Eric Hansen: Welcome to a special Thursday/only mildly caffeinated rendition of Notre Dame Football Live Chat.
I'm back in the frozen tundra of South Bend, Ind., after experiencing, surprisingly, frozen tundra in Atlanta.
First, a couple of programming notes:
► 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 had a special Wednesday night edition this week, but we will be back in our normal Monday at 7 ET time slot next week.
Remember, if you miss the live show, you can catch up anytime on YouTube. And if you missed our Postgame Takeaways Show after the CFP National Championship Game and went to see what the miracle of caffeine looks like, you can check that out on our YouTube Channel.
Related Content
► Notre Dame OL Pat Coogan, Rocco Spindler set for transfer portal
► Notre Dame football CB Benjamin Morrison declares early for 2025 NFL Draft
► Portal Roundup: Ty Chan becomes fourth Notre Dame OL in transfer portal
► Notre Dame DC Al Golden returns to Cincinnati Bengals after three seasons
► Notre Dame Football Transfer Tracker for 2024-25 offseason
► Finally, at WSBT Sports Radio 96.1, we’re rolling through a heavy news cycle following Notre Dame’s College Football Playoff run. Darin Pritchett and I are together on Wednesday and Thursday this week, and each week moving forward on Weekday SportsBeat (96.1 FM, 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 questions.
Here are the rules:
Eric Hansen: The "no drinking" rule has been rescinded for everyone but me until somebody makes me regret it.
OK, let's get rolling ...
Marty from San Antonio, Texas: Eric, thanks for all your hard work and reporting during the season. I think we are still short some elite 5 star speed at certain positions. With this year’s success, can we capitalize and bring in more game breakers at WR and LB to bolster those positions?
Eric Hansen: Hi Marty and thank you. I think what Marcus Freeman is doing in the CFP National Championship Game aftermath is the same thing you're doing ... living the "question everything" mantra and looking for ways to improve the program. And he'd be doing the same thing. To me, the linebacker position group is really trending in a positive direction. The Irish are getting the depth, talent and development they need. Madden Faraimo will likely step right into Jack Kiser's spot in that five-man rotation. You also have Anthony Sacca, the Kia brothers, Preston Zinter, Teddy Rezac and Bodie Kahoun in the pipeline.
Where I will agree with you that an upgrade is needed is wide receiver, and I would add to that defensive line, especially in the interior. So this is a big recruiting cycle for WRs coach Mike Brown. And Al Washington needs to be more consistent as well, though he has developed well.
Manny from San Pedro: Eric!! Today is not a sad day as we should appreciate the amazing year we had. If we lose Golden. Is Mickens promoted or do we look outside?
Eric Hansen: Manny!!!!! I hope your keyboard is not broken. That's the fewest exclamation points I've ever seen in a question from you. And I like your big-picture take on the game. I think you're right. And as far as Al Golden, it's not an "if." He is with the Bengals. To the next step in that equation, I think Mike Mickens makes all the sense in the world as the next DC. And Marcus has been saying that he's ready since 2023, when I asked him that question in a press conference. No word salad on that one. It was a strong affirmative. What I do think Marcus Freeman will do is talk to the staff, hear their opinions. At least consider someone from the outside in theory and mull that. But Mickens brings so much even without DC experience, including scheme continuity and personnel familiarity ... both really valuable with the short runway to spring practice. Not that those are his best traits, but they are added ones that an outside hire wouldn't have.
Matthew from Aldie, Va.: Hi Eric, way to hang in there through this crazy CFP/transfer portal schedule. We appreciate you! How do you think our incoming transfer portal haul looks on the whole? To me we only seem to have a couple "big names." How would you compare it to last year's group? Do you think our CFP run put us behind the sticks or helped us? Should we expect more news on that front (now or in the Spring)? And finally, why do you think Coach Freeman elected to run out the clock before halftime with nearly 30 seconds and two timeouts at his disposal, down 14? In the moment, it felt like giving up. Thanks!
Eric Hansen: Before I get to Matthew's answer, I'll share some breaking news ... offensive linemen Rocco Spindler and Pat Coogan have entered the transfer portal.
Eric Hansen: Matthew, because of how thorough Notre Dame is with the scouting process for the portal, starting all the way back in July, I tend to trust what they're getting out of it, because of that long research. Look at Jordan Clark for example. Even if you account for injuries, he didn't jump out at you stats-wise for what he did at Arizona State. And yet he was one of the best nickels in the country at Notre Dame. I think Devonta Smith might be even better in this cycle. I really like WR Malachi Fields. Dawson from Louisville was a nice DT pickup, but that's a position in which ND maybe could have done more with quality (they did get a second DT, just not a proven one). So big names don't always lead to big results, especially if concerned about them blending into your culture.
There are eight total by the way, and they could add more in the spring, depending on scholarship limits and need. ... And no I don't think the CFP run hindered ND. They were able to multitask right through that. As far as the running out the clock thing, I'm not so sure I wouldn't have done the same thing in his position. I definitely DO NOT think that was giving up. This team? That coach? No. Not in their DNA to give up.
Joan from Vancouver, BC: Hi Eric, thanks for your great work. I always enjoy reading the chats. With the extended season, I’m wondering what the team’s schedule is for winter workouts and spring practice. Looking forward to another great season next year. Thanks again!
Eric Hansen: Hi Joan. We're wondering the same thing, but I can tell you what's been shared with us and kind of guesstimate on the rest. The nine (of the 13) early enrolling freshmen who did not come in December to be part of the playoff prep are on a regular winter workout schedule as if the playoff never existed. So too are the transfers. As far as the other four and the returning players, I would think they will start soon, but it's a different track ... with recovery and so it might be some time before those two tracks sync up and are identical.
We don't have a date for the Blue-Gold Game, and the timing of Easter weekend complicates it. April 19 is kind of the sweet spot, with it being a week before the NFL Draft, but Easter is the 20th. So do you have it the weekend of the NFL Draft (26th) or super early (12th) and really, really, really compress the spring schedule? My sense is the later date. With spring break at ND running March 8-16, I think the 17th is a likely date to start spring practice. We should get something more official soon, and I'll share it then.
Bob from Oxnard, Calif.: Eric, great job winning the interval this season on these chats! Do you think Mickens should be elevated to DC?
Eric Hansen: Oh Bob, I got a Mickens question earlier, but that was too well-played to not post. And I didn't say what I would do. I said what I thought ND would do. My vote is for Mike Mickens all day long.
Kevin from Sleepy Eye, Minn.: ERIC!! What a great year! With upcoming roster turnover and at least one coaching change: can we be better next year? And why?
Eric Hansen: Kevin!! Significant roster churn is the new reality, and it's OK as long as you don't have culture churn along with it. And coaching staff churn is part of the price of admission for success. Can ND do better next year? So, since they finished No. 2 in the polls, you are actually asking me if they can win the national championship in 2025? And my answer is that it falls in the range of viable outcomes, but not the most likely outcome. But what I will say is I feel like a national title is coming in this decade. Just not sure about next year. I think that's how significant this season was. I think it more than hints at where Notre Dame is headed long term as a football program.
I think the areas of concern in the offseason are similar to the longer-term concerns: Upgrading WRs and interior defensive line. You could throw some uncertainty at TE in there as well. And is CJ Carr as good as ND thinks he is? I am in that camp that he is.
Mike from South Boston, Va.: Hey Eric!!! Long time follower but first time contributor. I look forward to the chat weekly and appreciate you doing it as it’s always insightful.how CMF is building the program as it is exciting to watch! But my question is this, with the success of teams with dual threat QBs such as us and osu, plus in the pro’s also with the last 4 teams standing there now, should we be recruiting more dual threat QBs instead of all of the dropback guys that we have on the roster now?
Eric Hansen: Wow, Mike for a so-called rookie questioner, you are looking like a ringer. Really good question. Let's look at three current roster ... Minchey definitely gives you dual-threat skills. CJ Carr is a better runner than you might think ... Not a Riley Leonard-level runner, but good enough to do the RPOs and to scramble like Will Howard did against the Irish. Not the short-yardage threat RL was on third and fourth down. Angeli is a better runner than you might think as well and not as good as Carr. Yet he processes defenses so fast, it kind of makes up somewhat for him perhaps not being able to extend plays -- because he can make the decisions and release so quickly.
Blake Hebert and Noah Grubbs have mobility, but I don't think they are seen as true dual threats on the college level. So, having said all of that, the less of a threat QBs are with their legs, the better they need to be as a passer ... and it's also another reason ND needs to continue to upgrade the WR position. So, I can see why you are skeptical, but I think having SOME running skills is enough with the right scheme, coordinator and players around you. .... And I had to look up South Boston, Va., on Google Maps, because I thought maybe you got lost ... but nope, there it was right by Wolf Trap.
Jack from Strongsville, Ohio: Hi Eric. Thanks for all your great work during the playoff run. Time for some R & R. In your post game article you indicated you thought the foundation of this team was better and stronger than after 2013 BCS game. Agreed. But there is one element missing to win the championship and that is an elite quarterback. Consensus seems to be CJ Carr is the next man up at that position but is he really the answer? No one has seen him in a game setting and there have been many players in that position in the last 20 years, some good enough like Ian Book and Riley Leonard but not at the level to achieve the national championship.
Eric Hansen: Jack, thanks. I would love some R and R, but not sure how much reality that is ... with the portal window, and me now migrating to women's hoops next week, but not complaining. You have to be creative, and I've got a big day planned with the grandkids coming up. ... I do think CJ Carr is the answer. Based on what I've seen. Based on people inside and outside the program who know football. That doesn't make it a slam dunk. But from my dealings with CJ and how he's wired and who he is as a young man, I'm pushing my chips into the middle of the table. And willing to take the criticism if I'm wrong.
John from Elkhorn, Neb.: Hi Eric - I don’t have a question today, but really enjoyed your interview with Tommy Zbikowski - well done! Would love to see him back at ND someday coaching.
Eric Hansen: John, thanks for the compliment. Zibby is great, and if you ever met his dad, Eddie, wow. I'm lucky to know them both. And maybe he'll work his way back to ND at some point, though he just took a job as a high school head coach in Chicago, at St. Patrick. It's nice to hear from someone from Nebraska in the chat. I met two new friends from that state this past year, both near you.
Marie from Atlanta: Hi Eric, disappointing loss for the Irish but what a great time in Atlanta this past weekend. So fun having dinner with you and Tyler. In your opinion, what do you think went wrong with the defense in the first half of the game, and what do you think could’ve been done in the game plan to put forth a better performance? Obviously, Mickens is a potential DC for next year, but people are worried about inexperience, do you think a combination of Mickens and an experienced defensive analyst as such as Jim Leonhard might be a possibility? What will be this team’s biggest weaknesses in the next season and what can be done to remedy them? As always, thanks for the great insights and hosting the chat.
Eric Hansen: Ok, first things first. For those on the chat who want to see Marie and Tom F from Kennesaw. This is a pic of those two, plus Tyler and me in Atlanta at Grana. I'm still full from the chicken parm that was big enough to have its own zip code. Thanks to Marie for making this happen and for being so generous.
Eric Hansen: Ok to your questions ... What happened to Notre Dame's defense in the first half is what Notre Dame hopes will happen when it upgrades its wide receiver room. What do you take away? What do you lean into as a coordinator? Take away the run, and you're on an island with the WRs. Play man and the QB takes off running. Lean into the passing game, and those running backs gash you. The biggest problem was pass rush and not getting home with the pressure. ND gambled with those pressures and won some and lost some. They lost a lot in the first half, and they lost a lot on the 3rd-and-11 late in the game.
That was the game ND missed Rylie Mills ... and Jordan Botelho and Boubacar Traore. Is it a different game with one of those three or two or those three? Maybe. ... I think Mickens is in a very similar place that Clark Lea was when they promoted him after Mike Elko left. Could they hire an experienced analyst? Not a bad idea, and someone maybe who's a former head coach too ... not as a safety net per se, but another strong resource and sounding board. Would Jim Leonhard be interested in that kind of role (no HC experience, but what a DC he was in college), I' don't hink that role would pull him away from an NFL full-time coaching job (DBs coach/passing game coordinator with the Broncos). You'd think he'd only leave for a defensive coordinator's job, but that's a name I like. (more)Eric Hansen: To me the biggest questions are at WR, TE and interior defensive line. What can be done is go through spring and see if that's still the case. And if it is, you might still be able to add from the portal from the new players coming into it during the 10-day window in April (16-25). And thanks for everything, Marie.
Cowboy Mike: I hate to see Jayden Thomas leave. I know the WR room is crowded but why can't they move him to TE. He is a big body and if Evans leaves there is not much at TE.
Eric Hansen: Hi Cowboy Mike. Please give us your hometown next Jayden Thomas is already in the portal and is picking up offers, so that point is moot. But why couldn't they have? One, there has to be a desire for Thomas to do that, to move to tight end. And while he's been a team-first guy, he already has his degree and he has no shot at 6-2, 218 to be an NFL tight end. And when you look at ND's tight ends, could a 6-2 guy work? Evans is 6-5, 260 and Eli Raridon 6-7 250, so quite a difference. Thomas is a really physical blocker but as a wide receiver. And there's not "if: about Evans leaving. He has exhausted his eligibility. ... One more thing with Thomas, they recruited over him in the portal two years in a row now, so it makes sense, if he wants to be a starter, to go elsewhere.
Len from the Jersey Shore: Hello Eric!!!!!! We were lucky and caught the line at the Atlanta airport as they were setting up a new queue leading to TSA. So, we only were in line for 1 hour. Glad you made it back. Sorry to hear Tyler had to fly home on Wednesday. I sat on the 45 yard line in the lower upper deck. A great place to view plays evolving, but not intricacies of line play as much. First a shoutout to Ohio St coaches. Their game plan, IMO, was simple. Max protect and don't let ND defense get that big play to sway the game. It was Joe Gibbs of the 80's who famously said when asked how to pass block, keep one more in protection than the defense is sending. Ohio St executed fairly flawlessly and picked up every type of pressure sent at them. And when the ND D backs had the receivers covered, Howard (my MVP for the game) made sure it wasn't a negative play or a turnover. A simple but effective game plan built on the OSU WR's eventually being open. For the ND d when pressure wasn't getting to the QB, and lost too many individual battles.
They lost their eye discipline and made things worse. KVA left his zone to go after Howard who calmly sent a TD pass to the open area KVA vacated. Gray never seemed to be able to read his keys and always seemed to break the wrong way. Ausberry did not seem strong enough to tackle Judkins ( my second MVP) and the team over pursued leaving the cutback open which was blocked well by OSU. Questions, do you agree OSU handled max protect well? And that Howard played so well especially accuracy and decisions? Which player on ND was missed the most, B MO. Interior Mills or edge rushers? Why did Billy S have such a bad game, considerably lower than other ND linemen who also struggled at times? Too bad there wasn't a backup for Gray to give him a chance to see things from the sideline.
Eric Hansen: Hi Len!!!!! Thanks for the recap. If I knew you were available, I would have put you to work and gone to sleep earlier! 😎 ... Yes, I agree with you on the max protection question. Yes, Will Howard executed about as well as you could hope for as a coach. ND missed both of the elements you mentioned, but I think Rylie Mills the most. I would have to rewatch the game (and I will once this transfer portal carousel stops), to give you an honest answer. But I do think Billy Schrauth has a lot of great football ahead of him. Very bullish on him.... Yes it would have been beneficial to have more CB depth. It just wasn't ready. Christian Gray and Leonard Moore each played all but one snap of the four playoff games and USC in the finale combined. Wow.
Gus from Ft. Mitchell, Ky: Hi Eric.Thanks for the great coverage of a terrific season,and one that exceeded expectations imo.Why does this staff seem to be so hesitant to go to Steve Angeli? All the kid has done is deliver when called upon.RL was obviously gassed or dehydrated or both after the first drive.And ,with so many O lineman on the roster,could any move over to the dark side,ala Jerry Tillery,and help with the numbers on Defense?Thanks again for the great coverage of the greatest tradition in sports.
Eric Hansen: Hi Gus, really good questions and I hope I can match that with my answers. ... and thanks for the compliments. I don't think the surrounding cast of this team was built -- over long stretches -- to enhance what Angeli does well and camouflage what he does not. If you are not convinced at this point that Riley Leonard was the best fit for this team this season and vindicated that, I am not going to be able to do that today -- unless we both violate the no drinking rule, perhaps. And the offensive to defense flips, I don't think there's anyone on the roster where that would be a natural move, except maybe Schrauth and you want to keep him on offense. Remember, with Tillery, that projection of how he was being recruited happened before he showed up at ND. He didn't get here and then flip. And he was an elite defensive linemen as well. So this wasn't a lab experiment. They tried that same flip with Chris Stewart years earlier, and it didn't work.
Because of the transfer portal, I think you'll see less of those big position switches ... like Xavier Watts, like Tory Niklaus, Avery Davis, etc. Still will see subtle ones. Thanks again for your questions and compliments.
Rui from Ossining, NY: What a great season by the Irish...honestly i haven’t felt this confident that winning a National Championship is a lot closer now than it ever was...with that being said, we still need to make a hurdle and get multiple 5-star type players into this roster...if we are going to minor in transfer portal but major in high school recruiting then examples like this have to happen...now...all the ingredients are there for a student athlete...there is no better time...if we cant get them now, lets be honest, it will be hard to get them PERIOD...thoughts?
As of this moment with what we have, please give me your starting offense and defense for next season?
Eric Hansen: Hi Rui. I think it's fair to expect more in recruiting and I think you will see it. And it needs to happen specifically at the positions we discussed earlier. And that's through HS recruiting and portal additions. As far as next year's offense and defense, we might want to wait until the portal window closes to do that? How about next week's chat, and I will commit to one next week.
Jim from Oregonia, Ohio: Eric!!!!!!! Upset over our NC loss, but I can't be too upset over the year we had. It was an exciting run and every week was like a mini playoff game after the NIU game. So now that Golden is going to the Bengals what happens next for DC? I would think it is going to be Mickens, but do you open this up to a national search? If you do, how does Mickens perceive this? I think if Freeman opts not to take Mickens then he is gone, but Mickens does not have any DC experience so you are kind of taking a chance there a bit. This is a bit of a delicate situation. Clark Lea didn't have any experience either but that turned out pretty well. Again, I think it will be Mickens, what say you?
Eric Hansen: JIm!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! You and Len are in the running for best punctuation today, and there are some heavy hitters on board. You surprised me with that. I've got some old ND media guides hanging around. If I can find the 1966 one and you want it, it's yours. Just email me. ... To your question, we've hot on Mike Mickens and the DC opening earlier, but I do think the process IS important. And I think Marcus will finesse it well. I think it's important to talk as a staff, for Marcus to talk to Pete Bevacqua, but at the end of the day, I think they will and should land on hiring Mickens.
Mike D from Rochester: Hi, Eric!!!!!!! Sad that we lost the National Championship game, but still loving the great season the Irish had. Before the start of fall training camp in August that we would have all these injuries, that RJ Oben would not be another JJB, and Kris Mitchell would not be the big downfield threat we hoped, I would have guessed we were headed for the Pop Tarts Bowl at best. Truly an amazing season. My question: who will Mike Brown and Mike Denbrock be looking to for that deep downfield threat? Cam Williams? One of the transfer WRs? Spring portal?
Eric Hansen: Hi Mike. As much fun as it sounds like to have an edible mascot, I think dodging the Pop-Tarts bowl is a win-win, and good for all of our blood sugar. ... So let's focus in on your question: Here are the five who could emerge from that field receiver spot: Jordan Faison, KK Smith, Cam Williams, Elijah Burress and Wisconsin transfer Will Pauling. Let's work backwards here ... Pauling probably is going to be a slot guy, a complement inside to what you get from the physicality you get from Greathouse in the slot. Yet Pauling has position flexibility.
If there's going to be a freshman surprise at WR, my hunch is Burress. I think Bettis is a boundary guy and Scrap Richardson, whether he's field or boundary, is more of a long-term project. Which brings us to Cam Williams. This is a huge spring for one of the most gifted athletes at the position. It's time this season to translate that into actual WR skill. This could be run to watch. For KK, who's had a run of injuries, it's kind of "if not know, when?" time. And Faison is a stud with his best football ahead of him. But can he continue that growth arc as a star on the lacrosse team?
Tom F from Kennesaw, Ga.: Hi Eric, I hope that you got back to SB ok. Thank you and Tyler for letting Marie and I join you for dinner while in ATL. Great nite with lots of fun and great stories!! Most of my ND friends share the same feelings. We are disappointed but certainly not disheartened!! Your thoughts on Spindler and Coogan returning? I really hope they return. If Mickens is DC, does Max B move up to LB coach? Big weekend coming up. What's the weather look like?!?! Most people probably don't know how hard you and Tyler work behind the scenes. Thank you very much!!! Now, let's win some recruiting and portal commits. Go Irish!!!
Eric Hansen: Hey Tom. really enjoyed the evening and I want your secret for looking like you were affiliated with the ’77 team and not the ’66 team. And thank you for the book ... and the company. ... The Coogan/Rocco news to the portal happened after you submitted your question, so you know the results of that. So now that makes it much more clear about the leading candidates to be starters next season. And just a few minutes ago, as expected, cornerback Benjamin Morrison declared for the NFL Draft. ... Max actually has been coaching the linebackers. So my sense is Mickens is hired, they would get a safeties coach and Mickens would still have his hand in coaching corners.
As far as the weather for Saturday here ... when the big Junior Day for recruiting is happening ... High of 35 ABOVE, which is 40 degrees warmer than what it was when I walked in the door on Tuesday night. And probably as warm as it is today in some places in the deep south!
Jim from Springfield, Ill.: We have heard a lot about the quarterback competition being between Angeli and Carr. What are Minchey's strengths and weaknesses compared to those two?
Eric Hansen: Kenny Minchey's biggest strength is his unpredictability for defensive coordinators in freelancing once a play breaks down. ND used him to imitate Caleb Williams as the scout team QB in prepping for the 2023 beatdown of USC ... and Al Golden raved about his potential. He's smart. He has arm talent. But he is raw. In his consistency. In his reads. In his ability to play chess at the line of scrimmage. And that's where there's risk. CJ Carr is more polished by a lot. And he's a year behind him in eligibility. And maybe we should be talking more about him, but I do think CJ Carr will be the No. 1 option.
Sean from New Jersey: Greetings Eric! Is there any news (or informed speculation) on Jason Onye's future with the team? The pick-up of Dawson and Hughes via the transfer portal suggests he's out - or that the team wants to manage the risk that he might not return. Your thoughts? Always grateful for your good insights on all things Irish.
Eric Hansen: Hi Sean, we haven't dug into that yet with all the other news to break and chase. But there is an open door for him to return, yet I am not optimistic it will happen.
Ed from Sayville, N.Y.: Hi Eric. What a memorable season it was. The coverage from you, Tyler and the team was very comprehensive. As such I feel you are an excellent choice to answer my question. Who, and I would understand more than one, is the unsung hero of this season. Players, coaches and support staff are all eligible. Thanks for the coverage of this memorable season!
Eric Hansen: Hi Ed. We've tried to sing about the unsung, so it's hard to pull up someone new we have not written or talked about ... because in the traditional sense, there's gobs of them ... all the players who didn't give up on themselves and then shined when the team needed them the most. So let me dig real deep here (I'm stalling to think) ... Ok I came up with four ... Backup safety Luke Talich. Played 168 special teams snaps and was one of the top 10 special teams performers in any role (he played on four different units) in the nation, per Pro Football Focus. He also played very well at safety when he did get opportunities on defense. ... three more ...
Tyler Buchner ... did whatever the team needed ... threw passes to the WRs in practice, caught passes in practice, played scout team QB when the Irish were prepping for Army and Navy, signaled in plays, executed on special teams fakes, and was a valuable sounding board for Riley Leonard. ... S Rod Heard II, got beaten out for a starting position by Adon Shuler and never moped. Was a very good rotation/package player, brought versatility to the defensive backfield, was outstanding on special teams. ... And Max Hurleman, the transfer from Colgate, another strong special teams player.Eric Hansen: OK, this is normally when I need to call it a day, but I will go into OT for just a little.
Eric Hansen: And another O-lineman into the portal — Ty Chan, who is really talented with no clear path to playing time in 2025 at ND.
Tom from Chester, N.J.: What young (freshman) wide receiver has impressed internally and should break out next year or see significant time in the rotation?
Eric Hansen: Hi Tom. I think all three freshmen — Logan Saldate, Micah Gilbert and Cam Williams — have a chance to be in the rotation. Gilbert at the boundary receiver is the farthest along, and now has a real opportunity to move up with Jayden Thomas and Deion Colzie in the portal.
Ryan from Frankfort Ill.: Good afternoon Eric what do you think about the season Jaden Greathouse had i think he had a good season he looked good against Penn state and Ohio State GO IRISH ☘️☘️☘️☘️🏈🏈🏈🏈🏈
Eric Hansen: Ryan, he is really coming on strong and I expect him to be a big part of ND's offense in 2025 and on a more consistent basis than this season. Good call on that.
Len from the Jersey Shore: Eric, wanted to say once more how much I appreciate you and Tyler’s efforts this season. What a memorable ride, made memorable by how close you brought the coaches and players to us.
Eric Hansen: Len, I appreciate you. I wish I could have met more of you in person in Atlanta. I had people from the Ohio State side I hadn't seen in 40 years I was not able to carve out time to connect with (and they might be a little mad at me), but I had an opportunity of a lifetime to cover this playoff run, and I needed to make that a priority to do it right. So, thanks for the great feedback.
Jonathan in Addison, Texas: Hi, Eric. It’s hard to work up to exclamation points after a loss. But I’ll try. What a ride this season was! My question concerns the first real CFB tournament ever. What are the stories that you expect to have lasting power about these four-rounds and the things that worked well, not so well, selections, eliminations, surprises, and the like? Just wondering which impressions stand out the most to you and seem most significant.
Eric Hansen: Jonathan, that's a question that begs for a voluminous answer I don't have the time left to provide, but I love it and maybe I can revisit it in more detail next week. For me quick impressions. I'd like it to stay at 12. And I would change the seeding. Conference champs get in, but no byes automatically. Byes go to the best four teams. Beyond that I need more years of this to really want to tweak much.
And just so you know, your effort to give me a singular exclamation point against your will caused me to pick your question to answer. So it was worth that exertion!
Mike McFadden from Williamsport, Pa.: Hi Eric, Yesterday driving down the highway an article popped up from somewhere saying QB Steve Angeli entered the transfer portal after 3 yrs at UND and has 2 years remaining. I get home and cannot find it anywhere. Is this true or false and he changed his mind? Followed all 3 years, he is GOOD. And hate to lose him. We need all 3 QB’s.
Eric Hansen: As of this moment, he is not in the portal. And I hope you were in the passenger seat when that article came up!😎
Mike McFadden fro, Williamsport, Pa.: Rocco? Gesus is all I can say. Good player. Pat, good also. Why? Later. I am bummed. Darn it.
Eric Hansen: The numbers just don't work out unless there were injuries ... Here would have been all the people realistically competing for five OL spots in 2025 Sam Pendleton, Pat Coogan, Rocco Spindler, Charles Jagusah, Billy Schrauth, Aamil Wagner, Ashton Craig, Anthonie Knapp, Guerby Lambert, Sullivan Absher, and there's always a surprise ... You can only start five. My guess is it will be Wagner and Jags, Schrauth and Knapp and Craig.
Cowboy Mike from Jefferson Ga.: Long-time follower and attendee at 1973, 2012 and this year's championship. Sorry to see what is now becoming a boat load of O linemen and Jayden Thomas leaving. At some point, they were all starters so - Why??
Eric Hansen: Thanks for adding your hometown ... It's math, it's opportunity and in some cases, there is financial incentive to go elsewhere. And if you have your ND degree ... When ND's plane landed, there were 104 players eligible to be on next season's roster. Even if scholarship limits are raised, finding playing time for 104? And if they are not raised next year, you have to be down to 85 by the time fall-semester classes start. And I understand why fans want those kids to stay, because they're great people in addition to being really good players. Like, GREAT people. And with great stories.
Rui from Ossining, N.Y.: Jaylen Sneed was not shown on TV one time. He had one tackle and a lot of people wondering where his needed speed was on defense. Thoughts?
Eric Hansen: ND was in nickel so much of the time, so it really cut down on the snap count for both Sneed (13 plays) and Jaiden Ausberry (15).
Tim from St. Louis: Great coverage and a very exciting past few weeks. Two quick questions. How did Charles Jagusah grade out in the National Championship? Had read beat writers were restricted during the playoffs from even going onto the field after the games. The press conferences with players were even controlled. How did this one writer get into the losing team’s locker room after the game? And have you witnessed any rude behavior from ND players as what was described as "unprofessional"? Take a break and enjoy. You guys were great.
Eric Hansen: Hi Tom and thank you. Jagusah, per Pro Football Focus, was Notre Dame's highest-graded O-lineman in the game. And only Donovan Jackson of Ohio State had a higher grade among OL for BOTH teams. As far as the locker room access ... I wish I had more time to get into this deeper. I did talk about it last night on Football Never Sleeps, so you can listen to my longer answer there. But very quickly, my job was to do my job and I got some valuable interviews in the locker room and all the players I talked to were cooperative and respectful to me. I did see a blowup between Ben Morrison and a reporter, but I don't know what started it and I don't have the full context. Bottom line, something happened and could have been handled better, but I also think this is way overblown and lacking full context.
Myliah from El Cerrito, Calif.: Eric, thank you for all the fantastic reporting (and videos) this season. It seems almost certain a QB leaves, and quite possibly, two. Do you foresee any scenario where they move Buchner back to the QB room for depth and/or gadget plays? (I think Buchner would’ve been a better option on that ‘fake’ punt play, as he’s good throwing on the run)
Eric Hansen: Myliah, thank you. If two QBs leave, I do think Tyler Buchner going back to QB is certainly an option. And his attitude has been whatever the team needs, and he didn't just say it. He lived it this season.
Eric Hansen: OK, we are getting hit with a tsunami of breaking news today, so I need to help Tyler James out and give him a break. There are some great questions left in the queue. Sorry my brain and fingers moved too slow. So here's the deal, thanks to everyone for making the chat great today. And I am NOT going into the transfer portal, so hopefully I can get to all of these next week if you'll be patient with me. So let's do this all over again next Wednesday at noon ET. Thanks again!
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