric - Hope this finds you well. Long time reader, first time poster. Will ND keep its players in South Bend through the bowl season, even though that will span Christmas and hopefully New Years as well? With luck that could stretch all the way to January 11th if we make it to the championship game. With the risks of travel, etc I would think they have no choice, but that's a long time to sit around campus with not much to do but practice. All the best for a Happy Thanksgiving to you and family.

Eric Hansen

12:20

Ashton, I'm originally from Ohio. Thanks so much for checking in this week. I hope you and your family have a fun and safe holiday. ... To your question, Brian was thinking that 57-yard attempt was on the edge of Jonathan Doerer's range. In the rearview mirror, he admits that was NOT a good decision and wouldn't consider it going forward.

Ashton brookfield ohio

12:17

my question is: what was BK thinking kicking that long FG vs Clemson?! We were so lucky not to give up a td to eteinne to end the half! can you tell him don’t do that again!🏈🍀😂

12:16

15 yr old Irish fan and frequent reader of you chats they are really informative and fun to read thanks!

Eric Hansen

12:14

Absolutely not. It may change the level of execution, but not the intent of the game plan. Lugg, by the way, filled in nicely at right tackle last November/December.

Jacob, Hobart, IN

12:13

Does having 2 starting linemen out change ND's game plan v North Carolina?

Eric Hansen

12:13

I think that's Tommy Kraemer you're referencing, rather than Robert Hainsey. Kraemer had an emergency appendectomy last Friday night, but he is expected to return to football activities next week. That doesn't necessarily mean he'll be ready to go for Syracuse on Dec. 5, but the point is his return looks sooner than later. So to your question about the center position, which is a long-term situation. Lugg is listed as the backup center this week, and I think there is/will be competition for that spot once Kraemer returns. Jeff Quinn likes to play his best five linemen. Both Lugg (6-7, 310) and Correll (6-3, 288) are good enough that they're both projected starters next year. Correll made incredible strength and size gains over last year (he was 265). He's extremely confident and feels he's ready. I think you are worrying too much about Correll's size. But it's fair to expect Lugg would continue to compete for that spot when Kraemer returns. Correll can make his case to stay put on Friday against N. Carolina.

Irish Rob, Scranton PA

12:04

I wonder if Zeke Correll is on a one week audition? Had Robert Hainsey not gone down, congruent to Jarret Patterson's injury, could we be looking at Josh Lugg starting at C? I know that Correll was a highly recruited and well thought of prospect, but his size, or lack thereof, worries me. I just read he's only 288, which isn't ideal, imo, when you are in the trenches for a major college football program. Is there a chance, if this doesn't go well, and assuming Robert returns next game, that Lugg moves over to C to maintain the beef this line has produced all year, or am I over worrying about Correll's size?

Eric Hansen

Let's get started.

12:03

Here are the rules.