Chat Transcript: How big? How red? How does the Notre Dame pass rush rate?
Eric Hansen: Welcome to Notre Dame Football Live Chat brought to you by J&R Solutions.
It's Ohio State week. It's also a week where the "no bare feet" rule for chat has been suspended as long as Notre Dame is undefeated.
Some quick programming notes:
► If you missed the last episode of our aspiring-to-be-viral Notre Dame Football YouTube show, Football Never Sleeps, it keeps its shelf life long after the live presentation. We’ve settled into our Monday night 7 ET time slot. 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. We’re also partnering with WSBT-TV this season, including collaborating on highlights and analysis. Here’s sports director Pete Byrne and me doing a quick run-through of this week’s game.
► On this week’s Inside ND Sports Podcast, we caught up with Doug Lesmerises, longtime Ohio State beat writer and columnist. Lesmerises, who hosts the Kings of Columbus show on THE Podcast YouTube channel and podcast feeds, discussed if this year's Notre Dame-OSU game feels bigger than last year, the defensive improvement for OSU since losing to Michigan, OSU's pass rush, what the Buckeyes have on offense with their running game, QB Kyle McCord and big-play receivers, what's happened with former ND wide receiver Lorenzo Styles, the perception of head coach Ryan Day and more. The podcast can be listened to via SoundCloud or on your preferred podcast platform including: Apple Podcasts, Spotify, Google Podcasts, Podbean and Pocket Casts.
► And, finally, thanks to all who have been listening to WSBT radio this season, as I have rejoined Darin Pritchett as a co-host on Weekday SportsBeat (960 AM, live streaming at wsbtradio.com) on Wednesdays and Thursdays during the 2023 Notre Dame Football season. I'm also 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 9 a.m. ET. You can download episodes as podcasts.
Eric Hansen: On to this week's chat …
Please remember to include your name and hometown along with your question(s).
Here are the rules, including the one that's been rescinded.
Eric Hansen: Off we go ...
Ken from Steel City, Pa.: Hi Eric, thanks again for all you do for us fans across the nation. A few comments (you can add additional commentary if you'd like) and a few questions. Commentary- I have been pleased with Gerad Parker as OC this season and feel the offense has looked much better than what is being ran down in Tuscaloosa. Questions- 1) is this the biggest game ND has hosted in the last 20 years, 2) are you concerned about a sea of red overtaking the green out? I am. Has the school done anything to prevent this? 3) great article by your team on Obi. Will ND use him to fire up the crowd early in the game this week? I am pumped and cannot wait to be rowdy Saturday night!
Eric Hansen: Hi Ken. So you gave me a 20-year reference window ... I started with the Bush Push game of 2005, It was No. 9 vs. No. 1 USC in Charlie Weis' first year. In the moment, it felt like one of the most significant college games I had covered in now more than four decades of covering college football. Even with ND losing, 34-31, it felt like Notre Dame football was back for good. ... in part because of that game. But the shelf life was shorter than expected. ND went 3-9 two years later. And two years after that, Charlie Weis was out of a job. There have been only five games in which top 10 teams have visited Notre Dame Stadium, kind of a weird anomaly given how many have happened away from South Bend. In only three of them were both teams ranked in the top 10.
For me, the Notre Dame upending of No. 1 Clemson is sitting on top of that list. It got the Irish into a playoff for the second time in a three-year span and made them attractive enough to attract a rising defensive coordinator in Marcus Freeman when DC Clark Lea left after that season. Could this game be bigger? In time, if it leads to Notre Dame winning more recruiting battles and making the playoff this season and winning a game there.
I should point out that the Clemson game of 2020 may not have felt big, because there was no one on campus during the week, no one tailgating and only 11,000 people in the stadium, and like nine of us in the press box. It was surreal but still significant. ... I'm not sure how to gauge how much red will be in the stadium Saturday night (actually scarlet). I know a lot of Ohio State people who generally come to games like this could not get tickets. But I think the atmosphere either way is going to be amazing. ... I don't know for sure, but I would expect superfan Obi to work his way onto the video board Saturday night ... and thanks for the compliments. Tyler James did a great job with it, I agree.
Jon from Bellaire, Ohio: Hi Eric. As far as opposing fans in the stadium go, do you see this one being closer to Cincinnati, Georgia, or Nebraska? Any reason this seems to be an ND problem? We have the second largest fanbase and a ton of wealthy alums. What gives? I don’t see this happening in Columbus or Tuscaloosa.
Eric Hansen: Hi Jon. Of those three choices, I'd say Cincinnati in 2021, another top 10 matchup. And those people were LOUD. It really comes down to people wanting to make money. Now with Nebraska, I don't think ND fans were expecting a competitive game against the No. 1 team at the time. Remember, it was only game 2 of that season, and Notre Dame was coming off a 5-7 season. That same might have worked into the ND/Georgia game. Those teams both ended up being much better than they were rated coming into that game. The Irish were 24 and Georgia 15th. And ND was coming off a 4-8 season, with ND-Georgia being game 2 of the 2017 season. Will this year be different?
Both schools were ranked high to start the season and ND has moved up from 13th. The Irish also finished a 9-4 season well with a win over an SEC team in a bowl game. Notre Dame did not sell tickets to the public for this. I had someone on Twitter bashing them for that strategy, and it's hard to get into a meaningful conversation 280 characters at a time. His point was that season ticket holders, he claimed, could buy up to 12 tickets. I still don't understand why that was looked upon as a flawed strategy. Obviously, none of them are airtight.
Related content
► Even with high grades, Notre Dame LT Joe Alt remains focused on improvement
► Transcript: OC Gerad Parker ahead of Ohio State game
► Meet Obi, the shirtless junior student who fired up Notre Dame Stadium
► Notre Dame football depth chart projection for Ohio State game
► Notre Dame adds final piece to OL with 2024 four-star OT Guerby Lambert
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Tim from Kansas City: Coach Freeman stated in his press conference that defensive pass efficiency numbers are the overall goal rather than sacks. With the receiver talent and relative inexperience at QB, what strategy do you see translating into desired results against Ohio State?
Eric Hansen: Tim, I think hidden in your question is: Do sacks matter? I think you could make a case in the first four games for the Irish, they didn't matter as much, given the overall objectives of the defense against dual-threat QBs and the structure of those offenses. I think it means more this week, with a still relatively inexperienced QB, in Kyle McCord, and two offensive tackles that have gone through some growing pains in replacing the two studs they had last year. McCord is not a dual threat. OSU receivers are more dangerous. And so sacks will matter in terms of getting the Buckeyes into 2nd-and-17 or 3rd-and-16. Now can ND get a great rush with its front four, or does it need to mix in linebackers (as it has done this season)? Probably the latter, which can leave you exposed if you don't disguise it well. Is McCord savvy enough to take advantage of that? We're going to find out Saturday night.
Pass-efficiency defense does matter. It matters a lot. It reflects rushed passes, great coverage, turnovers. Some really good teams that play good or great defense are in ND's statistical neighborhood in sacks at this juncture. The Irish are 104th. Washington and Ohio State are tied for 91st. Clemson and Georgia are tied for 106th. ... Who are the top five teams in sacks? Wake Forest, Louisiana, Marshall, Nebraska and Texas State. None of those teams are going to the playoff. But again, this week QB pressure is HUGE.
Lorne from Reno, Nev.: Heading back for the game this week and I couldn't be more excited. I am glad that ND didn't play that well against Central - you don't want to have your best game against a bad team, you want to have it against, say, tOSU. This reminds me of 1988, when we struggled to beat Pitt the week before the big home game against Miami. Let's hope this year we can replicate the giant-slaying of that year and, while we're at it, the other thing that team did. No question, just the usual appreciation for the chats and, of course, GO IRISH!
Eric Hansen: I appreciate it, Lorne. Hope you have a blast.
Bob from Manchester, Tenn.: Eric, I noticed after Hartman's knee got tweaked that he uncharacteristically had a couple of inaccurate passes in a row. Do you have any idea whether that was just a coincidence, or was there possibly some correlation between temporary gimpiness and off-target throws?
Eric Hansen: Hi Bob. I certainly didn't notice that live, but what I can tell you is Sam Hartman had a 15-minute press conference on Monday and was asked if he was injured. He said he was not, he was fine. His concern that he expressed to the official was whether the defender deliberately was trying to injure him. He then said after watching the film, it was clear that the defender didn't do that, that it was just kind of a pile-up and he fell into Hartman.
Manny from San Pedro: Eric!!!!!! This is why we love college football!!!!! I’ll be eating tacos and listening to Taylor swift to hype up for the game Tribune style! What kind of game favors us? 55 is the over under. Would a low scoring game or a game that goes over?
Eric Hansen: Manny!!!!!!! I love it. I suggested, when asked, a couple of times this week that Taylor Swift should be the guest picker on College GameDay. And you have a good memory about the tacos during my 33+ years at the Trib. I'm at Inside ND Sports now, but Taco bars still seem like the right thing to do. .... I would say a higher-scoring game would favor ND, because the Irish, going in, have the better quarterback.
Jim from Oakwood, Ohio: Hi Eric!!!!!! I am not normally a !! person but I am fired up for Saturday’s game! I loved your Obi column and nominate him for The ND Fan HOF! I also loved your recent column about the Eight Impact Players for the game: Great analysis, insight and writing! My question is: how many of those 8 players do you believe, more probably than not, will rise to the occasion in a meaningful way? If there are some “no’s” I am not asking you to publicly name them…just wondered on a general basis. Did Gabe’s Tues practice go ok … expected to play Sat? Even though you are working, I hope you find time to enjoy the game! Be well and Go Irish!!!
Eric Hansen: Jim!!!!!!!! If you're going to do exclamation points, this is the week for them. Thank you for the kind words, but Tyler did the Obi story. I just referenced him in my game column. As far as the eight impact players, I feel pretty good about seven rising to the occasion, but I feel like No. 8 is going to have his day. Just not sure if it will arrive this week. ... I had a chance to chat with DC Al Golden Tuesday night. He said Gabe Rubio's first practice since suffering a knee injury vs. Navy on Aug. 26 went well.
He said they're trying to manage his workload, so that he can see some snaps on Saturday. They'll do the same for JD Bertrand and DJ Brown in their recoveries to ensure they're full go Saturday. It'll be easier for them to shake the rust, because it's been a much shorter absence for both of them.
Jim Tal from Valley Center, Calif.: Hello Eric, so appreciate your insightful perspective on all things ND football. In many ways, this OSU game has the feel of a program-defining game for the Irish. Should they lose, the same narrative of ND can't win the big ones will be trotted out and discussed ad nauseum. In your opinion, how pivotal is this game in terms of how Freeman will be perceived, where the program currently sits and just how impactful the fallout from a potential loss might be? Wishing you the best.
Eric Hansen: Hi Jim. Thanks. I do think there's a huge prize as far as perception goes should Notre Dame win the game. But for both Ohio State and ND, this can't be the end-all, be-all. It needs to be the first step in a sequence of big games. The Buckeyes still have two top 10 teams to play, in Penn State and Michigan. The Irish have Duke on the road in prime time next week, a top 5 USC team in three weeks and Clemson on the road in November. So the euphoria or the fallout won't have much time to ferment into big-picture implications.
With Notre Dame being the underdog, I'm not sure a loss necessarily would be irreversibly damaging. I'm not trying to minimize this, just point out that winning this game, then losing two or three others, or losing this game and then running the table are possible scenarios with longer-term effects. I think why Brian Kelly got such a knock is in his 4-12 mark against Top 10 teams while at ND, the Irish weren't competitive in most of those losses. In Marcus Freeman's for Top 10 confrontations, their largest loss was 11 -- to Ohio State in Columbus last year and in a game they had the lead with 18 seconds left in the third quarter. ... and thank you.
Bob from Oxnard, Calif.: Is there a pep rally (if so, when/where). I flew out from CA with family and want to take it all in!
Eric Hansen: Hi Bob. Hope you and your family have a great time. I'm including a link to the list of activities on Friday and Saturday. There is NO pep rally, but there's lots of other stuff going on. There are also a couple of luncheons not listed on there, one connected to awards and one connected to NIL that the Golics are hosting. Here the link for all the activities: https://experience.nd.edu/events/page/1/
Ryan from Mars, Pa.: Good afternoon, Mike. What do you think about The Play of Audric Estime and Sam Hartman. Go Irish. Beat Ohio State. What is your score prediction?
Eric Hansen: Mike? Ryan, are you at Happy hour?
Tom Kennesaw, GA: Hi Eric, well this first third of the season has been very encouraging and enjoyable. Now comes the toughest part of the schedule. Depending on HOW we play Saturday the rest of the season should be very exciting. If ND is not able to run the ball as well as they would like, do you think that Sam and the young WR's can be good enough to get us a win??? My dream scenario is a very close game with the Irish converting on a 60 yard FG at the end to win it!!!! Go Irish!!!
Eric Hansen: Wow, what a dream scenario you have, Tom. ...as far as the nightmare part, if ND can't run the ball? I think ND showed in the NC State game it can use the run to open the pass, but also use the pass to open the run -- something ND hasn't been able to do for years. So will it be enough if ND leans more into the pass? It depends what's happening with the Irish defense. I can't answer that question in a vacuum. But Sam Hartman combined with the in-game adjusting OC Gerad Parker has shown in his first four games lends me to believe that at least the Irish have a fighting chance in that scenario.
Don in Scottsdale: Eric, As usual you and the Inside ND team are on the mark. Keep up the great work. 2 questions, JD, Jack and Marist seem like they've been playing a long time and always a lot of snaps per game (I know Kiser is out when a safety or nickel is rover). Is it because they are that good or is it because the guys behind aren't? How long a leash will Spindler have Saturday night and if replaced who will come in?
Eric Hansen: Thanks for the feedback Don, and thank you for subscribing. To your first question, experience, leadership and understanding the defense means something. It shows up in their film grades (from Pro Football Focus), especially Jack Kiser. JD's elite play diagnosis skills give him an extra step in speed. But the second part of your question is quite the opposite. Those guys are good and have a chance to be better than the JD/Kiser/Marist group as they gain experience. They are also smart, and they're in general more gifted athletes. Even though all three of the first group you mentioned have sixth-year options, I don't expect most of them back, if any. So your starting 2024 linebacker could very well be Drayk Bowen, Jaylen Sneed and Jaiden Ausberry with some very strong rotational players that would include Nolan Ziegler, Kyngstonn Viliamu-Asa and Preston Zinter.
Remember, Rocco Spindler was an investment, just as CB Ben Morrison was last year. The Morrison payoff, after weeks of growing pains, was huge. That doesn't guarantee Spindler will work out the same way, but the thinking is the same. If ND were considering a change, it would have been far better to make that on Monday and practice together during the week, than try to pull that off during a game -- let alone a game of this magnitude.
Maria Guadalupe from Ranch Cucamonga, Cal.: Eric, we love your coverage of ND football in these parts! Will you/do you have a rooting interest in this Saturday’s game?
Eric Hansen: Thank you Maria. My only rooting interest is that my Keurig machine doesn't break down before I go to bed at likely 6 or 7 a.m. (They boot us out of the press box an hour after the game.)
Andrew: Andrew from Sioux Falls. Lighter question to ease the OSU week. Would rather try to tackle Audric Esteme in a drill or he tackled by Marist?
Eric Hansen: Gee, Andrew, would you rather have burnt steak or ketchup licorice swirl ice cream to eat? I'd go with the Marist Liufau scenario. Jordan Botelho would have made the question harder.
Matt from Salem, Ore.: Thank you for your insight and time. Were there any hard feelings about accepting Deuce, on the weekend Bear was visiting? This is the big weekend. Can you share those efficiency stats that you mentioned would be indicators? Without them, just my eyes I feel mixed. Can't seem to run when teams expect it, and there's pressure to disrupt on some big plays. Are you worried that in a tight game where more plays are meaningful those weaknesses show up more? Thanks for your time and everything you do.
Eric Hansen: Hi Matt. There were a lot of twists in the 2025 quarterback commitment story. Basically, it came down to who was going to commit first. Notre Dame liked both, still does. I do too. Deuce Knight had to move up his timeline to make this happen. Otherwise, we'd be talking about Bear Bachmeier, who again I think will be a great catch for someone.
The key metrics are rush offense, pass efficiency, rush defense, total defense and turnover margin. Notre Dame, respectively, is 26-3-41-4-28. Pretty good. Ohio State is 68-24-19-3-29, so pretty close. Just for fun here is No. 1 Georgia this year: 75-43-22-15-8 (which means offense is where their fault line is now). Last year, Georgia, in winning the title, was 19-6-1-9-65. ... Am I worried about weaknesses showing up in a big game? They're not my responsibility, so no worries, but I get what you're asking. Good/great teams have better resources, in general, with which to attack your weaknesses. Not always, but usually.
Shaun from Boston: I can’t put my finger on the D Line’s performance through 4 games. Can they impress this Saturday? What changes would you make to the D Line in terms of scheme/personnel (if any) ahead of OSU? Thank you!
Eric Hansen: I would describe ND's D-line through for games as whelming, and I know that's not a real work but ... humor me.. Not overwhelming. Not underwhelming. They have a lot of good players. They can rotate three deep at some positions without a significant drop-off. That does matter. But do they have difference-makers? This is the week we find out. I would not change personnel, though I might give Jason Onye more reps and I'd give Gabe Rubio some snaps coming back from injury in the rotation. I'd also maybe bump up Josh Burnham to No. 2 at vyper.
Jim from Florida: What was # 8 on defense PFF for CMU? He seemed to regress from his performance against NC State.
Eric Hansen: Hi Jim. No. 8, for those who don't have the uniform numbers memorized, is linebacker Marist Liufau, who was far and away the surprise player on the team through three games. Game 4, he was far down the Pro Football Focus grades. I think some of that was JD Bertrand missing and all the linebackers having different responsibilities and getting out of their rhythm with regard to rotations. They adjusted well to it in the NC State game, not so well (other than Kiser) against Central Michigan. The sense I got from DC Al Golden Tuesday night was that Marist snapped back to form in practice and had a good one. And the Irish will need him to be at the top of his game.
Marie from Atlanta: Hi Eric, I hope you’re having a great week. I can’t believe Ohio State week is finally here. Which matchups do you think most favor Notre Dame in the game and which matchups do you feel most favor Ohio State? If you could pick one player on offense ( not including Sam Hartman) and one player on defense who could have their best game ever who would you pick, that you think would most help Notre Dame win the game? Thanks for hosting the chats and the great insights.
Eric Hansen: Hi Marie. Great to have you back and testing my analytical limits again. ... Let's start with the back end of that question. Really intriguing. Fortunately, I kind of wrote about this in a roundabout way earlier this week. On defense, former OSU DE Javontae Jean-Baptiste. And Al Golden was really complimentary Tuesday night about how he's coming on. On offense, OG Rocco Spindler. Look, if the guy wasn't mentally tough and committed, he would have jumped in the portal last May after finishing spring No. 2 and not having played much his first two years. But Ohio State will try to attack ND's offensive line at what it perceives to be its most-vulnerable point. The Buckeye did last year with good success at it. This year could be different, but we'll see. Very talented front 7.
As far as matchups, there are so many, and I don't want to get them too disjointed where they don't add up to big-picture results. So here's the bottom line. If Notre Dame wins both lines of scrimmage (OSU did last year) and has the better QB performance (OSU did last year), the Irish will walk out of Notre Dame Stadium with their fifth win of the year. Do I think ND holds those advantages? I think the first two are a push, but I think ND holds the edge at No. 3. ... And I am not downplaying Marvin Harrison Jr., Emeka Egbuka and Co., against Cam Hart, Ben Morrison, Jaden Mickey, Thomas Harper, etc. But ND can tilt those matchups in its favor by winning the pass rush/OSU O-line battle.
Sean, Schaumburg IL: Eric, great breakdown on Football Never Sleeps! I like your metrics that you utilize to determine success. My concern, and I'll be in ND Stadium for the game with a childhood friend who's an OSU fan, is ball security. Hartman was pressured a couple times in the NC State game that led to a TO in our own end. Luckily, the D held and a missed FG ensued. Estime gives me pause. What do you think the coaches are practicing/preaching during practice to ensure ball security? One TO in a critical moment(I'm still seeing Tommy Rees on the Michigan 3-yard line muff the snap and starting the complete disintegration of a game we controlled for 3.5 quarters in 2011 in Ann Arbor.) I was at that game as well. One TO. One blown play-the 3rd and 15 blitz in Columbus comes to mind-and it could be game over. ND 27 OSU 23. No TOs and we win. TOs we lose. GO IRISH!!
Eric Hansen: Sean, good take. I think Notre Dame needs to be at least turnover-even/neutral in this game. And I can say that in every practice we were in, full or partial, ball security drills were the very first thing the offensive players worked on after stretching/warmups. So it is emphasized daily. And Freeman/Deland McCullough reinforced it when Audric fumbled in the opener and then pulled him for a while. That said, I'm sure OSU DC Jim Knowles is talking to his team about trying to force those TOs.
Drue in Springfield: Great day for a chat with the swami of ND football!!!! This team is competent with some good depth at all position groups for the first time this century. My question is what two players ND missed in recruiting, one offense and one on defense, that could make this team one of the favorites to win it all.....not that anyone could eliminate that outcome at this point? I am expecting a Notre Dame victory on Sat. if the Irish can play without turnovers, penalties, and execution blunders.
Eric Hansen: Swami? Wait a minute, I'm kind of jazzed by that reference. This is a tough one, because I really tried to only go with guys Notre Dame was deeply involved with, not just who had an ND offer. OFF THE TOP OF MY HEAD ... I'd go with OG Zak Zinter -- Preston's older brother -- on offense, with Washington WR Jalen McMillan was No. 2. On defense, if he were healthy -- and he's not -- Keon Keeley from last year's class at DE. He's now sitting, recovering, incubating at Alabama.
Alex from Cincinnati: Hi Eric. It looks like it will be a rainy day in South Bend on Saturday. My hunch is that this will help ND, but wanted to get your thoughts. Does a rainy day favor ND or OSU. Thanks!
Eric Hansen: I will post the screenshot in the transcript, and maybe I am bookmarking the wrong weather page, but my forecast says zero percent chance of rain. So I am confused. ND certainly has the experience of playing in it and scoring 45 points in it, so if my weather forecaster is at Happy Hour with Ryan from Mars, Pa., then I would say ND will be OK in the rain.
Myliah, El Cerrito, CA: Eric, I noticed that former ND QBs Jurkovic, Buchner, and Pyne didn't have just bad games last week; they were historically awful (the only remaining QB transfer, Clark, never made starter at Old Dominion, and retired last year). Maybe this was a fluke, or maybe ND wasn't great at talent assessment and/or development. Now, however, we have multiple freshman on the field and sophomores surging. If there has been great change in talent ID and development in the program, where do you see it? Why is it improving?
Eric Hansen: Myliah, you are on top of things. I think we need to separate quarterback evaluations/development from the other positions. I do think Notre Dame, by and large, under Kelly was a strong player-development program. With QBs? It was largely the missing piece, chronically and consistently. And it wasn't always for the same reasons. I do think Marcus Freeman set a higher standard toward evaluation and QB recruiting and the portal (in and out) will be a part of that, perhaps more intermittently than steady given the talent ND is starting to stack in back-back-to-back classes. But keep an eye on QBs coach Gino Guidugli moving forward. I think he's extremely thorough in getting his eyes on a lot of players, forming relationships with them, evaluating them well ... and I think he's very good in development.
Joe P. from Los Angeles: Hello Eric. Thanks again for your great work and for being our omniscient source for ND football. My question relates to ND's defense against the Buckeyes. While there have been some bright moments so far this season, there have also been too many chunk plays given up to much lesser opponents. I believe (i) our safeties are weak in coverage, which the Buckeyes will undoubtedly try to exploit, (ii) our linebackers tend to get themselves out of position on a regular basis, and (iii) our d-line does not get off blocks efficiently enough to consistently create havoc plays in the offensive backfield. Two questions. First, does my analysis hold any water, or is it simply a "glass is half empty" take on the defense? Second, how do you see ND addressing their defensive deficiencies in light of our upcoming opponent? Thanks again.
Eric Hansen: Hi Joe. We're moving into lightning-round mode, because I have a commitment coming up here that I can't move. The short answer is Notre Dame is No. 4 in the nation in total defense. Are there flaws? Yep. Are they fixable? I believe they are? Will they show up Saturday night? Yes, but so will their strengths and their growth.
Matt from Gulfport: Do you think there will be an emphasis this week on fair catching punts rather than standing back and watching 10-20 yards of roll each time? That will be valuable real estate on Saturday. Should consideration be given to having 2 returners?
Eric Hansen: Not in favor of the second returner. If Alex from Cincinnati is wrong about the wet forecast, I'm all in favor of Chris Tyree saving some yardage with a fair catch instead of letting it roll.
Len from the Jersey Shore: Hello Eric, I will be at the game and wearing green. To all ND ticket holders. Keep your ticket and wear green!! Last week it appeared to me that Sam H was searching for open receivers. Often pressure ultimately came when he could not. Both NC State and Central Michigan tried to change the timing of receivers and confuse them as to what pattern option to take. This allowed the D to dial up more stop the run defenses. At NC State using the tight ends was the solution. Versus Central Michigan it was the deep pass. I give Sam H an A this year in finding that adjustment to the passing game. I give the Coordinator/O Staff a B because it took too long IMO in the NC State game. I give the young wideouts a C in making route adjustments. Do you agree with these grades and these adjustments? Are all of these areas ready to make those adjustments? Will Chansi Stuckey have the Wideouts, especially the young ones, ready to do their part? IMO #1 key to the game.
Eric Hansen: Hi Len, again sometimes it's hard for me (others may excel at it) to separate those out, because they're all interconnected. I give Parker and A, for example. Dealing with that 3-3-5 and to only have a UConn game on tape was a tall task. And in that weather. I'm not sure if a C is too low with the WRs. I think Hartman and Parker both have done a good job of seeing what the defense is trying to take away and then exploiting what they're willing to give up to get that.
Ced Walker from Saginaw, Mich.: notre dame must play the perfect game to beat ohio st this weekend my prediction nd 27 ohio st 24 any new recruits from 2024 class or 2025 visiting this weekend trust the process god bless the golden standard rally we are nd go irish love thee notre dame our mother pray for us.
Eric Hansen: There are scads of recruits coming in, Ced, of recruit-apalooza proportions. Check our our message board and Charleston Bowles' stories this week.
Mike BR, LA: Pretty excited about Deuce committing. BUT! And this may be the anxious Irish fan talking, and you’ll have to excuse me if my memory is mistaken, but it seems like we had a talented 4-star qb whose ceiling might have been affected by a lack of playing time. I do realize it’s different, and Deuce does have a senior year still to play, so maybe it’s just the weirdness of the transfer to another state and then, well, not. Any concerns about his unconventional(?) junior year?
Eric Hansen: Hi Mike. I think there's going to be concerns with a lot of QB commits in a lot of places in this age of NIL. As far as the whole geography thing, I trust the coaching staff's read on it. Doesn't mean they'll be right, but they had another very good alternative if they weren't convinced Deuce was all in and will stay all in.
Chris from San Diego: Hi Eric, Thanks for all your hard work this season. Enjoy the chats and the podcasts a lot. A question regarding next season. Assume we do not obtain a QB in the portal in the off season and assume that Angeli continues to progress at his current rate. What is the probability that Minchey could leapfrog Angeli and be the starter next season?
Eric Hansen: Hi Chris. If Angeli continues to progress, it'd be tough for Minchey to jump him, but not impossible. It's also possible CJ Carr would eventually pass them both.
Alex from Cincinnati: My mistake. Sorry.
Eric Hansen: You may be right. I once scheduled to put a new roof on my house based on the weather forecast and had torn off the old one and was up there hammering shingles with my father-in-law in a downpour.
Matt (KC): Hi Eric, back with some rapid fire as you are amazing at it. 1. Do you think ND plays a lot of zone this Saturday and goes bend don't break, or will Al Golden attack with new blitzes? 2. I see we signed a lefty QB, in general that makes RT more important, do tackles generally have the ability to play either side or do we have to recruit with that in mind now? 3. In all your years covering, is this the most physically gifted team you have seen? They seem much quicker. 4. I hear about OSU's WR play, I am curious about our ability to control their OL and RBs and your thoughts on if we can do that? 5. Do you think the fact that we played a Jim Knowles defense at OK St. will help us prepare or do these teams save a lot of new formations and plays for these big games?
Eric Hansen: OK Matt. Here goes: 1. Both. 2. Most do, and probably not. 3. No, I've been in South Bend in 1988. So, remember those great Holtz teams that Vinny Cerrato helped put together? 4. Huge key to the game. Even a push there would be a win. 5. They played against him last year with a lot of the same personnel. He's made some philosophical tweaks in the offseason, but I think that game would be far more relevant than an Oklahoma State defense that gave up 35 points to ND.
Eric Hansen: Ugh... .ran out of time, and I have too many questions left in the queue. Wish I could give you more overtime. Thanks for all the great questions. We'll be back to do it all again next Wednesday at noon ET.
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