JotCast | Notre Dame season wrap chat

Notre Dame season wrap chat

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Thomas Noie

10:21

Joe: There have been Notre Dame teams that have been fun to cover and teams that haven't been fun to cover. This has been one of those, really for the last few years. It was hard early because everyone was so young and seemingly trying to figure it out. So you figure it's going to swing back around they were going to collectively get it. Then they lose five of seven after having a very real chance of climbing back over .500 for the first time in seemingly forever. Maybe there was a collective feeling that this season was just a freebie, that whatever happened happened. But man, this group is really going to have to show something they haven't shown - really in their careers - to get everyone to believe that next year is going to be different. It's going to be a hard sell.

joe from the south side

10:18

Tom: Kudos to you for asking Hubb the tough question, "Why is Mike Brey the man to bring the program back?" Seemingly, with Hubb's answer, and no transfers, can we conclude that maybe it isn't Brey, but that the players just aren't that good. My knock on them was no heart and no athleticism. Maybe it is just no talent as well.

Thomas Noie

10:18

Joe: I am, given how everything seemed to unravel at the end with the way everybody just kind of folded. And given that the portal is THE lifeline for players today. Memphis won the freaking NIT (hooray, I know) and had like three players hit the portal 48 hours later. Syracuse went to the Sweet 16, then had how many players, four??? jump into the portal. From the outside, and we were waaaaay on the outside this year for COVID reasons, it looked like there'd be multiple Irish looking for a fresh start. Looks like it wasn't as bad as we seemed to think. Again, that could change and three key guys could decide to test the portal waters by lunch, but the feeling around the program is that nobody's leaving.

joe from the south side

10:16

Tom: Are you surprised that, as far as I can tell, no ND BBL player has entered the Transfer Portal?

Thomas Noie

10:16

Erik: Probably, but that's what happens when the Irish go 11-15...everyone's game has holes and those holes look a whole lot wider. Goodwin did boost his scoring numbers (from 10.8 ppg., to 11.8) but also finished third in overall rebounding (5.2 per game) and second in defensive rebounds. That part of the game is a little overlooked and underrated. He has to be a better shooter. How many times did he have an open, clean look from 3 but didn't make it? That's got to be a staple in his game. Goodwin isn't close to being Steve Vasturia like, but it's obvious Mike Brey breathes easier when No. 23 is on the floor (33.4 mpg). Now he has to figure out how to better max out those minutes.

Erik (Granger, IN)

10:10

How would you describe what Goodwin brings to the game? He reminds me of when people bring their little brother to the park, where he’ll flash periodically but more often I seem to notice him getting shot over, rebounded over, missing layups, and other inauspicious results. Am I being too critical?

Thomas Noie

10:10

Erik: Thinking....thinking.....thinking....if there was one guy who was somewhat consistent on the defensive end, it would be a combination Cormac Ryan and Nate Laszewski. Both had their moments. If someone was drawing a charge, it was one of those two. Expect more of the same from both in 21-22, only this time, more consistently over the long haul.

Erik (Granger, IN)

10:08

Thanks for being here! In past years we seemed to have at least one player who could lock (or at least slow) down the opponent’s best player. Vasturia, Pfleuger in his prime, etc. I know the team overall struggled with defense this year, but did we have that one guy on this squad? If so, who? If not, who was the best defender anyway? And who will be next year?

Thomas Noie

10:08

None, yet, but there will be some movement in that area in the offseason.

Tony

10:07

Any news on the opening for the asst coaching job?

Thomas Noie

10:07

Tony: Notre Dame has reached out to former Indiana guard Armaan Franklin, Miami forward Earl Timberlake and former East Carolina power forward Jayden Gardner. There might be one or two more, but the staff has been very selective in that transfer portal department. They have only one scholarship to offer. As for 2022 recruits, time for Mike Brey to sell, sell, sell his program. Help be the guy that gets them back to the NCAA Tournament.

Tony

10:04

Tom: What transfers has Coach Brey contacted? Also, how convincing can he be to 2022 recruits that he will be back after next year? If they commit and we miss the tourney, he is pretty much gone.

Thomas Noie

10:04

Robb: I think everyone over at Notre Dame was more in season-saving mode than job-saving mode this year, for the obvious reasons. Everything about this season was done with one goal in mind - playing the season. It wasn't about getting into the top third of the ACC or getting back to the NCAA Tournament. It was about allowing that team to enjoy the year, however long the season would last. Remember back in October, the goal at Notre Dame was to play 15 games. Max. There was zero confidence the season would get to the finish line, let alone get through an NCAA Tournament. As for turnover on the coaching staff, I do expect the staff to look a little different next season. What that means remains to be seen.

Robb, Edwardsburg, MI

10:01

Hey Tom. Coach Brey has seemingly said all of the right things since the season ended in terms of looking at changes for next year, etc. Will he actually follow through on those things or was it just job-saving jargon? Part 2, if allowed, will there be a turnover in the rest of the coaching staff that is not of their own choosing?

Thomas Noie

10:00

Bob: Good question, but not sure what "relevancy" means. Going back to the NCAA Tournament? Yeah, gotta do that. Getting back to the Elite Eight? I don't know if that's the overriding goal every season. And look around at college basketball. It's really hard to think long-term when the short-term is such a circus. Transfer portal issues. Recruiting issues. Pandemic issues. NLI issues. Can we say what the long-term prognosis of the game even is in five years? Ten? Hard to say, even harder to predict where the program is headed. That's just not Notre Dame. It's everywhere.

Bob Dee

9:58

Is there a long term game plan in place to get Notre Dame's men's basketball program back to relevancy?

Thomas Noie

9:58

William: Thanks for the note. Yes, football comes first and second and third at Notre Dame, and men's basketball should be on that priority list as well, but remember, it's not just about football and men's hoops. Jack Swarbrick has a lot of other sports and coaches to focus on. His interest/visibility in the men's program is no different than Kevin White. As for the no emphasis part you mention, do we know that there's none? We're not privy to those conversations, and Jack certainly isn't the type of AD who's going to publicly proclaim, yeah, I dropped the expectation hammer on Mike Brey. Think Brey's dropped that one on himself.

William / michigan

9:54

what does Jack swarbricks AD involvement compare like to some of his predecessors? We all know football comes first, second and third but I’m curious why there’s no emphasis put on Brey to make some adjustments like Kelly did. Also why (this year excluded) a team in the ACC can’t get people in the seats etc.

Thomas Noie

9:54

Andrew: The way the transfer portal has blown up every single day - there's currently what, over 1,000 players in the portal - the status of the 2021-22 Notre Dame men's basketball roster could change not only day to day but hour to hour. The latest intel has it that Notre Dame does not expect anyone to enter the portal. Not a starter or projected starter or a freshman who didn't see much playing time. The roster, again, as of April 1 at 9:52 a.m., is expected to remain status quo with the only addition as of today being former Yale power forward Paul Atkinson. Notre Dame has one scholarship to offer a potential transfer or late-rising high school senior if desired. The Irish coaching staff has reached out to a handful of transfer portal guys, but are expected to be very particular about adding anyone. Again, a disclaimer, that stance may change by the end of the chat, or the end of the hour. As they like to say, it's a fluid situation all around college basketball. Welcome to Thunderdome.

Andrew from Plymouth, IN

9:50

I know you said you didn't expect anyone to leave via the transfer portal but with ND making contact with several different kids in the portal, there must be some inkling that a guy or two could still leave, right? There isn't enough playing time to go around to bring someone in without someone else leaving. Transfers are looking for playing time and how could Brey and company convince players in the portal that playing time will be available if everyone is back?

Thomas Noie

9:46

The calendar says it's Opening Day for baseball, but Mother Nature in Northern Indiana says its still college basketball weather. It's snowing. The wind's blowing. Wind chill is in the teens. A great day to talk some Notre Dame basketball - and there's a lot to talk about after a season like no other ended with a resounding thud three weeks ago with a loss to North Carolina in the Atlantic Coast Conference tournament, a game where the Irish once trailed by 50. How's that even possible? To join today's chat, make sure to include your name and hometown. Can we go five hours? Let's give it the old college try and light this chat candle...

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