You are viewing the chat in desktop mode. Click here to switch to mobile view.
X
Notre Dame Hoops Chat
powered byJotCast
Prev Page View Full Chat
Nick from South Bend
10:35
Also I am sad for Djojo, has Brey & co given up on him?
AvatarThomas Noie
10:35
Nick: It's more a loyalty thing for Brey and old guys in the program. Goodwin doesn't start, but he's coming in earlier and earlier for Pflueger. Plus, he's in a nice groove with his game right now. Brey won't want to mess with that. Goodwin's got two more years to start.
Nick from South Bend
10:34
At some point you would have to think Goodwin starts over Rex? Or is it a pride thing?
AvatarThomas Noie
10:32
Fred: There's been no indication that Durham and Djogo won't come back. Durham's still developing and I think Djogo is smart enough to know that he has a chance to work toward a Master's at Notre Dame. We'll see. Maybe both do come back. Maybe one does. Maybe neither. Regardless, Notre Dame still has to see what happens with Dickinson and Williams, then still hit the transfer/late-rising prep senior wire in the spring. it would be interesting to add a graduate transfer as a way to stay old. It's a one-year gamble, but at this point in the program, it's time to gamble.
Fred
10:30
Looking at next years roster. Only 7 not counting Juwan or Nik. Do you think either will come back? Any other 2020 options, other than Dickinson or Williams ? Looking more like the transfer wire.
AvatarThomas Noie
10:29
Mike: It was Georgetown and Notre Dame as finalists for Terrence Williams, who hails from the same high school as Irish guard Prentiss Hubb. WIlliams committed to Georgetown but didn't sign last month. He's since decommitted. Does that mean he's headed to Notre Dame? It's recruiting, where anything can and usually happens. We'll see.
Mike
10:28
Hey tom, thanks for the chat. What are the chances we land Terrence Williams?
AvatarThomas Noie
10:28
Joey: That Boston College loss was a crusher for several reasons. Notre Dame had always beaten Boston College, and now it couldn't. Also, the fact that it was at home really hurt. The Irish pointed all offseason toward being better at home than last season, where they went 2-7 in league play. Want to play in the NCAA tournament? Can't lose home games. Can't lose LEAGUE home games. How much will that hurt? Can't say. I wrote after the Maryland loss that nobody knows what direction this program, and this season, is going. That may turn out to be good for Notre Dame. Look at the ACC. It's going to get really wacky come league play. Maybe even chaotic. That could help Notre Dame. Let's see.
Joey from Highland Indiana
10:25
With the outlook of the ACC, it looks very down this year. That BC loss is going to haunt them. I think they have/had a shot at a double bye. You?
AvatarThomas Noie
10:25
Zach: Right now, there's only one and that might - stress, might - happen this week with Hunter Dickinson, the 7-footer from DeMatha. There was talk during the DeMatha-Montverde Academy telecast last week that Dickinson plans to announce sometime this week. Haven't heard whether or not that's definite. He's the only guy left - for now. Notre Dame will do its due diligence with Terrence Williams, who recently decommitted from Georgetown. So there are options as spring nears.
Zach
10:23
Any players we should be looking at as potential recruiting commitments coming soon?
AvatarThomas Noie
10:23
Brian: Durham has to prove worthy of those minutes. Pflueger has that confidence of Brey because he's going to make those winning plays as you mentioned and kind of holds everything together. He's not going to score, but he's going to give the group a better sense of direction - one they didn't have last year. What is it that Durham does well? Score? Rebound? Block shots? It was disappointing watching him against the size of UCLA. Durham played only 13 minutes and was a non-factor. That can't happen come ACC play. If it does, that puts waaaaay too much pressure on John Mooney and Nate Laszewski. That goes back to the consistency mentioned earlier about Durham. Can't disappear like that.
Brian from Bloomington, IL
10:20
I like it when we see Mooney and Durham on the floor together as I believe we’re a much better rebounding and defensive team when they’re in the game together. Any chance Durham’s minutes go up as we approach ACC play?  I know Rex makes “winning plays” as Brey says, but I would love to see Durham get more minutes.
AvatarThomas Noie
10:20
Brian: Dane Goodwin doesn't start, but in some ways, he really does. Rex Pflueger is the starter, but his early minutes are getting fewer and fewer to start the game. Goodwin usually has been in the game (for Pflueger) shortly after the first media timeout (under-16 minute mark). On Saturday, Goodwin checked in for Pflueger even before the first TV timeout. That's a first this season. Goodwin's in a nice groove in his sixth-man role. Don't think Mike Brey wants to mess with that just yet. Plus, if you know Brey, you know how tied together he is with veterans like Pflueger and T.J. Gibbs. He breathes easier knowing they're out there taking care of the ball.
Brian from Bloomington, IL
10:17
With the way Goodwin has been playing, is there any chance he supplants Pflueger in the starting lineup?
AvatarThomas Noie
10:17
Tyler: I'd have to go with Door No. 3, but in this day and age of college basketball, nothing would surprise me. Juwan Durham has one more year remaining following his sit-out transfer season from Connecticut. There's been no indication that he won't use it at Notre Dame, but who really knows? As mentioned earlier in the chat, he's really still so raw as a basketball player. He seemingly learned nothing about the game his one year at Connecticut. His first year at Notre Dame sitting out was eye-opening - like, so THIS is what it's all about. He really couldn't develop/grow last year with the ankle injury that sunk his season. Just now is he figuring it out.
Tyler
10:14
Tom- out of the 3 scenarios- what would you say is the most likely outcome with Juwan Durham for 2020-2021 season? Transfer? Pro (overseas)? Starting frontcourt with Nate?
AvatarThomas Noie
10:14
Dave: Good call. We haven't seen the pick and roll for myriad reasons. John Mooney's more of a pick and spot up guy. Juwan Durham's still figuring it out. To play that pick and roll game, you also need a guard that can effectively get to the rim and finish. Like a Jerian Grant. A Demetrius Jackson. A Matt Farrell. The reliant on the 3-point shot is so heavy this season because Notre Dame can't break a defender down off the dribble and get to the bucket. So it's 3s and 3s and more 3s. It all looks good when the shots are falling, but what happens when they don't?
Dave from Washington, DC
10:12
This team seems to be even more reliant on three-point shooting than previous squads. One thing I haven't seen much of from the team this season is the pick and roll that was so prevalent from 2014-17. Think Auguste and Geben running to the rim for dunks.  Or Colson pick and popping. With bigs who can shoot (Mooney and Nate) and a big who can go up and get a lob pass (Durham), why haven't the Irish featured this more?
AvatarThomas Noie
10:11
Dave: Loaded question, no? Notre Dame still believes it has a good chance with DeMatha center Hunter Dickinson, who was said to possibly have a college choice this week. It's likely down to Michigan and Notre Dame. The Irish staff can't do anything more at this point to show Dickinson how much he'd mean to the program. The departure of Chris Doherty opens another scholarship for the spring. Don't know how the staff would want to use it, but they should. On a traditional transfer or a grad transfer. Getting someone that can offer something right away could be a boost for next year's group. As he said last year, Mike Brey has said every option is on the table. Just like to see them utilize that option. Bring in a grad transfer. An old guy. Someone that could shake things up a little. This program might have that in Cormac Ryan. They could use another guy like that next season.
Dave from Washington, DC
10:08
Hey Tom - is the coaching staff still looking to add to the 2020 class? A guard or wing to compliment the two bigs that have already signed?
AvatarThomas Noie
10:08
When Robby Carmody shredded his knee at Maryland, I was in the camp of throwing every option out there - including playing Djogo major minutes. The coaching staff chose to stay the course, believing that the remaining seven give them a better chance to win. Djogo's been all class in his role - just report for work every day and keep working.
10:07
Ben: Seems like this is one of the more hot-button issues early this season. I do have to say this - I respect and like most of the guys on this team and the 21 that have come before them. But sometimes, you have to be critical. It comes with the territory. I like Nik Djogo. Always been a stand-up guy. Respectful. Insightful. That said, he's had a lot of chances to show what he can do. Remember last year when he went for 21 points at Boston College? Everybody hollering for him said, see, this is what he can do!!! Play him!!! Then he scored a combined six points the final 11 games of the season. Now he's the eighth man in a rotation that seldom goes past seven. Mike Brey would rather give those minutes to Dane Goodwin at this point. Hard to argue given Goodwin's recent run. Thing is, I think Djogo gets it. It's the fans that are more upset about it. Criminal? That's a little overboard, no?
Ben from Cincy
10:02
Nik Djogo. Does Brey have a vendetta? You cannot justify sitting a kid who has stuck with the program through all the injuries and transfers...it's truly BS. i support the program through and through, and will back coach brey to the grave... but  this kind of mis-treatment is criminal. 10 minutes a game. No excuses, I do not care if he gets crossed up and yammed on, the kid has good size (on an undersized team), a decent enough stroke, he can give someone a blow.
AvatarThomas Noie
10:00
Why? Because NOBODY really knows. It's all a guessing game, and a bad one at that. You'd think Jack Swarbrick has somewhat of an idea of what direction he'd go, but even that's a guess. Stay tuned!
9:59
Michael: No idea. Really. It's no big secret that Mike Brey's close to the end of the coaching line at Notre Dame. When that's going to happen is anyone's guess. This year? Next? two more? I do know that last year took a lot out of him, and he didn't look the greatest during that Maryland-Boston College week. He looked like someone in need of a beach. Anyway, there's no clear-cut replacement for the day Brey decides to walk away. Martin Ingelsby? Still too early to tell. Someone on the current staff? No experience. Timing is everything. I'd have said Monty Williams but he's just getting restarted as a head coach with the Phoenix Suns. Chris Quinn? Think he believes his future is in the NBA - maybe when Erik Spoelstra retires at Miami. An up-and-coming college coach or assistant? You'd hope the Notre Dame program is further along than to be a test run for an inexperienced coach. However it unfolds will be interesting. Let's hope that's a few years down the road - there's nothing worse than a coaching search.
9:54
From Michael on Twitter: If Mike Brey were to leave/get let go/retire, who are potential replacement candidates?
9:45
Juwan Durham is averaging 8.3 points and 6.4 rebounds in 19.4 minutes per game. He's shooting .603 from the field and has 30 blocked shots. The rest of the Irish combined have 15...have to say that's pretty solid, right? But you get the feeling the coaching staff would like to see more from Durham, who's really only scratched the surface of his big-man ability. WSBT's Pete Byrne asked Mike Brey the day before the ACC/Big Ten Challenge game against Maryland about Durham, who has a tendency to run hot and cold in terms of his production. How can Durham be more consistent? Brey's answer was telling. He laughed and said, basically, i don't know if we're ever going to get Durham to be consistent. He's kind of who he is. Translation - be more consistent. Durham can be a presence around the rim, and that's going to be big come ACC time, but he does have a tendency to drift through games, especially against better competition. That has to change. Has to.
9:41
Let's start with one of the questions offered on Twitter - from Kevin, who wants to know if Juwan Durham is helping Notre Dame.....
9:30
Welcome to today's Notre Dame men's basketball hoops chat. Glad to be back talking hoops. it's final exam week for the Irish, so it's kind of slow...perfect time to get caught up on all (and it's a lot) that's happened with this program the first six weeks of the season. You guys know the drill....be sure to include your name AND hometown with a question or comment. Off we go. Let's light this chat candle!
9:28
From Kevin on Twitter: Is Juwan Durham helping ND?
9:27
From Michael on Twitter: If Mike Brey were to leave/get let go/retire, who are potential replacement candidates?
Connecting…