Eric Hansen: Welcome to Notre Dame Football Live Chat, Tennessee State week.
Some quick programming notes:
► If you missed our last two episodes of our aspiring-to-be-viral Notre Dame Football YouTube show, Football Never Sleeps, I think it’ll be worth your while to play catch-up. We’ve moved into our Monday night 7 ET. Remember, if you miss the live show, you can catch up anytime on YouTube. Tyler James and I are also doing a live postgame show of our takeaways after every game. Here’s what last week’s show looked like, accidentally brought to you by Lemon Pledge.
► On this week’s Inside ND Sports Podcast, we caught up with Chad Grier, one of the most respected and winningest high school football coaches in the country and the one who just happened to coach Notre Dame QB Sam Hartman at two different schools. Grier discussed what it was like to see Hartman playing for the Irish, what's next for the Wake Forest graduate transfer to prove, Hartman's love for the game, becoming an ND captain, his high school experience, the transition to playing under center, Hartman's resourceful mother and more. The podcast can be listened to via SoundCloud or on your preferred podcast platform including: Apple Podcasts, Spotify, Google Podcasts, Stitcher, Podbean and Pocket Casts.
► And, finally, thanks to all who have given me feedback on my return to WSBT radio as a co-host with Darin Pritchett on Weekday SportsBeat (960 AM, live streaming at wsbtradio.com) on Wednesdays and Thursdays during the 2023 Notre Dame Football season. I'll also be co-hosting the pregame shows with Darin and Tyler Horka (which is not a clever stage name for Tyler James). The weekday shows run from 5-6 p.m. ET. This week’s pregame show starts at noon ET. You can download episodes as podcasts.
OK, on to this week's chat ... Please remember to include your NAME and HOMETOWN along with your question.
Here are the rules:
Eric Hansen: And here come the questions.
Jim from Oakwood, Ohio: Hi Eric, Greetings from Galway Ireland! Still hanging here after watching a magnificent game. Saw some Navy folks today -Tuesday - still rather glum. My friend, a USNA grad has thrown in the towel for the season, I am not sure their future is that bad, do you? I know Coach Freeman wants to build depth so my second question is whether he, and you, believed that effort began/was successful and whether all position groups saw that benefit or whether Navy’s unique style of play made that evaluation difficult/minimal? Thank you and Be Well.
Eric Hansen: Hi Jim, thanks for giving me one more opportunity to relevantly say Slainte to someone. ... Navy was picked to finish ninth out of 14 in the preseason American Athletic Conference poll. Based on them having nine starters back on defense and two complicated schemes to prepare for in a week's time, I think that's a little low. I'll also share that Navy sports information director Scott Strasemeier, who's seen a lot of football, tweeted he thinks this ND team is the best to play Navy since the 2012 Irish team that played for a national title. Navy also benefits from the favorable schedule moving forward, avoiding all three of the top 3 predicted finishers in the AAC -- Tulane, UTSA and SMU.
I do think all of Notre Dame's position groups got benefits from having played Navy, with some carrying over more than others. I asked DC Al Golden that question last night ... here is his response about what translates for the defense for future games:
"So, No. 1, we attacked the ball. We did. I wish we had gotten one [takeaway]. We really had an opportunity for two legit ones — one I thought we had. JD [Betrand] and Jack [Kiser] have got to learn from that and just tap that [loose ball] back [into play]. But I thought we attacked the ball. I thought we played with really good effort. We made plays in the alley. Our big guys turned and ran to the ball. Offside corners and safeties ran, so I thought we played with good effort.
“We won the situations. It's really hard to beat them on third down. They're always like 1, 2 or 3 in the nation [in third-down efficiency]. We did that. We won the red zone — no touchdowns. And the backup situation we won, so that was good. And then I thought we tackled way better than we did last year. So, those four — that big four — that's what we’re bringing back with us. Everything else stays.”
Related Content
► Marcus Freeman, Sam Hartman gave up first-class seats for ND Dublin flights
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► Film Analysis: How Rocco Spindler, Pat Coogan performed in first ND starts
► Press Conference transcript from Notre Dame D-coordinator Al Golden (8/29)
► Notre Dame football depth chart projection for Tennessee State game
Lorne from Reno, Nev.: That was just about perfect -- but "gosh, we looked good" isn't a question; chats by their nature encourage nitpicking. What a difference a year makes, with the top four receivers being wideouts and no TE receptions. My question is about the boundary/field distinction. Based upon production, you would think that Colzie would get more than 1/5 of the snaps Merriweather got. Is Colzie basically coming in for Thomas (who I would want on the field a lot) or could he play field and take snaps from Merriweather? I can see slot being a different skillset, but aren't boundary and field more susceptible to cross-training?
Eric Hansen: Hi Lorne. Deion Colzie and Jayden Thomas play the same position — boundary receiver. Now could you move players around to different receiver positions. Yes, but it works better for some than others. Notre Dame's offense works best when there's a player with elite speed at the field receiver position. Think about what that played like when Will Fuller manned it in 2015. He could stretch the field constantly, so opposing defensive coordinators were in a constant conflict of picking their poison: give safety help to Fuller and open yourself up to getting gashed in the running game or take your chances not providing help. So that's why you see Tobias Merriweather and Rico Flores Jr. working at that spot. Conceivably Chris Tyree could work there.
Jayden Thomas is at his best into the boundary. He's going to see a lot of one-on-one coverage, and he can outmuscle most corners in those situations. He is not the field stretcher Tobias is on the field side. He could play there, but conceptually it's not as taxing on a defense. Should Tobias struggle long term, then you have to make a decision. My sense is that once he has a game with multiple catches, he'll start to gain the confidence he needs to start to ascend at that position.
Frank from Royse City, Texas: Eric, what is Aidan Keanaaina role with the team? Did he get any snaps against Navy? With Rubio out hopefully he can get some snaps. Thank you.
Eric Hansen: Senior nose guard Aidan Keanaaina is a backup nose guard for the Irish, who's trying to push his way up the depth chart. Gabe Rubio's knee injury will likely give him a chance to impress in practice this week to try to earn a larger role in Rubio's absence. Some of the interior D-linemen, such as Jason Onye, have position flexibility, so that plays into the plan of filling Rubio's void. Sophomore Donovan Hinish came in for Rubio in the Navy game. Keanaaina did not play on defense in the Navy game. If you're a subscriber to Inside ND Sports, we publish snap counts for every player, every week.
Jim Tal from Valley Center, Calif.: Eric, can't say how much your coverage of the Irish is appreciated. You truly are a go-to source. Would you not agree that G. Parker should make it a high priority this week to get Tobias M. and the tight ends actively involved in the pass game. After all, it's hard to imagine the ND offense being anywhere near its best if the aforementioned aren't playing a meaningful role as the season unfolds. Thanks as always.
Eric Hansen: Jim, thanks so much. It's not that Gerad Parker was avoiding getting them involved, and there were a few things at play in Tobias Merriweather and the tight end corps not getting any catches. First, Sam Hartman is going to find the open receiver. In the Navy game, he (and Steve Angeli on his one attempt) combined to target 10 DIFFERENT players. Jayden Thomas led the Irish with four targets and caught all four of those passes. Tobias was targeted twice, dropping one and being overthrown on one. So his opportunities were in line with everyone else's. Navy's defense of blitzing often and twisting and stunting prompted Parker to, at times, keep the tight end in to block. The tight ends were never thrown to, but Navy's scheme plays into it.
You have to go all the way back to the 2017 season when an Irish tight end did not have a reception in a game. That was also against Navy. In 2019, only third-stringer George Takacs had a catch against the Mids, while stars Cole Kmet and Tommy Tremble were shut out. So, I don't think this is going to be a trend for the rest of the season. Like so many things with Navy, I think it will be a one-off game. But for ND's offense to operate at its max dynamic, Tobias Merriweather needs to take advantage of his opportunities, how ever many there are. I think that will come in time.
Ced Walker from Saginaw, Mich.: Very well pleased with win our wr played good too merriweather will come around this week im hearing deion colzie doesn’t like to practice but play great when it's game time trust the golden standard rally we are nd go irish love thee notre dame our mother pray for us.
Eric Hansen: Hi Ced, I'm glad you didn't cite where you heard that about Deion Colzie. Can I assume it was during Happy Hour? Colzie has to work through some injury issues during camp early on. So it's hard to practice or play when your body's not right.
Petro4 from L.A.: Thanks for the great work, Eric. You have become the "must-see, go-to" for all true ND fans, and your hard work is appreciated by all of us. Gabriel Rubio's injury seems to be flying under the radar a little bit, but I feel it is cause for serious concern. He and Onye look to be absolute beasts and ready for primetime action. There doesn't appear to be any drop-off when they're on the field, and they're able to give Cross and Mills plenty of rest throughout a game. That rotation makes for a fresh interior 4 late in games. I don't recall the last time I was able to say this confidently about ND's D-line rotation. I'm concerned that his injury will be more serious than advertised and will cause him to be out for more than just "a couple of weeks." I would love to hear that he'll be back by the Ohio St. game, but my glass is half full. What information do you have on this and how does ND accommodate for the loss, if it is for an extended period? Thanks again.
Eric Hansen: Hi Petro4, thanks for the compliment. There have been times when injuries were understated in their severity. We'll follow up on that, hopefully, Thursday. What I can tell you is that I saw Gabe Rubio walking near Notre Dame Stadium right after the press conference on Monday. Marcus Freeman even joked to him "Hey, shouldn't you be limping?" And he was not limping. Marcus offered him a ride in his golf cart, and Rubio took him up on it. Then Tuesday night at coordinator/player interviews, DC Al Golden didn't seem overly concerned this would be long term when I was asking him about alternatives. But I agree with you, Rubio is really coming on and will be important in the big games.
Tim Thompson from Nantucket, Mass.: Hi all, the new rule keeping the game -clock running through first-downs was mentioned several times during the broadcast, but another rule change that I believe was in ND’s favor was no cut-blocking outside the tackle box. Because the game was so lopsided I didn’t see any impact, but also I am not an expert for that. Observations?
Eric Hansen: Hi Tim. The modification of the cut block rule, from people I've spoken with who are more schooled on the nuances of triple-option football, tell me that rule change does make it harder to be effective on the perimeter for Navy against defense's with speed on the edge. So yes, it's significant. I think that's one reason why Navy is excited about what Grant Chesnut can do as its offensive coordinator long term, because he is so creative about modifying the tradition triple-option.
Denny from Bullard, Texas: Hi Eric! What a game. As clean as I can remember. It seems the new clock tule shortened the game by a couple possessions is my only complaint! My question is for Sam Hartman’s 6th season what kind of academic schedule does he have?
Eric Hansen: Hi Denny. I'm really curious to see how that plays out in games in which a team is trying to come back. The clock does stop in the final two minutes, but a lot of those rallies start before the clock gets to that point. ... He didn't have any classes this summer and is in a non-degree-seeking curriculum this fall, so football is front and center.
Skip from Houston: Which recruit will be next to sign with Notre Dame?
Eric Hansen: Skip, I know you mean which recruit will next verbally commit to Notre Dame? Nobody can sign until December among the 2024s. My educated guess would be four-star offensive lineman Guerby Lambert. And it's an "educated" guess, because that's what my recruiting-savvy colleagues Tyler James and Charleston Bowles told me.
Mark from KC: Have you watched Swamp Kings? In your opinion, if Urban Meyer had come to ND would he have had success (National Championship or close) or would the restraints in recruiting et. al. and his coaching style been a mismatch for the job?
Eric Hansen: Hi Mark. I have not watched the Netflix documentary Swamp Kings, and have heard mixed reviews. But I think I can take a stab at your question without having seen it. I don't think Urban Meyer would be a fit now ... and perhaps at other points in his career. Could he have been after Tyrone Willingham was fired after the 2004 season? If he ADAPTED to the Notre Dame way, I think he could have been successful, but I don't think HE believed that. And it would have taken some time. ND did not have the football infrastructure then that it does now in terms of assistant coaches' salaries, training table, sports science resources, etc.
Tim - Pleasant Prairie WI: Hi Eric…why do you suppose Estime, Hartman and some other starters were left in the game so late after the game had been basically decided.
Eric Hansen: Hi Tim. Very reasonable question, and I think it comes down to the limited possessions and still needing to get work for the starters in improving chemistry. There were really seven offensive possessions with the eighth just covering 13 yards at the end of the game. And Audric Estimé was bench for a quarter and a half for the fumble, so I think they wanted to get him some work. If the score gets out of whack this week, I'd expect you'll see the starters exit quicker.
Mark from Orange County, Calif.: Hi Eric, I was so pleased with ND's performance in their season opener. They played with discipline( only penalized 1 time that I recall) solid play on both sides of the ball, and for me they won in the manner they should win, In the past there have been many wins that were escapes even though ND had large talent advantages.Were you expecting ND to play at the level they did against Navy? What do you want to see from ND in this week's game to make you believe this team has a very high ceiling? Thank you for your outstanding coverage of ND. It is truly appreciated by us fans in the good times and the not so good times.
Eric Hansen: Hi Mark, and thanks! Was I expecting ND to play at this level? I picked the Irish to win 38-16, so I was expecting Navy's offense to cause more problems early and then the Irish adjust and pull away. They adjusted much better and more quickly on defense than I had anticipated. And it wasn't easy. DC Al Golden said Tuesday night was a formation and a play they had never seen on tape or practiced. There are five aspects in every game I think are common threads that are good to achieve no matter who or what the competition. ... excelling in rush offense, pass efficiency, rush defense, total defense and turnover margin. I'd add pass rush this week to the formula.
Jeff from Phoenix: Good morning Eric! Once the coaches have seen 3-4 games of receiver productivity, is it possible to get our 3 best receivers on the field regardless of the position designations of field/boundary/slot? Restated, are those positions somewhat interchangeable so they don’t end up with a situation where talent is waiting on the sideline? Thanks!
Eric Hansen: Jeff, I touched on this a little earlier, but I'll add to the answer. It's one game, so let's let things play out a bit. I think ND is playing the best receivers it thinks it has. I also think you might see some four-wide receiver sets and maybe even five-wide receiver sets down the road, depending on matchups. I think you'll see some plays with two backs in at the same time. But to your point, if the players who emerged as the top receivers in camp don't emerge as the top receivers in games, ND's coaches will adjust.
Marie from Atlanta: Hi Eric, I hope you enjoyed the Navy game as much as I did, best season opener in a long time. Were you surprised how much ND was in 12 personnel and do think this will continue or Was part of the reason due to Navy being the opponent? How would you grade Biagi and the special teams ? If you could improve one thing only that would most help ND beat OSU what would it be? Thanks for hosting the chat, and thankful college football is back.
Eric Hansen: Hi Marie. Are you a Guinness partaker? I was actually sipping coffee, in part because of an early start to the day and in part maybe in support of Tyler James' jet lag. Not surprised at how much ND lined up in 12 personnel (one RB, two tight ends). Again, given Navy's blitzing and pressuring shenanigans, that made some sense. I also think Gerad Parker wants to have it in his toolbox and use it when it makes sense, perhaps not make it the offense's identity, but have it as a strong option when needed. Pro Football Focus gave the special teams a good grade, not great. And I would agree. They didn't get a lot of play from some units. The kickoff return team only appeared twice, and Navy kicked it away from deep man Devyn Ford both times. Punter Bryce McFerson never saw the field. I had a chance to sit in on the Marty Biagi interview Tuesday night, and he seemed encouraged, with room to improve.
To your last question, I would say pass rush. Navy only attempted six passes and was sacked on two other plays. If Notre Dame had an elite pass rush (and they might), that would level the playing field some against the Buckeyes on Sept. 23.
Mike from Phoenix: Eric, which teams in the top 10 do you feel will be overrated? This happens every year and lots of new QB’s starting at top 10 schools. People should never underestimate kids from the South side of Chicago. Do you feel the offense will be better this year as they spread the ball around instead of just relying on MM in years past? Do you feel MF wanted a shutout? Cheers!!!
Eric Hansen: Hmmm Mike. Since I am a poll voter, should I criticize my own ballot or just everyone else's? I think I'll pick on my own. I think Michigan will be pretty good, but how will we be able to tell with the schedule? I did not have Clemson in my top 10, but had them 12th. I think Tennessee at 11 is a little high. I did not vote for Oklahoma in my top 16. The team I went out on a limb about was Florida State. I might have the Seminoles too high.
Damon from Nashville: Eric, thank you for this chat and all your excellent coverage and reporting. A quick recruiting question: recently ND QB recruit Deuce Knight transferred from HS in Mississippi to the same high school in Tennessee in which ND CB recruit Kaleb Beasley (but is committed to UT). Does ND eventually land either of these players?
Eric Hansen: Hi Damon, I think Notre Dame has a better chance of landing 2025 QB Deuce Knight than flipping 2024 Tennessee CB commit Kaleb Beasley. Neither is a slam dunk and Beasley isn't an impossible flip. If they could split that, I think the Irish would be happy -- ecstatic if they could get both.
Bill from St Joe, Mich.: Hi Eric!! Have you had a chance to get an update on Zeke Correll’s ankle following the Navy game? BTW, I watch your’s and Tyler’s “Football Never Sleeps”, but it continues to be mystifying as to how to submit a question when you guys are “live”…Unfortunately no grandchildren with whom to consult.
Eric Hansen: Hi Bill, I have six of them and they only live a half hour from you. so maybe I could rent one to you? Thanks for the kind words. Don't watch the show on our site. Make sure you're watching on YouTube. Tyler James goes over the instructions very early in the show. If you're still having issues, email me and I can try to walk you through it.
Tom from Toronto: Hi Eric, I have really enjoyed your work this summer, and in particular the in-depth articles on Sam Hartman and Audric Estime. Both really well written and insightful. Thank you. As to my questions, do you know whether Coach Freeman was involved in calling some of the offensive plays against Navy and regardless, whether he intends to be involved as the year goes on? And possibly a difficult question to answer now, if he does get involved in offensive play calling, do you expect that he will be good at it and that he will enjoy doing so? Thank you again for your excellent work.
Eric Hansen: Hi Tom. Thanks. Marcus is more involved in the front end of things offensively, during the week rather than on game day. On game day, he's like a lot of head coaches, more the veto man or the let's go for it on fourth down, etc. It would be pretty cumbersome to get too much more involved in that. Maybe between series. Some guys eventually make the flip from being defensive coaches to offensive play-callers. Brian Kelly was a DC VERY early in his career. Maybe years down the road Marcus will want to do it and be good at it, but I don't think now is that time.
Sean, Schaumburg IL: I just heard/read Stanford, Cal and SMU are potential additions to the ACC. Yawn. The cross-country travel, alone, will be a huge detriment to Stanford/Cal. What basketball/baseball team is gonna wanna head out to Atlanta/Chapel Hill/etc, for a roadie/3-game set and travel 6 hours back to Nor Cal and get up for classes at 8am on a Monday? This does nothing to convince me that the ACC is a league that will be picked apart by the Big Ten/SEC. Florida State will start the exodus to the SEC. Pitt/Cuse/BC look like solid additions to the Big Ten. Go Irish!!
Eric Hansen: Sean you have to follow the money. The reason that those schools didn't have the votes to be admitted but might now is that ESPN is willing to make it worth it to the ACC financially to do so. Is it the best thing for the student-athletes? No. But in the game of conference survival, having a competitive revenue stream means everything. Just ask the schools that left the Pac-12. Without those additions, the ACC is locked into a below-market TV compensation package until the middle of next decade.
Damon from Nashville: Hi Eric, thank you for all your excellent coverage and reporting. Much-appreciated!
Eric Hansen: Damon, thanks!
Tanker from New Mexico: Hi Eric, happy Wednesday brotha! The stellar Irish performance brought forth one prominent observation in mind and that was how much Marcus Freeman is much more tactful and successful in integrating all his weapons on both sides of the ball regardless of their class. Talent and speed finds the field in some capacity even if it is a Freshman or Sophomore, which was great to see. Firstly do you feel this is recency bias on my end or is there a stark difference in Freeman's willingness and ability to work talented underclassmen into gameplans rather than shelfing them for years and referencing their "traits" as perhaps past leadership did. Would be interested on whether or not you feel this is a mirage that i'm perceiving and whether or not it has a material impact on recruiting top talent who expects to play right away.
Eric Hansen: I think you are seeing tangible evidence of this — Benjamin Morrison last year being perhaps the best example of it. He was a June enrollee, and CBs coach Mike Mickens, DC Al Golden and Marcus Freeman were all willing to live with some growing pains early. Brian Kelly wasn't so willing to do that with a lot of the younger plays unless he had to. In Kelly's defense, he had a lot of assistant coaches who wanted to play the older players, trusted them, maybe coached them up better. Freeman has assistant coaches — especially Mickens, WRs coach Chansi Stuckey and RBs coach Deland McCullough — who are good at coaching young players and are fearless about giving them opportunities. I think with the newer transfer portal rules, there's more urgency to get players on the field earlier. So no, I do not think it's recency bias, Tanker.
Tom Kennesaw, GA: Hi Eric, what a great way to start the season.... well from MF's presser on Monday it sounds like you have a great relationship with him. He sounds like he respects your questions and the job that you do just like we do in the chats. A couple of questions: beside OSU and Clemson, what other opponents will be playing first time starters at QB? I hope this will give us a big advantage in those games. #2) Does TSU have some dangerous playmakers that could make this game tough? #3) Will our DL be able to generate some sacks or will Coach Golden have to find other ways to generate a disruptive pass rush going forward? As always, thanks for all your hard work and insight. Go Irish!!!
Eric Hansen: Thanks, Tom. To your questions. Not a lot of true first-time starters. By true -- former Virginia QB Brennan Armstrong is NC State's starter. Former Cal and Purdue starter Jack Plummer is Louisville's No. 1. He started against the Irish in the past for both of those teams. Phil Jurkovec is Pitt's No. 1. ... The true newbies you did not mention will be at Wake Forest and Stanford. 2) Tennessee State's strong suit in a 4-7 season last year was defense. Not a lot of offensive stars, though Marcus Freeman touted QB Draylen Ellis and RB Jalen Rouse. 3) I think you'll see both from Golden -- D-linemen getting sacks and linebackers pressuring as well. The pass rush is still the part of the ND game we haven't had a chance to see prove itself yet.
Don in Scottsdale: Eric, I was impressed with Freeman's organization of staff and their execution of the game plan game day. If he can keep it up this will be a good year. My question for you. Do you see his growth and is there something you are seeing that we can not. Keep up the great work; this season may be something special.
Eric Hansen: Hi Don. I saw it every day during camp in a number of ways, which I've enumerated. From how he organizes practice, to leaning into sports science, to handling adversity, to having his OWN vision and trusting it, to learning from his mistakes, including not going to the transfer portal for a QB last season.
Bob (Oxnard CA): Just returned from a surf trip in Fiji and hope the team has better luck with jet lag than me . . . What is Hinish’s best attribute/talent as an interior DL?
Eric Hansen: Hi Bob. Hope you figured out how to watch the game. Quickness, toughness. Really good instincts.
Dave Alvord - Bowling Green, OH: Against Navy in 2022 Pyne was 14-16 for 234 yards and 4 TDs… at the half. Compared to Hartman’s 19-23 for 251 and 4 TDs for the day. Hartman had a much better supporting cast than Pyne (OL, DEF, WR, coaching, etc). After one game, can we conclude that Hartman raises the ceiling or is everyone overreacting to a good performance against a bad Navy team?
Eric Hansen: Hey Dave. We got this question on the podcast too, so I'm ready for it. I don't think the Hartman response is an overreaction. Let's look beyond the numbers. Drew Pyne led his team to 35 first-half points and zero in the second. And 12 offensive yards. So, Navy found a way to neutralize him and everyone around him. Sam Hartman was strong in both halves. He wasn't sacked (Pyne was five times) in part because he knew where to go with the ball to do damage against the blitz (9-for-9 vs. the blitz). He knew how to slide protections and check out of bad plays based on his read of the defense.
Patrick from Los Angeles: What impresses you most about the Navy victory, and what areas do you see as having the most room for growth and improvement? Thank you.
Eric Hansen: Hi Patrick. There is a long list of things to be impressed with, not the least of which was one penalty and zero turnovers. Most room for improvement? Getting Tobias Merriweather on track and feeling confident. Most unproven is the pass rush, though ND did get two sacks against a team that didn't throw it much.
George from El Segundo: Hi Eric, and best wishes from the home of the Little League World Champions! Since you watched ND v Navy on TV like many of us last week, I’m wondering about your opinion of the telecast. Because you’ve always been the epitome of discretion and class, I’m not expecting you to go full Lasorda on us (“What’s my opinion of Kingman’s performance?”). But I do welcome your input on what appears to be another season of slick gibberish with way too many failures to provide basic information needed for a good telecast: who made the tackle, down and distance, etc., et al., ad Infinitum, ad nauseam (for all of us who still remember our high school Latin classes!). Thank you and here’s to a great year for you and the Irish!
Eric Hansen: Hi George and congrats to the LL champs. I did watch the telecast, but I'm not as helpful as you might give me credit for being. Because I was covering the game and not just watching it for fun, I'm not paying much attention to the announcers. Just the visuals. I can see who made the tackle, etc., because I am familiar with the uniform numbers and am not used to relying on someone for that (I watch live with binoculars). What I did catch was a mixture of good and not so good. I know Noah Eagle was a late fill-in for an ailing Jac Collinsworth, so maybe that was why he called ND's center Zeke "Sorrell." Jason Garrett had more tidbits than I remember him contributing in the games I rewatched last year, but again I am so locked into what I am watching, I didn't notice a good portion of the banter. Am I fired as a TV critic?
Tom from G.R. via Dowagiac: Eric, Happy Home Game Week!!!! I truly knew this offense was different, when Estimé slipped the blitzer and caught the dump off from Hartman in stride and kept motoring. Now my question(s): At this point is it a mental thing with Merriweather? With the throw in the endzone it really looked like he waited on the throw rather than attacking it. Do you see the coaches making an effort to get him involved early and often to get just a little glimpse of confidence or do they make him battle up from the canvas. Is Ziegler back and running with the #2’s or is he still on family leave? Finally, depending on Saturday’s circumstances could we see Angelli get a series with the #1’s (before hopeful bench clearing time) As always, appreciate what you do for all of us! GO IRISH ☘️🏈☘️
Eric Hansen: Hi Tom, I appreciate you, too. 1) I've seen this with other players of Merriweather's caliber, where there is a mental hurdle to clear in the stage from being a phenom where everything you do is applauded to a key piece in the offense (or defense) where you are counted on, and your game will be picked apart on a weekly basis. Given his strong support system and maturity, I think this is something he'll conquer sooner than later or never.
Nolan Ziegler is not on the depth chart and I'm not sure he'll play anytime soon, but we'll see. I don't think we'll see the scenario you outlined regarding Steve Angeli unless Hartman's helmet pops off or his contact lens falls out (not even sure he wears contacts, I do). If Marcus Freeman wants to get Steve some reps with the 1s, he can do it in practice and against better corners than he's likely to see on most weeks this season, if not all.
Jordan - Shadow of the Dome SB: It's clear that Hartman and Greathouse have a great deal of chemistry and trust in one another. Do you think this is a by-product of being drafted to the Gold Team together when most of the other wr weapons went with Tyler or is it simply because Jaden is more developed than the rest of the wr room. Also, do you happen to know when the Duke game time will be announced. Thanks.
Eric Hansen: Hi Jordan. Jaden Greathouse, as Marcus Freeman has confirmed a couple of times, benefited from playing in a college-style offense against very good competition, and he took advantage of that. He has made similar remarks about Rico Flores. And yes, they're both really talented. ... The ACC will probably announce the Duke kick time two weeks before the game, but they do have the option to delay it to six days before the game.
Dan, Vernon Hills IL: Eric, I really enjoy the chats and your thorough answers to questions. How much will Notre Dame miss Bill Rees and who has assumed that role?
Eric Hansen: Hi Dan. I enjoy the chats as well because of you all. Fun part of my week. Butler Benton has assumed the role of assistant athletic director for football player personnel, which is wider in scope than what Bill Rees was doing. I think Butler is already proving to be a worthy replacement.
Eric Hansen: Ugh, I typed too slow and I need to move on, so that's going to do it for this week. Apologies for the questions I couldn't get to. Thanks for all the great questions that I did get to. We'll be back to do it all over again next Wednesday at noon ET.
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