JotCast | Notre Dame Football Live Chat Nov. 7, 2019

Notre Dame Football Live Chat Nov. 7, 2019

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Eric Hansen

3:06

Thanks, Jeff. That's a good place to end it. Great questions this week. We'll be back at noon EST next Thursday to do it all again. One question for you all. The week of Thanksgiving, we can't do this on Thursday. Would you all be open to a Black Friday chat? If so email me at ehansen@sbtinfo.com.

Jeff from LaPorte

3:04

More of a statement than a question. Your patience with the people going on and on about firing BK and hiring (Meyer, Stoops, etc.) is impressive. You show great professionalism. ND isn't firing a coach that has the record of BK. It's more about recruiting at this point. You can coach until you're blue in the face (or beat red in BK's place) but if you don't have the athletes that your opposition has especially in skill positions, you're in trouble. I think Joe Schmidt was a great example of this. Coached up to the point he was great at recognizing sets and great at getting everyone where they need to be, but fell short athletically and just was out classed in that way.

Eric Hansen

3:03

He is not. Couldn't pull it off.

John, Hobart

3:03

Is Chris Tyree planning on being an early enrollee? If he is as good as advertised, it would be great to have him ready for 2020.

Eric Hansen

3:01

Sure, but why would you?

Duke Cincinnati

3:01

Under ND's agreement with the ACC, could they opt to stay home rather than play in a low tiered ACC contracted bowl game?

Eric Hansen

3:01

I actually like that idea a lot.

Tom from Grand Rapids, MI

3:01

Hi Eric, appreciate the work that you do. I question whether Chip Long should go up to the press box to call his game. A coordinator can see so much more as far as tendencies that he can’t see through the eyes of the coaches he is communicating with from the sideline. I would also like to see Rees move to the sideline for immediate face to face feedback to the qb. I’d appreciate your thoughts on this as if it could increase offensive efficiency?

Eric Hansen

3:00

Ohio State, LSU, Clemson and Georgia.

Joe from Georgia

2:59

Who do you project into the playoffs?

Eric Hansen

2:58

Bob, Cutcliffe was hired by Charlie Weis in 2005, so he would have likely moved on, but Brady Quinn and Jimmy Clausen evolved pretty well in his absence. He's certainly very good with QBs and a pretty good coach all around. I've always been an admirer of his. To your question, when I see the way the end of this season plays out, I'll get back to you on that. My sense is that the answer will be positive.

Bob in Bermuda

2:58

I was thinking about our quarterback situation and how we have been developing their talent. I tend to feel that if David Cutcliffe did not have a heart problem several years ago (when he was to be our QB coach) and had to resign, he would have developed a few of our QB's far in excess of what had been done recently. He brought in Daniel Jones, never very highly ranked out of H.S. and developed a now starting NFL QB. Of course his legacy will be Peyton & Eli Manning who are among the 8 NFL QB's he's coached. So now, do you believe we have the coaching talent on staff now that can develop some of our QB's into big time college success?

Eric Hansen

2:55

I just wrote two in-depth stories on that, which are both free and available on our ndinsider.com website.

Harry Connellsville, Pa.

2:55

Why do you think Notre Dame will be in a better position to make a playoff run next year?

Eric Hansen

2:54

Thanks for reading. That Simon is a reserve halfway through his career is surprising and puzzling. But I think he'll be in the mix to replace Bilal as will Jack Lamb, Jordan Genmark Heath and Marist Liufau. Should be an interesting competition in the spring.

Ryan - Milwaukee

2:52

Hi Eric, I just read your 2020 look-ahead article (part II on the Defense). I'm curious about your thoughts on Bilal's successor. You noted no LB help is on the way in this class. I feel like Shayne Simon was very highly touted coming in and he's nowhere to be found or discussed from what I can see. Maybe he has a Special Teams role. But can you help flesh out where he is specifically and who is going to join JOK and presumably White going forward for ND?

Eric Hansen

2:51

Tyler James just explained it to me that you can't cut a guy from the front if the ball has already left the pocket. I'm not sure how Jafar could know that. In any event, Brian Kelly thought it was a lousy call then and still feels that way.

Terry from Cincinnati

2:50

Can you explain what the call was against Jafar Armstrong when he cut block the blitzing VA Tech on ND's second last drive. I was watching the game in a large group and couldn't hear the explanation. A friend said it was an illegal block, but to all of us watching it looked okay. Are backs not allowed to cut pass rushers?

Eric Hansen

2:49

That's exactly what ND did last season. The problem is, when you play a good to great defense, they have the athletes that can make you pay for that. If you don't take some deep shots, the safeties play up and disrupt your run game and short passing game.

Len from the Jersey Shore

2:48

Hi Eric! I love these chats! Thanks for having them. Coach Kelly had said the offense will take what the defense gives it. To do that all phases need to be somewhat dependible and dangerous to the opposing defense. You need to Run outside, run inside, short passes, deep inside, deep outside passes. The offense is not dangerous in all areas and will not be this year. I commend the coaches for trying. I agree with the choice. But at this point it is best to tactically try something different. An alternative is to be really really good at one phase and use the other phases as a complement off of that. With Book's accuracy, a senior receiver in Finke, Tight ends that are matchup problems, an athlete like Claypool, a back like Armstong who is a good receiver Why not perfect Book's accuracy in the short game and use it to build around? Less points will be scored, turnovers will be more important , but the chances of winning the remaining games may improve. What do you think?

Eric Hansen

2:47

That's why Lance Taylor is here.

2:46

This has come up before and it pains me to say it, because Autry Denson is such a class guy and did a very good job with the developmental end, but he struggled in the role of recruiter at his alma mater.

Jeff B from Oklahoma City

2:45

Eric, why all the issues with getting highly recruited running backs to come to Notre Dame? They have had great o-lines over the past 6 years with arguably two of the best o-linemen in the NFL right now , Nelson and Martin, having played for them. You would think a great running back would love the opportunity to run behind some of these lines. Is it the schemes, too much passing? Where is the disconnect?

Tim - Pleasant Prairie WI

2:44

Pretty odd here I am up in WI which has absolutely no tie in with ACC and we have ACC network. And here's Joe from PA with Pitt as a team and they don't have it. Guess each cable co has to balance the cost vs the rewards.

Eric Hansen

2:44

The 2020 recruiting class is a smaller class, and that's going to limit the ceiling. Where you saw a bump from the playoff is with the 2021 class. Will it continue? I think if ND finishes the season strong, that certainly will help. But keep in mind, players come to Notre Dame for football AND reasons other than football. So when they win big, they don't get as big a bump ... and when they lose, they don't have it erode the class as much as other places. One of the best classes in recent years was 2008 ... Floyd, Crist, Rudolph, Fleming, etc. that followed a 3-9 season in the field.

GB from Wasilla. Alaska

2:40

I asked about this a few weeks ago. That is why is ND not getting a surge in recruits, especially after being in the playoffs last year?Since Kelly has been coach, the recruiting ranking is usually around #10 except after 2012 season, the 2014(?) they were #2, I think. If this is updated, then the bump in recruiting should be in 2020. I just looked at Rivals and ND currently sits at #14 and if my math is okay, then the ranking grade per recruit (which I think is more important) is #8, so no discernible increase. The top 5 or so are recruiting an average of 4* and above while ND is recruiting at 3.59* They are ranked # 1 for 2021 but typically Kelly's recruiting rankings fall as the season progresses. Why is the recruiting plateauing and what can Kelly and company do about it?

Eric Hansen

2:40

Paul, I don't dismiss your question. I think it's valid. Yet Kelly has had a pretty good track record with first-year starters. It's been QBs in their second year where it's been perplexing. As far as Phil Jurkovec is concerned, we don't know exactly where his development stands other than what Brian Kelly tells us. He certainly improved, by my eye test, from spring to August, and that's the last time we had an open practice to view. My sense is that he is improving. I think it's fair to ask why players in other systems thrive earlier in their careers, though Nix and Duggan are ranked in the 70s in passing efficiency. Here's my bottom line: If Book regresses and Phil isn't ready to compete by next spring, BK needs to look long and hard at his QB development model.

Paul from Toronto

2:30

Eric, taking Book out of the conversation for a moment, do we have any idea why Jurkovec seems so far behind the curve in terms of development? There's frosh QB's starting all over CFB, like Howell, Nix, Gabriel, Duggan, etc. Meanwhile, fall camp coverage described a guy who could barely throw the ball. Was this bad scouting or something else?

Eric Hansen

2:30

If you could get the defense to line up and not move, then Notre Dame would probably be able to do that every game. But defenses at a size disadvantage are going to use movement and scheme to try to level the playing field. The RPO game also plays into this. If a play looks like it's going to be a run and then Book decides to pass, the linemen can't just blow downfield, otherwise it's a penalty. Can they play better? Sure. But other than the Michigan game, I thought this was a unit that had improved, and so did the Joe Moore Award committee, which named the Irish O-line to its midseason honor roll.

Rick from the OC

2:26

opus! My question/comment is why can't our much touted OL move people off of the line? Even against lesser teams like UNM and UL the other team's defensive line gets a push against out big uglies. We out weight just about every team we face, and in some cases significantly so (Banks is HUGE) you would think we could just power block and blow the other team off of the line. Sure a fast running back would help, but we should be blowing the other teams defensive line off the line. Why can't we do that? Coaching?

2:25

Great Chat Eric,

Eric Hansen

2:25

He is still enrolled in school, but took a medical hardship. I wrote about it this past summer, when it happened. He's also enjoying helping to raise his daughter.

Jeff from LaPorte

2:24

This just kinda hit me the other day, what happened to Darnell Ewell. I was looking at the roster and noticed he disappeared.

Eric Hansen

2:24

Frank, thanks. With the exception of cornerbacks, I think ND is moving in that direction. If the 2021 class (high school juniors) finishes the way it started, that's the kind of class ND needs to compete with the playoff regulars.

Frank Atlanta

2:23

Eric. Great stuff. Living in Atlanta it’s difficult to stomach all of the SEC bias. ND gained a ton of respect down here the way they played Georgia. I saw first hand that ND had the athletes to play with Georgia but not the depth. I think it’s more important to have multiple 4 star players to provide that depth instead of a few 5 stars. Do you see ND recruiting depth to be able to compete with the SEC elite? Thanks.

Eric Hansen

2:23

I think he will be.

Matt in Augusta NJ

2:22

Is chip long the offensive coordinator next year? Offense isnt clicking by any means. Is the blocking scheme to complex with all the pulling? We never just fire off the ball and dominate the man in front of us?

Eric Hansen

2:22

The reason you have that perception is because running back recruiting has been subpar for a while. ND was not only not signing players with elite speed at that position, they were having a hard time getting them to even visit campus. The recruit in the 2020 class, Chris Tyree, may be the fastest running back in the senior class in high school. That's a good sign. The two fastest on the current roster, Avery Davis and Jafar Armstrong, came to ND as a quarterback and wide receiver, respectively, not as running backs. Thanks for joining the chat, Bill.

Bill from Montreal, Canada

2:20

Hi Eric, to finish my question. ND running backs currently do not have any rapid acceleration once they hit the line. As a result, we keep realizing 1 or 2 yard gains over and over. Is there no burner amongst the current roster of running backs? Avery Davis , perhaps?

2:19

Hi Eric. I am a big fan of yours from Montreal. My question is based on the performance of ND's running backs. Why does it seem that we have a stable of slow,

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