Eric Hansen: Welcome to a Friday version of Notre Dame Football Live Chat!
Before we start, some quick programming notes:
► If you missed the last episode of our aspiring-to-be-viral Notre Dame Football YouTube show, Football Never Sleeps, the show keeps its shelf life long after the live presentation, so you can catch up now or later on YouTube. We bumped out of our normal Monday at 7 ET time slot for the past couple of weeks, but we’ll be back in the Monday night spot for the live presentation early next week.
More Content
► WBB: King and the Irish defense rule in No. 1 Notre Dame WBB's stifling of Miami
► Portal Roundup: CB Jaden Mickey signs with Boise State after Cal flip
► 2027 QB Trae Taylor schedules return visit to Notre Dame
► Notre Dame WBB turns to defense in first test as the nation's No. 1 team
► Portal Roundup: CB Jaden Mickey signs with Boise State after Cal flip
► The Inside ND Sports Podcast is back and dropped on Wednesday. And we not opted to have a guest from the No. 1-ranked Notre Dame women’s basketball team, we’re offering it in a couple of different formats — our traditional podcast feed and as a video on YouTube.
Grad senior forward Maddy Westbeld joined Tyler James and me, and discussed the Irish being ranked No. 1, her decision to have foot surgery, how she handled being sidelined, the adjustment of playing with new teammates in the middle of the season, her improved 3-point shooting, ND's impressive man defense, how playing with Liatu King has helped her, the culture of ND's program, the influence of older sister Kathryn Westbeld on her career, why she ended up at Notre Dame, what she's involved in off the court, how the team has embraced fashion, why ND commits so many turnovers, the pressure of an 18-game winning streak and more.
Then Tyler and I answered questions from X/Twitter and The Insider Lounge about football, women’s basketball and men’s basketball. The traditional podcast feed can be listened to via SoundCloud or on your preferred podcast platform including: Apple Podcasts, Spotify, Google Podcasts, Podbean and Pocket Casts.
► Finally, at WSBT Sports Radio 960, we’re rolling through a heavy news cycle following Notre Dame’s College Football Playoff run. Darin Pritchett is back from a battle with the flu, and we’re together this week on Wednesday and Thursday, and each week moving forward on Weekday SportsBeat (960 AM, live streaming at wsbtradio.com). The weekday shows run from 5-6 p.m. ET. You can download all episodes as podcasts.
As far as today's chat …
Please include your name and hometown along with your questions.
Please don't ask a question that requires a level of math that would give me a headache.
Here are the rules:
Eric Hansen: Remember the "no drinking" rule has been permanently suspended for everyone but me.
OK, off we go ...
Manny from San Pedro, Calif.: Eric!!!!!! Offseason is so long. I miss the Irish so much. Defensively. What is the most interesting spring camp battle?
Eric Hansen: Manny, the OG of exclamation points!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! I'll throw in offense too as a bonus, but let's start with your question about spring battles on defense. Keep in mind some of these might be diluted because either one or more of the key participants won't be on campus until June OR a key player or more won't be able to participate fully because of an injury/rehab. Having said that, for me the most interesting on defense will be safety. Who emerges in Xavier Watts' old spot opposite Adon Shuler? But beyond that, with so many young, promising safeties, how deep does that rotation get?
Some of the names you'll be hearing/reading about are Virginia Tech grad transfer Jalen Stroman, former walk-on Luke Talich, Kennedy Urlacher, Tae Johnson and 6-5 freshman JaDon Blair. who enrolled extra early (as did S Ethan Long and two other players) and practiced with the Irish during most of their playoff run. ... I think the most important battles on defense is what goes on at the interior defensive line, and it's also an interesting one. Among those in that mix are Gabe Rubio and Donovan Hinish, Jason Onye returning from a long absence, two transfer DTs and a wave of young DTs/NGs looking to move up. There's quantity for sure, but is there enough quality?
On offense, QB is obviously the center of attention. For me beyond that, it's not necessarily who starts at WR, but who moves into the WR rotation from the sophomore and freshman classes.
Mike D from Rochester, N.Y.: Hi, Eric!!!!! Hope you’re staying warm, our temps here have barely topped 20 all week. Any idea when the team will be making Loren Landow available for an interview? It will be interesting to get his perspective on how the extended season affected the players’ bodies and how that may change his approach to physical training.
Eric Hansen: Hi Mike. We're starting to warm up here, relatively speaking. ... I thought we might have a chance to chat with him before spring and I'm told that will not happen. But there are other ways to get you that info, through player and coach interviews, but yes, that would have been a valuable opportunity.
Ced Walker from Saginaw Mich. aka sagnasty Saginaw pride: What freshmen do see getting playing time at cornerback 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: Hi Ced. There are three of them in the freshman class and all three are intriguing, but only Cree Thomas will be on campus for spring football. The other two, Mark Zackery and Dallas Golden are June arrivals. And that later arrival won't mean beans, as we've seen with previous June arrivals Benjamin Morrison and Leonard Moore becoming freshman All-Americans. I think all three have the potential to be rotation players, but I think Golden and Zackery are the two I'd expect to play the most as freshmen among the corners.
Kevin from Sleepy Eye, Minn.: Eric:):):):):) Seider named associate head coach. Were you surprised by that? I would have guessed Mickens would get that title before him.
Eric Hansen: Hi Kevin. Given that new running backs coach Ja'Juan Seider carried the titles of co-offensive coordinator AND assistant head coach in addition to his running backs designation at Penn State, it's zero surprise to me that he was given the associate head coach title at ND. That has nothing to do with Mike Mickens, and it also doesn't mean Mickens won't eventually add a similar title (and pay raise) at ND. He's currently defensive backs coach/defensive passing game coordinator.
Slainte, from St Pete, Fla.: Hi Eric! Long time, first time. Our most recent recruiting class ended up ranked in the teens. Should fans be concerned that we are not recruiting at a level to keep us in the mix with the top 5 programs? Should we expect to see top 5 or at least top 10 classes given recent success? Or do you think perhaps too much emphasis is placed on class rank when development and “fit” may be more important to ultimate success on the field? Thanks for all you do.
Eric Hansen: Thank you for the question and the compliment. Let's boil this down to some simple concepts that (hopefully) make sense instead of getting lost in too many numbers. 1) Notre Dame played for a national title, despite losing some of its biggest stars to injury, with rankings similar to the one it received in February from Rivals (11th in recruiting). 2) In that championship game especially, but at different points in the season it's clear, wide receiver recruiting and defensive line (pass rush) recruiting are the two areas that need to continue to upgrade and where there was the biggest difference between the national champs and the Irish.
3) Recruiting rankings without context is like an asking price for a house and not knowing where it's located, how many square feet, what condition it's in. If I had time, I'd give you the exact numbers, but in 2022 Texas A&M had the No. 1 recruiting class. Those players that are coming to Notre Dame Stadium in September would be seniors ... 30 of them ... except one big problem. Retention. I believe half of them were gone after the first year and just used my Phone-a-friend lifeline to get you more specifics. Heading into spring, SIX of the 30 remain and only one of the 30 who finished his time at A&M was an early NFL Draft entry. Only one of those six is a frontline player -- RB Le'Veon Moss.
So, retention matters. Who you add from the transfer portal matters. Fit matters, because Notre Dame showed in its playoff run "culture wins." So yes, room for improvement. No, don't make your way out onto a ledge or a bridge.
Len from the Jersey Shore: Hello Eric!!!!!!!!!! I have a short simple two-part question that most likely will not have short answers. Is the alliance and controlling influence by the SEC and the BIG 10 good or bad for College football and the CFP? Same question only for Notre Dame? Thanks as always for hosting.
Eric Hansen: Len!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! I love short and simple, even when those terms are attached to someone describing me ... but especially like them as questions ... To the first part of your question, we shall see. It really depends on who the commissioners are of those conferences and their intentions. For me, it has the potential not to be best for college football as a whole. For part 2, for now, Notre Dame is well-positioned because of AD Pete Bevacqua's savvy, his relationships, his background. And Jack Swarbrick laid some nice groundwork. But again who the commissioners are of those two conferences matters ... now and in the future.
Ed from Sayville, N.Y.: Hello Eric and hope all is copacetic for you and yours. Can you tell us what we may expect with the increase in roster limits occurring next season? Have the Irish settled on how many players they will carry? My current understanding is the limit is 105 which is up from 85. What impact can be expected with walk-on team members? Will some current scholarship players be impacted as well? Will every team member get some compensation? It feels like there may be a mix of impacts that will need to communicated to multiple parties. Your thoughts would be appreciated.
Eric Hansen: Hi Ed, thank you and back at ya. NOTHING has been decided, only anticipated. And Notre Dame has a plan for 85, for 105 and for something in between. Right now, the Irish have 95 scholarship players committed to playing on its 2025 roster. Now it gets complicated and I'll try to simplify this as deftly as I can. April 7 is the date to circle on your calendar. That's the date when we can START to get some clarity on the roster limits/scholarship limits. It has to do with the House v NCAA settlement. Judge Claudia Wilken granted preliminary approval of the House v NCAA settlement on Oct. 7. The final approval hearing is scheduled for Apr. 7.
Roster/scholarship limits aren't the only thing in play that day, but it's the one you asked about. And whatever is announced or decided, count on legal challenges that may delay/cancel the departure from the 85-scholarship limit OR not. Let's say it moves to 105 on that day. The transfer portal opens up for 10 days just nine days after that court date. So the Irish would likely add. If it stays at 85, ND will have to get down to 85 by the start of fall semester classes. With NIL and coming direct payments, there is some mild wiggle room for not hitting that 85 number precisely.
Finally, will walk-ons as we know them go away in this process? Maybe. And I've got a special package of stories coming next month that I think you'll really enjoy on that very subject.
David from NYC: Hi Eric! Thanks as always for the chats. Can you lay out any of the remaining off-season to-dos? Looks like we are now set on coaches, perhaps have one more key hire in the GM/scouting/recruiting department to partner with Mike Martin? We have a couple key decisions on playoff format, roster size, etc. Any key considerations for ND on that front? And last what should be the team's main goals for improvement during off-season conditioning and through Spring practice. Thanks!
Eric Hansen: Hi David. The reason why my answer is going to be imprecise is not because I'm under-caffeinated. It's because of what I just described in Ed's question. That House v NCAA settlement and all its legal entanglements affects so many things. Now that Mike Martin is hired, a new director of player personnel would likely be the next hiring priority. But new GM Mike Martin's skill set doesn't directly line up with what they had in former GM Chad Bowden. And as colleges scramble to fill GM roles and ever-expanding support staffs some of ND's strong personnel could get lured away by more money and bigger/better titles. So that process will be ongoing.
To the football part of your question, which is way more fun for me to answer, because of the length of the season and the delayed start to winter conditioning, the approach to spring practice needed to be modified as well in terms of recovery, etc. But some of the main spring priorities include installing new defensive coordinator Chris Ash's new scheme, giving the offensive playbook a refresh, given the different skill sets of the post-Riley Leonard QBs and hearing some ideas from new associate head coach/RBs coach Ja'Juan Seider. Position Battles ... starting, not necessarily finishing, figuring out whether Charles Jagusah or Anthonie Knapp is the No. 1 LT and which one is a guard. Recruiting. Recruiting. Recruiting.
Tom F from Kennesaw, Ga.: Hey Eric. Wow, you have been blessed with covering two of the best and most exciting ND teams in a long time between FB and WBB. Hope the string continues. The performances of Sam Hartman and Riley Leonard the past two years brings up some interesting discussion since they were one-and-done QB's. In your Expert Opinion!!! who are the 5 Best ND QB's and who are the 5 Most Important!!! You can start wherever you think it makes the most sense but certainly at least back to 2000. Players like Tommy Rees and Ian Book may not be in the 5 Best category, but based on their number of wins and playoff games you would probably put them in the Most Important category. Just thought this might be something a little different for this week's Chat!!!!! You'll notice I submitted this early to give you time to think about it. Go Irish!!!!
Eric Hansen: Hi Tom. Thanks for the early warning. Unfortunately, with my other duties, I don't get much of a head start, if any, on the early questions, but in this case, it did help some. ... it's hard to compare the numbers straight up, because pass efficiency numbers in this era are way, way better than even 15-20 years ago. In 2009 Jimmy Clausen was third in pass efficiency at 161.4, and Tim Tebow was first that year at 164.2. This year, Tebow would have ranked eighth with that same rating. Last year, he wouldn't have been in the top 10. So let me do five most important and I'll make the line of demarcation the first recruit of the post-Lou Holtz Era.
So, here are my top 5 … from 5 to 1 and a quick reason why. Just missing the cut is the guy with some of the best numbers, and it's not his fault that he didn't have a defense to pair with him, but Jimmy Clausen's long-term impact on the program was stunted. With an early draft entry, with the coaching regime change, with no real team success during his three years on campus, with no sustained success in the NFL, what is his legacy? Again, not on him, but more the circumstances. 5. I'll go with DeShone Kizer. High draft choice, had ND in the 2015 playoff discussion. 4. Brandon Wimbush. A prolific runner, who never evolved into an elite passer, but he was a winner. He was the start of the current Irish football renaissance with his play during ND's bounce-back year in 2017 from a 4-8 showing the year before. Handled being benched in 2018 with grace and was the ultimate team player.
3) Ian Book. Maybe too low with this one, given he was a three-year starter, got ND to two playoffs (2018 and 2020). But he didn't have a high enough ceiling to make ND competitive in those playoff losses. 2) Riley Leonard. Got ND into the 12-team playoff and got the Irish to the national title game. Like Wimbush, a prolific runner. Great leader. Left a legacy. 1) Brady Quinn has the numbers and the context to go with them. Absolutely put Notre Dame football back on the map, even though it had a couple of slide-offs subsequently. Camouflaged a lot of ND's deficiencies. Would have been fun to put him in a time machine and see what he could do plugged into some of the Brian Kelly/Marcus Freeman teams.
Marie from Atlanta: Hi Eric, I hope you’re having a fantastic week. I know everyone’s excited about the quarterback battle this spring, do you feel that people are sleeping in Minchey? Of the quarterbacks, who has the highest floor and who has the highest ceiling? Who has the strongest arm? Who’s the most accurate? Who’s the best processor and who is the best runner? How close do you honestly feel ND is to winning a national championship, and what do you think they need to do next to get over the hill? How many analysts do you think ND will add in the off-season, is it possible to have too many and what do you think is about the right number to add, which position groups could stand to benefit the most from addition of analysts? As always, thanks for hosting the chat and all the great insights.
Eric Hansen: Hi Marie. Got your email and will be in touch soon. Yes, I am having a great week. I get to see all six grandkids tomorrow, including one of them playing in a basketball game. ... I don't know that people are sleeping on Kenny Minchey as much as they're playing the odds. Of the three quarterbacks who return from the 2024 roster, he's the one with the smallest margin for error and probably the narrowest path to getting to No. 1, in part because he's probably the least developed ... but intriguing skill set nd potential and super smart and mature. A lot to like. Your question about individual traits is a good one and probably how most people process QB evals.
As you know by now, I'm wired funny, so I see them more holistically, because that's how it would play out in a game rather than a skills challenge. But let me give this a try anyway. ...Highest floor? Carr. Highest Ceiling? Carr. Strongest arm? Not sure. I haven't seen enough of Hebert. I think they're pretty comparable, all four. I'd say Carr or Minchey. Again, don't look through that lens in eval. Most accurate? Carr or Angeli. Best processor? Angeli, with Carr freaky for how young he is. I think ND is 11 points away from winning a national title or maybe a third-down stop and a semi-miracle on offense and overtime. The momentum is pushing them in that direction, not away. WRs and DTs. Keep an eye on those two position groups. How many analysts? I think they've got a workable number now. There is such a thing as a point of diminishing returns. I'd load up on "front office" staff.
Ryan from Frankfort, Ill.: what do you think about the season Jordan Clark had i think he had a Good Season and should have Been Invited to the NFL combine GO IRISH ☘️☘️☘️🏈🏈🏈
Eric Hansen: Hi, Ryan. I think Jordan Clark was an essential part in Notre Dame making the College Football Playoff and winning games at that level. Great season, great addition. And yes, I was surprised he was not invited to the NFL Combine.
Frank Lucero from Owens Cross Roads, Ala.: Hi. My question is will coach Mark Freeman be looking for another coach for recruiting since we missed out the one in Auburn. I’ve been a fan of Notre Dame since the late ‘70s. I was 6 years old, Go Irish.
Eric Hansen: Hi Frank. Yes, Kenyatta Watson decided to stay at Auburn instead of coming to Notre Dame. The Irish will fill that director of player personnel role. Great to hear from you. I think that's the first time you've submitted a question. Thanks for doing so.
Bobby Kull from Sioux City, Iowa: thanks for taking my question, with the offensive line having some vacancies this spring- who do you think will fill and represent the #72 of Sam Pendleton who is now at Tennessee? I’m hoping it will be one of the likes of the great Aaron Taylor or maybe even Ray Lemek who both went on to star in the NFL. PS I’m leaning to the likes of the latter- as he was my Uncle from Sioux City, Ia
Eric Hansen: Hi Bobby thanks for the question and revealing your connection. Notre Dame has a winter roster out, but the newcomers have not been assigned uniform numbers yet. So I am guessing at this point just like you. There are three freshman O-linemen in spring ball ... Owen Strebig, Matty Augustine and Cam Herron. And then tackle Will Black arrives in June. So, one of them could end up with 72 ... or not. We'll know soon on the numbers of the first three.
Jack from Strongsville, Ohio: Hi Eric. Thank you for allowing me a WBB question. Is this team the best balanced and has more depth than either of the two national championship teams? I know there is no Ruth Riley on this team but position for position I can't see any team better in the country.
Eric Hansen: Hi Jack. I had to refresh my memory on the 2001 team and now I feel more confident in my answer. It's funny to say this team is "deep" because of injuries to Kylee Watson and Emma Risch and the fact KK Bransford is redshirting, but yes it is deeper, even with essentially a rotation of eight. One thing that really stands out is the versatility on both offense and defense, especially the latter. Cass Prosper and Liatu King can guard 1 through 4 and some 5s. You can harass a guard with Sonia Citron's size and then rotate Hannah Hidalgo's quickness on that same player. Now can they win it all? I think this team is still ascending, which is a great trend line in late February. Still work to do.
Bob from Oxnard, Calif.: Hi Eric. Progress on the field appears to spike up when assistant coaches reach year two (e.g. Golden, Mickens). Do you think we will see a similar spike in strength and conditioning as Loren Landau moves into his second year? Thanks.
Eric Hansen: Hi Bob. I think you're on to something there, but I'm not sure what that looks like ... fewer injuries? I think Loren's NFL background actually was an asset in managing ND's elongated playoff run and the compressed recovery time ahead of spring practice. But yes, I think being in the college game for a year and leaning so into sports science and charting results is going to positively impact 2025.
Robert from Dunedin, Fla.: Eric- From a reporter's perspective, what is one policy you would like to see changed/modified/enacted (if anything) that would assist you in covering ND sports? Thanks as always for your excellent work!
Eric Hansen: Hi Robert, thank YOU. ... And this is across all sports, not necessarily aimed at football, but having a uniform and transparent policy or reporting injuries. Now can you help me put that into motion?
Sean from Schaumburg, Ill.: Hello, Eric. Have you seen firsthand or heard firsthand of any tangible benefits from recruits and potential new coaches/recruit support staff from making the National Title game? It's no longer early in the 2026 recruiting process. I know you said it might have more of an influence/impact for 2027 and beyond. I was hoping for a wee boost to 2026 class. The Big Ten/SEC are flexing their influence in the CFP. 14-team CFP? 4 teams mandatory from Big Ten/SEC? Shouldn't the Conference Title games be eliminated if that happens? The season needs to start a week earlier to accommodate a 14/16-team playoff. What say you? Thank you. Go Irish!!
Eric Hansen: HI Sean and thank you. I think tangible is the word that is hardest to define here. In generalities, it absolutely makes an impact as far as opening doors and adding to what ND already brings to the table. Could those same doors have been open without the run? Probably in most cases, but likely with more effort and possibly not sustainably. Tyler James is way more in the weeds with this stuff, but I can give you an anecdotal example of someone who I interviewed, 2026 four-star WR Brayden Robinson from Texas after a visit.
Yes, ND's playoff run very much impressed him, but ultimately it's not what he's going to base his decision on. So, is that still tangible? I would say yes. ... Eliminating the conference title games is up to those conferences. Some saw it as a negative this year. It's interesting that the two teams that played for the national title did NOT play in a conference championship game. The other two Final Four members did and lost in their respective games. No, the season does not need to start a week earlier to accommodate a 14- or 16-team playoff. It's still the same number of rounds, just fewer (or no) byes.
Stan from the Center of the Universe: Good Afternoon ERIC(multiple exclamation points). Now that the dust has settled, maybe, at least for a while, how did the Irish new hires in coaching and managing compare to what they lost? AND how many potential transfers by position do you anticipate after Spring Practice and the BG game? Thanks a bunch for keeping the Info coming. We need it.
Eric Hansen: It took me a while to figure out where the center of the universe is, because both of my kids think it's them and they don't live in the same state (or yours). But I'm guessing this is the nice man from Virginia who has offered to make me pancakes? ... In any event !!!! It's hard to tell until we see some evidence on the field or even get to interview the new coaches (that's coming next week) to give you a great read. I'll give you an example. I was traveling back from the Pinstripe Bowl at the end of the 2013 season and talked to three people who had covered ND's new DC hire at the time and they raved about him and it was ... Brian VanGorder. So, what I will say is I love Ja'Juan Seider's résumé and am eager to hear his vision for the position and the offense. With Chris Ash as DC, Like that he's been a head coach, has been a successful college DC and has some NFL experience as well. What I want clarity about is his time as Rutgers' head coach, what went wrong and what he learned from that.
As far as potential transfers incoming and outgoing, ask me after April 7 when we might have more clarity about roster sizes/scholarship limits at that juncture. Might. Thanks.
Stan from the Center of the Universe: Forgot to let you know that we are celebrating the seventh month of wedded bliss this very day! WooHoo!
Eric Hansen: OK, this is definitely Stancakes my man from Virginia, who I saw on Facebook got a nice shiner from a fall. Hope you're fully recovered.
Matt from Austin: Hi Eric, I hope your week is going well and you're not frozen!! Complete the following: Notre Dame can win the National Championship this year if who is at quarterback and who is an All American on defense? Thanks Eric. Matt
Eric Hansen: Matt, you lively minx. If only it were that simple. I'll play the game, but caution you, it's not that simple. QB Carr. All-American (there would be more than one), but for one of them to be an interior defensive lineman or one of the returning edge players (Traore or Botelho) would be a huge plus. For the record,. I think Leonard Moore will be a 2025 All-American at corner, and there are some other good candidates.
Matt from Austin: Eric, I'm sorry for the second question, but I am curious about your thoughts. I watch the men's and women's basketball games. The men seem to have little energy, small attendance, no fanfare, and very few significant courtside attendees. The women, on the other hand, have great crowds, football coaches and players watching, huge energy, and the spirit that accompanies a champion. Yes, I know they're ranked #1. Is there a sense around the two programs that the University administration and the AD give much stronger support to the women's team while Coach Shrew and the men kind of wallow on their own without the same support or backing? Again, sorry for being long winded, but I would appreciate your insights. Thank you again Eric. Matt
Eric Hansen: Matt, I'll answer this quickly (and hopefully not incompletely) I don't think it's a lack of support for the men. The WBB program has more tradition, worked hard when there wasn't as much interest in their games, interacted with the community more and have captured the hearts of fans. I feel fortunate that's the team I get to cover when football is over. Having a blast getting to tell their stories.
Roger from chances: Eric: TGIF!! Take your pick "Friday", "Football" or "Fencing". Of course, picking the traditional one might apply to all three as all Irish Football and Fencing fans can attest. Would it not be great for the Irish Football team to have 13 National Championships like the Irish Fencers? Don't know if the Fencers get NIL, but probably it is nil NIL as Fencing revenue is nil compared to Football Revenue. To avoid this being a text nil of questions, let me inquire, on a scale of 1 to 10 with 1 being really bad and 10 being exceptional, how do you rate each Irish new coaching and General Manager hire? I am a big Luke Talich fan. How do you rate his chances of replacing Watts next to Shuler? Now for a change of pace, are the Lady Irish a legitimate candidate to win the National Championship and, if so, who are the biggest obstacles to that happening? Thanks for your cogent insights and GO IRISH!!!
Eric Hansen: Hi Roger. And if this is “guess the hometown day,” I'm about to be 1-for-2. I have no idea where “chances” are/is or what “chances are,” except for the title of an old song I like. Let me have a chance [pun kind of intended] to interview these guys before I give them a number, please? Otherwise, it comes down to evening gow/talent/how would they foster world peace? On the surface, I've found reasons to be optimistic about all three, not the least of which is Marcus Freeman's track record with hires. ... I'm bullish on Luke Talich, as you are, but he's got a lot of competition. I see him at the very least as a rotational safety in 2025. As far as the ND women's basketball team, they've beaten three out of the other four top 5 teams already, but that doesn't mean they would do it twice. I think any of the top six teams has a legit chance to in the title. And I think UCLA, with its size, is the toughest matchup of those other five. ...and thank you.
John from Indianapolis: Hi, Eric!!!!! I don’t usually use exclamation points but the team’s season and your coverage of it deserve an abundance of them. Thank you! Two questions: With the quick transitions to junior weekend, recruiting and transfer portal activity immediately after the national championship game, did the team ever have the opportunity to celebrate its remarkable season together, or is that another casualty of how fast college football moves onto the future these days? This year’s team was blessed with captains who are exceptional leaders as well as gifted athletes. They will be missed and are tough acts to follow. Who do you see as players who will provide that kind of crucial leadership for next year’s team? Also, I share your thoughts about Jayden Thomas who always seemed to put team first and represented the team and the university well. He will be missed but I hope it works out for him. Thanks again for sharing your talents and insights with us.
Eric Hansen: John, the other people on chat won't get this, but the space bar gets me too sometimes. Thanks for being persistent!!!!!!! As far as team celebration, I think there's been some of that spread around, but school had already started as ND was in the second week of spring-semester classes. And while Marcus Freeman seems to have an overflowing plate of responsibilities he and the family were able to make it to the WWE Royal Rumble at Lucas Oil Stadium earlier this month (my oldest son streamed it for his kids and they loved it too). I've gotten this leadership question before and I have not done a great job of answering it, because it's in progress. There sre some obvious ones (more juniors than seniors), like Drayk Bowen for instance. But spring is when you start to see your new leaders emerge. And so, if you'll let me cheat and see a few spring practices first, I'll be happy to revisit this. Nothing wrong with the question, it's the answerer who has issues.
Jayden Thomas is one of those players who I really came to respect and appreciate for just those reasons you listed. Great eye on that one. He will be missed in s a lot of ways.
Mike AKA Mo from Maumee OH: Greetings!! Is there any one thing that stands out with new DC Chris Ash's approach to defense strategy compared to Golden's? Looking forward to attending the Spring Game!
Eric Hansen: Mike/Mo. I'll give you a stellar answer after we sit down with him on Wednesday of next week. If you're at the spring game, make sure we get a chance to say hello before it.
Don in Scottsdale, Ariz.: Eric, I love CFB and especially love ND football. The elongated season has me a bit burned out. I know you make your living writing and informing us about ND football; when do you get break? Keep up the good work but I hope you get time for some fun.
Eric Hansen: Hi Don. You know when people type LOL, but they don't actually laugh out loud, but kind of deep inside. I laughed out loud, and I am not complaining. It's taken me a long time to figure out the formula but balance in life is such a key priority for me. So working hard and having fun with the people I love trumps putting the patio furniture away (yep it's still out there) and taking the Christmas tree down (still up and no it's not real, so not a fire hazard.) Thanks for the reminder.
Tim from St. Louis: Hey Eric - Great answers per usual. Little light hearted question. If you were coaching a 4 X 100 meter relay team, who would be your top four fastest from the 2024 FB team? Who would be the anchor Love or Moore ? We don't get to see all the players (KK Smith, Cam Williams, M Gilbert, etc) as you do. How about Faison and Greathouse ? Who would be the biggest surprise in terms of speed we don't hear about? Have a Great Weekend
Eric Hansen: Hi Tim. I love this. Wish we weren't in overtime/lightning round, because some of these guys, Including Love, were track standouts. And Aamil Wagner is a state champ ... but in shot put, though he was on a big man's 4x100 team in high school. ... OK, off the top of my head, Love, Talich, Faison, Cam Williams, Jayden Harrison. I reserve the right to alter this when I have more time to think. I'll go with Love as my anchor. I know it's Wyoming, but Talich won four state track titles as a senior. ... I think Talich is the surprise. His numbers hold up even when compared elsewhere. I think Logan Saldate also has really good track speed.
Smitty from Tempe Ariz.: Hey Eric - I appreciate the amazing job you do. I've got a specific question that goes to a broader question. It was my impression that Aidan Keanaaina was basically "ushered" out to the transfer portal where he landed at Cal. I remember seeing him play a lot when Cal played Miami this year. He had modest stats for the year at Cal - 17 solo tackles, 28 asst'd, 2.5 TFL, but he got plenty of PT and I believe has one more year of eligibility. Given that ND's interior Dline had injuries and attrition throughout the year, couldn't they have used an experienced player who is 6'3" 320 lbs? I've heard other media mention that the team, even after the dtackle transfer additions, could use a "Chris Smith plus" type transfer dtackle in the spring portal. Wouldn't it have made sense to just hold onto Keanaaina? My broader question is, I would think d-line would be the one position ND would hold on to backups with size and experience, not wanting to get caught short on numbers. Do you agree?
Eric Hansen: HI Smitty, again sorry I don't have more time to go in depth on this. ND has two players with Keanaaina size on the roster in Sean Sevillano and Davion Dixon. I am not sure keeping him would have changed ND's lot in 2024. The lack of a 322-pound backup nose guard is not why ND fell 11 points short of a national title. Nor are overall numbers a problem for 2025. The question is: Is there enough quality among the 12 players on the roster for those two interior positions, 11 of whom will be on campus this spring?
Eric Hansen: Ok, that's going to have to do it for today. Thanks for all the great questions. We'll do a chat next week, but not on Wednesday or before. Likely Thursday. Keep an eye on our website and my social media as we sort through a very busy week next week and schedule the chat. Thanks again everyone.
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