Eric Hansen: Welcome to the last Notre Dame Football Live Chat of June ... but not the last chat, period.
Some quick programming notes:
► On Tuesday, July 1, Tyler James and I will make the move to the On3 network and blueandgold.com and join some amazing teammates. I believe this will be a great move for us and for our subscribers. For answers to frequently asked questions (and just some really good ones that aren’t frequent) regarding the move, check out our FAQs page.
There are some questions posed in the chat queue about what will happen to this live chat that has been going since the Charlie Weis Era, and about our YouTube content, my radio work with WSBT in South Bend, etc. I’ll hit that in greater detail in the chat as those questions pop up, But for now be assured, it’s all coming with us in some form or fashion.
Related Content
► The Heat Index: Will Notre Dame's wide receiver wishes come true?
► Rivals Five-Star: Teams that should be pleased
► Notre Dame Subscriber FAQ: InsideNDSports + Blue & Gold
► TE Ian Premer continues Notre Dame football's extended recruiting flex
► Rivals Five-Star QB MVP Teddy Jarrard discusses Notre Dame offer
► Speaking of which … If you missed the most recent episode of our aspiring-to-be-viral Notre Dame Football YouTube show, Football Never Sleeps, what are you doing with your life? Seriously, the show keeps its shelf life long after the live presentation, so you can catch up now or later on our YouTube channel. We’ll be back next week on a day and time TBA for another presentation of Football Never Sleeps.
► At WSBT Sports Radio 960, we’re rolling through a newsy Notre Dame offseason. Darin Pritchett and I were 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 this week’s chat …
PLEASE include your name and hometown along with your question(s). And that doesn't include doing so via telepathy.
No 17-part questions UNLESS they're chock full of compliments. No manifestos/extended whining streaks — even with compliments.
These normally are the rules:
Eric Hansen: But all five of those listed on the sign are rescinded for today. So roll the dice, kick off your shoes, spit, drink and/or fight ... just not with me.
OK off we go ...
Pogo from Madison, Wis.: Wow, love the title on the recruiting "flex" ND is putting on now and could not agree more. Since you have been covering the team, have you seen a better run on recruits and, in particular, closing with those recruits? I was class of ’96, and saw 2 good years and then have watched the decline of ND football, with a few blips of solid play, raising of the standard to a high floor with occasional excellence under Brian Kelly to what we are now. I believe this is the first time since 93 that I'm thinking we should be feared by everyone on our schedule, and we have a puncher’s chance against anyone in college football these next several years if we keep the infrastructure and coaching generally in place. Am I violating the “no drinking” policy while at work???
Eric Hansen: Pogo, thanks for the questions, and I'll start with the most urgent one. ... About violating the “no drinking” policy at work ... It depends on where you work. It might be a prerequisite. I'm drinking coffee by the way, per usual. ... Now to the recruiting comparison. And let me start with, Notre Dame is not done yet. Next up are decision days next week for three four-star wide receivers — Kaydon Finley, Devin Fitzgerald and Brayden Robinson. I think ND has a good chance to sweep those three. There are a few more who ND would like to add in the class in July, the top priority of whom is DT Elijah Golden from Florida.
It becomes more difficult to compare recruiting classes across eras, because the transfer portal matters too, even though ND leans into that less from a quantity standpoint. Quality matters too. I like to use Tom Lemming from time to time, because he does have the historical perspective that goes back decades and he believes this will not only be the best class in more than a decade, but a sign of things to come in future classes. But let's look at some numbers to give you tangible comparisons.
Rivals, which will be part of the On3 branding still with the merger when it comes to recruiting, has been ranking players and classes since 2002. In 2006, they expanded from a top 100 to a Rivals250, so let's start with 2006. In the 20 recruiting cycles leading up to this one, ND has reached double digits in Rivals250 players 9 times. Last cycle they had eight. They're sitting at 15 now with more to come. The vaunted 2013 Jaylon Smith class had 13 by comparison. The most in the Rivals Era was 16 in 2006 in the Michael Floyd/Kyle Rudolph/Dayne Crist class.
The context of your last question was a cleverly framed way of saying: Are you drinking so much Kool Aid that the Kool Aid pitcher is going to come crashing through the wall? My take, you may be right. This is an exciting time to be a Notre Dame fan.
Bob from Oxnard, Calif.: Do you think Scrap Richardson will play in the field or slot? Thanks Eric.
Eric Hansen: Hi Bob. Freshman Scrap Richardson enrolled in January at 6-foot, 169 pounds and with a background way more steeped in DB play than at wide receiver, so the coaching staff is still learning about what he does well ... beyond running really fast. The fact that he's up to 185 is a positive at either of those positions, but especially if he bumps outside. My sense now is that he'll be a slot this season and someone not in the playing rotation. But if ND gets Finley and Robinson, the path of least resistance may be as a field (outside) receiver in 2026 and beyond. So that would be my longer-term projection for him.
Bill from Spring, Texas: Hi, Eric. Love your chats. Look forward to them every week! Will you continue with some form of chats when you begin working at B&G Illustrated in July?
Eric Hansen: Hi Bill, and thanks for that. They will continue ... I got the "heck yeah" from someone high enough on the good chain to make the decision on a Zoom earlier this week. I am beyond ecstatic (if there is such a thing). I'll have a better feel about the details in another week or so while I'm drinking out of a firehose with all the technical changes and tutorials to learn. But as soon as I know, I will share at blueandgold.com and also on my social media accounts, which will stay intact.
Franz from Niles, Mich.: Is Marie from Atlanta going to make the jump to the ON3 network with the rest of the staff or will I have to look for her fine work on another website?
Eric Hansen: Ha! I am confident she will. Funny story, at least from her vantage point. We had a bet a couple of Marches ago picking the men's NCAA bracket and she kicked my butt, and her prize was she wanted to write a sports story, and I still have to arrange that. Maybe we'll have her on Football Never Sleeps sometime instead? And speaking of Marie ...
Marie from Atlanta: Hey Eric, I hope you enjoyed your couple of days of vacation, thanks for coming back and hosting the chat. Finally, we have quarterback offers for 2027. Who do you prefer, Jarrard or Houston and why? Which one would be more likely to end up at Notre Dame? Who else do you think will receive offers in the 2027 class? Do you think taking six offensive linemen indicates the staff thinks they may lose players early to the NFL or the transfer portal next year or did they just really like Thom? Which players do you think might consider leaving early for the NFL next year? Finally, what do you think the ceiling is for Fryzell? Lots of questions io get you going after vacation. Thanks for hosting the chat and for all the great insights.
Eric Hansen: Marie, thanks for being here ... and Bob Morton sent me the pic you two took together in Dallas. ... To your questions. Keep in mind with those 2027s, they are still young QBs and have a lot of developing to do and yet you have to be able to project if you’re a college coach or assistant. Right now Peyton Houston is the higher ranked (No. 44 vs. 230), but that's going to change. Both competed in the Rivals Five-Star event earlier this week in Indianapolis. Jarrard was far and away the best QB there, and that included an impressive group beyond the two you asked about.
They are different sizes (6-4, 200 for Jarrard; 6-0, 195 for Houston) and have different skill sets. It's kind of like asking me whether I'd like the ribeye or the NY strip, but I'll go with Jarrard because of how advanced and accurate he already is as a passer. YOU probably know better than me which one is more likely to end up at ND. I'll guess on that and say Jarrard, but it could be somebody else from that class. ... The reason for taking OL No. 6 in the class in Charlie Thom, I think, will fully reveal itself in time. For now, just an intriguing ascending prospect who can play tackle. I don't think it's because of fear or losing someone to the portal or to an NFL early entry. Not that those things couldn't happen. What I'm saying is that those possibilities (which always exist) didn't trigger this move. I'm not saying he's the next Will Black, but there are some similarities in their development arc.
As far as Preston Fryzel, the first of the two tight ends ND got a commitment from this week, upside is the selling point. He's a three-star prospect at this juncture, but so were Tyler Eifert, Durham Smythe, Tommy Tremble and John Carlson ... all of whom play or played in the NFL. Here's a scouting report from Rivals national analyst Greg Smith:"Fryzel is exactly the type of hybrid tight end that many teams are looking for right now. The Ohio native is a crafty route runner with the ability to get open. But what really stands out to me is his ability to control his body in the air to come down with contested catches."Because of his size and long speed he presents a real mismatch problem for opposing defenses. It’s easy to see a path to him making a lot of plays in South Bend for the Irish."
Sean from Westwood: Hi Eric! Love the chats and grateful for your good work. Is Ashton Craig expected to be 100% by opening day and start at center? And which reserves will push most for playing time on the OL? Cheers, and enjoy the upcoming holiday week!
Eric Hansen: Hi Sean! And thank you. Ashton Craig is expected to be 100 percent this season and has looked good in ND's “Football School” as well as player-only workouts, per sources I've spoken with. Who could push the most and end up on the two-deeps? I would say the three most likely are tackles Guerby Lambert and Will Black and then Sullivan Absher at guard or center. There's a handful of other guys trying to work into those other two spots in that second tier.
Jack from Strongsville, Ohio: Hi Eric. Congratulations on your move to B&G. A personal question. Will my subscription that is set to renew on July 1st for Inside ND Sports transfer over automatically to B&G. Secondly, will you continue these chats and FNS? Hope your summer is going great and thanks as always.
Eric Hansen: Hi Jack, and thank you for being a part of these chats and for being a subscriber. Let me put this out for you and others if there are any questions that aren't readily answers in the FAQs link I shared or within this chat: support@on3.com The Live Chats will continue, Football Never Sleeps will continue, Bob Morton comes with us, Marie from Atlanta comes with us. It's really pretty cool. ... From going through our FAQs, your subscription will carry over and auto-renew. Because it's exactly on the switchover date, I wanted to make sure you were covered in case there is a hiccup. Let me know how things go, please.
Tony from Lake Mary, Fla.: Hey Eric. Thanks for you guys continuing to pump out great coverage. I hope for both of your sakes the merger with Blue&Gold and that staff will be for the best and you don't have to spend a bunch of time listening to your subscribers complaining. Is there a sense that the QB competition is Carr's to lose? The consensus on the beat is so, it seems. What's the sense on who Adon Shuler's running mate is going to be? Last one, sounds like Charles Jagusah at guard brings the best option. Is there a sense that LT is Anthonie Knapp's to lose or is Guerby Lambert pushing?
Eric Hansen: Hi Tony. Hopefully, the only complaint is that they have so many choices for content, they have to create more room in their schedules to take it all in. ... I don't know that the coaching staff looks at it as CJ Carr having the edge. I think that's more of a media perception, but I do think that's reality and where reality will be when the team opens the season Aug. 31 in Miami. I am not counting out Kenny Minchey. He is a wild card with an intriguing skill set, but I think Carr is the better choice and I think the coaching staff will take the stance eventually.
As to Adon Shuler's running mate at safety, that has to play out in August since Va Tech transfer Jalen Stroman wasn't able to compete in the spring. I still think he is the most likely option to emerge, but I am convinced the reps will be spread out with a much deeper rotation than last year, with Luke Talich and Tae Johnson heavy in the mix and maybe more than just those two. .. I think all five OL starters will be pushed, but I wouldn't predict any of them will get overtaken without an injury factoring in. I think Knapp will be the opening night starter at LT.
CED walker from Saginaw Michigan aka sag nasty Saginaw pride: With 2 verbal at wr do you think Notre Dame will take 4 God bless this football team here comes the Irish Notre Dame our mother pray for us
Eric Hansen: Hi Ced, Notre Dame has commitments at WR from Bubba Frazier and Dylan Faison, so I think the Irish will end up taking five, including all three who are making their decisions next week if they all want in the class. And that is the most likely scenario.
Kevin from Sleepy Eye, Minn.: Eric!!!!!! Happy Friday:) What can you tell us about how the summer is going? How Fields looking? How's leadership developing etc.....
Eric Hansen: Kevin!!!!!!!!!!! It is a happy Friday. I recently provided a well-sourced inside look at summer workouts for our subscribers, and I can share a couple of nuggets from that report. Since you asked about Malachi Fields, the transfer wide receiver from Virginia ... very impressive skill set. Tall, strong, fast, savvy. It's a Michael Floyd skill set, but can he be Michael Floyd good? That storyline will start to unfold in August. And freshman OT Will Black looks every bit a five-star prospect in person than he was in theory in the rankings.
Scott from Simpsonville, S.C.: Eric!!!! Sorry, I can't help it with the exclamation points! Recruiting has been exciting with the success since the spring game! Great pickups of defensive backs and now a TE in Premer. I'm hoping for a great July 4th weekend with receivers. Eric, if we can grab all three, get the stuff defensive tackle, and then keep everyone to signing, I have to think this is NDs best class since Holtz. No disrespect to the 2013 class, but this is loaded with depth and strong need positions. Is Vinny Cerato helping in the background? I just had shoulder replacement surgery a couple months ago and this is taking a lot of pain away! We'll, that and since the no drinking sign is off... My best wishes to you my friend and congratulations on the new collaboration! I hope it only makes you, Tyler and the team of journalists more robust. No, not from pasta. Take care from hot and steamy South Carolina.
Eric Hansen: Scott!!!!! Sorry? For exclamation points? Don't be sorry. Exclamation points are the currency of this chat (but not crypto). So include them at your heart's content. ... I gave some class comparison numbers earlier. Now while this class already has more Rivals250 prospects than 2013, that class was heavy in five-stars. There were four of them. But beyond Jaylon Smith, there was little or no impact from the other three -- Greg Bryant, Eddie Vanderdoes and Max Redfield. Vinny Cerrato is no tin the background, but new GM Mike Martin and his staff ... along with the ND coaches ... are making their mark in this very different era of recruiting. Thank you for the congrats and compliments and for the great medical news. I'm VERY excited about collaborating with and learning from and having fun with my old teammate and my new ones.
Mike from Walled Lake, Mich.: Hi Eric, Hopefully, you are having a nice summer. What are the chances Notre Dame lands Elijah Golden?
Eric Hansen: Hi Mike. I am glad to have AC, but I never complain about the summer. NEVER. Love it. Notre Dame did a great job with Golden on his official recruiting visit last weekend. Enough to make them a leader? Not sure. But certainly enough to make them a legit contender.
Kevin from Calgary: Eric! Love the chats, even when I don't have time, or the brain power, to come up with a question worthy of your expertise. It seems almost every article I see these days is bullish on the Irish for this season, extolling the strengths of just about every position group. With a premier offensive line and one of the best — if not THE best — running back rooms in the country, not to mention expected improvements at receiver, should fans not feel CJ Carr or Kenny Minchey will be insulated enough that the few growing pains they'll experience will not cost us any games? Is it time to order the champagne to put on ice to celebrate a natty, or is the schedule just too tough not to expect a 10-2 season and maybe even being shut out of the playoffs?
Eric Hansen: Kevin! The chats love you back! Let me get to the gist of your questions, which is … what are reasonable expectations for this season? And even factoring the inexperience at QB and the difficult early season schedule when that inexperience is most vulnerable, I think it's reasonable to expect this to be a College Football Playoff team in the 12-team version this December/January. Now how deep this team goes is still too much of a projection that needs August training camp at least for some better context. I can tell you what August needs to look like and where the September fault lines to survive are. And even with ND's great depth, staying healthy still matters.
Franz from Niles, Mich.: I think the format of the playoffs really helped ND recruiting as much as an appearance in the title game. Unlike a bowl or the old playoffs, you just didn't get the exposure on a team that you may be casually familiar with. The current system is more like March Madness and the several games really let the world see the grit and cohesiveness that ND had. The prolonged media exposure also let the charisma of the head coach and players like Riley Leonard shine through. I think the playoff system really made the "culture" brewing at ND look obvious to even the casual fan, and that is a huge selling point for recruiting. Rich Eisen, U of M grad and admitted ND hater begrudgingly stated "I hate to say it, but I kinda like Notre Dame". I don't think that happens with one or two game playoff. What are your thoughts?
Eric Hansen: Hi Franz and thanks for the early lead-in to the Marie question ... Now's your time in the spotlight. ... I would tend to agree with your premise, especially when you consider all the opt-outs in bowl games. Playing a series of meaningful games not only put ND front and center, it showed the Irish could do what people have been saying they'd never again do in this day and age -- legitimately compete for a national title. Now recruits don't have to imagine how ND could knock off the SEC champ by double digits. They saw it with their own eyes.
Michael from San Antonio: What are your thoughts on Dave Peloquin leaving the Irish football team? I'm not sure what his role was, but obviously when someone leaves the Program, we immediately start speculating on a replacement.
Eric Hansen: Hi Michael. I've known Dave for decades, and it continues to be a privilege, even as he transitions out of ND into his new role with sports management firm Athletes First. I plan to do a catch-up piece with Dave here soon, likely once we get under the new On3 umbrella, but I need to coordinate that with my new teammates. Thanks for asking.
Tom F from Kennesaw, Ga.: Hey Eric, congratulations on your new home. What a great recruiting run for the Irish. Lots of potential. It still seems that many of these ratings are a little early on all the recruits, because I feel what they do in their senior year in HS will tell us more about what their potential is at the college level. Do you agree? Also, isn't there a lot of shifting in positional rankings as players go thru their Senior year? Thanks for another chat. Sorry I am late to the Party.
Eric Hansen: Hi Tom. Great to have you and your questions, now matter what your arrival time. Yes, there will be a lot of player movement still this summer and then through their senior seasons. Several ND prospects competed in the Rivals Five-Star event. Of that group, it seems that safety Joey O'Brien, OT Tyler Merrill and running back Javian Osborne helped themselves and should get a bump. ... I'll give you four more to watch who I think will be eventually ranked higher than are already in the Rivals250 (soon to be Rivals300) ... DE Rodney Dunham, TE Ian Premer, RB Jonaz Walton and especially CB Khary Adams. And among the players outside of the 250, it seems to me S Ayden Pouncey would be a strong candidate to finish in the 250 (or 300, as it will be starting next week).
Ryan from Frankfort, Ill.: Good afternoon, Eric. Congrats on the move to Blue and gold and On3. What do you think about the Recruits we got recently? i like both tight ends that just committed and the long snapper i think next week we get Fitzgerald and Robinson and Finley. GO IRISH ☘️☘️☘️🏈🏈🏈
Eric also forgot I like the commitments of O’Brien and Adams. GO IRISH ☘️☘️☘️🏈🏈🏈
Eric Hansen: Thanks Ryan! I think ND made a really impressive sweep of six commitments since June 18 for the 2026 class and its first 2027 commit LS Sean Kraft in that span. The two who intrigue me the most are S Joey O'Brien, who at 6-5 could play some situational WR, and CB Khary Adams. But I like them all. Very impressive.
Jeremy From Goshen, Ind.: In the past, players who are awarded single-digit uniform numbers are often big contributors that season and have earned those single digit numbers. Should we be getting excited that Cam Williams was moved to a single digit number? Also, can we get an update on the QB competition? if you had to take 100 grand to the casino and bet on the QBs, who would you put the money on?
Eric Hansen: First of all, here is a list of the players who will wear single digits numbers in 2025, with some notable changes from the spring, including the one you alluded to:
Eric Hansen: I'll have to ask Cam his motivation, but giving up No, 17 allowed Elijah Burress to switch from 16 to 17, which was one of the two numbers father Plaxico wore in the NFL (17 and 80). With the exception of Eli Raridon (9), I think every other player on that list started their college careers with a different number. And looking back, generally those are players who play a more prominent role but not universally. Cam would take that, though. I'm sure.
I missed this part of your question live, so I’m adding the answer in the transcript. I am not a big gambler and my loss of a bet to Marie from Atlanta I reference earlier shows you why. But I would bet on CJ Carr no matter what the stakes were. That is who I think will open and close the season as the No. 1 QB.
Matt from Austin: Do you think the 2026-2027 Notre Dame team could be the most talented in recent years? CJ Carr will enter his second year after a tough 2025 schedule (Texas A&M, USC, Miami, Boise State, Arkansas, and Syracuse). Chris Ash will also be in his second year, and Marcus Freeman’s highly rated 2026 class — featuring 5-stars Joey O’Brien and Rodney Dunham — will be on campus. If Jeremiah Love returns, he could be a Heisman contender, and Jaylen Sneed might step up as a fifth-year leader. Continuity with coaches like Mike Mickens and Al Washington could be a major advantage. Thanks.
Eric Hansen: Matt, I'm not sure what age group you're in, but I'm going to assume you know what it sounds like when someone takes the needle on a turntable (don't say what's a turntable?) and drags it across the vinyl record. That's what happened when you mentioned the prospect of Jeremiyah Love coming back for his senior year. We're just not living in that kind of world. And really the world we're in makes it much more difficult to project out more than a year because of all the player and coaching movement. Now that I've ruined the sweet song you were listening to. I'm going to un-ruin it. The word culture is way overused by guys like me (and gals too). But at Notre Dame, it's not. And what Marcus Freeman has done with ND's gives rise to the possibility, maybe even probability of a lot of the other projections you threw out there. So, bottom line, if you believe ND will be knocking on destiny's door at a national championship site in the next few years, you're not a fool to believe that.
Wow was that a contorted answer. I hope you all don't think I'm taking advantage of the rescinded "no drinking" rule.
Mark from Shipshewana, Ind.: 1st time, long time. With your move to On3, is your chat moving behind a paywall? I rarely look at B&G Illustrated since virtually everything is behind a paywall. Thx for interesting thoughts over the years. I will miss them if they go behind a paywall.
Eric Hansen: Hi Mark. I know we all have to make choices of what we put into our budget and what we have to leave out, so no hard feelings. I do hope there's room for us, because I think it will be worth the money. And remember there are gift subscriptions, so you can maybe butter someone up you know to get you one. As far as the chat specifically, I'm not sure. I know a lot of my stuff will be behind the paywall, just not sure about the chat yet, but I will be sure to share it as soon as I do ... which should be before we get into training camp at the end of July. Thanks for being part of the chats and thanks for considering us if you do decide to join our community.
Steven Nettrouer: Who is the biggest surprise so on the team as player development on offense defense and special teams I'm looking for the guys we don’t know about yet.
Eric Hansen: Hi Steven. Given the depth of reporting, there aren't a lot of unknowns, but let me try to answer to the spirit -- and not the letter -- of your question. I'm going to exclude June-arriving freshmen, though there are some intriguing ones there. On offense, I think a surprise could be Arkansas TE Ty Washington. On defense, I'll go with two -- DE Loghan Thomas if he can put on some good weight and Karson Hobbs at corner/nickel whether or not he puts on weight. Special teams I'll go with Loghan Thomas as well.
Eric Hansen: OK, that's going to do it for today. Thanks for all the great questions. Thanks for making this chat something my new bosses want to keep around. And remember starting Tuesday to find us at blueandgold.com. Not sure exactly when the next chat will be. I would think we'll do at least one in July, then get into weekly mode starting in August. Keep an eye on my social media for more details in the coming days and weeks.
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