Chat Transcript: How the Notre Dame offense goes forward, now and long term

Eric Hansen: Welcome to Notre Dame Football Live Chat brought to you by J&R Solutions.

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. 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, former Notre Dame offensive lineman Bob Morton (2002-06) joined us. Morton discussed the 31-23 loss to Clemson, if it was a reflection of bigger issues for ND, how he would handle ND's quarterbacks the rest of the season, what he'd like to learn about QB Steve Angeli in the next few games, what is most wrong with ND's offense, dealing with coaching scrutiny as a player, if Sam Hartman should be making more play-calling decisions at the line of scrimmage, ND's offensive line being named a Joe Moore Award semifinalist, expectations for offensive linemen Billy Schrauth and Ashton Craig, evaluations of offensive linemen Zeke Correll and Blake Fisher, preparing next year's offensive tackles 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 pregame show on Saturday this week runs from noon-2:30 p.m. ET. 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.

As far as this week's chat goes …

PLEASE include your NAME and HOMETOWN along with your question(s).

Here are the rules:

All right, let's get rolling.

Don in Scottsdale, Ariz.: Eric, the podcast with Bob Morton was enlightening. Seems like the O is out of synch. Based on history Joe Rudolf is not the issue. CMF doesn't seem like a guy who is firing Parker. Does it make sense to make coach Gino co coordinator to allow Parker to save face? This off season will determine Freeman's future at ND. I am hopeful he makes a change with the OC as that seems like the cleanest move. How much say does the AD have in all of this?

Eric Hansen: There are a lot of questions in the queue relating to Notre Dame offensive coordinator/tight ends coach Gerad Parker this week as there were last week as there likely will be the next few weeks. I'll try to use as many as I can that show different facets of the issue of what direction ND should/might go offensively that covers new ground. This one accomplishes that and compliments Bob Morton. If you have never listened to our podcast, I'd make a point to do so this week. The guy is incredibly insightful. ... So to your questions, Don ... The question about making QBs coach Gino Guidugli a co-offensive coordinator ONLY makes sense if Marcus Freeman has already made the decision to go another direction with the offense in 2024 with a new coordinator AND Freeman was considering Guidugli in that role. And I don't think it would be a face-saving move. Everyone would know what happened.

What I am confident when it comes to Marcus Freeman is that he will do what he thinks is best for the program and do a thorough evaluation after the regular season. His conclusion may or may not match yours. ... I don't think the AD, outgoing or incoming, would have a mandate in this situation, but I think it's fair to expect input from both, and I think Marcus Freeman would welcome that.

John from Elkhorn, Neb.: Hey Eric - hard to believe it’s the last home game. I’ve been very impressed with Jeremiah Love. He reminds me of former Irish Robert Hughes. Any idea what Robert is up to these days? Thanks!

Eric Hansen: John, I think this might have been in the queue last week, and I wanted to get to it and whiffed. So I'm giving it early attention this week. Robert Hughes (who goes by Rob now) is one of my favorite players to get to know during my time covering Notre Dame. We are Facebook friends, so I keep up with a lot of what he's doing, and he and his family are very involved in horses, and specifically rodeos. This is a great reminder for me to do a catch-up story on him sooner than later and/or get him on our podcast. Thanks.

Marie from Atlanta: Hi Eric, I hope you’re having a great week. Now that Freeman has stated they will go to the portal for a QB next year. What other positions do feel need to be filled through the transfer portal? Of the players who have eligibility for next year which players do you think it is most important ND convince to stay? How many coaches on the current staff will not be on the staff next year? Who is more likely to be on staff next year Al Golden or Gerad Parker? Were you shocked by the Chip Kelly firing? As always thanks for your great insights and for hosting the chat.

Eric Hansen: Hi Marie. Life is good here in South Bend this week. Let's start with the transfer portal and other positions. Marcus Freeman has said that if there's a way to upgrade your roster, you need to pursue it ... relative to the portal. So all positions are being scouted and vetted. Now which ones are most likely to be more urgent? Some are clear now. Wide receiver, defensive end, kicker. Some seem clear that you wouldn't go that route ... running back, cornerback, linebacker, tight end short of an unforeseen injury or departure(s). The positions where we have to see who's returning will determine whether there's a pressing need at interior defensive line and safety. My sense is that both of those position groups will take a hard look at it. Offensive line is a harder projection, but I would lean away from that.

I have a hard time answering the question about convincing someone with a degree in hand to stay. It would be great to have, say, Joe Alt back, but is that in HIS best interests? If I could pick anyone, that's my pick. But realistically, with someone who might benefit from another college season, I'd say Xavier Watts. But again, he's leading the nation in interceptions ... with him on track to get his degree and have that when he goes to NFL training camp, is the timing better for him now?

I can't answer the staff number question. Purely guesswork ... we don't have enough info to make that projection yet. .... I think Al Golden will have some opportunities this offseason that are attractive, and I'd say better chance he is not here in 2024 than he is. Parker could be on staff and not be the offensive coordinator. So in terms of him being the offensive coordinator next year, the way I look at it is this. Is he one of the best 10-12 OCs in college football now? If the answer is no, then is there enough evidence that his growth curve will put him in that category in 2024? If the answer is no, and I think that's reasonable, I think the chances of him not being OC are greater than him retaining that title.

Quickly, on Chip Kelly, I think that's imminent but not official. ... He was 46-7 and 33-3 in the Pac-12 at Oregon, and is 33-33/25-25 at UCLA with great recruiting talent all around him. So, yes I am surprised he wasn't more successful in that job. No, it wouldn't surprise me, with UCLA going into the Big Ten, that they'd want to make a change.

Clint from Winnipeg: What specifically was the injury to Rocco Spindler and when did it occur? Is this as good of an opportunity for Billy Schrauth as it seems?

Eric Hansen: Hi Clint. Rocco Spindler suffered a knee injury late in the Clemson game on Nov. 7 and is undergoing season-ending surgery. The cool thing about Rocco -- and Billy Schrauth spoke to this Tuesday night -- is how much Rocco is in his ear and helping him get ready for his first college start on Saturday. I think from a raw material standpoint, Schrauth is as good as interior lineman as ND has on its roster. Getting actual game reps in high-leverage situations can only help his prospects for moving into the starting five next season.

Jack from Strongsville, Ohio: Hi Eric. Some off the cuff questions because of the previous bye week. Who has been your favorite coach at Notre Dame and why. Are you planning to write a book about your Notre Dame years? Most importantly, your favorite Thanksgiving dish? Thanks for all the great work!

Eric Hansen: Hi Jack, and thank YOU. My favorite Notre Dame coach that I've interacted with is Ara. Period. End of Sentence. I didn't cover him (not quite that old), but followed him as a kid and admired him from a distance. Had lots of interactions with him in his life after coaching, and let me to you ... as GREAT of a coach as he was, he was such a classy person and an incredible soul. So, glad I had a chance to intermittently spend time with him. ... I had an offer to do a book (not based on me, but an ND book) both last year and this year, and I needed to prioritize and give the energy to insidendsports.com. So, the timing wasn't right. The publishing company was impressive, with the people they have. Maybe a project down the road. ... Favorite Thanksgiving dish ... I've told the story about my favorite side and the story about my grandpa Pasquale, so I won't bring that up again. On pure taste alone, it's my mom's stuffing. It's so good, she isn't hosting T'giving, but she is making the stuffing at that gathering.

John from Scottsdale, Ariz.: I would like to revisit a response you gave in last weeks chat because it seemed to paint this season in a much worse light than it deserves. In response to being asked what you would do over the rest of the season you wrote “At the end of the year, I do what Brian Kelly did at the end of 2016, have some valuable exit interviews and do a thorough evaluation of everything from coaching personnel to gameday operations. Everything's on the table.” First, from your reporting and excellent articles I know that Freeman is constantly evaluating everything. So this action that may already be on his to do list and may be every year. Second, you compared a head coach who had 20 years of coaching experience coming off a 3 win season to a second year coach coming off his third loss of the season. So my questions. Do you think the program is at a turning point like it was in 2016? Or did I misunderstand your answer(which is possible). Do you think there is any way Gerald Parker is retained if a thorough evaluation occurs?

Eric Hansen: Hi John and oh no. This is why there are times when people bring up some deep, big-picture questions and I pass on them, because this format doesn't lend itself to building out all the necessary context from possibly being misunderstood. At times, I'm willing to take the chance and preface it as being oversimplified. So, Matt from KC, for instance, gives me five quick questions and is looking for very surfacy answers without the deep dive that maybe others would be looking for. So I try to oblige him, given we're all kind of agreeing on the format/context.

So, instead of going through an exhaustive list of what I DIDN'T mean, let me just address your main theme. And if you need or want more clarity on some aspect of this, feel free to email me and I can provide that for you. I DID NOT COMPARE Brian Kelly's season of 2016, the number of wins, or the circumstances to Marcus Freeman coming up on the end of year 2. I compared the PROCESS of a deeper dive. Marcus Freeman is at a crossroads -- a very different crossroads than Kelly faced and for very, very, very, very different reasons. What is common among them is the opportunity to change the trajectory of the program for the better.

Once instance that has no commonality is Brian Kelly changed to become more in touch with his players and become more accessible. Marcus NEVER EVER had that particular problem. Every offseason requires self-reflection. This offseason for Marcus, the stakes are higher. I hope this clears things up.

Len from the Jersey Shore: Hello Eric, The season is winding down. It was very different than I expected. Despite the loss to Ohio St. , despite the mistakes on the last two drives (offensive and defensive), I came away thinking the program was trending nicely in the direction we all would like to see. That is capable of qualifying for the CFP expanded playoffs in most years. Injuries and questionable coaching has swayed that momentum a little further downwards. This question is probably a better suited question for an article at season end. But maybe the short version will be okay for a chat. Marcus Freeman was a young hot upcoming coaches when ND hired him. It was great that ND was able to sign him. Likewise so are Dan Lanning of Oregon & Lincoln Riley of USC. I am sure there are a few others that could be added. How would you rate MF and the ND program against these other coaches and their program? How would you contrast the resources and challenges that each coach is facing?

Eric Hansen: OK, Len, this question definitely would not fit in the chat format and would be a better story. But what's the assignment -- comparing him only to Lanning and Riley ... and if so, why just those two coaches? What's the theme here? When I do something like that, It's not an off-the-top-of-my-head kind of thing. It requires research, and sometimes the research surprises you. A example of this is a few years ago, I did a look at every offensive and defensive play-caller since 2005 and how they fared against opposing defenses (or offenses) in terms of performing better against them in points and yards than their season average. I also included the percentage of games against top 10 offenses/defenses and those against the top third in the FBS. And the results surprised me.

I thought Charlie Weis would come out on top. It was Mike Denbrock, and against the best competition by far. Another interesting tidbit Brian Kelly was a much better play-caller at Cincinnati than he was at ND, likely a reflection of how much more was on his plate at Notre Dame outside of gameday than it was at UC. So just let me know who and what I am supposed to compare.

Tom from Kennesaw, Ga.: Eric, you are 100% correct about Ara. As someone who was blessed enough to have been a part of the '65-68 teams he was like a father figure/ mentor to so many of the players and managers/trainers of his teams. He was so helpful to any of us after graduation. The '66 Championship Team is as close-knit a group as anyone can possibly imagine. Players still communicate regularly some 55+ years later. He cared about us becoming wonderful husbands, fathers and helping society much more than whether or not you became an All-American. Too bad he is still not around to mentor Coach Freeman. Thanks for everything. Oh, a question: how do expect the offense to perform in these next two games??? Go Irish!!! Mine is NO 3 and outs...sustained drives which means 3rd down conversions. Am I dreaming?

Eric Hansen: Tom, thanks for sharing ... I would feel better about the offense's performance if Jayden Thomas were all the way back and Deion Colzie's original timetable of an October return had played out that way. I expect improvement, but some hiccups as well against a defense this week that's the ninth-best they've faced this season (63rd overall this week in total defense) and the one that's the worst (128th out of 130) next Saturday at Stanford. I think you're third-down goal is very fair. Your projection for no three-and-outs " Yes, you're dreaming. 😎

Jim Tal from Valley Center, Calif.: Hi Eric, hope all is well on your end. In your opinion, what are the reasons that over many years Notre Dame has been genuinely deficient at nurturing and fully developing quarterbacks to the point where they had any degree of productivity at the NFL level. I mean you've got to go all the way back to Steve Beuerlein to find an Irish QB who had even a modicum of success at the top professional rung.

Eric Hansen: Jim, this is another question that's better for a story ... and a deeply researched one ... than a chat. And I did several of those types of stories during and just after the Brian Kelly Era. THE OVERSIMPLIFIED answer is the reasons have been different over different stretches of time. Style of offense, sometimes QBs who were great fits for the college game and bad fits for the pro game, a whole list of reasons that changed over the years. Again, great idea for a story, but won't work in the chat.

Denis from Niagara Falls: Hi Eric. Don't know if you can have a go at this or want to. What's the record this year with Brian and Tommy still here along with Al Golden? Thanks very much.

Eric Hansen: Hi Denis. I think putting Kelly and Rees together is too many variables. For instance, had Kelly stayed (and assuming Marcus got a head coaching job elsewhere), I don't think recruiting would have been as strong and I don't think Sam Hartman comes here or CJ Carr is on the way. So let's just do Tommy Rees, since Hartman was already committed and recruiting was complete for the 2023 cycle. My guess is they lose to Ohio State and beat Louisville and Clemson.

Mike McFadden, Williamsport, PA: Hi Mr. Eric, Great coverage of ND football here and thank you. I was totally over impressed with QB Steve Angeli vs Pittsburgh in 4th quarter. At this stage of the season and with ND's results at 7-3, wouldn't it make more sense for coach Freeman & OC Parker to play Steve a full half (1st or 2nd, I don't care) vs WF and Stanford before reaching out to the portal to see how he does for comparison to QB Sam? Quick second question, two names came up at our ND Club Gr Williamsport mtg last night, ... current Duke QB & current Utah QB. Do you hear the same sir? Thanks Eric. GO Irish !!!

Eric Hansen: Hi Mike. Here are my thoughts about playing Steve Angeli and/or Kenny Minchey the next two regular-season games. And here are my questions to you before I give you my answer. What would playing Angeli or Minchey for a half provide you as a coaching staff that you don't know already about those two through weeks and months of practices and training camp? And against the nation's No. 63 and 128 defenses? Second question, are you willing to lose one or both of those games to put that mandate into place? If it's clear to your team and it's their belief that Sam Hartman gives your team that best chance to win, then what message are you sending them by playing someone else?

Ideally, the games become one-sided enough and early enough that both Angeli and Minchey gain game experience in those two games. Even if you bring in a premier portal QB, there's a chance of injury and then one of those two or CJ Carr would be your starter next year. But playing against those teams as a defensive coordinator's afterthought is very different from playing at Texas A&M in the season opener as THE most important part of that opposing DC's game plan to get you to play to your weaknesses.

Just real quickly on Duke's Riley Leonard and Utah's Cam Rising. I love, love, love Riley Leonard, but I'm not sure he would be able to get through admissions because I don't think he'd have his degree from Duke and he's not a freshman, so he falls into that area that usually gets a hard no. Taking that out of it, and assuming he did want to transfer and play a fourth college year, you'd need to restructure the offense to take advantage of what he does the best. Same to an extent with Cam Rising, and he also has to get a waiver for a seventh college season. There's risk there with him coming off a serious knee injury and never having had a pass-efficiency mark higher than what Hartman has right now. Michael Pratt from Tulane is another name that comes up. Two chats from now, I'll get you a more comprehensive and realistic list.

Andy from Wilmette, Ill.: Thanks for taking my call...and when I say call, I mean chat question. I was a big Sam Harman fan (and still am to some extent) especially when he first arrived. He was exactly what ND needed this year. With that being said, he seems to have taken a step back in his success. Do you feel that he is disappointed that he did not have a more experienced OC this year. He looks bummed most of the time. I think that the inexperienced offensive coaching is a huge part of our lack of offensive success. Go Irish! And throw a marshmallow my way.

Eric Hansen: Andy, how much do you follow Sam Hartman around that you can conclude he looks bummed most of the time? ... And I'll be happy to throw you a marshmallow if you promise to catch it in your mouth ... ok to give you the answer you deserve in a serious sense ... He was disappointed that Tommy Rees left and told me as much in a one-on-one interview this summer. Here's an excerpt from that story:

And, most jarring, in February offensive coordinator/QBs coach Tommy Rees left to become the OC for Nick Saban at Alabama.

Hartman was left to ponder what he’d gotten himself into, as Notre Dame plodded somewhat clumsily into finding Rees’ replacement, eventually promoting tight ends coach Gerad Parker to the offensive coordinator part of Rees’ old role, which provided some continuity and finally a playbook to delve into.Gino Guidugli — who had just taken a job at Wisconsin after raising his profile at his alma mater, Cincinnati — took the QBs coaching part of Rees’ old job but was learning the Parker offense right along with Hartman.

“I think I just leaned into the team, leaned into coach Free and trusted that they were going to figure it out,” Hartman said. “Really, the team, like the locker room, just kind of kept everything rolling.

“Obviously, there were some gut punches along the way, but that’s life. And I've enjoyed being here. I think the team just really — it's just the guys. Like, we always joked in the locker room about different things, and it kind of kept it light. Obviously, it was a pretty — whatever — thin-ice situation, but we stayed afloat.”

So, he took a leap of faith, and I give him credit for remaining committed to that leap through the ups and downs.

Scubatvt56 from Jamestown, Tenn.: Eric, are there any more Bigboy restaurants in northern Indiana?

Eric Hansen: That may be more appropriate for a deep-dive, highly researched story than a chat ... oh wait, it's perfect for the chat. There are zero. But there are scads of them in neighboring Michigan.

Aaron from Washington DC: Hi Eric, thanks for the chat again today. What do you expect to see from the offense on Saturday in terms of play calling and where ND will be effective (or not)? Have you heard anything about the offensive game plan being more heavily influenced by other coaches (e.g., Gino, Rudolph) or is that already the status quo? Thanks.

Eric Hansen: Hi Aaron, and thank you. I expect to see play-calling that reflects some of the self-scouting Notre Dame last week as a staff and the points of emphasis Marcus Freeman talked about on Monday. ... Those guys have collaborated all year, so not sure why this week would be different. Certainly, if it was, they would not be eager to share that.

Robert from Grand Rapids, Mich.: With a new President and AD coming this next year; do you foresee any changes with a more open position on transfers since the game/business of major college sports is about a top level program now, not 2 or 3 years down the road?

Eric Hansen: Robert, it certainly gives it a fresh set of eyes, the prospect of a less-restrictive transfer policy, but it does not change the dynamics that has caused pushback from some of the deans and a plea from the coaches to find common ground. Had the same AD and president remained in place, the challenge to find a happy medium would have been just as formidable. Again, maybe a fresh set of eyes (two sets actually) might find a compromise and more quickly.

Dan from Grand Rapids, Mich.: Hi Eric, Do you have any gut feeling on whether Gerad Parker will stay as OC next year, and what, if any changes he'll make for the last 2 games this year? Also, if ND gets a QB from the portal this year, does that disrupt the current QB room with CJ Carr coming in?? I worry about why a high profile recruit would choose ND, if they continually go to the portal for a 1yr. and done qb. Sorry for all the ????? Lots on my mind......time for an adult beverage! Thanks as always!

Eric Hansen: Hi Dan. Thank you for starting your quest for an adult beverage until AFTER you submitted your question as well as politely including your name and hometown ... unless of course, this isn't really Dan. ... Here's what I have learned about assistant coach hirings and retentions. If you don't get those right, they can ruin you as a head coach. Look at Brian Kelly in 2014-16 with Brian VanGorder as his DC for 30 games. With a different/better DC, Notre Dame makes the playoff in 2015. In 2016, it put Kelly on the hot seat. So, Marcus Freeman knows how important this decision is and how it transcends their past relationship ... but also deserves to be made with the proper vetting and in the proper time frame. ... As far as the transfer portal, it's the way football is now. And having an experienced QB to learn from is something some top prospects, like CJ Carr, actually embrace. Now, if ND is still bringing in portal starters his junior year, that's a different story. Now go have a beer for both of us.

Irish Mike from Altoona, Pa.: Hi Eric and as always, thanks for the chat! In your opinion, in the end, was it worth it to bring Sam Hartman in and lose Buchner and Pyne? The record and stats are eerily similar to last season. If we keep Buchner this year’s results are probably similar, plus another year of Tyler would bridge the gap to either Carr or Minchey so we don’t need to go shopping in the portal again.

Eric Hansen: Hi Irish Mike. I think the best-case scenario for both Tyler Buchner and Notre Dame was to bring in Sam Hartman with Buchner staying and having a leg up on the starting job in 2024 at ND and having benefited greatly from being around Hartman for a year. That didn't happen. If Hartman doesn't come and Buchner is the starter this season, I don't think ND is 7-3 at this point. I think the record would be worse, especially given Buchner is the No. 3 option at Alabama.

Mike McFadden from Williamsport, Pa.: And regarding "what would you learn about the two QB's Steve and Kenny ..." what thought is that Freeman has too much invested in Sam like NIL $$$ that he has to play him and not substitute to keep face. I really really feel that way all season.

Eric Hansen: Mike, you do realize NIL money doesn't come from Freeman, right? At the risk of really deeply offending you, and I don't like to do this, but his is so ungrounded in reality, my head almost exploded.

Mark from Kincardine, Ontario: Eric thanks for work that you and James do to keep us well informed on our team. Heading to the game on Saturday for the first time in a few years, we have a six hour drive. Thanks again for all your support!

Eric Hansen: Mark, thanks for sharing that and hope you have a great drive and a great time at the game. It's 64 degrees F right now in South Bend, but it's only supposed to get to a high of 49 Saturday, which may be balmy by Canadian standards?

Myliah from El Cerrito, Calif.: Eric, I only really started watching FB when former ND OL Aaron Banks was coming up through our local high school and we could watch him bulldoze competition from our window (few know, but he was also rather agile on the basketball court). I've since been sporadically watching him play for the 49ers. Those few years is all I've watched of pro football so my context is limited, but current WR Rico Flores, despite being a freshman, looks like a pro on the field. I'm not sure what it is, his moves, his physicality, his catching... Can you enlighten us on what makes him so look the part? I wouldn't be surprised if he becomes a superstar for the Irish.

Eric Hansen: Hi Myliah. Thanks for your question. Rico Flores Jr. is far from a finished product, and yet the kind of player you'd want to invest in to see how high his ceiling is, knowing that he's likely going to end up there. So, good observations on your part. Here's what I like about the freshman version of Rico -- his quickness, his moves, his utter fearlessness about the game's circumstances, the bright lights, the pressure. Love his willingness to take coaching. Once he assimilates more of the nuances of the game, over reading coverages, etc., I expect to see his game move up another level.

Rich D from Melbourne, Fla.: Eric, love the chats...can you stand one last Q. on Tobias M..? Early in the year I asked what would unlock his potential...10 games in and a kid with the same physical attributes of Marvin Harrison Jr is less a threat than a "smallish" walk on lacrosse player...I understand him to be a smart hard working kid....barring an undisclosed nagging injury how is this possible? On Football Never sleeps you admitted he might be a player you over estimated He's had the work Help.

Eric Hansen: Rich, I can stand one more question on that. Let's keep Jordan Faison out of the discussion. I'd rather celebrate Faison's ascendance than demean someone else because of what Faison is accomplishing. I don't think you meant to do that. The mental part of football -- and in a fishbowl like Notre Dame, especially — is huge. And not everyone navigates it at the same pace and not everyone navigates it as well. There are late-bloomers and there are never-bloomers. Why I hold out hope that Tobias Merriweather will eventually prevail (at ND or elsewhere) is that he does not take his physical gifts for granted, he's not an entitled brat, he comes from a family that's supportive and keeps him grounded. And so. I think putting him in a reserve role was the right move as he figures it out.

Doug from Sunny Florida: Eric, heading up this weekend for the game but I haven't seen the sun in 5 days. Will I see the sun shining this weekend? I'm always surprised to see a defense such as ours be dominant in one game and then so-so in another. What keeps a defense from dominating consistently game after game?

Eric Hansen: OK Doug, this is from Accu-Weather, which might just be a clever branding name and not a reflection of actual performance ... but it is supposed to be sunny with a 0% chance of rain. ... Actually, Al Golden's defense, ranked 7th nationally this season, has been pretty consistent. Why it might not look that way is field position and the predicaments that the offense might put the defense in. For instance, against Clemson, the Irish gave up 285 total yards. The only game against a Power 5 offense they gave up fewer was Pitt (255). but Clemson ran 18 more plays -- so yards per play was excellent. This defense, to me, has played well enough for Notre Dame to be in the playoff conversation.

Bob from Oxnard, Calif.: Hi Eric. Which ND player over the years have you most enjoyed interviewing?

Eric Hansen: A huge, huge list here. We used to do a magazine at the South Bend Trib every year in the summer, and we'd spend extended time with those guys ...and it was awesome ... Kapron Lewis-Moore, Chinedum Ndukwe, Louis Nix III, Manti were all experiences I really enjoyed. When Louis called me years later from the hospital after being shot and talked so openly about everything, I'll never, ever, ever forget how much that affected me.

Patrick from Atlanta: Hi Eric! Do you see Jimbo F's departure from A&M helping or hurting ND in any way? If so, how?

Eric Hansen: I guess it depends on who they hire as a replacement.

Sean from NJ: Hi Eric - love the chats and coverage. With the team facing the prospect of replacing at least one, and possibly two tackles after this season, is Michael Carmody a candidate? Assume he preserved a year of eligibility this year?

Eric Hansen: Hi Sean, great question, because Michael Carmody was at the top of the depth chart at one point and very highly thought of ... and injuries have taken their toll over the years, and I don't expect him to be able to leap over the others who have passed him.

Ron from Dover, Del.: Hi Eric now that MF has indicated they will look at a QB in the portal do you have a couple of players you would think would really help the program? If MF decides to pull the plug on Parker is there a good candidate other than the folks who last year turned ND down or had no interest? Thanks

Eric Hansen: Ron, who might be available if Marcus Freeman elects to make a change will become much more clear in the next few weeks. But one thing is for certain, if Marcus Freeman does make a change, he needs to have the replacement in mind and it needs to be a significant upgrade. … Which probably got many of you to say, 'Well, duh" but I feel like it needed to be reiterated.

Ryan from Mars, Pa.: Good afternoon, Eric. what do you Think About The play of Xavier watts what is your score prediction for Saturday I’m saying 42-10 Irish.

Eric Hansen: Xavier Watts is one of the players I was actually right about (and wrong on others). So, yeah I think he's put himself in line for some postseason honors. My prediction, which I might tweak tomorrow, is 30-10 Irish.

Matt (KC): Quickfire Five. Hi Eric, hope you are well. 1. Why does ND not really allow undergrad transfers (with exceptions), with chances to make up certain classes if it is an academic issue? 2. Why have our WRs consistently failed to be able to separate, schematic, skill, or our OL not giving them enough time? 3. A lot of talk about our OC, but if our DC leaves, can someone like Mickens handle the step up with Freeman supporting or do we need an experienced DC? 4. If we lose Cam Hart and Xavier Watts to the draft, are we deep enough to still have an elite secondary next year? 5. Do you anticipate a step back next year or are we talented enough to make a 12 team playoff run?

Eric Hansen: Hi Matt, No. 1 is a challenge to fit in the lightning-round concept. I've addressed it in past chats. Very short/insufficient answer (I have a complex now) is there are academic folks who want a Notre Dame degree given inly to those who earned most of those credits at ND. But there are other factors. 2, Elements of all of those. 3. I think Mickens can do it, but they should look at outside candidates as well and then pick the best. 4. Yes, but may need a portal safety to make that come true. 5. I expect a step forward.

Eric Hansen: Out of time, but not out of questions. So sorry to the ones I couldn't get to. Thanks for all the great questions. Thanks for the minimal whining. Thanks for wearing shoes and/or socks. We'll be back to do this all over again next Wednesday (yes right before Thanksgiving) at noon ET.

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