Chat Transcript: Notre Dame players whose rises could affect bottom line
Eric Hansen: Welcome to Notre Dame Football Live Chat — Frozen Tundra Edition — brought to you by J&R Solutions.
Some quick programming notes:
► Due to overwhelming demand, we’re going to continue the chats on a weekly basis through winter workouts and into spring football. However, the next three Wednesdays I have conflicts with media availability for interviews with Notre Dame players, so we’ll do at least the next three Tuesday at noon ET rather than Wednesday, starting next week.
► 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’re back in a Monday at 7 ET time slot after some deviations the past few weeks to work around the holidays and the national championship game. Remember, if you miss the live show, you can catch up anytime on YouTube.
► This week’s Inside ND Sports Podcast will drop on Thursday. On our most recent edition, Northwestern defensive back transfer Rod Heard II joined Tyler James and me. Heard totaled 85 tackles, four tackles for loss, one sack, one interception, two forced fumbles, one fumble recovery and four pass breakups as Northwestern’s primary nickelback last season, and will enroll at Notre Dame in June but spend the spring semester in South Bend finishing his Northwestern academic requirements remotely. Heard discussed why he entered the transfer portal, his decision to transfer to Notre Dame, his final season at Northwestern, why he's confident in playing safety after excelling at nickelback, his impression of safeties coach Chris O'Leary, his past with head coach Marcus Freeman, his connections to Notre Dame, how difficult it was to pass on picking Michigan, the roles Notre Dame's offense and NIL played in his decision 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.
► Finally, we’re rolling into a busy football offseason at WSBT radio season, and Darin Pritchett and I are together this week Wednesday and Thursday on Weekday SportsBeat (960 AM, live streaming at wsbtradio.com). The weekday shows run from 5-6 p.m. ET. You can download episodes as podcasts.
As far as this week's chat …
PLEASE include your name and hometown along with your question(s).
Here are the rules:
Eric Hansen: Let's get rolling.
Marie from Atlanta: Hi Eric, I hope you’re having a great week and are staying warm up there. Which five players do you think it is most important to have a breakthrough this spring in order for Notre Dame to truly compete for a championship next year? Of the early enrollees in the 2024 class, which player on offense and which player on defense do you think is most likely to see the field next year? Who are you the most excited to see, and who do you think will be a player that surprises all of us? As always, thanks for hosting the chat, and all your great insights.
Eric Hansen: Hi Marie. I'm just happy to be on the positive side of zero as far as the thermometer goes. Let's unpack your questions. As far as the players who have to have a breakthrough spring, none of them are absolute locks to start and so I'm doing some projecting here. No. 1 is QB Riley Leonard, who I believe will win the QB competition. I've got an analysis piece posting tomorrow to provide more depth on that one. 2. FIU transfer wide receiver Kris MItchell. Mike Denbrock's offenses are at their best when there's a legit deep threat at the outside field receiver position. Mitchell has the speed and experience to work to develop to become that player. The other three are O-linemen ... and you could put the entire position group here. But I'm going to go with three players I think will start and be important pieces -- OT Aamil Wagner, OT Charles Jagusah and C Ashton Craig.
There are 15 early enrollees (I'm assuming freshmen and not transfers), nine on offense and six on defense. Remember, this isn't necessarily about long-term potential as much as college ready meets opportunity meets raw talent. So on offense, I'm going with wide receivers Cam Williams and Micah Gilbert. On defense, I'll go with Kyngstonn Viliamu-Asa at linebacker with DE Bryce Young as a sleeper pick.
Keep in mind with the freshmen, ND —especially under Freeman — has had June enrollees make a significant impact too. So most excited and biggest surprise -- I assume you are still talking about only the early enrolled freshmen? I'd say all the players I mentioned early and add in CJ Carr, just because of his potential. Surprise? Gilbert .. and among the June enrollees LB Bodie Kahoun.
GB from Wasilla, Alaska: Eric, after you and Tyler left the South Bend Tribune, I did not know where you were on the web. I finally found you sometime during this past season. I am not always available to see the chats live but can follow them online. I did notice you referred to me about a month ago on one of your chats. I hope you and Tyler are doing well. My question is concerning a statement made by Marcus about a year ago (unless I misinterpreted it) about not seeming too interested in hiring analysts. It seems like they are modernizing this thought. If so, is this because of the administration not wanting to spend money and then changing their minds after the Andy Ludwig fiasco or some other reason? Thanks
Eric Hansen: GB!!!! It's always great to have new questioners as well as familiar ones like you. I wondered what had happened to you, so welcome back. By the way, my mom is still teaching yoga and she turns 94 this weekend. ... To your question. I do think you misinterpreted what Marcus Freeman said about analysts. I think what you were referencing goes back to the 2022 season, when Brian Kelly left (as did TEs coach John McNulty) and Tommy Rees was left without an experience sounding board of sorts as a still-young offensive coordinator. There was conjecture that Notre Dame could have brought in David Cutcliffe or someone like that and that Rees was not warm to that idea. Freeman said publicly he would have welcomed that but that it didn't work out. Rees later said publicly he wouldn't have been against it. So why didn't it happen?
Analyst roles aren't universal from one year to another, from one program to another, from one position group to another. I believe both Freeman and the Notre Dame administration thinks they have value. But hitting the sweet spot in terms of number of analysts, roles and yes seven budget is a very inexact science. Whatever the situation was in 2022, Notre Dame seems committed to getting Freeman the resources he needs in 2024 to be successful.
Related Content
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► Polynesian Bowl: Top performers from Day 2 in Hawaii
► Trail Tracks: Notre Dame football coaches hit road for contact period, 1/17
► Analysis: 7 who could rise with strong winter in the Notre Dame weight room
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Bob from Oxnard, Calif.: Who will start at nickel against Texas A&M? Double questions today . . . thanks for your patience. Does Ko’o Kia look exceptionally quick/fast to you? (He seems to me to be). Thanks guys.
Eric Hansen: Hi Bob. Double questions but very concise and to the point. Double gold stars to you. The object of bringing transfer Jordan Clark in from Arizona State was to plug him into that spot. So he's the top candidate going into spring. There's some position flexibility with him and Northwestern transfer Rod Heard II, though I think Heard will be an every-down safety. Clarence Lewis played some nickel last season. Micah Bell is being groomed, but doesn't yet have the physicality to go along with his elite speed. ... I have not watched much film on Ko'o Kia, but really think he's underrated as a three-star prospect. In general, I think Hawaii prospects are underpromised and they overdeliver, time after time, at least the ones who end up at Notre Dame. I know Tom Lemming, who helps pick the Butkus Award candidates and winner, believes Kia will be on the initial list of candidates for the high school version of the award in 2024.
Andrew from Northwest Indiana: How much of an impact will the hot start to 2025 recruiting have on other players ND is targeting?
Eric Hansen: Hi Andrew. It's not just the number, it's the level of involvement. CJ Carr was extremely involved in the formation of his class (2024), and Deuce Knight is among those super-invested in the 2025s. So far 10 of the 15 have committed to paying their own way (some coming from very long distances) to help recruit at Notre Dame's junior day recruiting event on Saturday. Knight, from Mississippi, is included in that group. That speaks volumes.
Sean from Portland, Ore.: I know that there's a lot of positives about ND doing well in the transfer portal this year regarding their positional needs. They appeared to act quickly and decisively. However, could this be causing them to potentially miss out on better fits? For example... If they wanted another safety, would they still have gone after Heard from Northwestern with Caleb Downs now in the portal? Whatever happened to Jahmal Banks from Wake? I don't know that he's committed anywhere yet, and the kid from Marshall committed and that seemed to go completely under the radar for everybody.
Eric Hansen: Hi Sean. There's a calculus that doesn't include a legendary coach retiring in January that released Caleb Downs and others from Alabama (and Washington and Arizona from domino coaching changes). Even then, Downs I think knew he was headed to Georgia even before he entered the portal. We'll see if that plays out. Having said that, if ND really wanted Downs too and he wanted to play at Notre Dame, you'd make room for a player of that caliber. So it's not one or the other. But keep in mind, Notre Dame has already started classes. And six of the eight Irish transfers are taking classes here and will participate in spring practice. The other two — Rod Heard II and Beaux Collins — are living in South Bend and finishing up course work this semester remotely.
Wake Forest transfer WR Jahmal Banks, who visited ND in late December, ended up at Nebraska. ... Yes, the visit of Marshall WR transfer Jayden Harrison was very hush-hush, and sometimes that's by design from Notre Dame's standpoint.
Tony from Lake Mary, Fla.: Hey Eric from colder than normal Florida (wink). I think Charles Jagusah got the best grade from PFF for the lineman in the sun bowl, right? I know Tyler was not very high on his performance for the game. Is there a sense that the coaching staff feels like he will be there in e he gets the game reps against more complex defenses, or was he just the best at the moment they had for the bowl game. I would suspect a learning curve for him in terms of complexity, but think he is immensely coachable.
Eric Hansen: Hi Tony. You are a lively minx if you're suggesting Florida is cold, relatively or not! Seriously, I'm not a big scarf guy but my face felt like it was on fire walking from my car into Purcell Pavilion on Sunday when the temp was-7. So I ordered one from Amazon. ... To your question. The PFF eval on Charles Jagusah was one of the weirdest I've ever seen. With each game, they do a film review — quickly and overnight — using the TV copy of the game film. So there are things you're going to miss. By midweek, they do a more thorough evaluation using the "all 22" game film. Typically, there are some subtle grade changes. Jagusah's was a massive shift in the wrong direction. Having said that, former ND O-lineman and current broadcaster Ryan Harris was very encouraged about Jagusah's performance.
You can listen to that edition of the Inside ND Sports podcast here. Linebacker Jack Kiser and other Irish players raved about Jagusah in practice .., so now let me specifically answer your question. Charles' biggest impediment to progress was coming back from PCL surgery. But he's super athletic, incredibly coachable and intelligent and his work ethic is elite. Longtime recruiting analyst Tom Lemming thinks he can be as good as Quenton Nelson, Mike McGlinchey, etc. So, wherever he ends up on the line -- right tackle, left tackle, inside -- it's likely a matter of when he ascends, not if.
Lames Lau from Dover, Pa.: Why will Angell not be given a real chance to lead the team at Texas A&M?
Eric Hansen: I'm going to assume your name is James and not Lames unless you tell me differently. ... I'm not sure how best to answer your question. There will be a quarterback competition in the spring. There are four quarterbacks on the roster. Steve Angeli has a chance to win the job. If Riley Leonard or someone else is leading the Irish when they open the 2024 season at Texas A&M, it's because Steve didn't win the competition. It's that simple.
Len from the Jersey Shore: Hello Eric, I had a chance a few weeks ago to watch Indy play Houston, the last game of the NFL regular season. We usually do not get many Indy games. I wanted to watch Q block. It was as good a game that I have seen a guard play ever. Then this week I saw Cleveland play Houston. And although Cleveland got bulldozed, it was great to see JOK play. He was all over the field. There were other ex ND players I watched recently. But the performances by these two stood out. Question, now that Alt and Fischer have moved on who do you predict will be the next great lineman from ND to start in the NFL ? And since LB recruiting has been so high lately, which LB's are most likely to follow to the NFL from ND from this 2024 roster? Thanks again Eric for taking the time to host these chats.
Eric Hansen: Len, thank you! With offensive linemen, there are always lower-recruited guys who rise up and surprise — at ND and elsewhere. Pat Coogan did last offseason, and Ryan Harris loves his game. But the four I think have a chance to be coveted NFL Draft choices someday -- and this is based on raw material and a lot of projection -- are Charles Jagusah, Aamil Wagner, Billy Schrauth and June-enrolling freshman Guerby Lambert.
With the linebackers, I do think Jack Kiser will find his way onto an NFL roster next year ... not saying he'd be a high draft pick, but he has extreme special teams value. ... But the five whose trajectories I like are Kyngstonn Viliamu-Asa, Jaylen Sneed, Drayk Bowen, Bodie Kahoun and Jaiden Ausberry. I think Jaylen Sneed absolutely has the athleticism and intelligence, but that needs to translate to CONSISTENT production starting this season. Bowen's path is clouded by how he handles his baseball dream. Ausberry has the instincts and the skill set ... will he have the size?
Scott from Augusta, Ga.: Eric!!! Excellent Monday night talk listening to you and Tyler. I always gain a lot listening to the FNS discussion. You both bring great insight every day. My question is Mike Denbrock. Where do you see him mostly engaged as he begins his time as Offensive Coordinator? Will he need to spend copious time with Rudolph working on the line? It looks like we have weapons on offense but I'm concerned the line may be a gapping hole (like how I did that). Be safe and stay warm!
Eric Hansen: Thanks for the compliments, Scott. Those never get old, even though I do. I want to give you a more precise answer, but I think that's to be determined. And the good thing about it is, Mike Denbrock has expertise with so many position groups. An example for you, in 2015 Mike was the play-caller and wide receivers coach for the Irish, but he spent a lot of time with QB DeShone Kizer once Malik Zaire went down for the season in game two. That relationship allowed Kizer to grow and adapt at a much faster rate than if Denbrock didn't take that approach.
He really has to spend time with all the position groups, because he's putting in a new offense. There's work to be done at his position group, tight ends, this spring, but I think the most urgent areas IN SPRING is getting the offensive line sorted out and working with Gino Guidugli on developing Riley Leonard as a more dangerous and consistent threat in the downfield passing game.
Larry from Topton, Pa.: Hi Eric. No question today. I just want you to know how much we ND fans appreciate you and your team continuing your content, now that we are well into the offseason. Football Never Sleeps, Inside ND Sports Podcasts, WSBT radio hits. And especially these chats, which help us get through the middle of the week. Thanks for continuing the level headed analysis and insight!
Eric Hansen: Larry, thank you. The thought you all put into your questions weekly not only makes for a fun/informative chat, but it gives me some great story ideas as well. So thanks to you Larry and the others.
Mike K. from Costa Mesa, Calif.: Do you take any time off after the season ? Do You have the dates yet for spring football ? What is Your hunch with AL GOLDEN ,leaving or staying . Thank You.
Eric Hansen: OK, I've received several questions regarding Notre Dame defensive coordinator Al Golden and his future, so I'm going to consolidate them here. Here's what I know. Golden is recruiting and doing his research on prospects beyond the 2025 class as well as if he'll not only be here in 2024 but longer. However, some of that is the level of professionalism you get from Al Golden. Until/unless he leaves, you're going to get 100 percent of him every day if you're Marcus Freeman. I've moved my gut feeling about his chances of staying at ND for 2024 from less than 50 percent, to a little more than 50. But I still think he's a hot commodity and will have to make a decision, and I don't think it's a financial one. It's this: At age 54, where does he want his career to go and how best to get there? He loves his Notre Dame experience and working for Marcus and that makes that question tougher -- but it's a first-world problem.
No precise dates yet for spring football. We should get the official word on starting and ending points soon. Last year's start date was affected -- pushed back -- because of Tommy Rees' late departure to Alabama and Harry Hiestand's retirement, so ND won't likely release a start date until the NFL and college coaching carousels stop spinning. ... Back in the day, there was a little time to catch your breath in December between the end of the regular season and the bowl game. Not anymore. December is just the opposite these days. Not complaining, just answering your question.
Ed from Sayville, N.Y.: Hi Eric. As college football continues to evolve, what issue do you foresee that could keep Pete Bevacqua from getting a full night’s sleep?
Eric Hansen: Hi Ed. ... Two -- if the ACC were to completely implode. And if the student-athlete model so evolved that it came into direct conflict with Notre Dame's academic mission.
Ryan from Mars, Pa.: Good afternoon Eric what do you think about the transfer from northwestern i think he will be good next to Xavier Go IRISH ☘️☘️🏈🏈
Eric Hansen: Hi Ryan. We had Rod Heard II on the podcast last week, and I think Notre Dame fans are going to embrace him for who he is both on and off the field. I like that move a lot.
Matt from Kansas City: Hi there, quick fire five: 1. How important is position flexibility for a roster and who are our 2-3 most position flexible players, meaning S that could play LB, WR that might become a TE, OL to DL, etc. 2. Do you think designed QB runs will be a part of the offense moving forward, assuming Angeli stays and we have a reliable backup QB? 3. What does an analyst do? Analyze, I know! I hear about these analyst positions on the coaching staff and am curious if they are coaching away from the field, just breaking down opponent game film, or what. 4. What are a few telling signs you will be looking for in spring to forecast a very high ceiling season? 5. Who are you pulling for in the NFL playoffs and can we get a Super Bowl prediction? Sorry a bonus, I need a Chiefs/Bills prediction too.
Eric Hansen: Hi Matt. You list five, but this is dangerously close to the dreaded-and-forbidden 17-parter. 1. I think the transfer portal takes some of the urgency out of a more-extreme version of position flexibility, like moving a running back to safety, for instance or a quarterback to tight end, etc. But more subtle flexibility is still important -- being able to play more than one linebacker position or more than one O-line position, etc. is valuable. Who's the most flexible? Off the top of my head Xavier Watts, Rod Heard II, June freshman enrollee Brauntae Johnson, Micah Bell. 2. Absolutely. 100 percent.
3. Way too broad to answer quickly. As I mentioned earlier, there's not uniformity from year to year, position to position, school to school. 4. The offensive line being the surprise position group (a good surprise) of the spring, Riley Leonard looking like an NFL prospect. Notre Dame wringing its hands over how many attractive options it has at the field receiver position. 5. I honestly don't have a rooting interest in any of the teams that are left, so I think the Lions winning would be interesting. Super Bowl prediction. Hang on, let me throw a dart at the wall. OK the Ravens. And Chiefs-Bills, I'll go with Taylor Swift's favorite team.
Jason from Grand Rapids, Mich.: Eric thanks for the chats as always. Looking forward to spring and the warmer weather and spring football. Quick question on transfers. A guy like Ramon Henderson whom I felt was.making progress especially at position of need would have wanted to stay. With the incoming transfers and him not having a new school yet is there any chance he returns or was the door shut when he left for a multitude of reasons. Thanks. ... Julius Buelow OT from UW entered the portal. He was offered by ND, maybe the influx of Hawaiians will encourage him as well. Thanks as always!
Eric Hansen: Hi Jason and thank you. Your timing is perfect as Ramon Henderson just announced his transfer to UCLA.
Hypothetically, if Ramon had wanted to make a U-turn I'm not sure there would have been room for him. Transfers can go back to their original school, but the old school is under no obligation to take them. ... If ND is going to add an offensive lineman, it looks like it would be after spring not for spring semester. There will be new names entering the portal in the later window -- April 16-30. So the Irish will be in a better position to assess their situation, including if there are any significant injuries. Julius Buelow played inside for Washington after coming there as a tackle prospect. I think if ND is going to add, it'd be at tackle.
Frank from Royse City, Texas: Eric, do you have any updates on the injured ND players? Also, who is set to return for the spring practices?
Eric Hansen: Hey Frank. Let's wait until we have a chance to talk to Marcus Freeman on the record and get the most accurate, up-to-date info rather than sources and rumblings.
Tom from Sister Lakes, MI: Hi Eric, To use a term made famous by the legendary FSU coach Bobby Bowden, I'm bumfuzzled by the NCAA findings against FSU regarding NIL. On the surface it sounds like FSU did what other schools have been doing and are doing. But since the school did not protest the sanctions, they must be guilty of something. Would you please explain for us exactly what FSU did wrong that got them into trouble? And if possible, compare/contrast it to what ND does. Thanks. Stay warm and I hope your vehicle always starts.
Eric Hansen: Tom, thanks for your question and it's a good one. The bad news is I don't have the bandwidth to do the deep dives on other programs sometimes that I'd like to, given all my other priorities. But again great question. The good news is, I'm providing you a link that will provide you a really detailed description of the violations and why they were violations from the NCAA itself. I hope you find it as helpful as I did.
Rich from Key West: Do you know of any source that could provide the number of penalties and yards assessed against each of the offensive linemen that started games last season? I haven't been able to find those statistics and am curious how efficiently each of them were.
Eric Hansen: Hi Rich. Pro Football Focus tracks them. I can't give you the yardage, but I can give you the frequency. So, nine players started at least one game on the O-line. Four of them had zero penalties — Ashton Craig, Billy Schrauth, Tosh Baker and Charles Jagusah, per PFF. Among the others -- Zeke Correll and Blake Fisher had five each, Pat Coogan three, and Rocco Spindler and Joe Alt two apiece.
Matt from Austin: Hi Eric, I hope this finds you well. No x's or o's in my question. With Kyle Hamilton being named All Pro this year, I was hoping that you might share some memories of your interactions with him during his time at Notre Dame. Thank you.
Eric Hansen: Hi Matt. I had a one-on-one with Kyle for a preview magazine piece right ahead of his June enrollment in 2019. I remember how mature, focused, driven and teammate-caring he came off ... and that's exactly who he stayed as he ascended as a player at ND. Really didn't care about the credit that came to him ... would do things to make teammates better behind the scenes. I think Cam Hart is a great example of a player who benefitted from their interactions and friendship. His parents are really interesting people -- divorced but worked together beautifully and unselfishly to make a better life for their kids.
The very first day of August training camp — Kyle's first ND practice -- he had three interceptions. And Brian Kelly tried to tamp it down, so as not to let it go to Kyle's head, which it never would have. He continues to bring a positive association with the Notre Dame brand, which in turn helps its recruiting.
Ty from Godfrey, Ill.: Eric!!! The Wizard of O. . . .er Irish!!! Your newly assigned agent is here (per your posting response two weeks ago) to pose a question or two. The team is shaping up very nicely and anticipation appears to be high for some spirited spring football entertainment/competition. 1. It looks like some fracturing is taking place in the TAM athletics department (father's school, DMV). Do you feel the loss of the AD to Ohio State, might strengthen the football program or be a weakness that benefits the beloved Irish? 2. It appears FSU is becoming West Alabama with all the portal moves from Alabama to that program. What impact do you visualize with those additions to FSU and how might that play out in our game against them next fall?
Eric Hansen: Hi Ty and thanks for the exclamation points!!!!!! I think with each of your questions these are better answered when there's more of a body of substance from which to draw conclusions. On the AD front, that's more of a long-term thing than affecting a particular game and it depends on who A&M gets to replace Ross Bjork. Having said that, even Bjork admitted to new head coach Mike Elko in an apology that the timing of the move was not ideal. Florida State has used the transfer portal as well as any program. Not most often, but well. Their hit rate is fantastic. I'd like to see how things play out in the spring a bit before I go any further with how those developments might affect a game in November. Thanks in advance for being patient with me.
Patrick from Fort Wayne, Ind.: Good afternoon Eric. I was under the impression that Antonio Carter II was signed last year with the idea of being a strong candidate to play major minutes in 2024. What happened to his trajectory?
Eric Hansen: Antonio Carter II was one of the most pursued DBs in the portal last cycle and is not getting near the quantity and quality of takers this time around. Both the position switch and the step up from the FCS competition proved to be steeper than many, including me, thought. The fact that he jumped back into the portal when there was an opportunity to compete to start probably wasn't a great look for some schools.
Tom from Kennesaw, Ga.: Hi Eric, winter has arrived in ATL with temps in the teens and windchill near zero. Hopefully it doesn't last long. What are your thoughts about the TE group for '24?? With Evans and Bauman coming back from surgery it sure seems the TE rotation will be thin at the start of the season. Freshman Larsen does not seem as ready physically to step in and contribute as Cooper Flanagan did this year. Do we have any timetable for the return of both Evans and Bauman? Has Bauman been injury cursed thus far in his career? What is your take on this group for '24? Thanks and Go Irish!!!
Eric Hansen: Wow Tom, I had to Google the Atlanta weather to make sure you weren't messing with me. Wow. ... It looks like you'll warm up next week (as will we, relatively speaking). Let's start with Kevin Bauman, and yes he's had three serious leg/knee injuries that have eaten up all or most of three seasons. If there's a hiccup in his rehab, he could be a medical retiree at some point. I think he's determined for that not to happen. He is on a faster recovery timeline, because his injury was in August. The unknown with Mitchell Evans' timeline is the mental part of it. For instance Eli Raridon treated the first ACL tear like a boo-boo. He was doing things way ahead of schedule.
He said the second one was more serious/complicated from a physical recovery standpoint and created mental challenges as well. So if ND is concerned about numbers, it can dip into the portal after spring practice. Right now you have Raridon, Davis Sherwood and Cooper Flanagan for sure ... and Jack Larsen at least enrolling early to get his body more ready for CFB. So a reassessment is in order after spring, and the timelines for Bauman and Evans will factor heavily into that. If you have one of the two at full go in August, I really like the group, especially if Evans is ready to roll.
Kevin from Orlando: Let's pretend that I am a somewhat coveted recruit (albeit an 82 year old). I know enough about Notre Dame to not make it my first question to Marcus Freeman, but after the some introductory conversation, I ask the question...."So please explain to me exactly what Notre Dame's NIL program is. Who funds it? Do all scholarship players receive something from the program? Can you tell me how much the starters at, my expected position, this past year actually received in NIL money? What does Coach Freeman tell me?
Eric Hansen: Kevin, this really could fill a novel if I were to go in depth. And the sticking point is, that answer was different a year ago and two years ago than it is today and likely will be different next year at this time. It's like trying to draw a picture of oxygen. Let me give you some basics that I hope are helpful. Notre Dame's biggest, but not only, collective, is FUND. Brady Quinn is a driving forced there. Every scholarship football player gets something. When Marcus Freeman talks to you, though, he'll take you through FUND's mission beyond the money and the giving back to the community that's attached to it. He'll also speak of opportunities beyond FUND. From the recruits and parents of recruits I've connected with, they are extremely impressed with Notre Dame's presentation. Attaching a dollar figure to a starting position or to a position group is an approximation and not universal. Anyone who tells you differently is feeding you fiction.
So what if you're not a starter, you get beaten out ... do you lose NIL money? No. Do you start because of NIL money? Not at Notre Dame. Do you transfer because of NIL money promises elsewhere? Maybe, but the opportunities at Notre Dame make that a less-attractive option. I could go into examples and maybe I need to do an NIL chat with Michael McCann from Sportico or someone from ND sometime. And do nothing but NIL questions. What you won't get is specifics on who made how much. Maybe approximations.
Sean from Schaumburg, Ill.: Eric, statement/question. ND admins pivoting to allowing non-grad transfers and having players in South Bend being with the team(Collins and others) while finishing classes at other schools is nothing short of amazing. Do you have a story in the works that involves the admins and their complete 180 on the transfer portal/non-grad transfers? Changing their "Holier-than-thou" stance in so many aspects for athletics is nothing short of amazing. Go Irish.
Eric Hansen: Hi Sean and thanks for your question. If/when I do write about it, I will leave the "holier than thou" part out. I think there are times the ND administration is very slow and stubborn about adapting to changing times, but I think some of their concerns about underclassman transfers were legit, and their willingness to talk through those and not dig in their heels, to me, is the opposite of holier than thou. I would love to talk to incoming AD Pete Bevacqua about this and many other topics as soon as we're granted access to him.
Jack from Strongsville, Ohio: Hi Eric. Where do you think Tommy Reese's future is ? Thanks for all the great work across all your platforms.
Eric Hansen: Hi Jack. Again a bandwidth thing on Tommy Rees. Other than hearing he interviewed for and didn't get the Arizona head coaching job, I haven't followed it closely. There's just too much going on with the Notre Dame beat for me to pursue that fervently, but I certainly understand your curiosity.
Don from Cincinnati: Eric do you think mike mickens will apply for DC position at UC and if he were to land it do you think it would have a trickling affect on ND roster . Or do you think he sits tight and waits to see what may happen with Coach Golden? Thanks as always for your great insight. Hopefully he stays put!
Eric Hansen: Hi Don. The problem with the sports journalism ecosystem and coaching searches is that sometimes people are reporting situations/candidates they've vetted. Sometimes they're reporting what might be logical. And sometimes they're just throwing names at a wall and seeing what sticks. And many times, there's not a distinct line drawn as to which of these scenarios they're putting out there. The reporting on Mike Mickens falls somewhere between scenario 2 and 3. It wouldn't surprise me that Mickens would eventually be PURSUED by other schools, including his alma mater, UC. But he may be in line to be the next ND defensive coordinator. At some point. Until he falls into category 1, I wouldn't get too excited.
Tom from Kennesaw, Ga.: Eric, based on your answer to Kevin from Orlando regarding an NIL chat some week, do you think you could get Brady Quinn to be a part of a Chat or a Pod cast devoted to clarifying NIL for us fans? Thanks.
Eric Hansen: That's not a bad idea.
Eric Hansen: OK, that's going to have to do it for today. Thanks for all the great questions. Because we'll be doing interviews with the incoming transfers next Wednesday, we'll do the chat next Tuesday at noon. See you then!
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