JotCast | Notre Dame Football Live Chat Oct. 30, 2024

Notre Dame Football Live Chat Oct. 30, 2024

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Tanner from Tulsa

1:32

What is the schedule makers name because fall break falling on the week before navy. Chefs kiss. Also is there a way to get ahold of anyone involved with the gameday atmosphere, email, tweet, call, because if and a big if ND gets a home game in the CFP, the atmosphere will need to be as big as it’s ever been. Still have to take advantage of the bye week and go 1-0, four more times. Finally, are there any non season injured players coming back within the next 4-5 weeks. Thanks as always for the coverage and insight. 2nd to none my friend 🙏

Eric Hansen

1:30

Patrick. my explanation would be patience. Mike Brown hasn't had a full cycle as WR coach/recruiter and players are just now seeing what an ND offense under Denbrock looks like. So 2026 might be the better gauge. But even looking at 2025, Elijah Burress, for instance, has played way above his star rating this season. And don't discount the portal. Beaux Collins at Clemson had more receptions than anyone on ND's team did in 2024. And coming out of high school he was a four-star prospect and No. 63 player nationally regardles of position with offers from Alabama, Georgia, Ohio State, Michigan, Oregon, Notre Dame ... and on and on.

1:26

Jack, it is not something I've put a lot of time into studying yet, so that will probably be something I'll look at in the offseason. Bye weeks are busier for us than it might appear, especially with men's and women's basketball with exhibition games tonight. But it's a good question. What's more pressing for those sports is how the football money being funneled to players appears to be shrinking scholarship opportunities for non-revenue sports at a lot of schools. That is also something I can get to in the offseason. Thanks for the idea.

1:22

I got too quick on the trigger there. So let me get Jack first and then Patrick's question.

Jack, Strongsville,Ohio

1:22

As a follow up to my previous question, how about the amount of time in the classroom these athletes are missing due to the extended conference opponents?

Guest

1:22

Eric, I appreciate your show and look forward to listening. With reference to wide out recruitment given the improvement made over the last two years in securing quality QBs why has the staff had such a difficult time finding high level receivers. I have been surprised that the addition of Denbrock as OC has not helped. What is your explanation. Patrick Burke from Rochester,NY

Jack, Strongsville,Ohio

1:22

Hi Eric. Since it is a bye week I have a general college sports question. With the advent of the supercomferences, how do the schools justify the financial burdens of the non revenue sports and the additional travel and administrative costs, For example, Notre Dame sending boys tennis team to play at Stanford or Ohio State girls swim team traveling to USC. This forum may not be conducive to such an answer so I apologize in advance. Thanks for all your great work.

Eric Hansen

1:21

And yes, playing at that level, he could be a difference-maker, even in limited snaps.

1:20

And quite honestly, he should be beyond those in that frequency by now. So he's at an inflection point. And maybe Saturday not only relights the fire within him, but shows the coaching staff in what situations he can best excel rather than just kind of a generic rotational role.

1:19

Bye Week greetings to you. And I appreciate this difficult question. There is no question Jaylen Sneed is an elite athlete. He also had a tremendous offseason, which led me to believe he'd finally break through and become an elite athlete AND a really good linebacker. Instead, he's been mostly a puzzle. Saturday was his best game in an ND uniform. But could that carry over beyond the specialized Navy offense? There's a lot going on with the answer to this question. In that five-man linebacker rotation, Kiser has been Kiser. But the other three -- Ausberry, KVA and Bowen have surged ... big time. So living with Sneed's growing pains is not an attractive option. (more)

Denny from Beaverton

1:15

Bye Week Greetings Eric; I was just watching you and Tyler on FNS picking the 5 players that could really help Notre Dame the rest of the season. As you were doing that I kept thinking what about Jaylen Snead and I was happy that one of your questioners asked that same question. He caught my attention during the game by how animated he was. Perhaps less playing time during the recent games has lit a fire into him. I think you have mentioned that he is potentially one of the most talented players on the team. I hope that is the case as I was recently thinking that he could be a portal guy if things did not change. What do you think has held him back this year so far? He definitely seemed happy to be on the field Saturday. Your insight and thoughtful opinions are really appreciated by us out here. Thank you.

Eric Hansen

1:14

Hi Ced. They'd love to get two more linebackers, one or two more WRs, a defensive tackle and maybe a running back. So ideally, 5 or 6.

cederickwalker

1:13

ced walker Saginaw Michigan aka sagnasty Saginaw pride how many more players Notre Dame will take in they recruiting class god bless this football team here come the irish trust the process the golden standard rally we are nd god country go irish love thee notre dame our mother pray for us

Eric Hansen

1:13

He already is fourth for single-season rushing yards (539) with a shot at Tony Rice's school record and he's third -- third in completion percentage all time (.662) with a chance of overtaking Ian Book 2018 and Jimmy Clausen 2009. THE KEY is continued improvement. Saturday needed to be a benchmark not the arrival point. And I think there is momentum for that kind of improvement.

1:10

Hi Larry. The assistant coaches typically let Marcus Freeman be the ultimate spokesperson on injuries. But OC Mike Denbrock hinted last Tuesday that he didn't think it would be long before Carr was back practicing. The new injury policy is helpful in some ways and a pain in the butt in others. Players like CJ, who isn't in the two deeps, gets into some gray area. But I do plan to ask about him next week, so we'll see where that goes. ... I don't know the Eric Hansen's game balls is necessarily a good measure of progress for Leonard, but let me throw out one that is ... his Pro Football Focus great of 91.2 was the highest of his career. A couple of other interesting stats. His on pace to set the ND record for rushing TDs by a QB in a season (he has 11, the record is 14). (more)

Guest

1:05

Larry from Topton, PA – Hi Eric! 7 and 1 baby!! 2 QB related questions. 1) I was in the Swamps of Jersey on Saturday, and noticed that it appeared that CJ Carr did not dress for the game. At least for sure he did not throw during warm ups. How likely is it you will get an update on his status during the bye week? If his problem extends into the off season, that has real ramifications for the 2025 QB room. 2) Can you please check your season notes and tell us how many times Leonard has won your game ball? I think it is time fans realize his value, especially considering his elusiveness relative to the O-line issues. I do not know that Leonard will lead ND to 11-1, but I do not feel they would be 7-1 without him. Thanks Eric, Oh Wise One.

Eric Hansen

1:04

Shane, you can venture onto my lawn. But if you do, bring a rake and get to work!!!! I think you and I are on the same page with the jerseys. To me, dressing for success means wearing something without a spaghetti sauce stain on it. But I know if is a big thing for other people, and I'm OK with them being upset or excited about certain jerseys. As long as they let me be numb to it. Happy Halloween.

Shane from White Deer, Texas

1:02

Hey Eric. I promise I am not a “get off my lawn” guy, but my question may sound like it. Is the color of the uniforms important to everyone but me? My wife asked me what I thought about the blue jerseys a couple of weeks ago, and I can honestly say - I didn’t even notice. I see a lot of discussions about what the team might wear and the different combinations thereof. I will admit I was in high school when they won it all in 1977, which ironically was the green jersey game against USC. Maybe I was excited about that back then. Maybe I’m too old now to be hip to what’s cool. Help me out. Am I just being an old man? Now get off my lawn!! Just kidding. Happy Halloween.

Eric Hansen

1:01

OK, freshman with the highest ceiling? There are a lot to choose from. KVA and Bryant Young would be in the top four. Leonard Moore is in that group. But I'm going to go off the board and go with a hunch and say QB CJ Carr. ... As far as Jason Onye, I think we'll have a better feel for that after the bye week on Monday.

12:59

“I think the 7-on-7 world has helped in some ways and hurt in others. I think it's helped identify really quality guys who can run and go get it. I don't know that it's actually taught them a lot about coverage structure, because it's so unique to 7-on-7. They go to these big tournaments and everybody's trying to win the tournament, and they're playing this style and that style. And some of that is real football and some of it's not real football. So, I think there's some good things about it, some bad things about it. And I think for him [Cam Williams] in particular, he just needs more experience. And some guys are a little bit more ready-made, based on maybe what they did in high school and then the training that they've gotten in the offseason. And some guys just need a little more maturity time. And he's one of those guys.”

12:58

"Cam continues to kind of learn the game and the details of the game. He is incredibly blessed with what the good Lord blessed him with, as far as size and being able to run. But understanding coverages and where he fits in the concept and how to route-adjust and different things like that, that process is ongoing. He's gotten better at that, so I like where he's headed, but there's still some work to be done there.”

Q: We've seen that with receivers here before and with some guys who went on to become NFL receivers but didn’t make much of a dent early. So, why is that not more of a universal thing, where some guys are just ready to go as freshmen and some guys are not?

12:57

Hi Jim. Let me start with the Cam Williams part of your question and work backwards ... and thanks for the compliments ... I was curious about Cam too, in part because he was such a highly rated and hotly perceived recruit. So I asked OC Mike Denbrock about him last Tuesday and here is his response ...

Jim from Wheaton, IL

12:54

Eric, where would us information-hungry Notre Dame fans be without these weekly chats??!! Thanks for keeping us informed and educated with your insights and observations. I understand and respect HIPAA and privacy concerns, but is there any update on Jason Onye's status and potential return, as he was having a breakout early season, and without him, depth in the interior of the defensive line is challenged (glad to have Rubio back)? Also, if you had to pick one true freshman who has the highest future ceiling, who is it? Lots of great choices, but I'm between Kyngstonn Viliamu-Asa and Bryce Young. Finally, why haven't we seen Cam Williams at all this season? As a five-star recruit, even needing some development, why wouldn't he get some snaps in four or fewer games, especially with some of the lopsided victories we have seen? Should we be concerned about his future in the WR rotation? Any updates on his progress/development? THANKS!!

Eric Hansen

12:52

Jordan Botelho will also have a chance to come back if he wants, coming off a knee injury.

12:51

Hi Brendan. It certainly looks different than it did even a few years ago. With NIL money, it makes coming back for another year a more intriguing business decision. In general, Marcus Freeman and the coaching staff at least have a feel for who's thinking about coming out early going into the season. This second bye week is an opportunity for a checkpoint on that. And then after the regular season ends, there's even more discussions. That's both to help get the player the feedback from the NFL he needs but also how he'd fit in for the next season and ND's own roster management needs. The declaration date for early entry is in mid January. So who might be on the fence where the balance of the season could factor in? Possibly Mitchell Evans, who with a healthy season would have not given much thought to coming back, but now? Watts actually has a sixth-year option, but I don't see him returning. And I don't think Ben Morrison's injury will keep him out of the draft, but he'll at least talk things through. (more)

Brendan from Pittsburgh

12:42

What does deciding whether to enter the NFL draft, transfer, or stay at ND look like? How involved is the coaching staff in that decision and how much does the rest of the regular season and postseason matter (in general)?

Eric Hansen

12:41

Hi Bob. Loghan Thomas is listed at 6-4, 224, which is actually significantly up from the 196 pounds he weighed when he enrolled as a freshman in January. His goal was to get to 230 by the end of the summer, derailed a bit because of shoulder surgery. If he can play in the 240s next season, I think that would be a good goal for him. He really has a very quick first step on the edge. I am really curious to see how he develops, because I think he can be special.

Bob (Oxnard, CA)

12:37

Hi Eric. Great season so far! What is Logan Thomas's ideal weight, and realistically, when can he reach it? Thanks.

Eric Hansen

12:36

Manny!!!!! There is no uniform look to my bye week Saturdays. But I do try to watch a lot of the games and I do still have to vote in the AP Top 25 poll at the end of the night or early the next morning. The last bye week Saturday was a full work day, but I did get to sneak away for a couple of hours for my fourth-oldest grandson's 9th birthday. Taylor Swift was not on the playlist. That's Tyler James' favorite. ... My favorite road game ever was Oklahoma 2012.

Manny from San Pedro

12:32

Eric!!!! This has been such a fun exciting season!!! Thanks so much for your coverage. What does your weekend look like in bye weeks? Do you watch other games or just listen to Taylor swift records? Also. What is a road game every Notre dame fan should experience once?

Eric Hansen

12:32

Hi Mark. He is impressive. And had he not missed almost the entirety of spring practice with a nagging injury, I think we might have seen more of him this season. A couple of reasons beyond that, that we haven't. Aneyas Williams really brings a very complete skill set to the mix ... and ND now appears ready to use Jeremiyah Love on third down more. Kedren Young's freshman year reminds me a bit of Audric Estime's, where Logan Diggs was the freshman who got more carries, but ultimately Audric was the better back. Young has a bigger body type than any of the other backs (and none of them are tiny). And if that doesn't come into play this year, I would think that would play well in 2025.

Mark from Boston

12:29

Hi Eric! I’ve been really impressed with the toughness and shiftiness of Kedren Young. Do you see him getting more playing time during the last 4 regular season games? I’m hoping he’s not discouraged with his playing time. I see a bright future ahead.

Eric Hansen

12:27

Hi Ryan. I can still vividly remember interviewing Benjamin Morrison after practice one day in August and casually asking about his impressions of Leonard Moore, and Morrison telling me he thought Moore would have a better career at ND than BeMo would, And then I talked to Jayden Thomas about it and he essentially doubled down down on that. And it's kind of playing out in real time. Yes, ideally you'd like to have them both healthy and available, but Moore is such a key piece now with Morrison out. And he so far is delivering.

Ryan Frankfort illinois

12:23

Good Afternoon Eric what do you think about the play of Leonard Moore he looked good vs Louisville and it was nice to see him get a interception on Saturday GO IRISH ☘️☘️☘️🏈🏈🏈

Eric Hansen

12:22

I understand why Notre Dame feels an obligation to schedule Navy annually. But I wouldn't be opposed to seeing that game a little less frequently, maybe every other year to build in some more scheduling flexibility. ... The funny thing is Navy will probably help ND's strength of schedule this season. ... As far as young players stepping up, I'm not sure juniors qualify, but Jaylen Sneed and Junior Tuihalamaka really impressed me. Probably Sneed's best game in an ND uniform and maybe Junior's too. ... Yes I do think playing Navy this close to the Army game will help some, but there are distinct differences between those two offense. Thanks for the great questions, Marie.

12:17

Marie, there's a lot to unpack regarding the future scheduling that may take some time to get a clearer picture of. What's not certain, for instance, is whether Clemson and FSU will leave the ACC. Also uncertain is whether the league gets stronger, weaker or stays the same. USC is another variable, Can the game stay annual? Does USC get weaker? Will that game need to be scheduled at a different point in the season? And given ND's ceiling as a No. 5 seed each year, do they really need to impress as much with overall schedule strength? There are some good home-and-homes coming up, including Alabama. Now about Navy ... (more)

Marie from Atlanta

The most with their play? Although Navy is running a different offense this year from the traditional triple option, how much do you think the Navy experience will help the young linebackers in the game against Army? Finally, how much do you think a healthy Jordan Faison can improve this offense moving forward? As always thanks for hosting the chat and all the great insights.

12:09

Hi Eric, I hope you’re having a fantastic week. Great win for the Irish on the weekend. Despite a lot of people trying to say, it was a lot of self-inflicted turnovers by Navy, I do believe the speed and the pressure bearing down on them by the ND defense indirectly help force some of those turnovers. Since it’s the off week, I would like to follow up on the podcast from last week and Jerry Palm’s comments, implying that with five ACC teams, which he thought most of would be weak, USC, Stanford, and Navy that really only leaves room to schedule four teams, potentially limiting NDs ability to schedule, marquee games, and it might affect Notre Dame’s strength of schedule moving forward. What are your thoughts on this? Do you have a strong opinion on whether Notre Dame should keep playing Navy every year, should they drop them, or, should they maybe play them every three years and surround it with a big event highlighting the game? Switching gears: of the younger players this weekend who surprised you the

Eric Hansen

12:07

OK off we go ...

12:06

The "no drinking" rule is still rescinded and we'll add the "no bare feet" rule to the relaxed edict list as well.

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