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Chat Transcript: Rees' challenge, NBC's new ND team, scripting the OSU game

The Notre Dame football team huddles afte a recent practice at the Irish Athletics Center.
The Notre Dame football team huddles afte a recent practice at the Irish Athletics Center. (Jeff Douglas, Inside ND Sports)

Eric Hansen: Welcome to Notre Dame Football Live Chat, a special Tuesday edition. We'll also chat on Tuesday next week again because of a coverage conflict. Then we'll move back to Wednesday for good until the end of the football regular season.

A quick plug, I'll be part of the 2022 NDSA Football Kickoff Event presented by the Notre Dame Senior Alumni Group on Wednesday, Aug. 24 at 8 p.m. ET, with Pat Scanlon, Mike Golic and Jamie Uyeyama. If you want to submit questions for us, you can send them to Pat here: ndsa.midwest@alumni.nd.edu ... and if you want to watch live, you can do so here: https://my.nd.edu/networks/events/29379

As for today's chat, PLEASE include your name and hometown along with your question(s). Let's commence the chatting.

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Tom from Kennesaw, Ga.: Hi Eric. Kyren Williams had his breakout season as a redshirt freshman. Who do you see among this year's "redshirt freshmen" that you might expect to have that kind of breakout season?? Both on offense and defense. Does Rylie Mills fit that category? Thanks. Go Irish!!

Eric Hansen: Hi Tom. Rylie Mills is set to break out all right, but he is a true junior, not a redshirt freshmen. While there are a lot of redshirt freshmen who have made significant progress in evolving their games this offseason, there are only two who are really in position to have breakout seasons because of opportunity, barring injuries at a particular position. And you could argue OT Blake Fisher already broke through in the two games he played in during the 2021 season. The other player is WR Jayden Thomas. His spring surge has continued this August, and the Irish are going to need him to be good. I talked to him on Monday ... very impressive young man. ... For those kind of down the depth chart, but who have been lauded by their position coaches, that group includes DL Gabe Rubio, CB Ryan Barnes, OG Rocco Spindler, C Pat Coogan, and TE Cane Berrong (coming back from injury). K Josh Bryan is in that class too. He's competing with Blake Grupe for kicking duties. We'll get a good report on his progress and likely a look at him live in practice on Friday.

Tim St Louis: Had a question for "where are they now?" What happened to Tony Roberts, Westwood One Radio?

Eric Hansen: Tony Roberts called me out of the blue a couple of weeks ago, so this is an easy one. He's 93 and retired and enjoying life. He sounded great, like he could do a Notre Dame game this weekend if he wanted. It's a shame he was pushed out of that role during the Charlie Weis Era. ... Tony was inducted into the Radio Hall of Fame in 2016. It was great catching up with him. He still closely follows the Irish.

Tony from Lake Mary, Fla.: Hey, Eric. I am certainly going to miss Mike Tirico. He is one of the best in the business in my opinion. I also enjoyed Drew Brees. Apparently others didn't. Maybe he was too in the weeds, but for me that was great. I think (Jason) Garrett will be good though too (as part of NBC's new Notre Dame football announcing team). I have only seen Jac Collinsworth do the sideline/halftime thing. I know he is an alum and he has the enthusiasm, so I'll give him a chance. Have you met Jac and have a good sense of how he will be in the booth? I was trying to think of someone currently not in broadcasting that would be a great addition to the color commentary role. Bob Morton would be awesome. He's witty, knows the game, knows ND. Anyone else that you could think of, maybe from the podcast?

Eric Hansen: Hi Tony. I have gotten to meet Jac Collinsworth and have interviewed him a couple of times, and really enjoyed those experiences. I've also seen/heard him doing sideline work and hosting in-studio shows, and like him in those roles. I have not seen/heard him doing a game (He's doing USFL games), but I would expect him to be pretty good. Judging from my Twitter feed, there seems to be the anticipation that won't be the case. Look, whoever followed Mike Tirico was going to have plenty of skeptics. I'm looking at it with an open mind, based on Jac's other work. Man, there are a lot of talented Notre Dame alums who would do a great job of analyst work in the both, but NBC has yet to go down that road. Bob Morton is someone who's NOT doing it for a living who does a great job of breaking down a game. Dayne Crist, who's a successful businessman and relatively new dad, would shock you how good he'd be at it. There are those already in the business we've had on the Pod, who would be really good -- Brady Quinn, Aaron Taylor, Corey Robinson, too.

Steve from St Louis: Last time ND faced a Jim Knowles defense, the Irish threw the ball 70 times. With the makeup of this year’s offense, how do you see them attacking the Ohio State defense? Can the Irish have success if the Buckeyes load the box?

Eric Hansen: That was a Jim Knowles scheme, but Jim wasn't calling the plays or coaching Okie State in the Fiesta Bowl. ... As I look at the Ohio State defense, they're not going to have the mastery of Knowles scheme that Oklahoma State did. Because that group was older and had played together longer, Knowles could get very complex with movement and pressures, and that team could absorb it. I think he'll start simpler with Ohio State at first. I think if you look at the Minnesota, Oregon, Michigan and Utah games last year, you can see what gives the Ohio State defense problems: A balanced offense with a potent running attack. And all four of those teams had Ohio State figured out on third down. In fact, the Buckeyes' weakness was third-down defense. So I expect ND to follow that blueprint. And with Harry Hiestand back, they can.

Fred from Richmond: Mr. Hansen, Eric, I look forward to your column every year. Do you feel we have the depth and experience on offense to realistically compete with OSU in the first game. I'm concerned about our quarterback and lack of depth at running back and receiver, let alone an unproven kicking game. I feel the defense can be strong, but, as you know, we are going to have to score against Ohio State and USC to have any chance of winning those games. We have a schedule which is favorable, but those two games have me worried.

Eric Hansen: Fred, I think there is reason to worry about Ohio State and USC -- Clemson and BYU as well. But if you aspire to be a playoff team, those are the games that need to be on your schedule and that you need to win. Each of those games presents different challenges. I think Ohio State presents the most difficult matchup, all things considered -- location, timing on the schedule, etc. The Buckeyes should be favored and they are. I do think there's a pathway to victory for Notre Dame, but it's very narrow. And keep in mind, nine of the past 14 national champs had inexperienced QBs (first-year starters), and the other five had second-year starters. An elite offensive line can mitigate some of that inexperience at QB and other offensive positions.

Terry McAndrew: Eric: it’s great to see Harry Hiestand back and teaching the fundamentals of blocking. Are the defensive coaches teaching the fundamentals of tackling (wrap the legs from the knees to toes) to stop the offensive players’ engine (legs)? I’ve been attending ND games for 60 years, since I was 5, and it’s tough to watch consistently poor tackling, wouldn’t you agree?

Eric Hansen: Terry, Notre Dame was not a consistently good tackling team in 2021, and yet they were able to pull it together and finish 15th in scoring defense, without All-America safety Kyle Hamilton for half the year. I think the issues with tackling earlier in the season were related to lack of depth and the scheme being a little overly complicated. That helped lead to the sloppy fundamentals. I don't see either of those being issues this season. I expect this defense to be fundamentally and statistically very good. But they do face the No. 1 scoring offense in the nation from 2021 in the opener.

Dan from Vernon Hills, Ill.: Eric, enjoy the chats. With all the talk about super conferences, TV rights deals, etc., do you think it’s reasonable to believe that Notre Dame can get a $75 million deal, and is that really enough to compete with the B1G and SEC? Thanks.

Eric Hansen: It sounded like a punchline at first, didn’t it? But two things have made it seem more realistic -- NBC gaining additional college football inventory, which should enhance the ND product. No. 2, those numbers seem to be in line with where the market is going with college football rights fees. That's especially true when you factor in streaming rights. ... The kicker, though, is what does that $75m figure look like down the road? Is it still competitive with conference packages in 2035? Is there potential for revenue growth over time? Those are also important questions to answer. That calculus might work better in an article than the chat, so thanks for the idea.

Marie from Atlanta: Hi Eric. I hope you’re having a great week. With the loss of Avery Davis and the thin wide receiver room, it seems like offensive coordinator Tommy Rees will really need to lean on his tight ends . Do you see him possibly using three-tight end sets? Also, do you see him using some of the tight ends in sets where they function more as wide receivers than tight ends? What one player on offense and defense from Ohio State will it be imperative that Notre Dame neutralize in order to have a chance to win the game ? As always, thanks for all your great insights.

Eric Hansen: Hi Marie. Thanks for your question. Doing great here. I think Tommy Rees would use some three-tight end sets even if there weren't attrition issues at WR and RB with the way Eli Raridon and Holden Staes have been coming along to complement Michael Mayer and Kevin Bauman. In the context of compensating for the numbers at wide receiver, yes I think those two freshmen give you some flexibility in formation and play calling. I don't think it will be a staple, however. But between multiple running backs and tight ends, there's going to be more creativity involved.

As far as players ND would love to neautralize, the list is pretty long on offense. QB CJ Stroud and WR Jaxon Smith-Njigba are the obvious choices. But thwarting Ohio State's running game may be the sneaky pick here, so I'll go with RB TreVeyon Henderson to unbalance the offense and take away Ohio State's ball-control/clock-control ability. Defensively, cornerback Denzel Burke may be the best overall defender, but I'm going to go with DE Zach Harrison as the guy I'd want to be a non-factor if I'm Marcus Freeman.

Adam from Dayton, Ohio: Eric, best chats in the business. We appreciate it! Thanks for answering my near-17-parter a few weeks back, haha. And, I did not start happy hour too early, just excited for the Marcus Freeman Era! Two questions. 1.) NIL. With ND certain to lose Keon Keeley (not sure if he made the official announcement yet, but those that follow are expecting it), do we know how big a part NIL guarantees played? I know NIL has kind of morphed from what it was intended. But pragmatically, if there isn't going to be enforcement, it's not really illegal. I know ND wouldn't cheat outright, but NIL as it exists, doesn't fit under the definition of cheating. (I understand not liking it, though.) Knowing ND like you do, is there any way you could foresee ND acknowledging the realities and giving NIL guarantees? 2.) Tommy Rees mentions talent often when talking about Tyler Buchner. However, there were serious accuracy concerns last year. What are you seeing/hearing in that regard? Can he be efficient and a high-percentage passer?

Eric Hansen: Adam thanks for the kind words. The NIL issue is so voluminous and with so many tentacles it's difficult to address in a chat format. I'll do my best. Let's start with Keon Keeley, a five-star defensive end from Tampa and the highest-ranked recruit in Notre Dame's 2023 class, which is currently No. 1 in Rivals team rankings. The expectation is that he wants to take some official visits. ND allows (but doesn't encourage) committed recruits to take unofficial (unpaid) visits, but draws the line at official visits. If Keeley pushes forward, which is expected, it's essentially a decommitment. That doesn't mean ND won't still recruit him, but it's not a good sign at this stage that things will end well for the Irish. We'll see.

As far as what's changed with Keeley, I think it's easy to assume NIL is in the picture. According to my sources, the dynamic of who's leading that recruitment in Keely's innner circle has changed. That I'm confident in. I think it's too early to suggest NIL funny business (or not) until the process plays out a little more.

Your multipart question, with several assertions mixed in, is the part that's hard to answer, because I don't agree with some of your assertions. So let me approach it this way. Telling a recruit there will be NIL opportunities for them at your school is how it's supposed to work. Guaranteeing money, sometimes not even connected to NIL services, as a condition for signing with a certain team is not legal. It could come back to bite those kids down the road, but likely not soon. Notre Dame athletic director Jack Swarbrick recently said it'd take an act of Congress to clean this up. I believe he set that timetable at two years minimally. So you've got at least two years of this chaotic effect on recruiting to live with.

Here's the entire interview, which includes a wide range of topics. ... It's difficult to know EXACTLY how much illegal NIL might factor into any recruit's decision, but we have a general idea on some kids. And the expectation is the final few months of the cycle is when it will really kick in. ... As to Tyler Buchner and passing accuracy ... passing wasn't a big part of his niche package last year, so it wasn't the emphasis. He attempted 35 passes, yet ran the ball 46 times and was ND's second-leading rusher. The fact that he was at a 60% completion rate was remarkable, given he had only one year of high school football and hadn't played since his junior year. Just for point of comparison Brady Quinn's freshman completion rate was 47.3% and Jimmy Clausen's was 56.3%. In a story I recently wrote on Buchner — How ND QB Tyler Buchner's twisted journey is now powering his ascent — Buchner told me he threw as well this summer as he ever has. And he's backed that up in training camp. So my expectation is that we'll see an improved version of him in 2022.

Don from Phoenix: Eric, Getting closer. Two empty Saturdays, and a game. Enjoying the coverage. Not specific to ND, but as an OSU guy, what is the most memorable moment for you in that stadium and why?

Eric Hansen: Hi Don. First, thank you. We appreciate you being a subscriber. Second, before I forget, I think you mentioned having issues getting access to our site in Europe. Here is an answer I received from someone in our organization who is much smarter than me and higher on the food chain: You need a VPN to access the site in Europe due to their data security regulations. ... OK to your question. For those unaware, I grew up in Ohio, with most of my time in Columbus, and attended The Ohio State University. I even sold ice-cold Coca-Cola one Saturday in Ohio Stadium as a kid.

I have only been to the stadium once since I graduated in 1983 in a non-working capacity. I think that was 1984 or 1985. I had a handful of games there while covering the Big Ten at the South Bend Tribune, but I haven't been there in any capacity in 27 years — the last ND/OSU game in that facility. So here's your answer, kind of — I narrowed it down to three:

1) My first Ohio State-Michigan game. 1972. Michigan was a heavy favorite. OSU was leading 14-11 late in the game and held the Wolverines inside the Buckeye 5-yard line on four straight downs. Bo Schembecher could have won the league title and the Rose Bowl berth with a field goal and a tie. He chose not to go that route. I was 12 years old, and a friend of mine's dad had an extra ticket at the last minute. The fans tore down both sets of goalposts after the game. I fell in love with college football forever that day.

2) I think it was a year later, my dad wanted to take me to a game for the first time after my non-stop ranting about the Michigan game. I was so excited, because the tickets said we were sitting in the first row. ... Until we got to the stadium and found out you could see very little in that era with the players standing in front of us. The game was a blowout win vs. Minnesota. My dad was very quiet on the way home until I told him I had more fun at the Minnesota game than I did at the Michigan game. He never forgot that.

3) The 1995 ND-Ohio State game. That game was scheduled in the '70s when I was in high school -- behind Woody Hayes' back, because he didn't want the Buckeyes to play the Irish (he was LONG gone when the game was actually played). Journalism wasn't even close to being on the horizon for me, but I told myself wherever I was in the world, whatever I was doing, I'd make sure I would be in the stadium that day — even if I had to sell Coca-Colas. I did not have a rooting interest in the game when 1995 came around, but it was an amazing experience. And I'll admit when the OSU band did their Script Ohio thing, it was pretty darn cool.

Darwin Hutchison from Dallas,Texas: What are your feelings on our kicking game, especially the punter and the place-kicker!

Eric Hansen: Darwin, we haven't seen the kickers kick once in the practices we've been in (likely by design). I bet we will Friday, when we get to see a full practice. I have seen the punters, and am very impressed with transfer Jon Sot and freshman Bryce McFerson -- especially McFerson.

Joe H from Williams Bay Wi Hi Eric Thanks for all you do. I was wondering if you think we have any viable options at wide receiver from any of our defensive players — specifically Xavier Watts, Ramon Henderson, Philip Riley or possibly someone else?

Eric Hansen: As I wrote recently, some of the best candidates are current starters at other positions, future starters or in competitive situations for playing time. The two who would not fall into those categories with experience as high school receivers are freshman cornerback Jayden Bellamy and freshman OLB Nolan Ziegler. We'll be talking to Marcus Freeman on Thursday, so I'll check in then on what's been happening. We'll also see some position drills Wednesday morning, so we may see something then.

Jay from Granger, Ind.: How is Pyne taking the news? I still think he will play a significant role in more games than usual for a backup. What say you on Pyne’s role this season?

Eric Hansen: Talked to him just before he found out he was the No. 2 QB going into the seasn, but no access yet after. But Tommy Rees said it was hard on Drew Pyne not to be named No. 1, and yet he's always responded by working harder. I think somehow, someway he will be asked to win a game for the Irish. And he'll be ready, not pouting.

Tom from Grand Rapids, Mich.: Eric, with the truly heartbreaking loss of Avery Davis for the season, who steps in to fill that void at slot receiver? I know it is an already depleted group, so what changes do you foresee the offense might be forced to adopt to minimize the loss?

If the experiment of Jarrett Patterson to guard doesn’t work out, and he moves back to center, who is the next man up at left guard? Or do he and Zeke just swap?

Eric Hansen: Hi Tom, provided Joe Wilkins is ready for Ohio State, which is now the trajectory, and Deion Colzie is back from his knee sprain, ND has enough numbers to start the season for games. For practices, it's a different challenge, and I spoke to all those issues in yesterday's story on WRs coach Chansi Stuckey. A talented TE group and versatile RBs will help the situation. ... I'll walk back from Columbus if Jarrett Patterson doesn't work out at guard. If he were to get injured at some point, Andrew Kristofic and Rocco Spindler would likely get the first looks.

Jeff from Phoenix: Hey Eric. It looks like special teams coach Brian Mason will be available to the media later in the week. Do you expect him to name a starting punter and place-kicker? Also, what freshmen would you expect to see line up when ND is kicking off? Do you think the philosophy of using the best athletes/fits on special teams still holds (i.e. that Mason has access to the entire roster)? Much thanks.

Eric Hansen: Hi Jeff. I do expect that we'll get that info on Friday if Marcus Freeman doesn't beat Brian Mason to it on Thursday. Mason does have access to the entire roster, including starters, so he has lots of options. I haven't seen kickoff coverage units in practice, so this is a pure guess re the freshmen but Jaden Mickey, Jaylen Sneed, Junior Tuihalamaka make sense, because they're not going to redshirt anyways. Maybe Benjamin Morrison, Nolan Ziegler, Joshua Burnham as well — at least in up to four games.

Robb from Colorado: Hey Eric, what’s the magic number for the ND defense to hold OSU to and have a good chance to win the game? Under 26? 30? Something else?

Eric Hansen: My guessimate, Robb, is 30 points. The Buckeyes were held under 30 (barely) three times and lost two of those games in 2021.

Todd from Niagara Falls, Ontario: How do I get Peacock/UNLV game in Canada????

Eric Hansen: Todd .. email me. I got this question last year, but I forget the answer. I need time to look it up and double check if it's still good. ehansen@insidendsports.com

Bill from St Joe, Michigan: Eric, any dining recommendations near The Ohio State University?

Eric Hansen: I would recommend eating at my mom's house. That's what I'm doing. Best cook in Ohio ... and beyond. And because of that my restaurant recommendations are from the 1970s and '80s. However, I have lots of friends who live in Columbus who don't eat at my mom's house. So email me, and I'll get you some good ideas. ehansen@insidendsports.com.

Bill from St Joe, MI: Eric, have you had the opportunity to watch the walk-on wide receivers, and, if so, what was your impressions? A very tough break for Avery Davis!

Eric Hansen: Yes, I have. Conor Ratigan has his moments. The others kind of blend in with each other, and that's not a knock on them -- just reality. The best of the bunch, Matt Salerno, became a scholarship player. They will help the Irish a lot in practice. They won't be counted on to win games.

CHUCK FROM CLEVELAND "THE LAND": Hi Eric. So glad that you are again, the voice of reason, as the optimism and pessimism flourishes this time of year. IMHO, the offensive Line is THE KEY vs OSU. If we control the line of scrimmage, we can run "on schedule" and mix in safe passes to move the chains and eat up clock. But, you have to convince me that Zeke Correll is not the weak link. After watching him over the past few years, I am surprised that Rocco Spindler, et al are not good enough to shift Patterson back to center. Please convince me ...and THANK YOU for getting us ready for a banner season!

Eric Hansen: Hi Chuck. Glad you could join in. Notre Dame's best position group is its defensive line. Its second-best may be the offensive line. That has to be the case Sept. 3 for the Irish to have a chance to pull off the upset. I am convinced the Zeke Correll transformation is real, because Harry Hiestand believes it is. That's good enough for me. But, for good measure, practice reps back it up.

Len from the Jersey Shore: Hi Eric, thanks for hosting. With Marist's leg from last year's injury a lingering problem, Kollie's injury and Sneed not ready, is our linebackers' mobility an issue, especially for the OSU game? We had hoped that LB mobility would support the secondary. Second: Recently coach Freeman held practice at a high school in the area. He claimed he wanted to stress the point that what was important happened between the 53.3-yard-wide field and not where that field was, be it OSU or anywhere. Current ticket pricing on home games are dynamic/tiered priced to max revenue. All open Clemson game tickets (that's right, the game is not sold out) can be bought for the cost of $350 dollars for the game plus you get a ticket to the Marshall game. And you must give $50 to the Rockne fund. Doesn't this push toward a crowd with more Clemson fans than pre-tiered $ strategies? Did coach Freeman have his St Joe's practice because of home crowd issues? Please comment about ticket strategies and their effect.

Eric Hansen: Hi Len. I appreciate your thoroughness in thought. 1) I don't anticipate Marist Liufau having issues once the season starts. He told me he's been healthy for months, but the coaches didn't want to overload him in training camp as a precaution. He goes 100 percent in the reps he takes, but he takes fewer of them. Prince Kollie had a concussion, and I believe he's back. Sneed is not ready, but man is he coming along for 2023. 2) The team practiced at nearby Penn High School; on Monday night. That's the alma mater of Ron Powlus III, Paul Moala and Braxston Cave, among others. I'm not sure I understand your question about home crowd issues relating to practice. There are no crowds at practice .. at ND or otherwise. ... 3) The ticket question is like asking a calculus question on a add/subtract math test. That would take some deep research I don't have time for in a chat format. I apologize for my limitations on that one. Perhaps a story down the road.

Matt from Kansas City: Multi-part but brief answers are acceptable: 1. Do the coaches practice calling games with headsets outside of scrimmages, maybe practice simulations? 2. When an offense is in hurry-up or defense — for that matter — end of games or the half, do the coordinators just get to run the play-calling show, since there might not be a lot of time for head coaches to interject or overrule? 3. OSU beats us at the skill positions no doubt, but games are won on the line of scrimmage. Do we have a puncher's chance or is it more than that? 4. Throw a name out there that could play themselves from unheralded to NFL draft pick this year? 5. What do you think Marcus Freeman is most concerned about heading into the OSU game?

Eric Hansen: Hi Matt. Since we're in the lightning round ... 1. I haven't seen that. 2. Not sure how it will work with Marcus. Brian Kelly always had veto power and found a way to use it. 3. Puncher's chance. 4. Marist Liufau. I'd say Howard Cross too if he had better measurables by NFL standards. Rylie Mills, but he's not ready to come out and yet he's already on their radar. 5. Winning the turnover battle.

Pat from St. Paul, Minn.: Eric - when are you making a prediction on the OSU/ND game? Also, continuing a trend from last week … percent chance we hang onto both Keeley and Bowen? If we only keep one, which one is it?

Eric Hansen: I'll make a score prediction the week of the game. ... I said Keon Keeley last time. I've switched it to Peyton Bowen. Just got a bunch of Keeley intel in a phone call while doing the chat.

Eric Hansen: To the questioner from Athens, Ga., great to hear from you. Please email me (ehansen@insidendsports) because I lost your email when I switched jobs.

Eric Hansen: That's going to be it for this week. Thanks for all the great questions. Because of a coverage conflict next week, we'll do the chat next Tuesday, then move back to Wednesdays for the rest of the season.

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