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Chat Transcript: Early ND camp impressions, projecting Tyler Buchner

Defensive end Isaiah Foskey and his Guardian Cap on his helmet at a recent Notre Dame football practice.
Defensive end Isaiah Foskey and his Guardian Cap on his helmet at a recent Notre Dame football practice. (Jeff Douglas, Inside ND Sports)

Eric Hansen: Welcome to Notre Dame Football Live Chat on this incredibly perfect-weather Wednesday in South Bend, Ind. And it's not often I get to type that sentence.

A couple of quick announcements. Next week's chat will be Tuesday at noon, instead of the normal Wednesday slotting, due to a coverage conflict. Thanks to everyone who signed up for premium subscriptions during our promotion last week.

Per usual, PLEASE include your NAME and HOMETOWN along with your question. Let's get rolling.

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Murphy from Orlando: Where does Eli Raridon land in the TE pecking order? He looks like he could be an Eifert in the red zone this year.

Eric Hansen: Eli Raridon has looked impressive during our limited practice-viewing windows, which have largely been non-competitive situations. The coaching staff is easing him into full reps, eight months removed from ACL surgery, but he takes those reduced reps at 100 percent. Having said all of that, I'd say Kevin Bauman, with a more traditional tight end skill set, is No. 2, but Raridon could end up with an early niche role and eventually ascend to the No. 2 option. Freshman Holden Staes and sophomore Cane Berrong, the latter coming back from knee surgery, are pushing hard as well. .. And yes, Raridon does have some Tyler Eifert-like traits.

Dave from Ponte Vedra, Fla.: After watching the spring game I came away with concerns about the kicking game. Any thoughts on where things stand after the opening of camp?

Eric Hansen: Hi Dave. It's still a bit of a mystery (and thus concerning), and here's why. We haven't seen a single field goal attempt during our three practice viewings so far. If that's the case after two more viewings (Thursday and Friday), I'll prioritze asking Marcus Freeman about it on Saturday, when we next have access to him. Special teams coordinator Brian Mason doesn't come up in the interview rotation until Aug. 19. We'll get to talk to the kickers that day as well. As far as punting, I am impressed with the two newcomers — transfer Jon Sot and freshman Bryce McFerson, especially McFerson. We haven't seen them punt with a rush coming at them yet, but McFerson has been extremely consistent with his hang time, distance and placement.

Tom from Kennesaw, Ga.: Hi Eric. From what we have read so far, the new special teams coach, Brian Mason, seems to like a more aggressive style of special teams play. It seemed like coach (Brian) Polian and BK were more satisfied with a "don't make a mistake" approach, while coach Mason seems to be teaching a "let's make our opponent make a mistake" type of approach. Is that how you see it early in camp and have you had a chance to talk with him about this? Thanks. Go Irish!!

Eric Hansen: Hi Tom, we got a real good taste of that in the spring during practice. And you're spot on. In fact, Brian Mason has a video on the market on punt block fundamentals and schemes. Just $19.95! I also think he's going to be more aggressive in the return game, based upon who we've seen in the auditions for returnmen. Yes, Matt Salerno (who was asked to do a lot of fair-catching under the old regime) is back there on punts. But between punts and kickoffs, the pool looks like this so far this month: Braden Lenzy, Chris Tyree, Tobias Merriweather, Gi'Bran Payne, Brandon Joseph, Jaden Mickey and Lorenzo Styles in addition to Salerno. Logan Diggs will be in that mix when healthy.

Tom from Grand Rapids: Eric, appreciate your efforts as always. Which is the bigger need, and why? The emergence of a bona-fide No. 1 quarterback or the return of a Harry Hiestand-style offensive line? A second, if I may, there appears to be "something different" going on with regard to recruiting, and I’m sure people could say it’s this or that. Will these changes allow ND to start drawing more elite talent into the fold? Go Irish. ☘️

Eric Hansen: Hi Tom. Two-parters are always welcome. 17-parters? Not so much. I can't count that high. Part 1 is intriguing. But I think we've seen that movie before. I think a Harry Hiestand-developed offensive line is a necessary ingredient to get you into the playoff discussion or the playoff itself. An elite QB without that line makes you a difficult out on any given Saturday but wouldn't produce the balance and consistency in the offense necessary for a playoff run. But together the elite quarterback with the elite O-line is what allows you to WIN games in the playoff. That's assuming your defense and special teams are also more than respectable. If you listened to this week's Inside ND Sports podcast with our guest Aaron Taylor, you know you can expect the O-line play to be a big asset. That, along with a strong defense, establishes a pretty strong floor for this year's team. The QB development will go a long way to helping to determine its ceiling.

Question II: The seamy side of NIL could affect how ND — currently No. 1 in recruiting nationally in both the '23 and '24 cycles, finishes out the current cycle. But let's say the Irish start finishing in the top five on a regular basis. That's a reasonable expectation with the way Marcus Freeman and the staff are recruiting. And the more talent you have (with an already strong player development model), the more margin for error you have in the big-stage games like Ohio State, like Clemson, like playoff games.

Jeff from Canton, Mich.: Hi Eric, wondering of the 86 scholarships (do we need to get to 85?), how many are injured and unlikely to see any action for Ohio State? And did you all revise the heights and measures with the recent depth chart on your site? It appears that Michael Mayer is up to 265 pounds? Pretty big increase from last year.

Eric Hansen: Hi Jeff. The Irish have to get to 85 scholarships by the first day of class (Aug. 23). The recent medical retirement of Joey Tanona dropped ND from 86 to 85. To keep track of the scholarship count and eligibility by class and position, check out our scholarship chart. Michal Mayer is up to 265 after being listed at 251. That and every other players' height/weight have been updated on our depth chart. And there have been some significant changes beyond Mayer. Among them: Aidan Gobaira (241 from 220), Tyson Ford (275 from 255), Billy Schrauth (302 from 274), TaRiq Bracy (185 from 177), Jaylen Sneed (215 from 198) and Zeke Correll (308 from 295).

Also, players who are injured and out for the Ohio State game (or beyond) are noted on the depth chart, as are players who are limited now but could be ready. We'll update this throughout camp as changes occur and at least weekly during the season. ND won't likely bring all 85 players on road games. And even then, all the healthy players who travel won't likely see action, with starters and key backups getting most of the playing time.

Freshman offensive guard Bill Schrauth had one of Notre Dame's more dramatic physical transformations this summer.
Freshman offensive guard Bill Schrauth had one of Notre Dame's more dramatic physical transformations this summer. (Jeff Douglas, Inside ND Sports)

Don from Phoenix: Eric, finally real stuff to talk about. Was in Italy and couldn't follow your camp opening from there. Kept getting a 403 error. Other sites were OK, but missed you and Tyler. Was able to catch up once we changed planes in the States. What's your impression of Al Golden's scheme? Is it too much for the D to handle or is it more of a read-and-react model? By the way, the weather was hot in the Piedmont area, but the food was spectacular as was the wine.

Eric Hansen: Hey Don, how cool you got to go to Italy. I'll check with our folks at corporate about international access. I know we have no issues in Canada, but I'll check on Europe. Thanks for letting us know about the issues. ... Assessing Al Golden's scheme is like putting together a jigsaw puzzle. Notre Dame would really like Ohio State's offense experiencing it to be like a blind date. The Irish have been very intentional about that with how practice viewing windows are structured — with much less full access, no competitive periods or scrimmages during the days of limited (five periods) access. So you never see the defense line up in any formations. In the spring, they were very vanilla and almost always in a 4-3 look.

Having said that, and piecing together clues through interviews and sources — and without giving away trade secrets —- I expect the Irish to play multiple fronts —- more so than last year and much more than the previous regimes. I expect there to be niche personnel packages. I think Chris Smith at nose and Jordan Botelho as a hybrid player play into that philosophy. I think you'll see a defense that can be a little more exotic with pressures, because the linebackers are so smart/athletic, they can handle it. Bottom line, I think this is a defense that's won't sit back and read/react. It's Freeman's defense but a 2.0 version. I expect the Irish to be much improved vs. the run and one of the top teams in sacks. We'll find out in game 1 if they can cover.

Ced Walker from Saginaw, Mich., the question I asked you last week about our running backs is will Marcus Freeman and Deland McCullough limit the reps at practice, because we only have three right now? Tobias Merriweather will be special this season. Go Irish!

Eric Hansen: Ced, that's a good question. Logan Diggs is able to do some stuff in the drills, but he can't have live contact yet. Tuesday was the first day in pads, by the way. but yes they'll need to dip into the walk-on ranks in practices to keep from overworking Chris Tyree, Audric Estime and Gi'Bran Payne. They'll get their work in, because they need it, but they just won't push them beyond what they would do if there were five healthy scholarship backs ... Yes, I agree with your assessment of freshman WR Tobias Merriweather.

Michael Kraus from Costa Mesa, Calif.: ERIC, have you heard that Audric Estime has dropped around 10 pounds? Have you seen any of the practices? If so, who has impressed you? Is this Matt Salerno's seventh year LOL? Thank you.

Eric Hansen: Hi Michael. I did NOT hear that Audric Estime lost 10 pounds. In fact, he gained one — to 229 from the spring -- and he's ripped. It's funny to see him in jersey No. 7, worn by some former Irish QBs. I'll stick to running backs with this question on what has impressed me. Estime is much more than a short-yardage back. He's got soft hands and catches the ball well. He's nimble and agile. He can make you miss. And his instincts about when to cut up field are much improved over his freshman year. At 197 pounds, Chris Tyree looks more powerful and more durable. The Irish need him to be. Gi'Bran Payne moves well. In Monday's practice he was laboring on an ankle a bit, but in previous practices, he looks like someone who can play right away. ... as ar as Matt Salerno, he's on year No. 5.

Marie from Atlanta: Hi Eric. I hope you are having a great week. It must be so fun getting to go to practices. Based on what you’ve seen so far, which players have surprised you the most in a good way? Who do you think are a couple of upperclassmen who could break out in the Ohio State game? What does Deion Colzie need to do to try to get himself a little more in the mix? He sort of seems like an afterthought right now, and I know he was highly touted coming out of high school and has good size. It just seems like the coaches never mention him without being prompted, which makes it seem like maybe he’s not meeting his potential. As always, thanks for all your good information and insight. Looking forward to a great chats in the season ahead.

Eric Hansen: Hi Marie. Every week is a great week when there's football to watch and talk about. Thanks for your questions. Let me put the first one in context. Our first practice to see with players in pads is Thursday, so that will inform us on another level. Also there are players for whom I had high expectations — such as Tobias Merriweather and Eli Raridon — thus eliminating them from the surprise category for me. So, with that in mind, the young corners have surprised me — Chance Tucker, Benjamin Morrison, Jaden Mickey. Mickey was impressive in the spring, but he's not only sustained that, he's added to it. Zeke Correll had a strong spring, but now he's up to 308 from 295 and is surging. Freshman punter Bryce McFerson so far has surprised me. I'll have a longer list once we see the players in pads and in more competitive situations.

I think junior DE Rylie Mills and senior linebacker Marist Liufau are two breakout candidates who could really impact the Ohio State game. ... Deion Colzie reminds me a bit of Chase Claypool early in his career in that there was all kinds of talent there, but there's a maturation process Colzie must go through (as Claypool did) to reach his potential.

Tom from Kennesaw, Ga.: So, Michael Mayer is up to 265 pounds. Don't know how to feel about that. What do you see as the pluses and minuses of that much additional weight in a short period of time? Thanks. Go Irish!!

Eric Hansen: If you see him in practice -- even without pads, even in very simple drills, your concerns would melt away ... in seconds.

Jon from Bellaire, Ohio: Eric, have you been sufficiently impressed with Tyler Buchner's progress. Is he currently playing at a level that could take this team to a playoff or with a national championship? Or, is he a year away?

Eric Hansen: Jon, that's the million-dollar question of this season. My sense is the answer lies somewhere in between — that Tyler Buchner will break out and show a surge of improvement during this season, but perhaps not until October. I wouldn't bet against him. Here's a piece I did about a week ago that was behind our pay wall. I'm going to put it out there for free his week: How ND QB Tyler Buchner's twisted journey is now powering his ascent ... Once you read it. I think you'll understand why I have pushed my chips into the middle of the table on this kid.

Jim Tal from Valley Center, Calif.: Hi Eric, always appreciate your insights and the in-depth info that you share. Could you please provide an update on the current status of Jordan Botelho and Rocco Spindler? Both these players arrived as acclaimed recruits and were thought to be potential difference-makers. Are they still regarded as highly now as they were then and could this be the year when each experiences a breakout of sorts? From some reason, I get the impression that the clock maybe ticking on both of these young men of whom much was expected. Thanks.

Eric Hansen: Hi Jim and thank you. Let's start with Rocco Spindler. Rocco, a sophomore and the No. 68 player coming out of high school, remains on a trajectory to start as a junior in 2023. He'd also be a top option to replace sixth-year vet Josh Lugg at right guard or preseason All-American Jarrett Patterson at left guard if one of them went down with an injury. Because Joe Alt and Blake Fisher both played as freshmen at OT last season, it falsely made it look like Rocco was not progressing by comparison. Fisher and Alt are only the eighth and ninth freshmen in the past 50 years to start a game or more on Notre Dame's offensive line. As far as offensive guards, there have only been nine starts total made by freshmen at ND in 50 years and none of those starts took place in September. So bottom line, with Lugg and Patterson gone in 2023, he'll get his chance to move into the top five.

For junior linebacker/defensive end Jordan Botelho, it was a matter of finding his best position, being able to channel his aggression in a way that benefited him and his team on the field, and simply growing up and not being his own worst enemy. All three of those things seem to be converging in August of 2022. Al Golden loves him and Golden doesn't put up with much. Neither does grad assistant/linebacker James Laurinaitis or D-line coach Al Washington. I'd expect to see Botelho in a variety of roles -- some games more than others based on matchups and scheme.

Robert K from Sartell, Minn.: I hate to get greedy, but could you rank our chances of landing Love, M’Pemba, Hanafin, and a QB? Thanks Eric. You da best!

Eric Hansen: Hi Robert, thank you. I'd rank those from most likely to least likely as: QB (but not necessarily Kenny Minchey), Jeremiyah Love, Samuel M'Pemba and Ronan Hanafin. NIL rumors keep me from being more confident about a couple of those guys.

Frank from Royse City, Texas: What do you feel is the strength of this team and the most obvious weakness?

Eric Hansen: Defensive line is the strength, followed by offensive line. Most obvious weakness is the kickers, but that can change. Among position groups, it's the corners -- but they are much improved. Wide receiver depth and running back depth remain concerns.

David from New York: Eric! Thanks as always for the chat. Don't kill me for a throwing motion question ... post-BK QB development, I hope we talk about this less and less. But watching some of the practice highlights, Tyler Buchner's motion looks very strange, and some balls are coming out without a tight spiral. I know he's made adjustments in the past. And you've seen a lot more of him than me. Where is he in terms of throwing motion and development?

Eric Hansen: David, he works with a throwing specialist (Taylor Kelly) during his off time in California. His throwing motion does look unconventional, but neither Kelly, nor Tommy Rees seem to be troubled by it. It was a bit more wonky when he first arrived as an early enrollee in 2021, but Ian Book actually helped him iron some things out. He actually throws on the run very well. So far, I'd just not give it a second thought.

Tyler Buchner (12) throws a pass during a recent Notre Dame football practice as offensive coordinator Tommy Rees (left) and Ron Powlus III (11) look on.
Tyler Buchner (12) throws a pass during a recent Notre Dame football practice as offensive coordinator Tommy Rees (left) and Ron Powlus III (11) look on. (Jeff Douglas, Inside ND Sports)

Patrick from Los Angeles: (1) What team strengths do you think will be most valuable in contributing to a possible victory against Ohio State?

Eric Hansen: Offensive line. Defensive line. Michael Mayer and an improving secondary. The path to an upset victory starts — but doesn't end — there.

Patrick from Los Angeles: (2) What Ohio State possible weakness could contribute to an ND victory on September 3rd?

Eric Hansen: ND's going to have to win the turnover battle and perhaps a big special teams play -- blocked punt, return for a TD, something like that. And if ND can run the ball well, this game could be interesting into the fourth quarter. Ohio State has some defensive vulnerabilities ND must exploit.

Steve from Kenosha, Wis.: Eric, continued praises to you, Tyler, and Kyle on fantastic content and insights on Rivals. Did ND happen to publish players' strength and speed data/gains from summer workouts heading into Fall camp?

Eric Hansen: Hi Steve, and thank you. They're pretty guarded about that other than an occasional mention. I wish it were public. Brian Kelly did let a lot of that info out one offseason, and he kind of regretted it later.

Kevin from Orlando: I very much appreciate the opportunity to submit questions. Even though I have been on this site or its predecessors for at least 20 years now, I don't remember anything close to "Live Chat". This could easily be a 17-parter, but I would appreciate you being able to decipher even half of that number. I think I saw that ND has "offered" 124 members of the class of 2024. What does that mean? Are there offers and "offers"? Does that really mean that ND will accept a commitment from any one of the 124? Are these offers actually dependent upon various conditions such as meeting academic requirements or other requirements? Has academic eligibility already at least been tentatively scrutinized when an offer is made? Do these offers get officially rescinded when the quota for a certain position has been met? I guess a practical example of an offer not really being an offer might be other quarterbacks who were offered but slow-played by ND while they waited for Dante Moore to make a decision?

Eric Hansen: Kevin, I really appreciate you giving love to the live chat — and a great question. So yes, all offers are not created equal. Let's start with committable offers (and the coaching staff is transparent). Someone like Keon Keeley (who is committed) or Samual M'Pemba — both five-star prospects — could commit any time they wanted. I'd venture to say ND will take M'Pemba even if they're full at his position when he makes his decision or even if they have to make room for him by eventually not inviting back a player for a fifth year. Then there's the art of slow-playing — delaying visits, delaying a recruit's green light to commit. So you prioritize your board. There are players you'd love to have, but you're playing a numbers game at a particular position.

There are also players ND will continue to pursue that have committed to other schools as long as that player is receptive to the attention. Boubecar Traore (Boston College) is an example in this calass. As far as academics, ND is offering players so much earlier than they ever have — and it's a necessity to be competitive for elite recruits. The player must be at least on a trajectory to meet ND's requitements. There are also recruits whose offer is conditional. They may need to take a foreign language or another math class. Or they need to get more serious in the classroom. If they don't meet those benchmarks, you'll see those players eventually decommit, because they have to. There's a real art to managing the offers that Notre Dame usually gets right. Not always. Sometimes they put all their eggs in one basket and get burned. Sometimes a kid commits when he doesn't have a green light to. While those are memorable scenarios, they are infrequent.

Jeff from Phoenix: Good morning, Eric. There seems to be a trend toward recruits committing earlier, and I have seen some buzz on 2025 recruits. My question is has ND ever accepted a commitment from a player that has only completed their freshman year of high school? If ND has not done this in the past, would they for the right situation? Are there any ND admission issues with taking a student/athlete so early? And finally, in your opinion, should ND do this or is it simply too much risk for both the recruit and the school? Much thanks.

Eric Hansen: Hi Jeff. The recruiting calendar has moved up a lot in recent years. In terms of offering kids in the 2025 class, it is important for Notre Dame to participate in that process — not to get an uber-early commitment, but to build a long-time and strong relationship with a kid who has a chance to be a five-star or high-four-star prospect. I can't remember ND taking someone that early, after his freshman year. And I don't think it's a good idea. But getting a commitment after his sophomore year for a special talent, yes that works. Again, these kids have to remain on a certain academic trajectory. But if they know exactly what that entails from an early age, it might make that easier for them to accomplish.

Tony from Lake Mary, Fla.: Hey Eric, thanks again for doing these. It is definitely something I look forward to. I saw that NBC, CBS and FOX are working on a deal for Big Ten media rights. Saw that NBC was given prime-time slots to the Big Ten, and CBS was giving the 3:30 slot to as well (which has been the SEC staple). Does that mean that the SEC will be entirely ESPN/ABC? Will be interesting to see the 3:30 CBS crew not calling SEC games. Not sure they know anything about the rest of college football. Does GameDay only show up to SEC games once the deal finishes? You likely won't know the answers and being in the pressbox on Saturdays may make you not care so much. Just fun to ponder.

Eric Hansen: Tony, this is so new yet, I haven't had a chance to tease this all out, including the broader implications of what this might mean for Notre Dame. College GameDay does show up to games that ABC/ESPN are not broadcasting ... a case in point every time they've been to Notre Dame. But how this might affect Notre Dame's negotations with NBC and for its streaming rights in its next contract could be affected by the Big Ten's deal with NBC. So this will be something I'll be tracking in the coming weeks as we continue to unravel the question of whether ND stays independent in football or takes the plunge into a conference.

Joey G. from Philadelphia, Pa: Hi Eric. It was interesting to hear the reports on Marist Liafau. I guess we were all hoping for a breakout season last year. And then the injury ended his season. Do you think he’s being brought along slowly due to the injury? Or do you think the plan is to protect him in camp and turn him loose in the Horseshoe? I’m praying for the latter! Lol.

Eric Hansen: Hi Joey. I talked to Marist Liufau in depth in July and touched base again on Monday. His assessment is that he's going to be ready to go 100 percent on Sept. 3. I plan to do a large piece soon on him, as I think he WILL be a breakout player for ND in 2022.

Dan from Vernon Hills, Ill.: Eric, I was wondering; with so many new coaches, have you noticed any changes in the way these coaches are interacting with the players on the practice field. Are they stressing different techniques, doing more or less “hard coaching”, etc. Thanks.

Eric Hansen: Hi Dan. The answer is yes. And in the case of O-line coach Harry Hiestand, the answer is - - - - Yes! if you want some insight into the HH difference, I'd recommend you listen to this week's podcast, as Aaron Taylor does a great job of breaking that down. But I'll give you another, less obvious case: WRs coach Chansi Stuckey, a relative newcomer in the coaching business, uet is way more into the teaching of fundamentals and attention to detail than his predecessor. Way more.

Zac from Fort Wayne, Ind: Do our Irish have the depth to compete with OSU’s skill players, specifically our DBs vs their WRs? I feel our front seven will handle the run game, and my hope is they provide C.J. Stroud with more pressure than he has seen (insert Michigan’s ability to pressure last season).

I also wanted to ask how you feel Buchner and our skill players will stack up against OSUs defense. How do you foresee their new D-coordinator faring in his opening game. Sorry for the two parts. I didn’t realize hitting return would submit my first part of this question.

Eric Hansen: Zac, that touchy return bar function gets me a lot too. Maybe I can get that fixed from the software folks. (You can do a soft return to make a new paragraph by holding down the shift key when you hit return.) ... I don't think depth will be an issue when it comes to ND's defense vs. the Buckeyes. I think it comes down to ND's skill against what was the No. 1 offense in the nation last year. ... Meanwhile, Ohio State underachieved on defense last year and got exposed in a couple of games. Jim Knowles taking over should improve that. IF ... ND can run the ball consistently and effectively, it changes the dynamic of ND's passing game vs. OSU's pass defense. If ND is one-dimensional, it will labor on offense.

Mike C: I feel like a team that has a new, first-time head coach, a new, young, unproven QB (who has not even been formally announced as the starter yet), and a pretty rough schedule should not be preseason No. 5. I really like the team and coach, but those variables are tough to overcome in today's college football landscape. Coach Freeman will need to learn some lessons (we saw Brian Kelly learn plenty his first few years and he was already a successful veteran head coach), and I feel the Irish dropping 3-4 games this year would not be a horrible first year. We forget how hard it is to not lose ANY of the games we should win. Brian Kelly found a way to be rock-solid, winning those games after several years, but MF shouldn't be expected to do that out of the gate. I just fear the hype is too high, which could lead to mass overreaction (imagine that) that impacts recruiting. A No. 12 ranking would be fair with the chance to jump higher with strong wins. What's your take? Am I setting the bar too low? Thanks!

Eric Hansen: Mike. I had been an AP voter since the 1990s, and with Rivals not being an AP member, I lost my vote. Otherwise, I'd share what my preseason projection was of the Irish. It's funny, because when you actually do the research and put the names down on paper, it often comes out differently from what you might have imagined going in. My sense is I would have ranked the Irish around No. 10. I think No. 12 is more realistic than No. 5. Having said that, ND has outperformed its preseason rankings in four of the past five seasons. And yes there will be overreaction early in the season no matter what happens.

Phil from Napoleon, Ohio. Hey Eric, what is ND's main recruiting focus for the remainder of this cycle other than priority NO. 1, maintaining the commitments they have!

Eric Hansen: Hi Phil, they're trying to add a QB, at least one WR, a running back and another D-lineman. That's what it's down to at this point.

Bill from St Joseph, Mich.: Eric, just curious, why are you a Cardinals fan as opposed to a Reds fan?

Eric Hansen: The Reds were my second-favorite team growing up because of proximity. But my first sports hero was Bob Gibson. In elementary school, I'd routinely get Cs on book reports ... until I read Gibson's book — From Ghetto to Glory. My first A!!! I was inspired by the grade and the story itself. I watched when I could on TV in 1967 and '68 and read about him as much as I could. He had a 1.12 ERA, with 13 shutouts and 28 complete gemes in 1958, and Major League Baseball lowered the pitching mound because of him and that season. The more I read about him, the more I wanted to embody what he was about. I did not have his talent, so the dream of being a Major League pitcher died quickly and quietly. But the work he put into being an elite player did not escape me, and for that I'm grateful.

Pat from St. Paul: Love the chats, Eric!! Percent chance they take land a 2023 QB and percent chance it is Kenny Minchey?

Eric Hansen: Hi Pat, and thanks. ... I'd say 95% for part one and maybe 40% for part 2. I think Kenny Minchey is pretty happy with Pitt, and Notre Dame is trying to microwave a relationship with him, which had its challenges.

Derek Q from Oakville, Ontario, Canada: Hi Eric, Long-time fan. Thanks for these chats. What's your feeling on Peyton Bowen and Keon Keeley? Will they be Irish come December?

Eric Hansen: I like ND's chances with Keeley more than Bowen. I'll say they'll keep at least one. Wouldn't rule out both, but we're in new territory with NIL.

Ryan from National Harbor, Md.: Did ND kind of shoot itself in the head on the quarterback situation by getting 2024 commit CJ Carr ahead of a possible commit from Dante Moore? CJ Carr looks like a great get, but does he have he "game-changing" abilities that Moore seems to possess?

Eric Hansen: I probably wouldn't phrase it quite like that if I did agree, and I don't agree. I think Dante Moore was influenced far more by NIL factors than he was by the timing of CJ Carr's commitment. And I think Carr is in Moore's league as far as talent/potential.

Bill from St Joseph, Mich.: Hi Eric, a comment not a question for you. … With regards to Tyler Buchner, I thought that he was impressive in the 2021 Blue-Gold Game, and actually was the better of passers, as I think Jack Coan may have been surprisingly a bit more nervous than Buckner. I do not dispute that the coaching staff concluded he was a more accurate passer than the alternatives. Too bad that the O-line was having issues protecting a QB with marginal escapability. I believe he’s going to have an impressive season this year, especially behind an expected improved offensive line.

Eric Hansen: Duly noted.

Mike from Rockville, Md.: Hi, Eric! Love the chats! Do you know if the team is using a new sports psychologist this year? If I remember correctly, the previous one left, and she was very highly regarded among the players and coaches (even talking to Brian Kelly on the sidelines, I think!) The mental side of the game is really important!

Eric Hansen: Mike, there's been a vague answer when I've asked that question each time. Will keep tracking that. I do know they are not using Amber Selking, as Brian Kelly had done from the 2017 season on. The players raved about her. I'm not sure everyone on the staff embraced the concept as much as the players and BK did. Like you, I thought it was an important piece.

John from Appleton, Wis.. If the Irish win on Sept. 3, where would you rank the win in the best wins for the last 15 years?

Eric Hansen: Clemson in 2020, even with Trevor Lawrence on the sideline is No. 1. Oklahoma on the road in 2012 was a quantum leap forward for the program. IF Ohio State ends up running the table after losing to ND and IF the Irish build off that win and make the playoff, I'd put it at the top.

Mike from Rochester, N.Y.: I was reading the article on James Laurinaitis and noted he’s a graduate assistant coach. What distinguishes grad assistants from “regular” assistant coaches? Are there limits on grad assistants? Are there any other grad assistants on staff?

Eric Hansen: The biggest differences are paycheck size, experience and responsibility. Unlike analysts, they are allowed to do on-field coaching. Laurinaitis as a grad assistant is like having another full-time, fully paid coach. Yes there are other grad assistants on staff, including Chris Watt and Mike Moon.

Tom from Kennesaw, Ga.: Hi Eric, well you have guided us through another offseason without football to the start of a new season. Thank you for the great insight you give us. The past three years ND has had a freshman All-American in Kyle Hamilton, Michael Mayer and Kyren Williams, and then Joe Alt last year. In your opinion who has the best chance on offense and defense to make the Frosh AA team this year? Also, do you think our defense can shut down the OSU running attack?? Thanks for the time you give us answering all of our questions in the Chats. Go Irish!!!

Eric Hansen: Tom, thank you. I'd say Eli Raridon and Tobias Merriweather on offense. Jaden Mickey has the best chance on defense. ... ND HAS to slow Ohio State's running attack to have a chance. C.J. Stroud is going to get his numbers, but if the Buckeyes are balanced, they become a nightmare matchup for anyone.

Freshman tight end Eli Raridon (9) warms up for a recent Notre Dame football practice.
Freshman tight end Eli Raridon (9) warms up for a recent Notre Dame football practice. (Jeff Douglas, Inside ND Sports)

Jerry from Dallas, Texas: Eric, has Notre Dame learned how to recruit QBs after the Dante Moore failure? I kept hearing about how we had to "go all in on Dante Moore." It appeared that the idea was if we showed him enough total love, he would reciprocate and come to ND. In the end, he couldn't care less. In the future we should pursue several quality QBs, and maybe we'll wind up getting a couple to actually sign. What do you think?

Eric Hansen: I think ND learned a tough lesson about narrowing the field too early, with NIL temptations in play.

Guest: Eric, a follow-up question. If NIL was the issue for Moore and might be an issue for Bowen then what's the deal? Why can't ND get in on this game?

Eric Hansen: Notre Dame has a strong NIL game. What the Irish and many other schools are not willing to do is cross the line and incentivize a player's signing with a guarantee.

Eric Hansen: OK, I went way over today and still thought and typed too slow to get to all the questions. Thanks for all of them, even the ones I didn't get to. As I mentioned earlier, because of a coverage conflict, next week's chat will be Tuesday at noon ET instead of Wednesday. Talk to you then.

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