Chat Transcript: Gauging the progress, concerns over the Notre Dame O-line

Eric Hansen: Welcome to a special Saturday edition of Notre Dame Football Live Chat.

Some quick programming notes:

► The chat is back in weekly mode, and we’ll move back to the regular Wednesday at noon ET time slot next week.

► If you missed the last episode of our aspiring-to-be-viral Notre Dame Football YouTube show, Football Never Sleeps, it keeps its shelf life long after the live presentation. We are moving back into our normal Monday at 7 ET time slot. Remember, if you miss the live show, you can catch up anytime on YouTube.

SUBSCRIBE TO INSIDE ND SPORTS TO STAY IN THE KNOW ON NOTRE DAME ATHLETICS

► Notebook: Denbrock lauds Notre Dame O-line, receivers for summer strides

► Notre Dame TE Mitchell Evans finds energy, excitement ahead of return

► Notre Dame Football 2024 Scholarship Chart

► James Rendell gets a taste of American football at Notre Dame, wants more

► Notre Dame football depth chart projection as preseason camp begins

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CLICK HERE TO SUBSCRIBE TO INSIDE ND SPORTS ON YOUTUBE

► The Inside ND Sports Podcast is finally back. On the most recent Inside ND Sports Podcast, Tyler James and I shared what we saw in portions of Notre Dame football's first three practices of preseason camp. We shared their top three takeaways from the first three practices, the most interesting things they heard from offensive coordinator Mike Denbrock and defensive coordinator Al Golden and played a game of "Hot or Not" with predictions for the 2024 season. The podcast can be listened to via SoundCloud or on your preferred podcast platform including: Apple Podcasts, Spotify, Google Podcasts, Podbean and Pocket Casts.

► Finally, we’re all in on Notre Dame football preseason camp. And Darin Pritchett and I are together each week on Wednesday and Thursday on Weekday SportsBeat (96.1 FM, 960 AM, live streaming at wsbtradio.com). The re-emergence of the show on 96.1 FM was new last week. The weekday shows run from 5-6 p.m. ET. You can download episodes as podcasts.Eric Hansen: As far as this week's chat, please remember to include your NAME and HOMETOWN along with your question(s).

We're going to suspend all the rules this week except those pertaining to 17-part questions and manifestos, None of either of those, please.

And we're off ...

Kevin from Sleepy Eye, Minn.: Eric!!!!!!! Let’s talk offensive line. Our offensive line will dictate whether we win at college station. Agree? If so how confident are you? How many rushing yards do we need to win this game? Lastly: MF seems confident; it’s his approach. I feel he’s perhaps too confident with an unproven group of offensive linemen. What are your thoughts? Do you feel he should be as confident as he is going against Elko’s defensive front??

Eric Hansen: Kevin!!!!!!! Thanks for bringing the multiple exclamation points today. I think how Notre Dame's offensive line fares at Texas A&M is obviously and certainly one of the key components in determining who will win the game on Aug, 31 in College Station, Texas. But there are other elements that will come into play. Remember, A&M -- an offense that ranked 48th last season -- will have to move the ball against an ND defense that has depth and All-Americans and ranked fifth nationally last year and might be better this year. I don't think there's a magic formula that will spit out a number of rushing yards required. It's more about being able to run when you want to and have to.

The more balance ND can strike with its offense, the less predictable the offense becomes on certain downs, and that mitigates the advantage Texas A&M's front might have in this matchup. ... I think Marcus is confident in the O-line group and realistic that it's going to be a work in progress, And he should feel confident that process will play out. There are coveted highly recruited players on that line. And Freeman was able to bring in an O-line coach he really wanted, in Joe Rudolph, after Harry Hiestand retired. AND he was able to hire one of -- if not the best -- offensive coordinators in college football, in Mike Denbrock, And if he isn't confident under those circumstances, I'm not sure what would have been an appropriate response. Cowering?

The Beave from Grand Rapids, Mich.: Eric: Thanks for getting us football-ready by moving this week’s chat to Saturday! Never too early to create game day conditions. You reported Wednesday that ND was experimenting with WR Jordan Faison at the field receiver. Your 2-deep depth chart moved Faison to #1 field receiver after Wednesday’s practice. What did you see Wednesday to (1) make you think the “experiment” is permanent and (2) put Faison to the head of the talented field WR options?

Eric Hansen: Hi Beave. In putting together the depth chart, we do so with the understanding that it's very fluid at this time of year, And our updates will reflect that fluidity. Unfortunately, it's formatted not to include a lot of annotations. So, I am glad you asked the question. In talking with OC Mike Denbrock Thursday, I asked him about how the wide receiver rotation would be constructed, and his answer backed up my instinct. The coaching staff would love for Kris Mitchell to emerge as the No. 1 field receiver, And he may at some point. He has the speed. But so far, he does not have the consistency. Again, so far.

Jordan Faison and some of the other slot and boundary receivers do bring consistency, so they're being cross trained at different positions. This week Faison was the best option outside at the field receiver. That may change over time, And I don't necessarily think it's permanent, but I do think it will be intermittent enough to list him there.

Denny from Beaverton, Ore.: Preseason Greetings Eric; Maybe I am mistaken but wasn't it about a year ago that the very well thought of Strength and Conditioning Coach resigned just before fall camp and I was wondering what ever happened with him. I believe the new coach had pro experience and brought in a somewhat different philosophy in this department. With a year’s experience now, how do you think the team has developed with this different method? This time of year is so exciting but thank you for bridging the gap over these long months with your insightful perspective.

Eric Hansen: Denny, thanks for the compliments. The next beer and/or coffee is on me. ... Matt Balis resigned on the eve of training camp last season and to my knowledge is still contemplating his next move. There is no denying how central he was to the renaissance of ND football following a cratering to the tune of a 4-8 record in 2016. Fred Hale took over on an interim basis, and then Loren Landow took over as the permanent director of football performance with the January winter workouts. So his impact is much less than a year but still very impactful.

Both Balis and Landow are/were effective and embraced by Marcus Freeman and the players. While there is plenty of overlap, there are differences as well. And maybe Balis would have evolved in that direction had he stayed. But Notre Dame football leans into sports science more than ever before. And Landow's workouts for players are much more position-specific. Without comparing it to Balis, one common theme you get from players when asked about Landow's approach is that they say the workouts translate very well to movement required on the field.

I think one of the questions a lot of you had is whether Landow would be as strong as Balis in the team-building/leadership aspect. Landow is getting high marks for that too so far, but let's see how it plays out this season.

Jeff from Phoenix: Hey Eric, its a nice surprise to have a Saturday chat. With the injury to Rubio and fall camp competition, I thought the name Brenan Vernon might come up with Al Golden or in the general 2-deep discussion. I realize the d-line has depth, but Vernon was the #66 player overall out of high school (Rivals rank), but we haven’t heard much about him. What do you hear about his development? Thanks-

Eric Hansen: Hi Jeff. Thanks for showing up on a Saturday. It's pretty cool to see how full the question queue is today. I was thinking the very same thing you are about Brenan Vernon, and so my questioning to Al Golden on Friday when we had availability with him was right along those lines. Who's stepping up in Rubio's absence? How does he feel about the interior line depth? And what about Brenan Vernon? So the short answer to the first two is Donovan Hinish and Jason Onye have stepped on well as the reserves behind starters Howard Cross III and Rylie Mills.

The two who have surfaced beyond that and have a chance for smaller rotational roles are Armel Mukam and Cole Mullins, neither of whom were as touted as Vernon coming out of high school. But that happens sometimes, Howard Cross, an All-American, was a three-star high school prospect. So where does Vernon stand.

He came in as a defensive end and is changing hid body and mindset to be a defensive tackle. All the traits that made him look like a high-four-star prospect are still in his wheelhouse. But he has to refine his skill set to excel at DT. That's going to take time. I think the telling year of whether Vernon is going to rise or tread water is 2025.

Jordan from South Bend: Hey Eric, a couple chats ago you mentioned the 85 scholarship rule was going away. I have since heard it's going to be increased to 105. Is this in line with what you've been hearing? Do you think that would help or hurt ND recruiting? Perhaps give more of an advantage against the "have nots" but widen the gap again with the Georgias, Alabamas, and OSUs?

Eric Hansen: Hi Jordan. The proposal to the lawsuits involving the NCAA — which still must be approved by a judge — does include a bump up in scholarship/squad limits in many sports, including football. And your math is right. It would go from 85 to 105, but that also would be the squad limit. There wouldn't be additional walk-ons you could add beyond this, How these larger scholarship limits played out in the stone age, when I was just getting started as a sports writer, was the haves would stock up on players they wanted to keep from the have-nots. And there was less parity in college football then. Remember when the Big Ten actually had just 10 teams and it was referred to as the Big 2 and the Little 8? The scholarship limits played into that.

But there was no NIL money, no transfer portal then, so perhaps the dynamic would be different. Kids still want to play early and often. But it may give the powers who can and will fully fund football depth advantages. ... And lastly, even with a judge's approval, there may be additional legal challenges. The good news is Notre Dame is already in the throes of how it will address it if it does indeed come and come soon.

Ryan from Mars Pa.: Eric with camp started How has Chris Terek and Donovan Hinish Looked GO IRISH ☘️☘️🏈🏈

Eric Hansen: Hi Ryan. I was near Mars, Pa., last month. ... Donovan Hinish has looked pretty good in the three practices we've seen, and DC Al Golden said as much on Friday. He's going to play and contribute. Chris Terek is developing nicely but is not a player who's expected to contribute this season as a third-string guard. Classmate Sullivan Absher has moved over from tackle and jumped Terek on the depth chart, for instance.

Patrick from Los Angeles: Hi Eric, I saw your prediction of an 11-1 record. What areas of improvement/development have you seen since the Sun Bowl that lead to your bullish prediction, and how much does the hiring of Mike Denbrock factor into your optimism for the season? Lastly, what player has surprised you the most in terms of his improvement from last season? Thanks.

Eric Hansen: Patrick, thanks for labeling my prediction as "bullish" and not another combination of those letters with one additional letter. I don't think I'm too out of step with most people nationally or on the beat. I am back on the AP voting panel, and I actually think my outlier pick is going to be Utah when the preseason poll is released Aug. 12 at noon ET. I had Notre Dame at No,. 6. But why? is your question ...

I'll start with a defense that should be good enough to keep the Irish in every game and good enough to win most of them. So why was ND the No. 14 team last year with a really good defense? The valleys with an offense that otherwise set school records for total points and touchdowns last season. I think the confluence of the hiring of Mike Denbrock as OC, improved speed and depth at wide receiver and Riley Leonard's dual-threat skill set will mitigate the cratering against elite defenses. Enough for ND to win most if not all of those games. And I think special teams are really good, and I think Marcus Freeman will evolve as an in-game decision-maker and a head coach prepping for road games.

Mike from Santa Barbara: Eric, I am very excited that Camp has started, thanks to you and Tyler for so effectively getting us through the Off-Season!! What is your read on Aamil Wagner having been named a 1 at right tackle based only on summer workouts. Is that

Eric Hansen: Hi Mike, and thank you. Your question got cut off, it appears, but I think I got enough of it to get the gist. ... The challenge for Aamil Wagner since he showed up on campus a a freshman in June of 2022 was body mass. His trajectory in every other area has always been impressive. In December, when Tosh Baker beat him out for the starting job to replace opt-out Blake Fisher, Wagner had not made up the strength/mass deficit. In the spring, he set the stage for a transformative summer. And he did enough on all fronts to start training camp at the No,. 1 option, I had been predicting this for a while, because I was always impressed with Wagner's athleticism, coachability, strength (mentally and physically -- Ohio state shot put champ) and where he came from. Remember as a high school freshman, he was a 6-4, 180-pound WIDE RECEIVER. So he started fall camp at No. 1, and he's had to earn that status every day to stay there. So far, he has.

Len from the Jersey Shore: Hello Eric! A Linebacker question. If Jack Kiser is not on the field, who calls the defense, and makes adjustments. That is usually a LB role. I have never seen a D-line do it. It's hard to see the field from those spots. CB's and Nickels are usually getting lined up in coverage. It's hard for Rover backs as they are not on the field enough, or will they be this year. I guess it could be safeties. Kyngstonn Viliamu-Asa is a freshman and although he may be ready later in the season, I doubt he will be ready to call the D and make adjustments early in the season. So that leaves Drayk Bowen. Does he need to be in the game at Kyle field if Kiser is out? Which will happen in the heat. Will Sneed get reps inside? Can he do it and make calls? Before Rubio injury thinned out the D line the biggest weakness on D I saw for game one and early in the season was experience at the LB. Especially if Kiser or Bowen miss any time, plays or games early in the season. Your thoughts?

Eric Hansen: Len, let's start with who would call the defense or relay it from the sideline via helmet communication if Kiser is not on the game, And he won't be out on many high-leverage snaps. Al Golden expressed on Friday that there are others who can handle that role, and Drayk Bowen is among them. I would not rule out KVA either. Jaylen Sneed and Jaiden Ausberry are other options. I am WAY less skeptical of the linebacker youth factor than you are. There is big-time athleticism and talent in that group of five I mentioned and those percolating behind them. And more on the way, on the recruiting front. The younger guys like Bowen, Ausberry and even Preston Zinter, paid attention in meetings as freshmen last year and made the most of the game reps they did get, And they are ready.

They are all pretty versatile, capable of playing multiple positions. So yes. sometimes you'll see Sneed inside. Sometimes you'll see Ausberry in a safety-type role in certain packages. You'll see KVA line up on the line of scrimmage and rush the passer. It's a new and effective game of chess at that position group.

Sean from Schaumburg, Ill.: Listening to Bob Morton on FNS is great. Your tech slip-up on his first show gave me some laughs. I thought Morton humanized Charlie Weis in ways many never heard or knew about. It's provided a different perspective on his tenure in my view. Thank you. Hopefully, Morton can carve out more time. His insight has been top-notch. I, finally, read your 3-part series with AD Bevacqua. Happy to hear he's confident moving forward in myriad respects to the changing landscape. Have you been able to read/follow any of the FSU/Clemson hullabaloo with the ACC? If FSU/Clemson leave do you think ND would look to get out of their ACC agreement? Without those two teams the ACC "Brand" would be in trouble from a football perspective. Thank you. Be well. Go Irish!!

Eric Hansen: Sean, thanks for the commentary on Bob Morton. He was one of my favorites to cover when he played, and he's a blast to talk football with, ... And thanks for the feedback on the Bevacqua series, I hope to touch base again before the season starts. ... I keep an eye on the ACC stuff, but not a close one, The thing to keep in mind. Notre Dame DOESN'T WANT to give up football independence, It's not looking for a reason to change its mind. But there remains three things that could do so ... and they've been in place for a long, long time now.

So, run your scenarios through these filters. 1. Access to play for national titles. 2. Media rights deal that keeps ND competitive with the top-tier conferences. 3. A place to house its basketball teams and Olympic sports teams. ... If Florida State and Clemson leave the ACC, does it trigger any of those three? Certainly not 1 or 2. And No. 3 only if the ACC completely imploded, ... Two more things to consider. Those teams have to win in court,. And there's no guarantee if they do that the Big Ten or SEC would take them. North Carolina and Virginia are seen as more attractive options by the Big Ten.

Ced Walker from Saginaw, Michigan aka sagnasty Saginaw pride: With Gabe rubio out with broken foot until the Louisville game or later with hinish and onye do u think they can step up onye have experience what about hinish 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: Cedric, I do feel really good about how much Onye and Hinish can contribute to the D-line rotation, Both had strong spring when Rubio was out then for "personal reasons" and both have started training camp strong.

Marie from Atlanta: Hi Eric, I hope you’re having a great week. How fun is it to be back at practice? Last week you talked about what you would like to see in the first three days, so how was it, how was speed at the skill positions, how was chemistry in the passing game, and did players take the jump you expected to over the summer? As far as individual players, who were your biggest surprises on offense and defense? Which freshmen surprised you the most in a good way? Finally, which players were showing natural leadership tendencies? Thanks for hosting the extra special Saturday edition of the chat, makes the weekend even better.

Eric Hansen: Hi Marie. Thanks for the plethora of questions without crossing the 17-part threshold! It was fun to be at practice. I wish we could see more full sessions, but I'll take what I can get. So to your first question ... yes to speed in abundance at the skill positions and at linebacker. Passing game chemistry was a limited sample size and needs work and is to be expected. ... Players I expected to make a move during summer ... Aamil Wagner did, Rocco Spindler is battling, Rod Heard and Beaux Collins still have me intrigued having seen them for the first time in an ND uniform, though Adon Shuler is pushing Heard. Jordan Clark, check.

Freshman surprises in a good way -- Anthonie Knapp at left tackle and Cole Mullins at interior defensive line. ... Natural leaders ... lots including Ben Morrison, Xavier Watts, Jack Kiser, Howard Cross, Rylie Mills, even Jaden Mickey. On offense, Riley Leonard, Mitchell Evans, Ashton Craig, Jayden Thomas, Beaux Collins jump out.

John Sacramento: Thanks Eric. Love these chats. …: O- line! Rudolph coaching and demanding intensity. Your thoughts on if they will be just down right quick, hard hitting, refusal to lose the down. Determined. Not just shielding but attacking. Again just plain nasty. Thanks again.

Eric Hansen: Hi John. Thanks for jumping in and asking a question today. I think you're looking for a true or false to your statements? Joe Rudolph is intense and salty, just not with the volume that Harry Hiestand had, but demanding, The bar is set high. OC Mike Denbrock, who I've come to trust a lot during his first two tours or duty, feels good about where this O-Line will EVENTUALLY end up. How soon is the biggest question more than if.

Frank from Royse City Texas: Eric, who can we follow from Texas A&M to get the scoop on their team?

Eric Hansen: I would follow Mark Passwaters from the Rivals Texas A&M site. His twitter handle is: @mbpRivals. And I would be remiss if I didn't mention Carter Karels, my former colleague who works for a competing network covering Texas A&M, but is really good at what he does, despite thinking Papa John's pizza is some sort of delectable delicacy.

Nathan from Franklin, Ohio: Why on earth does it seem Notre Dame players keep having ACL/MCL , ankle, foot and especially Hamstring injuries on the daily? I know these are common injuries among the sport, and maybe I’m just being paranoid, but is there anything that maybe needs fixing preparation/ training wise ?

Eric Hansen: Hi Nathan. The best way to answer it is Notre Dame leans so heavily into sports science these days that if there is a way to limit these types of injuries or re-examine new ways to do so, rest assured it's being done, But there's no way to eliminate them.

Joey G. from Philadelphia, Pa: Hi Eric, Hope all is well with you! There has been so much hype surrounding the 2024 Fighting Irish. Unlike most fans I see too much inexperience on this roster. Especially with the backups. Both starting tackles are new. The interior of the O - Line had numerous breakdowns in pass protection last year . The best RB in pass protection is out for the season. Now with the injury to Rubio the D-Line can’t afford to lose another player. Aside from Kiser LB’s are raw. Sneed hasn’t done anything significant at ND so far and might be spending more time on the sidelines than the field. So many key starters coming back off injuries Leonard, Evans, Morrison. Even with the weak schedule everything has to go right to reach at least 10 wins. How optimistic are you that this team reaches 10 wins? And are you concerned at all with the depth of this roster?

Eric Hansen: Joey. I'll let your concerns stand on their own and just get to your questions. I predicted 11-1, so my confidence in getting to 10 wins is pretty good. Not infallible, but I feel good about it, Rosters in college football turn over every year. At every program. That's a challenge. The great teams use the portal to plug holes and have great developmental models to address the rest of the roster churn. I guess I have more confidence in those two mechanisms than you do, and that's fine that we don't align.

Patrick from Boulder, Colo.: Hi Eric! Thank you for continuing to host these throughout the spring and summer! Question about Jordan Faison and the receivers. Reports are that Faison is getting some work on the outside, though he spent most of his time in the slot last year. Understanding we have a lot of talent with experience in the slot, how hard is it for someone who is effective in that role to be effective on the outside too? Can you explain why someone on the smaller side may be effective in the slot but not so on the outside? Also, Coach Denbrock suggested that other receivers are being moved around, too, so is there something unique to his offense that would allow more flexibility with the best receivers w/o them being married to a particular WR role like boundary, field, or slot? Thanks and Go IRISH!

Eric Hansen: Hi Patrick. Thank you for being part of the chats. Great question and I may be oversimplifying to make the point better. So why might a smaller receiver be more effective inside (though not universally) than on the outside with similar speed. The outside receiver is likely to see press coverage at least occasionally if not more, where the slot really doesn't have to worry about releases from press coverage and getting muscled at the line of scrimmage. ... To the second part of your question, Mike Denbrock is looking to find mismatches with the defenses and exploit them.

So, let's say the opposing team uses a safety as their nickel to cover the slot and one who does not have elite speed. In that case Jordan Faison and Jayden Harrison are the best way to take advantage of that. Let's say, the next opponent has a nickel who can fly but lacks physicality. Say hello to Jaden Greathouse or Logan Saldate. Or you could move Jayden Thomas or a tight end there for a play or for a series. Denbtrock also likes to use motion to get mismatches as well, depending on the coverage.

Robert from Dunedin, Fla.: Eric- In your opinion,looking in the future , can you suggest/predict any guardrails or measures regarding /mitigating the effect of NIL? I worry that the current trajectory will further separate the "haves" from the "have-nots" For example, Should a push be made to give schools a "cap" they have yearly to sign recruits? Appreciate your take.

Eric Hansen: Hi Robert. If I can accurately predict how this is going to play out, I need to get a crystal ball and start charging, ... But fair question. The proposal on the table would change the structure to direct payments from the schools has some even-playing-field elements built in -- at least from Notre Dame's standpoint. The NIL piece would be different under this scenario, as kind of an add-on. And I think it would be very difficult to regulate without legal challenges that likely would be successful challenges in court. But I still think that scenario provides a more-even market for the Power 4 and ND than perhaps what exists now.

Damon from Nashville: Eric, thank you for your excellent coverage and insights. I am curious if you have any insight into the demands of a QBs coach. Recruiting is huge, but I feel quite a few college QBs have their own personal QB coach, or at least someone they work with. How difficult is it for Gino to work with these other QB coaches and respective QBs on the team? Thank you!

Eric Hansen: Hi Damon. That enter key trips me up too, so thanks for being persistent in launching your question. Different QB coaches have different opinions about outside coaching, Gino Guidugli embraces it. His feeling is that those guys can provide some valuable offseason tune-up work from a mechanics standpoint, and Gino can work on the X;s and O's and reading defenses and those kinds of things,

Lorne from Reno, Nev.: The chats are even more interesting and valuable during the season (close enough now), so thank you. Kyren Williams came out of nowhere to win the starting RB position because he was a great running back -- not fastest or strongest, but best. I get the same feeling watching Jadarian Price, but all the buzz seems directed to Jeremiah Love. Love is incredible in open space (see the Oregon State receiving touchdowns and the two defenders still wondering where he went), and I was surprised by his after-contact stats, but on most running plays in our playbook, I'd rather see Price carrying the ball. Do you think the coaches agree (hence the experimentation with Love in the slot and the emphasis on getting him space, space that he needs more than Price does), or is this at least an example of playing to the running backs' strengths?

Eric Hansen: Hey Lorne. Thanks for making this rare Saturday chat a success. A full question portal today, no doubt and some good ones, I have always liked Price's game, and I think he would start at a lot of places. And rest assured, he'll get plenty of tag-team carries this season. He had the better Sun Bowl of the two backs. Having said that, I think Love is for real. He was just under 190 pounds at the Sun Bowl (listed at 196 in the season). He's 210 now and without losing any speed. And able to break more tackles. And able to be a weapon in the passing game. I've got a feature story coming on him soon. Very, very impressed with what he did this summer and what he's doing in camp.

Tom from Kennesaw, Ga.: Hi Eric, wow, only 4 weeks until we kick off at A&M!! Thanks so much for getting from the Sun Bowl until now. How do you think ND can best use its strong quality of depth in the A&M game and then going forward into the season? Do you think some position groups are more open to multiple rotations than others? Certainly, OL is not one of them, but I'm wondering about the DL and LB's. 2) With what appears to be a strong WR group this year, I don't necessarily think that it will be a bad thing if we still don't have a 1,000 yard receiver. It looks like there will be a lot of weapons for OC Denbrock to use. What do you think?? What a special teams group this year: a monster Australian football punter; a transfer PK from the other USC, and a 30+year old walk-on punter who spent multiple years in the Army. I would imagine there are a lot of good storylines there!!! Go Irish!!!!

Eric Hansen: Hi Tom, thank you, ... Yes, Notre Dame's depth will come into play at a lot of position groups and not just in the heat at Texas A&M. really, the only two where i don't anticipate much rotation is quarterback and offensive line. ... To question 2, yes I like this wide receiver group much better than last year's. And while no No, 1 is apparent now, that could evolve over the course of the season. ... yes, lots of fun special teams angles and really good players in those special teams roles,

Tony from Lake Mary, Fla.: Having a sports psychologist was a very visible part of the Brian Kelly revamp, but has not been as publicized under HCMF. Is that being utilized? And sounds like Charles Jagusah is locked in at left tackle. Is there a sense that his lack of experience against high performing competition is not as much of a concern as before. I know that his final grade after the bowl game was not what we have expected from ND LT. In other words, did he win the job or just the best option we have?

Eric Hansen: Tony, let's start with the Charles Jagusah question, When he started in the Sun Bowl, he became the 10th freshman EVER to start a game for Notre Dame on the offensive line and just the third to do it at left tackle, He was stepping in for one of the other two, Joe Alt, who was the No, 5 pick of the NFL Draft. At the time he battled back -- ahead of schedule -- knee surgery and had fewer than 10 college snaps under his belt, Those who evaluated him in high school, including Tom Lemming, put him on the same trajectory as Quenton Nelson (a college guard) and ahead of Mike McGlinchey and Ronnie Stanley. So, I would not call him a default option, Is he a finished product? No, Is there a perceived high ceiling that's still in play? Very much so.

Marcus Freeman does lean into sports psychology but more subtly and less visibly than Brian Kelly did. I don't have any substantial numbers or anecdotes that would prove one is better than the other. But Marcus Freeman was intentional about the shift.

Jeff from Boston: Hi Eric - great to have football back! I’m excited for the season. Based on everything I’ve read, it seems that this WR room is one of the best ND has had in quite some time. Surpassing the output from the WR groups from the past several years is a low bar. What is a realistic expectation for this group? What would be considered a success in Mike Brown’s first season? Thanks for all that you do.

Eric Hansen: Jeff, thank YOU! Fair enough on the low bar thought, which is why the outgoing portal was active at the position and the WR coach was fired, But it's hard to quantify what that would look like beyond ND making the playoff and the WR room being part of the reason that happened.

Eric Hansen: OK we're out of time, Thanks for filling up the queue on a Saturday, I'm glad we did this, We'll be back in our regular Wednesday noon ET time slot next week.

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