JotCast | Notre Dame men's hoops - summer chat

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Mike in Wisconsin

1:36

Five-man recruiting classes are common in college basketball and other coaches manage them fine. Given how you and others who watch these guys in practice have evaluated the returning reserve players, combined with the loss of Laszewski, Goodwin, Ryan, Wertz, and Hammond, it would seem foolish to arbitrarily place a limit of two on the next recruiting class.

Thomas Noie

1:36

Good one. No.

Tom from South Bend

1:36

I thought Humphrey was headed to Long Island, but they just announced Rod Strickland as their new coach.

Thomas Noie

1:36

Taylor: Michael Wang, who was hurt a lot at Penn and had an official at Notre Dame. It never got beyond that. Wang returned to his national team in China instead of doing the grad transfer stuff. Might work out better in the end for Notre Dame. Wang comes to Notre Dame, he would've needed heavy minutes, maybe at the expense of Ven-Allen Lubin.

Taylor - Elkhart

1:34

Tom, I believe ND hosted a center from Harvard a month ago. I apologize I can’t remember his name, but do you recall? If so, chances he could join as a grad transfer?

Thomas Noie

1:34

Tom: Great question. The ball goes into the hands of Cormac Ryan given what he did and how he played at the end of the year. Like, we really didn't know he had THAT in him. That was Ben Hansbrough-esque the way he just kind of drove that program. Like, he wasn't going to let them lose. They almost got to the Sweet 16. He'll be the main handler/facilitator, but there will be others. J.J. Starling was supposed to be that guy, but the more I watched Starling last year at La Lumiere, the more I realized he's more than just a point guard. He can play off it, move and cut and get it back, then make a decision. Marcus Hammond might be a problem in the open court. Like Prentiss Hubb, he's a lefty, but unlike P-Hubb, he's built closer to a football player. He has the physicality to get to the rim more, and be more productive. Trey Wertz is sneaky productive as a handler as well. But the ball first goes to Ryan.

Tom from Gary

1:31

With Prentiss Hubb graduated, who do you think will be the point guard/primary ball handler for this season?

Thomas Noie

1:31

Matt: Like it, especially since there's no more slog of a drive (usually in dicey weather) down 31 to watch Notre Dame play what essentially was a road game in a "neutral" site game. Don't think the clamor for Georgia basketball in downtown ATL comes close. It would be odd if it was a one-off weekend game, but Notre Dame is scheduled to play at Georgia Tech days later, so why not get a few days in a big city, play in an NBA arena, turn the page and get focused for a league game all before Christmas break? Looks good on paper. Let's see what Dec. 18 brings...

Matt from St. Louis

1:28

Thoughts on scheduling the Georgia game? Feels a bit like the Crossroads Classic in that it is a "neutral site" game for quadrant purposes but basically a road game so I thought it was odd. As for the Big 10/ACC challenge, I'm sure Purdue wouldn't mind your quick fix either considering they played Florida State last year!

Thomas Noie

1:28

Paul: Given today's transfer portal world, there's always a concern (often on a daily basis) if somebody from your roster or somebody from somebody else's roster is in the portal. It's just the way of the free agency world that's college basketball. Don't like your situation? Leave. Don't want to work harder? Leave. Not saying anybody is unhappy on the current roster (it's way too early for that), but that's the game today. Get out and get somewhere else. Here's the thing, though. If this rotation remains status quo, there won't be enough minutes for Zona or Sanders or Konieczny. There just won't be. Will they want to stick it out and see if it changes next year? I think so, but you never really know. That's portal life of college basketball 2022.

Paul R

1:25

Any concern about JR, Zona, Sanders leaving for more playing time after this year? Or wait and see how this season goes before we worry about 2023 roster construction

Thomas Noie

1:25

Joe: Understood, but at the same time, it's television's fault going for the must-see matchups. The country's still fully invested in football, be it the NFL or college or the upcoming conference championship games or the impending bowl announcements. It doesn't matter what the matchups are, the casual fan isn't suddenly dropping his football fix for hoops. And from an ACC perspective, there's only so many Big Ten schools (not many) that move the meter at Duke or Carolina. So it limits matchups. That's what you get when you have TV pulling all the strings. They do just go through the motions.

joe from the south side

1:22

Tom, I get that Lincoln and State College are reserved for the low end squads. But, I think it's also indicative of the apathy that has set in among the 2 leagues as to genuinely trying to generate some excitement. To me, it looks like they are just going thru the motions for these matchups. Which is why I would put nothing past them since care and concern went out the window a long time ago.

Thomas Noie

12:51

Get Jim Phillips on the phone now! Kevin Warren as well. We can fix this!

Jeff from Schererville, IN

12:50

I would've been ok with MSU-FSU and Purdue-ND for sure!

Thomas Noie

12:50

Clint: Little of both. Notre Dame's a place where prospects want the full campus experience. They're as impressed with a conversation they may have with a business professor as they are with the stand-alone practice facility. So it's just a piece of the entire puzzle. But it does help. When Paul Atkinson walked into Rolfs Hall for the first time, he couldn't believe it. Like, the training table food, he could eat anytime? He could make a smoothie after a late-night workout? He was blown away. Same holds true now with Marcus Hammond. He couldn't believe how ACC teams live after four seasons at Niagara. It blew him away. Covering an ACC team, you have a tendency to take that stuff for granted, like, that's just how it is at that level. But a level or two down, they'd crawl across campus to have what Notre Dame has.

Clint from Winnipeg

12:47

Have the new basketball facilities had a positive impact on recruiting? Or is it more a case of no longer having the old facilities being a drag on recruiting?

Thomas Noie

12:47

Here's an easy flix/flip - send Michigan State to Florida State and move Purdue to Notre Dame. See, it's not that hard!

Jeff from Schererville, IN

12:46

Thanks for the additional explanation. I do think the powers that be try to create evenly-matched games based on how they think teams will be ranked in the preseason while at the same time trying to alternate home and road games for teams year by year. This year I know there's a Nike event in Oregon Thanksgiving weekend that features Duke and Purdue in one bracket and Mich St and UNC in another, so they probably didn't want to schedule those teams to play each other less than a week after they might play in another event. They wouldn't match up Duke and Mich St to play in the ACC-Big Ten thing the same year they play in the Champions Classic either, and the same goes for when Ohio St plays UNC in the CBS Sports Classic. We chatheads can do better but it might be harder than it looks. The fact ND gets a marquee team even if it's a repeat I think speaks to ND's ability and watchability and overall interest level nationwide.

Thomas Noie

12:44

Joe: That's bottom-feeder stuff reserved for the Pittsburghs and Clemsons and Boston Colleges of the Atlantic Coast Conference. There's so many good Big Ten road trips beckoning that make so much more sense - Michigan, Minnesota, Northwestern, Wisconsin, even Purdue and Indiana become options now that the Crossroads is done. You get sent to Lincoln or State College, that's an indictment of your program. Let's hope Notre Dame never gets there.

joe from the south side

12:42

Tom, As unexciting as ND MSU is in the ACC/Big10 challenge, could you imagine if they sent ND to Lincoln, NEB or State College? YUCK!

Thomas Noie

12:42

Port: Ven-Allen Lubin is going to play and play a lot. Right away. Watch.

PortND

12:41

That size from Lubin says alot about why the urgency once Laz decided to return wasn't there to bring a big into the program. Been a long time since we've had a bouncy 6'9" athlete on the team.

Thomas Noie

12:41

Jim: Good question, but hard answer. There really might not be one. It's hard, because neither Paul Atkinson or Prentiss Hubb will play in the NBA. So then it comes down to, what are they looking for in their professional careers? How good are their situations in Europe? Do they still love the game when the game becomes the life? Atkinson has a degree from Yale and a graduate degree from Notre Dame. Is he still hungry to play? There's just so many factors. A lot of times, the love fades, and guys decide, yeah, it might be time to do something else. I can see both sticking it out, or both saying, yeah, next chapter time. It's so hard to say. How's that for a middle of the road answer?

Jim Tal, Valley Center, CA.

12:38

Tom, who do you see having a more successful career in the pros, Atlkinson or Hubb? Also, since you've been covering ND, which former Irish player did you think would make a real impact in the NBA but wasn't able to do so?

Thomas Noie

12:37

Matt: Schedule usually drops sometime after Labor Day. It gets later and later each year. Notre Dame is overdue for a foreign tour - that might be in the cards for next season. Veteran teams don't need/seek foreign tours. Gotta wait until they're young and the extra games/practices will have a pay off. No reason for these guys who are going to log heavy minutes as it is to spend any additional time on the court.

Matt from North Dakota

12:36

Tom, curious as to when the ACC releases the conference schedule? Late July right? Also, when is the next time the Irish can go on a foreign tour?

Thomas Noie

12:36

I'll go only the best player, and not favorite, because I can't play favorites. I just can't. Have to treat them all equally, but there was something different being able to cover guys like Ryan Humphrey, David Graves, Matt Carroll, Chris Thomas, Pat Connaughton, Tory Jackson, John Mooney, Bonzie Colson and Ben Hansbrough just to name a few. Best? That's easy. Nobody better than Troy Murphy. He was a future pro the minute he walked in the door. He was good, he was goofy, he was Murph.

Guest

12:33

Tom, if you had to pick the best player from the Brey era… and also your favorite. Not necessarily the same guy but if it is cool.
IMO I’d go Murphy as best and T Jackson as favorite

Thomas Noie

12:33

Todd: It will be Georgia Tech against an opponent TBD in the other game of the doubleheader at State Farm Arena on Dec. 18. Notre Dame will play Georgia that day, then remain in the Atlanta area to play a league game against Georgia Tech at McCamish Pavilion on Dec. 21. The Atlantic Coast Conference schedule usually comes out a week or two after Labor Day. Repeat opponents will be Boston College, Georgia Tech, Florida State, North Carolina, Syracuse and Wake Forest...start making plans!

Todd

12:30

Any idea on who the other two teams are in Atlanta? I am about 2.5 hours driving time from ATL and will definitely make that trip. Also, when will the ACC game schedule come out? Got to mark my calendar for all those I can attend. Great to be a ND fan in ACC country!!!!

Thomas Noie

12:24

Robb: Stunned at the timing but not all that surprising. Stick around long enough in this profession and you realize that everybody eventually leaves - coaches, players, writers, bosses, administrators. Everybody does it.

Robb, Colorado

12:24

Hey Tom, Surprised to see Humphrey leaving at this point. Any intel on that?

Thomas Noie

12:24

Matt: Still relatively early - he only made his plans known Wednesday, but Mike Brey did say that he'll look beyond his circle of former Notre Dame players for the hire and won't be rushed to make a decision. It will be intriguing/interesting to see where he goes. With Humphrey, Antoni Wyche and Anthony Solomon, you had a staff of three really strong personalities. Three Alphas. Who joins that group? Can't wait to see.

Matt from North Dakota

12:22

Hey Tom, I understand you probably can’t get into a ton of info but I was shocked by the timing of Coach Humphrey’s departure. Any ideas where Coach Brey looks?

Thomas Noie

12:09

Paul: Hope you got out early. It's already close to 90 here in the Bend. Marquette and St. Bonaventure as well in terms of non-league. Getting to 10 wins before league play starts might be a stretch in that league play will start with three Atlantic Coast Conference games in December. And don't forget, this team had only six overall wins before Jan. 1 - and last season turned out OK.

Paul, here in the Bend

12:07

Got a few minutes to kill before golf, it's been a great season for that here! Georgia, Michigan State in the nonconference....am I missing anyone? Any rumors? I know Mike will want to have 10 wins going into ACC if possible.

Thomas Noie

12:07

JDub: It was stunning to learn that Ryan Humphrey is leaving for another coaching opportunity (more on that when it's finalized). Staffs just don't turn over at this time of year. That's like having a high school team lose its head coach this week (which actually happened to a South bend school, but I digress) Hump's the definition of a Notre Dame man. He went to Notre Dame. He coached at Notre Dame. He lived Notre Dame. But there comes a time when you have to see what else is out there if you want to max out your coaching potential. It's a big loss, but only if Mike Brey doesn't add someone who will also do the job and do it well. In terms of relating to recruits, don't forget about Antoni Wyche, who played at and graduated from Notre Dame. Hump's leaving, but that staff is still pretty strong.

JDub, Ft. Wayne

12:04

I would like your thoughts on Ryan Humphrey's departure. Last time we talked you mentioned there was little chance of staff turnover, so I would assume you are surprised by this? How much do you think it hurts recruiting in that Humphrey seemed to relate well with the recruits?

Thomas Noie

12:04

"Promising?" That's a new term for....what? Notre Dame also is playing Marquette at home and St. Bonaventure at UBS Arena on Long Island on Black Friday.

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