Chat Transcript: What a playoff-caliber Notre Dame team would look like
Eric Hansen: Welcome to Notre Dame Football Live Chat, post-Groundhog Day Edition.
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’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.
► On our most recent Inside ND Sports Podcast, legendary recruiting analyst Tom Lemming joined Tyler James and me. Lemming discussed Notre Dame retaining director of recruiting Chad Bowden, why Bowden is so valuable to the Irish, the toughest and easiest positions to evaluate, if quarterback recruits are worried about ND's transfer portal reliance, the top quarterbacks in the 2026 class, what he likes about ND's 2025 class, how offensive coordinator Mike Denbrock and wide receivers coach Mike Brown are received on the recruiting trail, what the Irish need at wide receiver 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 in the midst of a busy football offseason at WSBT radio season, and Darin Pritchett and I are together this week Wednesday and Friday 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 remember to include your name and hometown along with your question(s).
Here are the rules:
Eric Hansen: Because it's supposed to hit 60 degrees in South Bend on Friday, the "no bare feet" rule has been rescinded for this week.
I am properly caffeinated, so let's get rolling.
Marie from Atlanta: Hey Eric, I hope you’re having a great week. As we all know, optimism is at its highest right before the start of spring practice. Which position groups have enough talent to win a national championship next year? Assume that Riley Leonard comes close to meeting his ceiling. Which position groups do you think have the most work to do and is it possible for them to improve enough to win a national championship? On an entirely different note, were you at all surprised that Mike Elston left Michigan for the NFL? I guess I just never really thought of him as an NFL coach. As always, thanks for keeping the off-season chats going. They always make the week so much better.
Eric Hansen: Hi Marie. Great week here and thanks for your questions. It's not just a talent quotient at certain position groups that can pave the way for a national title, there's the context of how it's developed and coached. And that snapshot may look quite different for certain position groups in April, in August and as we work our way through the season. Having said that, the two position groups that have an elite talent/development/coaching combination right now are the cornerbacks and defensive line. But there are reasons to be optimistic about other position groups, especially on defense. Keep in mind the offense has had much more personnel turnover AND has to learn a new offensive system. I would say the two position groups that have the most questions and the biggest climb ahead of them are the offensive line and wide receivers.
And when you use the hypothetical of Riley Leonard meeting his ceiling, draft analyst Mel Kiper Jr., had him as a high draft choice last offseason before the injuries. ... Yes I am surprised to an extent that Mike Elston is headed to the NFL. We've only briefly exchanged texts recently, so we haven't had a conversation about it. But knowing Mike, I could see that if he wasn't going to be Jesse Minter's successor as D-coordinator, maybe this would be a good move for him as it would keep him off the road more recruiting.
Lorne from Reno: Is there going to be a real QB competition or will Leonard be handed the job? Can ND compete in an NIL world and maintain its values? Your prediction for the new o-line? Can we keep Golden? Will we be starting transfer QB's forever? What? You've already answered all of those, and most more than once? In defense of us followers of yours, there's not much new until practice starts (though the stories on the newbies are great). Let me try something different (though I can't guarantee it hasn't been asked): what are we missing -- that is, what player, who isn't being talked about much, is going to be the biggest surprise or have the biggest impact this year? (To try to save time on the opening Q's: real comp; yes, for now, but who knows in the future; Wagner, Jaguseh, Schrauth, Coogan, Craig; about 50-50, but we'll see with positions still opening and being filled; no, esp. given the current QB's on the roster).
Eric Hansen: Lorne, you had me sweating there. I usually don't remind people the day of the chat about the double-secret probation penalty for 17-part questions and/or manifestos. But kudos for a clever way to get to your question. ... I jotted down five names as a surprise player after reading your question and going through the positions in my head. To me, they have to be someone who didn't start at ND last season. I settled on OT Aamil Wagner. I also considered WR Kris Mitchell, S Luke Talich, DE Josh Burnham and DE Boubacar Traore.
Ryan from Mars, Pa.: Good afternoon Eric when talking to The Transfer players how has Jordan Clark looked GO IRISH ☘️☘️🏈🏈
Eric Hansen: Hey Ryan. We'll get a chance to see and talk to Jordan Clark for the first time this Friday. As the most logical replacement at this point for nickel Thomas Harper, he's an important piece in what was the nation's No. 1 pass-efficiency defense this past season.
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Joe H from Williams Bay, Wis.: Hi Eric thanks for making this bleak time of year more enjoyable with your chats.I was thrilled to see that Chad Bowdon is not jumping ship to Michigan With that being said I keep hearing about him and others being offered General Manager positions at other programs and wondered if Notre Dame is planning on going that route and what generally that entails?
Eric Hansen: Thanks Joe. Notre Dame actually has that position already, although it's called something else than general manager — assistant athletics director, player personnel. And his name is Butler Benton. According to his bio, Benton's responsibilities include "roster management, the evaluation process, and management of the recruiting and scouting departments." Sounds like a general manager. But director of recruiting Chad Bowden could certainly be offered some overlapping responsibilities in that area, given his value to Notre Dame and his demonstrated ability to handle new challenges he's worked to have a shot at.
Rich from Key West: Good afternoon, do you see any of the current walk ons bringing their game up to a level where they not only contribute on special teams but also get regular shifts with a position group?
Eric Hansen: Hi Rich. We won't see a lot of the newer walk-ons until training camp, as June enrollees or summer additions. Having said that, safety Luke Talich has a real shot at being an important part of the rotation at safety and likely won't be a walk-on for too much longer. I've been impressed with cornerback Isaiah Dunn, but I think depth will keep him out of anything but mop-up duty. Tre Reader at linebacker has impressed, but again there's a lot of young talent he's competing with. Eric Goins, the 30-year-old Citadel transfer, is a great story and a nice Plan B in case of injury to No. 1 kicker and South Carolina transfer Mitch Jeter. Ask me again in August, and I may have a few more names to keep an eye on.
Jules from Joliet, Ill.: Thank you (and Tyler) for all of the great content that you gentlemen put out, FNS, podcasts with Bob Morton, Tom Lemming, Ryan Harris, etc., and the fine articles. Question: As long as I can remember, whether on line or in the Chicago Sun Times orTribune, Notre Dame always published the graduation rates for their football team. I do not recall seeing this information the past few years. Have I overlooked it or has this become passé in this of transfers, NIL and leaving early for the pros?
Eric Hansen: Jules, thanks for the promo! Seriously, thank you for putting up with us. The grad rates haven't been as publicized as in recent years, I believe, because the formula is so much more complicated, in part because of how you calculate transfers. In the old, old days, transfers counted against the grad rate, even if that player graduated with honors and discovered a cure for cancer. But what I can tell you is the American Football Coaches Association now uses the newer formula (GSR) in determining its Academic Achievement Award. And Notre Dame in 2023 shared that award with 12 other schools.
Here is GSR in a nutshell ... The GSR is based on a six-year graduation window for student-athletes and holds institutions accountable for transfer students, unlike the federal graduation rate. The GSR also accounts for midyear enrollees and non-scholarship students at schools that do not offer athletics aid. Under GSR calculation, institutions are not penalized for outgoing transfer students who leave in good academic standing. These outgoing transfers are passed to the receiving institution’s GSR cohort.
Here are the all-time winners:
1981: Duke; 1982: Notre Dame; 1983: Notre Dame; 1984: Duke, Notre Dame; 1985: Virginia; 1986: Virginia; 1987: Duke; 1988: Notre Dame; 1989: Kentucky; 1990: Duke; 1991: Notre Dame; 1992: Boston College, TCU; 1993: Duke; 1994: Duke; 1995: Boston College, Duke, Wake Forest; 1996: Boston College, Duke, Vanderbilt; 1997: Duke; 1998: Northwestern; 1999: Duke.
2000: Syracuse; 2001: Notre Dame, Vanderbilt; 2002: Northwestern; 2003: Duke; 2004: Boston College, Northwestern; 2005: Duke, Northwestern; 2006: SMU; 2007: Northwestern, Notre Dame; 2008: Vanderbilt; 2009: Notre Dame, Miami (Fla.); 2010: Northwestern, Rice; 2011: Boise State, Miami (Ohio); 2012: Northwestern, Stanford; 2013: Georgia, Rice, Stanford, Tulane; 2014: Duke, Northwestern, Notre Dame, Stanford; 2015: Duke, Vanderbilt; 2016: Miami (Fla.), Northwestern, Stanford; 2017: Alabama, Cincinnati, Middle Tennessee State, Northwestern, Utah, Utah State, Virginia; 2018: Clemson, Kansas State, Nevada, Oklahoma State, Pittsburgh; 2019: Air Force, Alabama, Clemson, Louisville, Rice, Utah; 2020: no award given; 2021: no award given; 2022: Air Force, Boston College, Navy, Northwestern, Stanford, Toledo, Vanderbilt.
2023: Arkansas State, Buffalo, Clemson, Iowa State, Kansas State, Louisville, Navy, North Carolina, Northwestern, Notre Dame, South Alabama, UTSA, and Virginia.
John from Villa Park, Calif.: Thanks for the chats, always a must read for me. I have a question regarding Notre Dame position in new playoff system. If Notre Dame was 11-0 going into the USC game and would most likely finish within the top 8 even if they lost, do you think Notre Dame would rest its starters with nothing to gain?
Eric Hansen: John thanks for the compliments. But if we lived in a world where Notre Dame rested its players for the USC game under any circumstances, I would fall out of love with college football. ... Even looking at it pragmatically, you could cost yourself in the seeding and home-field advantage for the first playoff game. And what would you be resting those players for? The playoff game is THREE WEEKS after the USC game.
Tom from Kennesaw, Ga.: Hi Eric, I hope that you are doing well and that groundhog Phil is right for a change and we have an early spring. What can you tell us about the WR from Clemson and what his role might be next season?? Is the media not allowed to reach out to him until he is actually enrolled at ND?? Can you give us any of your swami wisdom regarding the speculation that Al Golden has been offered a 4-year extension?? And, if so what is the hold up?? On another subject Hanna Hildago is really fun to watch!!! Go Irish!!
Eric Hansen: Hi Tom, I saw a statistic on Steven Colbert's show that the groundhog has only been right 30 percent of the time in the last decade, which come to think of it might be good enough to land a job as a meteorologist in our market. ... In any event, Beaux Collins was a really coveted high-four star recruit out of national power St. John Bosco High in Bellflower, Calif. Exceptional student. ND took a run at him out of high school. He projects as a boundary receiver, but we'll see what his role is, since there's a lot of experience already at that spot. I will have to check in to see what the rules are regarding us interviewing him since he is in town but not enrolled at ND.
Notre Dame, in being competitive for top coaching talent, is giving coordinators four-year contracts. I still think it's more likely than not Al Golden stays put at ND, but the NFL coaching carousel is still spinning. ... You are right about Hannah Hidalgo. I've been covering WBB this winter and she is amazing.
Ray: Eric, how would you rate Notre Dame‘s kicking and punting going into the spring?
Eric Hansen: Ray, please include your hometown next time or I'm going to make you wear shoes. .... I think Notre Dame is in a really good place with both jobs. Mitch Jeter was 23-of-25 on field goals the past two seasons at South Carolina. And the only reason Bryce McFerson (45.1 average) didn't make the top 20 nationally in punting is because ND didn't punt often enough for him to qualify. His focus this offseason is being more consistent and doing the little things to improve his net punting average ... more consistent hang time and placement, fewer touchbacks and returns, etc.
Matt from Austin: Hi Eric. Thank you for rescinding the no bare feet rule this week as it is beautiful in the ATX. Simple question that may require a more complicated answer. With the expansion of the playoffs, what realistic chance do you give ND of making the top 12? ( probably high). But given that, do you think ND can truly compete for a championship this year and if not, what are the deficiencies? As always, thank you and stay warm.
Eric Hansen: Hi Matt, and I bet it's beautiful in Austin. Has been every time I've been there. ... This goes back to Marie's question sort of. Making the playoff is a realistic goal. And I think ND's defense will be good enough to win a playoff game. There are questions on the defensive side of the ball, but so many more of them on the offensive side. And in the current February snapshot, I don't think ND is a national title contender in 2024. Here are the storylines that could have to happen over he course of the next few months for that to change:
Riley Leonard evolving as a quarterback into an elite NFL prospect type. Notre Dame's wide receivers surprising. And ND's offensive line surprising and overachieving. Those aren't the only ones, but ND has to avoid key injuries and has to produce some surprise position groups/individuals. Having Mike Denbrock as OC and Mike Brown as WRs coach increases the chances of those things happening.
Len from the Jersey Shore: Hello Eric! Looks like Ohio State is the new Texas A & M when it comes to NIL spending. I believe OSU program is more stable then A & M. Do you think this NIL barrage will work for your Alma Mater? On the ND program, would the school ever take back a transfer in subsequent years? For example if George Takacs has a Covid year exemption left, would ND consider his transfer back to ND, betting his experience would help the position due to injuries and age at TE?
Eric Hansen: Hi Len. I'm not sure how to answer your NIL question. Ohio State was formidable in the portal and in recruiting before NIL. I think it's adjusted to how the game is played and so far within the rules. Then again, this is a school that went on probation once for violations in synchronized swimming, so we'll see. Keep in mind, there are very few absolutes when it comes to reporting NIL numbers. There's a lot of assumptions. ... To your other question, I'm pretty certain George Takacs used his COVID exemption year to play in 2023 at Boston College, so I believe his college career is over. But hypothetically, I don't think Notre Dame would dismiss that idea and yet I don't think that is something they'd be active in pursuing.
James from Columbus: Hi Eric, love the chats, podcasts and really glad your on Weekday SportsBeat with Darrin again. It gets us through the offseason. Any word on Golden’s extension and why he wasn’t on the recruiting trail during the last contact period?
Eric Hansen: Hi James and thanks. I've answered the first part of your question already but can address the second. I was told by a source that the reason Al Golden wasn't more active in recruiting on the road during the contact period was because he was recovering from a surgical procedure. I'll let him address it himself when we talk to him, but this was not a life-threatening type of situation but required him to stay put for a while, nonetheless.
Dan from Grand Rapids, Mich.: Hi Eric, GREAT JOB as always! Have you heard anything regarding a possible departure of either Al Golden or Al Washington? I think either would be a difficult loss. If they are both back, I think '24 will be a GREAT year!
Eric Hansen: Dan LOVE THE ALL CAPS. Thank you. Al Washington's name was brought up in connection with the still-vacant Boston College head coaching job, and it does not look like that's the direction the Eagles will ultimately go.
Norris from Singer Island, Fla.: Thanks for being a football oasis in the doldrums of Winter. Three questions. As a passer, what are the strengths of RL and what weaknesses will the coaches have him working on to improve? Since most of your peers have concluded that RL was not induced to come to ND to be a backup, what are your odds that SA will not enter the portal after the Spring Game, and either way, why? Which five of our offensive linemen are the best pass blockers and which five are the best at the running game?
Eric Hansen: Hi Norris, and thank you. Do they actually have doldrums where you live? To Riley Leonard's strengths, he's a big strong guy -- 6-4 with a strong arm. He's able to recognize and handle pressure well. He's got an "it" factor when it comes to making big plays at big moments, but that includes his running, too. What he needs to work on is his accuracy/consistency and his downfield passing game. I'm not going to put odds on a kid transferring. It feels too much like making odds someone's wife will leave him. Just feels icky to me. What I will say is Steve Angeli, if he's No. 2 and Leonard is fully healthy, will have a decision to make and will have options. I would think he's shown enough that SOME teams believe he'd be good enough to start for them. What he'll have to weigh is walking away from relationships at ND and the ND degree, both of which he has said are meaningful to him. If he thinks he has a leg up on everyone else for 2025, that may keep him at ND.
But at this point, predicting how he's going to feel is really guesswork. We haven't seen how he performs in the spring, how he interacts with Mike Denbrock, etc. ... To the O-line question, I'm going to give you one source, and not a definitive source necessarily, in the Pro Football Focus film grades. I eliminated anyone who didn't get at least 35 snaps in run blocking (Aamil Wagner for example) or pass blocking. But among qualifying returning O-linemen the order for run blocking is Billy Schrauth, Rocco Spindler, Pat Coogan, Ashton Craig, Tosh Baker. For pass blocking, it's Wagner, Schrauth, Craig, Coogan, Spindler, Charles Jagusah, Baker.
Sean from Portland, Ore,: Regarding the secondary next year.... 1) Does Heard play more safety or more nickel do you imagine? 2) Any chance Christian Gray becomes the #2 corner over Mickey, assuming Morrison will continue to start as #1 corner. 3) O/U 5 combined forced fumbles/interceptions next year for X?
Eric Hansen: Hi Sean. Northwestern transfer Rod Heard II, a June enrollee, was recruited to play primarily safety, even though he was a nickel for most of his career at Northwestern. We had him on the Inside ND Sports Podcast last month, and you can hear him talk about his role in that interview for more depth on the topic. Jordan Clark has the inside track at nickel, but Heard could certainly play there at a high level. So, if everything works out right, he'd start at safety alongside Xavier Watts. Again, sometimes there are surprises. ... Yes I think Christian Gray is good enough to challenge for a starting spot, but I think all three of them -- Mickey, Gray and Morrison will play a lot. Clarence Lewis could rotate in at corner as well. I'll go over 5 on your question re Watts.
Dan from Whitby, Ontario: With the retirements of both, University President, Fr. John Jenkins and Athletic Director, Jack Swarbrick, how do you believe ND athletics and the football program will be impacted under the new leadership of President, Fr. Robert Dowd, and Athletic Director, Pete Bevacqua? Also, Tyler Buchner’s announcement to transfer back to ND to play lacrosse and finish his degree was interesting, in that he mentioned that he was (I am paraphrasing) “not closing the possibility of a return to football.” If we lose a QB to the transfer portal in the spring, will we see Tyler return to the gridiron?
Eric Hansen: Hi Dan. How does GREATLY impacted sound? The longstanding model of amateur athletics is changing at light speed with more changes to come, and those two will have to show strong leadership in making decisions about how Notre Dame goes about navigating that new world. ... I think Tyler Buchner is smart to keep all of his options open. And that could include transferring after he's received his degree to another school to take a shot at starting. If he were to join the Irish roster, I'm not sure what his role would be that wouldn't possibly impeded the development of Kenny Minchey or CJ Carr. Not saying it's an unworkable concept, but hard to see the fit here.
Jeff from Fort Wayne, Ind.: Thanks for your insight on all things Irish. My question is why do almost all offensive linemen wear knee braces, but in the NFL I see no one wearing them. I suppose its for safety, so why would the NFL not use them?
Eric Hansen: Hi Jeff. I found some old articles on the topic. It is for safety and most college teams require their offensive linemen to wear them. Not all of them would by choice. Because of collective bargaining in the NFL, those players are not subject in most cases to team-imposed restraints when it comes to equipment.
Sean from Schaumburg, Ill.: Mr. Hansen, the NLRB ruling for Dartmouth is a huge ruling for college athletes. The Big Ten/SEC forming an advisory group is a step for the Big Ten/SEC to break away from the NCAA. It's going to happen. I hope ND admins are as quick to act as they were with transfer portal players. It's of paramount importance for ND to hitch their football wagon to the Big Ten/SEC. The ACC is done-zo. Do the ND admins have the appetite for this? Colossal change is coming to collegiate athletics.
Eric Hansen: Mr. Sean. I agree big changes are coming to college athletics. I don't agree with your GPS on how that will unfold. Perhaps this article for ESPN on the Big Ten/SEC partnership will give you a better perspective of what they're hoping to accomplish with the formation of that partnership. In the meantime, Notre Dame isn't going to bury its head and dream about college sports in the 1940s. They constantly take the temperature of what they feel is best for the program. Right now they feel like they're in a good position that most conferences would love to have them as a full-time member if that's the choice they want to make SOMEDAY. But even though you say the ACC is done-zo, ND's legal entanglements with the league are not.
Florida State is testing those legal limits. We'll see how possible and how expensive it is to leave the ACC from what happens to Florida State in court. So, you are on point in wanting ND to not fall asleep with all the changes coming, but perhaps getting too far ahead when it comes to Notre Dame needing to be in panic/now-or-never mode.
Steve Clemens from Neptune Beach, Fla.: WHO WILL BE THE STARTING QB THIS COMING UP YEAR?
Eric Hansen: I believe it will be Riley Leonard, barring injury.
DOUG from Coeur d Alene Id: Any feedback on the S&C coach?
Eric Hansen: Hi Doug. Yes, I wrote a story last Friday and we talked about what some of the players had to say about Loren Landow on our Football Never Sleeps show. Hope that helps. Keep in mind, it's just three weeks of impressions.
Patrick from Fort Wayne, Ind.: Good afternoon Eric. I have a difficult question that you may want to explore in a more expansive format, but I will ask anyway. If colleges are forced to pay athletes for services rendered I can imagine a scenario where colleges no longer offer scholarships, but charge athletes for services that equal worker compensation or close to it. Much like the old days of companies building a town around their business and paying employees in company script to be used only at company owned businesses in that town creating a profit loop to exploit workers, colleges have enjoyed the upper hand and will do whatever it takes to control expenses and profit. Do you think this scenario could play out? The Big Ten and SEC have formed a committee to "get a handle" on NIL and, I assume, keep the cash cow profits of football and basketball in their hands.
Eric Hansen: Patrick. There are so many lawsuits, so much of a push in Congress, so many other forces at work here, if I can predict what the new model is going to look like today, then I need to charge for my predictions going forward. The court decisions have been favoring the players over and over again, so that should help guide you in how you think this may turn out.
Matt from Kansas City: Fast five! 1. What are we getting in RJ Oben, is he solid, chance to be spectacular, what? 2. Who is the best receiving RB we have as I get the suspicion that might be more incorporated into the offense next season? 3. Do we really learn anything from spring practices, what do you look for as reporter for insight? 4. Our LBs seem to be the younger and more inexperience group, not sure where Sneed will play as read article he had highest missed tackle % last year, but it seems to me we need a strong group so we don't have to bring a safety down to help against the run, do you think we have the talent now KVA or others to be a "strong" LB core this year? 5. Best place to eat in South Bend (not on gameday, just in general)?
Eric Hansen: Hi Matt. 1. I think Duke transfer RJ Oben has A CHANCE to have the same kind of path at Notre Dame that Javontae Jean-Baptiste had. That is developing into a more complete, more impactful defensive end. 2. Among the running backs, it's hard to say who isn't a good receiving back. I'd put Jadarian Price at the top of the list, with Jeremiyah Love right behind at this point. 3. Spring practice is largely about impressions and not conclusions. I'm looking for players I feel show signs that they'll be able to find another level over the summer and into fall camp, also are there any dead ends for this team in a certain area or position group? Any unfixable problems? 4. Jaylen Sneed is an elite athlete who is learning to play a traditional linebacker role and has the intelligence and work ethic to make that work. 5. My grandkids say the best place to eat in South Bend is my house, and I'm not kidding. I was shocked too.
This question is tough, because I'm not sure what you're looking for — atmosphere, price, taste. I am not a fancy, schmancy get all dolled up kind of guy. So give me something like Rocco's, Portillo's or Fiddler's Hearth.
Jay from Granger: How many more transfers coming or going after spring practice do you see before the season starts. Thanks.
Eric Hansen: Wow, this feels like Groundhog Day question I've answered before, but I will answer it anyway. Here's the math. Notre Dame is at 89 scholarships committed toward the 2024 season. I am including Gabe Rubio, who I think has a better-than-not chance of rejoining the team in spring or summer. Add Luke Talich getting a scholarship, which I think will happen, and you're at 90. So five is the minimum attrition rate that would have to happen by the start of fall-semester classes. The number would likely be slightly higher, and if so, there may be additions from the portal in the spring shopping season.
Colorado Irish: My son was an all-state High School 6 foot, 265 lb lineman. After injuring his knee, the orthopedic doc said he has good news and bad news. The good news is that you have a partial ACL tear. The bad news is that you’re done growing. Do coaches ever ask or do potential recruits ever provide X-rays of growth plates to prove they are still growing? Thanks!
Eric Hansen: I have never heard of this happening, but I will check on this. If you can email me, I can get you the answer in the next week.
Rui from Ossining, NY: I’m concerned about a home playoff game during school break, and having our stadium not sell out and/or be 50/50...thoughts?
Eric Hansen: Rui. I think those are legitimate concerns, given the geography of Notre Dame's fan base, the weather, the possible opponents, the timing with regard to when the students are here and the small window to sell tickets. I'll dig into this more during the season if/when it looks like the Irish are on a trajectory for this to happen.
Bob from Oxnard, Calif.: If our WBB team plays very well down the stretch, where do you think they can be seeded in the NCAA tourney — in a best, though realistic case scenario?
Eric Hansen: A quick break in the action. I'll allow a WBB question since I'm covering it this season and because Bob is awesome. Right now the latest ESPN bracketology has them as a 5 seed. They play so many ranked or tournament-bound teams over the last eight regular-season games, there's an opportunity to move up to the top four line and host or move down if they don't play well. But your question is if they play well ... so 6-2 vs. what's left on their schedule would be enough in my mind to get them to 4. If they're ridiculously good, maybe a 3.
Chris from New York City: And, how about academic majors for the players. I do not believe that they are on the official player profiles any longer. Tranquill and Alt, for instance, I believe are engineering majors and perhaps that should be highlighted.
Eric Hansen: I don't object to that, but I don't have the power to change it one way or another.
Andrew from DC: Hi Eric, Jordan Botelho had a very underwhelming season. What injury did he have? I never saw anything reported until after the season. Do you expect a big season from him??
Eric Hansen: Hi Andrew. I plead ignorance on injuries to him. He never missed a game. The good news is Jordan's best two games were his last two of the season, Stanford and the Sun Bowl. In fact, he was the defensive MVP of the Sun Bowl. The Irish need more consistency from him, and yet he committed to coming back and getting better. And I believe he will be better in 2024. And if he's not, there are some good young Vyper ends ready to push for larger roles.
Chris from New York City: Do you know where academic majors are listed or could you perhaps provide them? Thank you.
Eric Hansen: Chris, they are not listed in their bios. Maybe I can get a list of them during spring football and publish them then.
Aaron, Washington D.C.: Hi Eric, thanks for the chat today. I'm going for a hat trick. Frist Question: What actions (if any) did Coach Freeman take to keep Chad Bowden at Notre Dame (pay, title, responsibilities, etc.)? Second Question: What areas (skills, decision making, etc.) do the Notre Dame's coaches believe are most critical to better develop in Riley Leonard for him to be elite this season? Third Question: It appears that Notre Dame is thriving despite all the seismic shifts in college football around transfers, NIL, etc. Would you assess that Coach Freeman has done all the major muscle movements required to have an effective program/organization in this new era of college football? Are there any gaps in Notre Dame's organizational construct and approach? I appreciate your time.
Eric Hansen: Hi Aaron. Let's unpack these. 1. Allegedly more money and the talk of more responsibility. It's something we can ask Marcus Freeman next time he's in front of us. 2. Developing his long-passing game. Developing his accuracy/consistency. 3. I think Marcus Freeman is hitting the right notes with this. My criticism of Notre Dame's approach would be with regard to the slow timeline of the Guglielmino Athletics Complex expansion. As far as other areas, the world around Notre Dame and everyone else is changing so fast, it's going to be a constant self-evaluation to make sure they're in step.
Ed from Sayville NY: Hi Eric. During your time covering the Irish, which players come top of mind in the following categories: Most athletic, most physical, most competitive and biggest overachiever? Thank you good sir.
Eric Hansen: Ed, Let me have a week to think about this, because I can't come up with my best answer off the top of my head. Thanks for the question and for your patience.
Eric Hansen: And thanks to everyone for the great questions. We'll have a bunch of content coming this weekend from our interviews with the defensive newcomers (freshman and transfers), so check out insideNDsports.com for that. As for the chat, we'll be back to do it all over again next Wednesday at noon ET.
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