JotCast | Notre Dame Football Live Chat Sept. 25, 2024

Notre Dame Football Live Chat Sept. 25, 2024

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Eric Hansen

1:46

The challenge with the WRs is not whether or not they're getting open, it's building trust and timing and chemistry with them, all of which was slowed by missing spring practice. The offensive line's inexperience is a challenge, but it's reasonable to expect that to get better with each week. I can understand why from the outside looking in at this point of the season, some people would like to see someone else get a shot. I get it, and again this week will tell a lot about where all this is headed with both Riley Leonard and the rest of the offense.

1:44

Now to your question (and thanks for the kind words). Of the multiple choices you gave me, only No. 1 kind of its. As I mentioned earlier, Riley Leonard is learning to play football a different way, and others have done it this late in their careers and others have fallen short. But think of it as learning a new language (Dayne Crist offered me that one). Now first you can say a few phrases like "What's up?" And "Where's the bathroom?" And then you can be more conversational over time. And then you think in that language and don't have to translate it into English first. And then you dream in that language. That's where the process starts. (more)

1:40

Hey Joe. Every week there are scads of questions I don't get to. And I'm only bringing it up, so people understand. So here goes. (and yes, I will answer your question). 1) Way more questions during the season that I can answer in 3 hours. And that's with not going over my answers to fix typos until I'm doing the transcript. Sometimes I can go a little over, but I have a hard out today at 3 for another assignment. 2) If I've already answered the question, I'm going to pass and get to different subject matter. 3) If someone leaves off their name and hometown, they go to the back of the queue. It's really not a lot of me to ask, I don't think. 4) If it's a question that's too broad or that I'd have to halt the chat for 15 minutes to do research for it. There are some good questions that make for good story ideas, but don't necessarily fit in the chat format. (more)

Joe Cap from Massapequa NY

1:36

HI Eric . With all of talk surrounding the poor passing attack , rank in order who you think is most responsible for the shortcomings. 1- RL lack of ability the throw consistently. 2 - Denbrock trying to make RL do too much passing. 3- The WRs are simply not getting open . Or 4- The OL is just not protecting him long enough to stay in the pocket. Hope we run for 350 this week . Lou Holtz style was good enough to win a ton of games. I think this team could do the same with a little creativity. I hope to make the cut this week lol. Regardless, you are the best in the biz in my book!

Eric Hansen

1:35

Manny!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! The original exclamation point man. You're the punctuation OG. The plan is for Riley Leonard to evolve INCREMENTALLY each week toward a guy with a wide skill set that would include taking deep shots, but not just to show he can, but as a function of he offense. And this would be a perfect week for SOME of that to happen. Of the two options you gave me, I'll go with treat.

Manny from San Pedro

1:33

Eric!!!!!! It’s almost Halloween time! Will it be trick or treat from Leonard on Saturday!?!? Will he take some shots deep or is he strictly a rpo guy at this phase of his career?

Chaunce, Toledo

1:33

continued - it seems like day games at home lull the team to sleep. Something isn’t working, maybe we need to start selling beer in the stadium? Again, serious about that. There just is a lame vibe at home day games.

Eric Hansen

1:33

Chaunce, I get why you asked this question. I had a friend in town who experienced his first ND game and had other experiences to compare it to, and the atmosphere was hardly electric. I don't think the moving games out of South Bend plays well at any level, and the night game thing makes more sense as a remedy. But I think ND needs to do a better job of building the energy with music, with the video board and less of the quiet time and interviews during timeouts. Loss PSAs on the video board and more fun stuff.

Chaunce, Toledo

1:29

Eric - big fan and appreciate all you do. Serious question - does ND need to consider only playing night games at home, or moving all home games to Shamrock Series type venues in order to have any sort of edge/excitement to “play to its standard”?

Eric Hansen

1:29

Oh there was one more part of it. Mike Denbrock. He's got a really good track record at a lot of different places. And I have NEVER spoken to a former Irish player who had a single negative comment about him or who has lost faith in what they think he can get done. It's not easy, and Mike knew that walking in the door. But sometimes these snapshots are very telling and sometimes they are anything but. And having known him for almost a quarter of a century, I'm willing to take the heat on my opinion that think this will prove out over the long haul to be a great hire.

1:26

On offense, ND is going to need Riley Leonard's legs in this game to keep the Cardinals from loading up on ND's traditional running attack. But Leonard's going to have to be at his best throwing the ball as well. ND's O-Line is back in the spotlight. Louisville is light years ahead in TFLs and sacks than where Texas A&M currently sits. And no special teams gaffes. ... With regard to the mental performance specialist, it really does seem to be more front and center this year. And Loren Landow is part of that too in his dealing with the players. And I think there's great value in that. I don't disagree. Perhaps at the end of the season we can have a broader set of data to draw from and to ask Marcus Freeman about at that point.

1:21

Hi Marie, and thank you for the questions and for being such a generous person. So, we hit the Greathouse part of your question earlier, so let's address the other parts. Starting with the key matchups. As was the case in the Texas A&M game, I think the part that ND's defense can and will play is kind of under the radar. Now Louisville may step up with its passing game, but the three teams they've played rank 123rd and 115th in pass-efficiency defense in the FBS and 66th in the FCS. ND is 6th. The best total defense ranking so far is Georgia Tech at No. 52. So being solid against the run and smothering Louisville's pass game and getting them to commit their first turnover (and more) this season is key. (more)

Marie from Atlanta

Appallingly bad, during the first part of the game last week. Through my work, I have come across professional athletes who have used many different sports psychology techniques to help them through slumps, the yips, etc. Do you really feel that Notre Dame is maximizing the team’s mental potential? As most great athletes will tell you sports is at least 95% mental and most would say 99%. As always, thanks for hosting the chat and all the great insights. Hopefully we will be discussing a Notre Dame win next week.

1:14

Hi Eric, I hope you’re having a great week and are looking forward to the Louisville game. What are the key matchups that Notre Dame has to win this weekend in order to win the game? Why do you think Jaden Greathouse has been less visible the last several weeks? Do you think as a fan base we overestimated Mike Debrock’s abilities? I know he says this offense is a worki in progress and there’s been some progress but I think most would agree. It is not been enough? Finally on a slightly different topic. Throughout Marcus Freeman’s tenure, there has been a pattern where this team just shows up not mentally ready to play. I know you mentioned last week they have rehired a full-time sports psychologist, but my question is how much do you think Coach Freeman is really buying into this and utilizing it? I know he’s all about sports science for the strength and conditioning program, but do you think his enthusiasm carries over to the mental side of Sports? Both his and Leonard’s body language was

Eric Hansen

1:13

I must be too dense to get your Jordan Faison question. He was limited to 20 snaps in the Texas A&M game because he suffered an ankle injury. Didn't play the next two games while he healed, then played 32 snaps against Miami, which is just three fewer than the team-leading 35 Beaux Collins played among ND's wide receivers.

1:09

Hi Rick. I guess I didn't take it as such with regard to my question. And I knew getting an answer that would help tell the story of the game was a bit of a risk, since Riley Leonard questions had been asked already. But I thought it was worth it, because I thought there was insight to be gained by coming at it from the angle I took. And I did get an answer I was able to use. I think Marcus and I get each other and understand each other's job and have a healthy respect for each other. Moving on ... the helmet communication system cuts with 15 seconds left on the play clock. So the defense still can move around and prompt a change in play or protection, and that's the only way to get that done -- the signals from the sideline. (more)

Rick from Ohio

1:05

Always enjoy your reporting. You sure got coach upset with your question post game. My two questions are: why are our backup quarterbacks still signaling in plays when helmets have a microphone? And has Faison been excommunicated from the offense?

Eric Hansen

1:04

To your second question, Sunday is not a light day for me at all. And really for anyone on the beat. I think universally if there is a lighter day, it's Friday. Not complaining. Just answering your question. I love what I do.

1:03

Hi Denny. And thank you. And I realize it's taking a stance for some people with Peacock, but you might be able to find a special or at least cancel after a month. But if you're listening on the radio, I hope you tune into our pregame show (shameless plug) WSBT's Gameday SportsBeat (from noon to 2:30 ET at wsbtradio.com). ... To your observations/questions. No doubt on the upwardly mobile thing. I think once BK got into the season, he didn't want to mess around with the "earning trust" process unless there was an injury or ineffectiveness that forced him. Not always, but by and large. I think Marcus is always looking for guys earning their playing time and even checks out scout team players who deserve to move up. (more)

Denny from Beaverton

12:58

Hi Eric; Well doggone it one of the most important games of the year and they put it on Peacock. Hope to pick it up on radio. I could be off base, but I just have a feeling that players now have a better chance to push themselves up the depth chart and see playing time as compared to the days of the Kelly and Weis tenures. Obviously injuries are a major factor but that is always the case about playing time. I know that Coach Freeman is recruiting better talent and this is a big factor. Perhaps the threat of the portal and making sure that young players get a fair chance also is a factor. Yet I do believe that you have to be 1. Assignment correct 2. 100% effort in Practice and 3 Consistent day to day in approach in order to get your chance. I really enjoy seeing the names of these new players pop up in games. Do you have any thoughts about this Eric? I have also wondered during the season what might be you lightest workload day of the week. Sunday afternoon? Appreciate your hard work and insight.

Eric Hansen

12:58

Bob, wow what a great question, but you are WAY overestimating my math skills. I like the Louisville 2023 team better. I think they had more game-breakers on offense, were healthier on offense and had more consistent QB play. I think both defenses are really good. Louisville did well in the transfer portal that way. So, now that I've stalled to buy myself some time to do the math. I'd say Louisville 2023 by nine.

Bob (Oxnard, CA)

Louisville 2023 team versus Louisville 2024 team.

12:55

If you were setting the betting line, what would the odds be kn the following match-up:

Eric Hansen

12:55

The Purdue game was an outlier, because of how much 12 personnel (multiple tight ends) that ND wanted to play in that game. And then the game became one-sided so fast, playing Jaden didn't make sense with injury risk at that point. I also think Jayden Harrison's emergence has tamped down some opportunities. Still, with all that Jaden is ND's second-leading receiver. And I think you'll see some situations in games coming up where he's going to be valuable in the red zone.

12:49

Brian, thank you. And I think you and I would be having good conversations during the game if we were to watch it together. I think before the season I picked Jaden Greathouse to lead ND this season in receptions and TD catches, though I thought there would be some parity there. I still think he'll be near the top of those lists, but I understand your concerns about his usage. But here are the numbers. He has 129 snaps this season. Among WRs, only Beaux Collins has more (181). And Jayden Thomas is a distant third (77). But his usage isn't as much as it was the first two games (48 and 43) and then 12 and 26. (more)

Brian K, South Bend

12:43

Hi Eric! So what's going on with Jaden Greathouse? Going into this season I expected him to be the biggest contributor at WR or one of them. Is he caught in a situation where he gets pulled from the Slot in 2 TE sets, is it part of the normal WR rotation, or other issues leading to him being on the field much less. Also I think he is a KEY player to keep on the field this week vs. Louisville and get him kick started for the remainder of the season. Thanks for your weekly chats, and I look forward to your analysis.

Eric Hansen

12:43

This week is an inflection point for Riley, the offensive line and Mike Denbrock. Louisville is the team that ended ND's playoff hopes last year by attacking ND's offense and its QB and making it one dimensional. The Irish had no counterpunch. This is the kind of game in which the "new" Riley Leonard should thrive. Are we there yet? We'll all find out together on Saturday.

12:41

I'm going to paraphrase his answer. Now he designed the offense around Heisman Trophy winner Jayden Daniels at LSU after a blah three seasons at Arizona State. Yes, those QBs have to see the game differently, play the game differently, process things differently -- under pressure and very rapidly. Riley Leonard missing spring slowed that timetable. BUT THE KEY is marrying what they need to get better at without taking away what made them good in their familiar way of playing football. So Riley needs to go through progressions better and extend plays with this legs BUT he also needs to feel free to tuck it and make something out of nothing. (more)

12:37

Hey Mike/Mo. There are a lot of QBs both recent and in the pre-portal days of grad transfers in which they've gone from being average passers at their old school, then thrived at their new one. Looking at just dual-threat guys, think about Jayden Daniels, Bo Nix, Jalen Hurts, Russell Wilson and to a lesser extent Michael Penix -- who did make a big jump in passing prowess but also in health and he didn't run a ton at Washington. There is a long list of guys in which it doesn't happen. So what's the secret sauce there. At the coordinator interviews last night, I asked Mike Denbrock that very question. (more)

Mike aka "Mo" from Maumee OH

12:33

Long time reader- first time question. Looking over Riley Leonard's stats with Duke, he threw for almost 3,000 yards with 20 TD's against 6 INT's his sophomore year. Reading his comments after NIU and Miami, Riley pointed to his footwork & technique. I'm wondering if ND, in an effort to make him a Pro-worthy QB, has messed with his head through making him learn (significantly) different ways from his Duke days. There is something called "unconscious competence", and it looks like Leonard may have to think too much about (a change in) technique at this late stage of his college career. Your take on this idea? Do I need to grab an adult beverage & relax?

Eric Hansen

12:33

I also think people are concerned whether Riley Leonard is the best option at QB. And last thing I'll mention, ND needs to revamp the way it formats the in-between time in timeouts and other breaks. In my opinion, it literally sucks the energy and oxygen out of the stadium. They had it right a few years ago. Go back to that. I don't blame people for resorting to the golf clap.

12:30

Hi Mike. I think there are a lot of layers to it, and it's not necessarily universal, but here's what I think: The whiplash after the Texas A&M game isn't going to go away for a lot of people anytime soon, no matter what happens. One minute, they're looking up hotels for a playoff game, the next, they're being asked to be excited about the prospect of attending the Pop-Tarts Bowl (which is in Orlando). And so, they don't want to be fooled again and are going to look at games with a more skeptical, sometimes defeatist eye. And this week's game will either challenge that outlook continuing or validate it for them. (more)

Mike, Phoenix

12:27

Eric, It seems like many fans were very disappointed by a Notre Dame 25 point win. ND won by 25 (could have easily scored again), spread was 27.5 and didn’t play their best. The defense gave up only 229 yards and 3 points. Do you think the disappointment comes from Miami being up 3-0 early 2nd and fans thinking here we go again? ND dominated the 3rd. Defense has played extremely well but do you think they can play even better? I say this as they have only given up less than 10 points a game and are Top 20 in yards per game. I saw somewhere that the D has had 18 consecutive games of giving up less than 400 yards. Cheers! Go IRISH!

Eric Hansen

12:25

Todd. I have good news for you. Notre Dame offers a free streaming service for international Irish fans! It's available at fightingirishtv.live. This covers all the NBC games over the course of the season, including the Shamrock Series game in New York. They also post most games on their YouTube channel the following week.

Toddvb

Eric can you ask Peter Bevacqua when Peacock will be available in canada and international...getting sick and tired missing the peacock game every year...

12:23

Todd from Niagara Falls, Ontario, Canada

Eric Hansen

12:23

On defense, Al Golden is more concerned about preventing explosive plays than stuffing the run on every down. That means at times playing lighter in the box than some teams do, but you could see in the Miami game how that worked out. It's very, very difficult to get the passing game going against this defense. I do think there needs to be more of a balance. The 3.56 yards per carry won't cut it if ND is going to get to the playoff, and it won't cut it when the Irish play a team that is balanced in its offense. I do think the Irish have the personnel to improve that. When Gabe Rubio comes back, that gives them another big body in the middle to rotate in.

12:20

So let's put some context behind those numbers. HC Marcus Freeman likes to pride himself on ND being an O-line/D-line driven program. Louisville is going to put both of those concepts to the test on Saturday, perhaps as well or better than any other team on the ND regular-season schedule in those regards. I think Riley Leonard's skill set and the home-run ability of Jeremiyah Love and Jadarian Price are going to keep the ND run game in a good place for the balance of the season. Louisville was able to shut down the Irish run last year, including Estimé. But the O-line, especially the left side with the two young players, must start to take a consistent step forward. (more)

12:16

Hi Drue and thanks for the kind words. Let's start with where Notre Dame stands nationally in rushing offense and rushing defense, two of the five key metrics that championship-contending teams in college football tend to do well. With rushing offense, Notre Dame hits a lot of home runs in the run game, so these numbers may surprise you. The Irish are 18th in rush offense, (236.3 ypg), fifth in yards per carry (6.71) and tied for eight in rushing TDs (13). The rushing defense numbers have improved a lot the last two weeks but ... 51st in rush defense (121.0) and 51st in yards per carry allowed (3.56). They've allowed just one rushing TD, so their tied for eighth as seven school haven't allowed any. (More)

Drue in Springfield

12:07

Wanting a sincere answer to my question, I am seeking it from the most elite source on ND football. First, let me say there are some truly encouraging things going on with this team. The wide receiver production has increased dramatically, the RB play has been stellar, and some of the younger talent has stepped into the spotlight and shown up big time. But historically, football games are won and lost by the play in the trenches. It seems our RBs have been stuffed for the standard 1 yard loss too many times when trying to force the power runs at the heart of the opposing defenses. Of course, I may be jaded by the "automatic "estimatic" success we enjoyed compliments of Audric Estime and stellar OL play the past three years. My one question, in two parts, is what is your take on the success of the running game over the course of the next 8 games and do both lines have the depth and talent to play at a level to win out...meaning do they have a high enough ceiling? Thanks...you're the best!!

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