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\u25ba If you missed the last episode of our aspiring-to-be-viral Notre Dame Football YouTube show, Football Never Sleeps<\/a>, what are you doing with your life? Seriously, the show keeps its shelf life long after the live presentation, so you can catch up now or later on our YouTube<\/a> channel.\u00a0 We\u2019ll be back next week, Monday at 7 p.m. ET, for another presentation of Football Never Sleeps with Tyler James co-hosting with me. And check out some great shows on the Blue & Gold YouTube channel<\/a> as well, including the live Notre Dame Football Show<\/a>, on Wednesday nights. That goes live at 8 ET tonight.<\/p>\n \u25ba The Third & Gold Podcast<\/a> is available at all places where you find podcasts, as well as our YouTube Channel<\/a>. On our most recent episode<\/a>, we caught up with former Notre Dame defensive end Jay Hayes, now back at ND as the school\u2019s director of athletics advancement. The next episode will drop later this week.<\/p>\n Finally, we will be doing another chat next Wednesday at noon ET, and will continued to plod through February as long as there is interest.<\/p>\n As far as today\u2019s chat \u2026<\/p>\n PLEASE, include your name and hometown along with your question(s).<\/p>\n Here are the rules:<\/p>\n Eric Hansen: The only ones that will be strictly enforced today are no spitting and no bare feet.<\/p>\n Off we go \u2026<\/p>\n Barry from Napa, Calif.: Bonus round question :)!\u00a0 Jim Phillips says the ACC-ND relationship is \u201cvery good\u201d and issues were put to bed quickly after the CFP announcements.\u00a0 I haven\u2019t seen any ND beat writer, you among the most connected, report that mended relationship. Is Phillips correct or are there still lingering issues?\u00a0 Saw some other prognosticators say ND could leave the ACC and have a similar consortium with B1G\/SEC, though they were labeled out of the box ideas for 2026.\u00a0 What say you?\u00a0 Thanks again for all the stellar reporting, making the ND fan base probably the most informed in the FBS.<\/p>\n Eric Hansen: Barry, we\u2019ll get to your non-bonus question later, but I thought this was a great place to start. There have been a couple of articles recently in which Jim Phillips<\/a> has painted the ACC-ND relationship as mended, strong, in a better place<\/a>, etc. I think that\u2019s a start. I\u2019ll feel that there\u2019s substance to it when I see actual actions to match. But I think the intention is real. \u2026 As for forming some kind of working relationship with another conference, say the Big 10 or SEC, I think it\u2019s smart for Notre Dame athletic director Pete Bevacqua<\/a> to explore that.<\/p>\n One big selling point for the ACC is that league\u2019s willingness to schedule games with Notre Dame in November. In fact, all four Irish games this November are against ACC competition, and two of those teams are consensus way-too-early Top 25 teams, which is what you want \u2014 strong games in November that raise your College Football Playoff profile. One final point, ND still would need a legal avenue to leave the ACC and it might be very expensive or improbable before 2036.<\/p>\n Jack from Strongsville, Ohio: Hi Eric. Great article about Brian Kelly. Since you have been around awhile have you considered writing a book about your time covering ND football?<\/p>\n Eric Hansen: Thank you. I have written two books and ghost-written a third, and have turned down some other offers. None of those were or would have been about me. I think they have something called Zzz-quil that would have the same effect. I appreciate the thought, but if I did another one \u2014 and I don\u2019t see that anytime soon \u2014 I\u2019d want to do something about someone other than me and my experiences. But happy to share those over beers.<\/p>\n Michael from Austin: Howdy hump day! What is the temperature in the locker room with the coaching changes? I feel bad for the LB to go through the emotional roller coaster of Max to Al to Nick not coming home to where we are today. And I would think some of the DBs, especially the transfers and incoming FR, were blindside by this unless there was transparency that Mickens was interviewing. \u201cThe Times They Are A-Changin’\u201d!<\/p>\n Eric Hansen: Hi Michael, it\u2019s funny having been in the business so long that the rhythm of my weeks is so unconventional that I never think of Wednesday as the hump. But hope yours is going great. I do think it\u2019s hard on players who form relationships with their position coaches, and yet I think most players go into it knowing how short a shelf life is for a position coach, especially those with talent and ambition. Six years for Mike Mickens<\/a> was a long stretch.<\/p>\n When I\u2019ve spoken to players who have experienced multiple position coaches in their career, in general, they say the harder transition is a new coordinator. Some actually felt the position coaching changes help them in the long run, just learning how to process things in a different way. At some point, I\u2019m going to have to try to find the last season when there were zero staff changes at ND in an offseason. Off the top of my head, it certainly wasn\u2019t in the Freeman or Kelly Eras.<\/p>\n Ed from Sayville, N.Y.: Happy Chat day, Eric. Is there a specific column that you have written while covering the Irish that gives you the most personal and professional satisfaction? I find your work to be well balanced and level headed. In current times it\u2019s sometimes difficult to believe how judgmental scribes can be. You may have to think about this one, but just wanted to ask. Thanks.<\/p>\n Eric Hansen: Happy Chat day to you, Ed. I would have to think about it, because I don\u2019t archive that kind of thing naturally. And I think you mean actual columns when you use the term \u201ccolumns.\u201d Some people refer to anything I write as a column. I will try to give you an answer next week after giving it some thought. But what I can offer is a non-sports story\/column I did way back on Father\u2019s Day in 1999. It was memorable because of the impact it had on people that I didn\u2019t see coming.<\/p>\n It was a story about my dad, who had died three months earlier and his long battle with clinical depression. And writing that and putting us both out there was one of the scariest things I\u2019ve ever done in my life. And the stacks of mail from that story (email was just getting going then) kept coming for months. Like hundreds of letters. And then what\u2019s really cool is that former offensive lineman Trevor Ruhland<\/a> 26 years later shared a very personal story<\/a> about his own, different struggles that helped so many people.<\/p>\n And before he did that three-part series for blueandgold.com, I shared with him my experience about doing the article on my dad and it helped him make the decision on if and how he wanted to go about telling his story.<\/p>\n Tom F from Kennesaw, Ga.: Hey Eric, did you ever anticipate this much upheaval heading into the offseason???\u00a0 ND has been successful recruiting TEs and developing them into really good OT, which is why I am excited about an underrated Charlie Thom.\u00a0 I think the footwork that these players developed while playing TE is a reason they become such good OT.\u00a0 How much off-season agility work do the Strength coaches put the OL thru in order to make them more versatile and impactful??? Seems this would be important for pass blocking at OT and run pulling at IOL.\u00a0 Thanks for all your help in making us Chatters more informed fans. \u00a0 Go Irish!!!!<\/p>\n Eric Hansen: Hi Tom. I probably process things differently, because I haven\u2019t viewed recent events as upheaval. Now getting left out of the CFP, yes upheaval and the Marcus Freeman<\/a>\/NFL question, kind of upheaval. But the other stuff has kind of been business as usual for a successful college football team, and Marcus Freeman<\/a> has such a good track record of handling those kinds of challenges and turning them into positives.<\/p>\n Nothing to me that has happened has derailed or even mitigated the chances of the 2026 team from having an opportunity at a very memorable season. \u2026 Now to your question. If\/when we get a chance to talk to Loren Landow<\/a> (and it\u2019s been a couple of years, it seems), I will get more detail. But I do know one of the things Freeman and the players like is how position-specific the offseason training under him is. So yes, the O-linemen very much benefit from those kinds of drills.<\/p>\n The Beave from Grand Rapids: Eric: We here in the great white North are worried about your Keurig connection. You seem to be a connoisseur of fine things \u2014at least in the foodie world. Are there contractual restrictions that tie you to the Keurig? Or can we move you to upgraded coffee? We are willing to help with the transition.<\/p>\n Eric Hansen: Hi, the Beave. Barry from Napa has a thread in the queue that offers similar concerns. I am open to discussion, but if I need to be honest with you. If it\u2019s humanly possible to have more than platonic love for a kitchen appliance, I think it has happened with me and my Keurig machine. And I get quality pods, so I feel like I\u2019m getting quality coffee. I like the fact that I can\u00a0 make one cup at a time. And I just realized I\u2019m boring 90 percent of you to tears, so back to football!<\/p>\n Don From LA: Saw photos of the outdoor mass at the snow sculpture at ND! Hope you got warm slippers for xmas!!!! 83 here today, sorry. My questions: 1. how do you compare last year\u2019s coaching turnover to this year\u2019s? Game time readiness and recruiting. 2. I think ND would have gone very deep (again) into this year\u2019s playoff and had the secondary to neutralize Indiana\u2019s passing game and would have run it on them.\u00a0 Different team than the one that lost by 3 in Miami. Agree or disagree?<\/p>\n Eric Hansen: Very cool. All I have is piles of snow in front of my house. Nothing like that. To your questions \u2026 1) Last year ND replaced a coordinator (Al Golden<\/a> > Chris Ash<\/a>) and a running backs coach (Deland McCullough<\/a> > Ja\u2019Juan Seider<\/a>). And while you\u2019re replacing three defensive assistants this offseason, you\u2019re still keeping the same system in place. And two of those three have deep connection and familiarity with Chris Ash<\/a> in Aaron Henry<\/a> and Charlie Partridge<\/a>. Don, I think having both coordinators AND your starting QB returning \u2014 for the first time since Ian Book<\/a> \u2014 is a huge plus going into the 2026 season.<\/p>\n 2) I think Notre Dame as the 10 seed would have matched up well against those teams on that side of the bracket and also would have had a good chance to have reached the final. As the 9 seed and having to play Indiana earlier in the CFP, not sure how that would have gone. Indiana turned out to be really, really good and very complete. I can\u2019t say with certainty Notre Dame would have taken the Hoosiers down, but I would have loved to have covered that game and found out.<\/p>\n Jim from Springfield, Ill.: Thanks for doing this,I always learn a lot from reading the transcript.\u00a0 Micah Drescher finished his fall semester at Purdue and enrolled at ND for his spring semester, completing a change in schools just like tens of thousands of other college students.\u00a0 He participated in football at his old school and presumably will do the same at his new school.\u00a0 I am confident that ND has confirmed his eligibility to play this spring.\u00a0 What prevents him, or any other athlete, from doing the same thing at the end of spring semester, transfer portal or no transfer portal?\u00a0 Are players now required to sign multi-semester contracts?<\/p>\n Eric Hansen: Hi Jim. Thanks for your question. And with all the kickers ND is involved with these days, it\u2019s tough to keep the names straight. Micah Drescher<\/a> is a high school kicker who originally signed with Michigan, who ended up signing with Notre Dame today. He was able to get out of his Michigan commitment without complication due to Michigan\u2019s head coaching\u00a0 change. Spencer Porath<\/a> is the kicker you are asking about.<\/p>\n Purdue coach Barry Odom<\/a> claimed Porath transferred to Notre Dame without ever actually entering the portal. I believe we\u2019re going to get a chance to talk to Porath before spring, so it\u2019ll be interesting to get his perspective. But it is my understanding the player contracts run season to season, not school year to school year. So I don\u2019t think players would be able to switch schools after the spring semester, but I will double-check that.<\/p>\n Mark from Memphis, Tenn.: Hi Eric!!!!!!!! \ud83e\udd76\ud83e\udd76\ud83e\udd76\ud83e\udd76 The ice is finally starting to melt in the 901!\u00a0 I notice that almost all of the Irish signees have enrolled in January, so my questions are these: 1) How much do coaches encourage early entry by their recruits? 2) Are players from high schools with more stringent graduation requirements (e.g., 4 years of English or Math or 4 years of Religion at Catholic schools) at a disadvantage in recruitment because they can\u2019t enroll early?\u00a0 As always, thanks for all you do in allowing us this forum!<\/p>\n Eric Hansen: Mark, glad you thawed out. We get a lot more of that icky winter stuff than you do, but they\u2019ve invested up here in helping us navigate it fairly seamlessly, so it feels like normal. Unless you wear shorts! Really interesting questions here. How much Notre Dame has encouraged early enrolling has very much evolved over the years. Charlie Weis<\/a> is actually the one who got admissions to roll the dice with Chris Stewart<\/a>, George West<\/a> and James Aldridge<\/a> in 2006. It went well enough to give it another whirl in 2007 with three more. Now you have a record 25 (out of 3) in school for spring semester. So, yes it\u2019s very much encouraged for a number of reasons, including some academic ones.<\/p>\n In terms of whether those players coming to ND in January have an edge over players coming in June, I think during the Weis and Brian Kell<\/a>y regimes, there was an advantage, Marcus Freeman<\/a> does not see it that way, and I think is more open to June enrollees being on equal footing. And ND has had plenty of standouts as freshmen who were June enrollees, like Benjamin Morrison<\/a> and Leonard Moore<\/a>. Now sometimes it\u2019s about positions. I think an offensive lineman, like Will Black<\/a>, would have benefited from being a January enrollee last year.<\/p>\n Tom in Evanston. Ill.: Hi Eric. Is the new DB coach also the co-DC? The reporting has been inconsistent. Also, do these \u201cco-\u201d titles mean anything?<\/p>\n Eric Hansen: I have a call out on that, but I don\u2019t know that I\u2019ll be able to answer that before the live part is over. I can include it in the transcript if I get an update. How the co-defensive coordinator label works is not universal. Sometimes it\u2019s purely ceremonial and a way to give someone a pay bump and\/or ego boost. Sometimes, like when Chris Ash<\/a> was co-defensive coordinator at Ohio State, it\u2019s quite functional and meaningful. Given that Aaron Henry<\/a> was a DC at Illinois, it makes sense to give him a title. Either way I\u2019d expect collaboration from all the position coaches. That\u2019s a strong X\u2019s and O\u2019s group.<\/p>\n Damian Becker from Lynbrook, N.Y.: For your awareness, Lynbrook is located in southwest Nassau County of Long Island. Now for my question: When it comes to overall strengths and weaknesses, do you consider the offensive, defensive, special teams coaching staffs strengths or weaknesses and why?<\/p>\n Eric Hansen: Damien!!!!!!!!!!! 10 out of 10 for including your hometown this week and bonus points for the geography lesson. I appreciate both. I think one of the reasons why Notre Dame had the nation\u2019s No. 2 recruiting class with five 5-star prospects, an impressive portal haul and is picked by some to be the preseason No. 1 team is because of the strength of the staff on both sides of the ball and on special teams. They\u2019re strong recruiters, great evaluators and great teachers. Now I would say the defensive staff has more to prove, just because three of them are new, but that doesn\u2019t make it a weakness. Just more of an unknown.<\/p>\n Ryan from Frankfort, Ill.: Good afternoon, Eric what do you think about the play of Nolan James jr and Aneyas Williams i think they looked good last year I\u2019m excited to see both play September who will be the Running back one on the depth Chart i think it will James Jr GO IRISH \u2618\ufe0f\u2618\ufe0f\u2618\ufe0f\ud83c\udfc8\ud83c\udfc8\ud83c\udfc8<\/p>\n Eric Hansen: Hi Ryan. The running back competition will be fun to watch this spring and even more fun in training camp, when Kedren Young<\/a> is expected to be back to make it a five-man competition. Aneyas Williams<\/a> has staggering numbers in smaller sample sizes, so it will be interesting to see how those translate once he has more opportunities. He is the front-runner going in. Nolan James Jr.<\/a>, has a lot of versatility and I think he goes in No. 2. But the freshmen and Kedren Young<\/a> are going to make this interesting. My sense is the rotation will be deeper than 2, which is what ND went with last season.<\/p>\n Bill from St Joe, MI: Eric!!!! What do you attribute ND\u2019s 2025 defensive improvement in rushing defense as compared to Al Golden\u2019s ND defenses, without sacrificing too much in passing efficiency stats\u2026was it players, moving a safety closer to the line of scrimmage, improved linebacker play, all the above, or something else?<\/p>\n Eric Hansen: Bill!!!!!!!!!! You are winning the unofficial exclamation point award so far today. The grand prize? Maybe a beer with Manny from San Pedro and me, if we can get him up here. My Groundhog Day resolution was to cut way down on using the term \u201cdeeper dive\u201d in the rest of 2026. But I do plan on doing a comprehensive scout (that sounds weird) of that later this offseason. For now, a few things jump out anecdotally. Having an elite run defense was prioritized more by Chris Ash<\/a> than it was by Al Golden<\/a>. ND tended to play with a light box (not bringing safeties down to help in the run) more under Golden and he was more concerned with preventing explosive plays. Ash found a way to do both once the defense found traction with his new system.<\/p>\n I also think some individuals contributed to the step up \u2026 Kyngstonn Viliamu-Asa<\/a> was one of the best run defenders in all of college football, per Pro Football Focus (94.0) rating. ND had 14 players with ratings of 70 or better among those who logged more than 100 run snaps in 2025. In 2024, there were 11. ND\u2019s safeties were all outstanding, but Tae Johnson<\/a> and Jalen Stroman<\/a>, in particular, lifted the run defense. Jared Dawson<\/a> on the defensive line was another difference-maker. I\u2019d expect 2026 to be another strong group, especially if KVA, recovering from ACL surgery, plays a full season or close to it.<\/p>\n Marie from Atlanta: Hi Eric, thanks for hosting the chat. I hope you\u2019re having a fantastic week. On a scale of one to 1 to 10\u00a0 how would you rate the hires of Aaron Henry, and Brian Jean-Marie? What are the strengths and weaknesses of each coach?\u00a0 With all the defensive staff coaching turnover, are you at all concerned about the defensive\u00a0 staff jelling in the early part of the season next year? Obviously, the first part of the schedule is much easier next year do you think there\u2019s enough time for the staff to adjust to each other and really start clicking when the more challenging part of the schedule begins? Finally just for fun, Complete this sentence: Notre Dame wins the national championship next year if the following three things happen in spring practice\u2026 Thanks so much for hosting the chat and all your great insights.<\/p>\n Eric Hansen: Hi Marie. Thanks for your questions and for your message (and your patience in my getting a soft spot in my schedule). I\u2019m going to wait for my 1-to-10 rating for the new hires until they are formally announced and I have a chance to meet them and ask them questions. Fair enough? What I like about both is their experience and fit. Aaron Henry<\/a> (DBs) has a history with Chris Ash<\/a>. He\u2019s also been a coordinator and has coached both defensive back positions. He\u2019s a dynamic recruiter. I know less about Brian Jean-Mary<\/a> at the moment, because I\u2019m still trying to get a better feel for him as a recruiter.<\/p>\n As a position coach, he\u2019s coached in the bright lights of Texas, Michigan and Tennessee\/ He spent 10 years with Charlie Strong<\/a> as a linebackers coach, and at USF was his DC as well. He spent two early years of his career under Lou Holt<\/a>z. So, there\u2019s a lot to like there. As far as meshing, the fact that Ash and Charlie Partridge<\/a> go back decades and Henry has been in that coaching tree (that includes NC State\u2019s Dave Doeren<\/a>) is also a positive.<\/p>\n The three things in SPRING that will signify a national title? If I get this right, do I get a free crystal ball? OK, this is for fun. 1) Some fans will overreact to growing pains. 2) Some fans are still mad at ESPN and the ACC. 3) Brian Kelly<\/a> gives up the game of golf. \u2026 OK, real ones? 1) CJ Carr<\/a> looks like a better version of the already impressive 2024 model. 2) Charles Jagusah<\/a> has a recovery timeline that will allow him to thrive in fall camp and the 2026 season. 3) The transfer receivers are as good as advertised.<\/p>\n Lorne from Reno: Thank you as always for the chats. It appears that CMF is again hitting home runs (scoring touchdowns?) with his AC hires. For people (yes, including me) who questioned Mickens not getting promoted to DC, I thought Tyler\u2019s interview with Doug Bucshon re Aaron Henry raised an interesting point: Bucshon speculated that Henry was elevated to DC to quickly, wasn\u2019t really ready, and foundered as a result, which may well have happened with Mickens. I am thankful for the contributions of the departed coaches and excited about their successors. The only one we really need to worry about is CMF \u2014 as long as he\u2019s the coach, people will want to play for him and work with him. Do you think we can maintain this level of recruiting, coaching hires, and on-field performance in a post-Freeman era?<\/p>\n Eric Hansen: Lorne, I got distracted and missed answering this live. So, here it is in the transcript. That\u2019s impossible to answer not knowing who Marcus Freeman\u2019s<\/a> successor would be. But here\u2019s why I think those things have a chance to work in a post-Freeman Era. The commitment from the administration has never been more consistently strong since I\u2019ve been covering college sports (since 1983). And Notre Dame continues to pivot well to even seismic changes in college sports instead of dragging its feet. If those two things continue and you get the right successor, then you have a fighting chance to replicate what\u2019s happening now and what\u2019s about to happen.<\/p>\n Roger from Peoria: Eric:\u00a0 Historically, this was one of my favorite days of the year, National Signing Day.\u00a0 Rather lukewarm in the current environment for College football.\u00a0 I was really happy with the punting from Aussie James Rendell.\u00a0 It looks like there will be a strong punting competition for the 2026 Irish.\u00a0 i am intrigued by the signing of another Aussie Jasper Scaife.\u00a0 Do you have any insight on his prospects? \u00a0 On the coaching front we now have Partridge and a pair added to MF\u2019s coaching tree.\u00a0 Last week you commented there would be plenty of interest in the DB coaching position. O, I am particularly pleased with Henry, whose hiring evidences there were more than slim pickins\u2019 to replace Mickens.\u00a0 Which of the three do you believe will provide the best combination of\u00a0 \u201cPlayer Development-Recruiting-Culture Enhancement\u201d? \u00a0 \u00a0 Thanks as always and GO IRISH!! And unrelated, but not necessarily seeking a response, what is going on with the Irish winter team sports of MBB, WBB and Hockey?<\/p>\n Eric Hansen: Hey Roger. I did a piece recently of the likelihood of the college football calendar undergoing major shifts in the future, and moving the signing day back to February was one of them. \u2026 Thanks for your thoughtful onramp to your questions. Here are my answers \u2026 I think one thing that will help Jasper Scaife<\/a> in his competition with Erik Schmidt<\/a> will be that he\u2019s already deep into the culture shock part of moving to another country and getting used to those things. James was a summer arrival, if you\u2019ll remember. I\u2019ve seen Schmidt punt in practice, and so this should be a great competition.<\/p>\n Of the three who will provide the best triple threat? I would say Aaron Henry<\/a>, but don\u2019t sleep on Charlie Partridge<\/a>. There\u2019s kind of a Harry Hiestand<\/a> quality about how he makes D-linemen better (HH was O-line of course), but the point being that technician\/philosopher\/demanding element that bleeds over into recruiting and culture sort of effortlessly. I may be selling Brian Jean-Mary<\/a> short, but this is the way I size it up having not met any of them yet in person. As far as the winter sports, did I tell you the no drinking rule is NOT BEING enforced?<\/p>\n JJ from Bushwood CC (New Jersey): Eric!!!!! Long time reader, first time writer. Thanks for all that you and the team do to keep ND nation informed. You are truly the best\u2026 I\u2019m pumped with all the optimism heading into 2026, but how do we get better losing a generational talent like Love, plus Price and a few others? Is it because of the (very real) quantum leap Carr made over the course of last season, and the expected further development of him and the rest of the team? Does that offset what we are losing? Thank you very little!<\/p>\n Eric Hansen: JJ, you wore green so you could hide, didn\u2019t you? Love it. And probably 92 percent of this chat is confused now. But let me answer your questions. And then I have one for you. \u2026 1) First of all, you did a pretty good job of beginning to answer your own question \u2026 so let me add to it. CJ Carr\u2019s<\/a> evolution is 1. Better offensive line 2. Speed on the perimeter that we haven\u2019t seen at Notre Dame in some time 3. A defensive and special teams to go with it, 4. That\u2019s the short version and a bonus as No. 5, there are some talented running backs still in the room. maybe not with the home run frequency of Jeremiyah Love<\/a> and Jadarian Price<\/a>, but very good. Now a question for you: How about a Fresca?<\/p>\n Mike: Hi Eric! What is the anticipated date of the Spring Game and when will it be announced?<\/p>\n Eric Hansen: I anticipate that it will be April 25, but that is not official and it has not been announced.<\/p>\n Chris: What is your sense on the back-up QB spot ? Do you think one of the young freshmen can beat out Herbert for the backup or do the Irish land a grad transfer who is cool with being the backup at some point this summer?<\/p>\n Eric Hansen: Mike and Chris, you both have homework next week, Please include your hometowns next time. \u2026 To your question, Chris from parts unknown. \u2026 The transfer portal is closed. And while ND could still take someone who is unsigned, I don\u2019t see that as a possibility unless there were multiple long-term injuries this spring. I\u2019m on record as saying Noah Grubbs<\/a> will likely have the upper hand going into the summer as the No. 2. And Teddy Jarrard<\/a> will eventually rise to that level in camp or at some point during the season. He\u2019s a June-arriving freshman who signed today.<\/p>\n The Beave from Grand Rapids: Eric: ESPN has Malachi Fields projected as a first round NFL selection. ND has had maybe 2 WRs selected in R1 since Tim Brown in 1986 (Will Fuller 2016 and Michael Floyd in 2012?). Given that talent evaluation, did ND underutilize Fields? This year\u2019s O excelled in run\/pass balance and spreading the ball between WRs, but if you have a dog don\u2019t you have to let him hunt?<\/p>\n Eric Hansen: Hi The Beave. I don\u2019t have a dog, but if I did, I\u2019d teach him to use the Keurig machine as well, so he could bring me coffee. I don\u2019t think Malachi Fields\u2019<\/a> upside went undetected. I spoke with an insider last June after Fields had been on campus for a couple of weeks, and Malachi\u2019s talent level was compared to Michael Floyd\u2019s<\/a>. The question was how quickly could the Notre Dame coaching staff bring that out in him? As that evolution was going on, CJ Carr<\/a> was evolving as a starting QB. And he did an amazing job on that front.<\/p>\n One of the things he had to grow into was trusting Fields to make catches in a crowd while tightly covered instead of Carr throwing the ball away because no one was open. That eventually started to happen. Now to the bigger picture. Winning football games is about winning matchups and exploiting mismatches. Notre Dame had a Heisman finalist at running back and perhaps a first-round draft choice at WR.<\/p>\n But not every team is going to try to defend you the same. And not every team is going to have the same strengths and weaknesses on defense. So, that factors in greatly. If teams are going to overinvest resources on the field to mitigate Fields, do you force the ball to him? Or throw to a wide-open receiver elsewhere or hand the ball to Jeremiyah Love<\/a>? Notre Dame had the No. 2 scoring offense and No. 4 team in pass efficiency in all of college football last season. This is what picking your poison looks like. I think their formula worked for the TEAM.<\/p>\n Pat from Philly: I believe that more than half of this year\u2019s signees were offered on the 2024 Pot of Gold Day. I\u2019m curious what are the evaluation tools that ND staff will use to identify potential 2028 recruits in less than a month, a number of whom probably have less than 15 games of varsity football? Are they scouring highlight reels and then requesting full game tape (are there private services that gather this information for schools or do they access public highlight sites)? Do they rely on word of mouth from contacts in a region or at big time high schools and then verify size and film. Given the high hit rate from this year\u2019s class, are they vetting kids beforehand to gauge interest in ND? Thanks for the time.<\/p>\n Eric Hansen: Pat. I had to use a phone-a-friend lifeline for this question, and I think I picked a really good one. This is from Kyle Kelly, who does a great job of covering recruiting as part of our team at blueandgold.com. Here is his answer:<\/p>\n Notre Dame has had a head start on Pot of Gold Day in the 2028 cycle by already offering more than 30 recruits in the sophomore class. That\u2019s been made possible by several of the evaluation components you mentioned, though it\u2019s rarely an all-encompassing or uniform approach.<\/p>\n One defining trait of this Irish staff is its emphasis on in-person evaluations. The majority of the 2028 prospects who already hold Notre Dame offers earned them through live evals, either at Notre Dame camps or during school visits in permissible NCAA contact periods.<\/p>\n During the January contact period, Notre Dame evaluated several dozen 2028 prospects in person to determine whether they warranted early offers. It\u2019s also important to note that not all offers carry the same weight. Some are not immediately committable and function more as a signal of interest \u2014 a way of telling a recruit, \u201cWe like what we see, but we want to track your development.\u201d The board is fluid and evolves as a prospect\u2019s high school career progresses.<\/p>\n Film still plays a role, especially early in the process, but it is typically a starting point rather than a final decision-maker. The staff learns about underclass prospects through multiple channels: trusted high school coaches and trainers, regional contacts, camp settings and recruits proactively getting themselves on Notre Dame\u2019s radar. Initial highlight tape can open the door, but full-game film and live evaluations are what validate a prospect.<\/p>\n Interest level is also part of the vetting process. Before extending many early offers, Notre Dame works to determine whether a recruit and his family have genuine interest in the program and are aligned academically and culturally. That groundwork helps explain the strong conversion rate from Pot of Gold Day to signing day in recent cycles.<\/p>\n Skip from Houston: It is wonderful Notre Dame has five 5-star recruits for 2026.\u00a0 How was each of these players rated when ND made its scholarship offer? Thanks.<\/p>\n Eric Hansen: Skip, I am going to have to defer that question for another week, as I don\u2019t have 20 minutes now to pause and do the research. My recollection is that maybe everyone but Rodney Dunham<\/a> was a four-star. The recruiting services, including Rivals (On3) don\u2019t award a full complement of 32 five-stars until the end of the recruiting cycle. So there are very few five-stars who actually are offered as five-stars.<\/p>\n JJ from Bushwood CC (New Jersey): Thanks, great insights\u2026 and to answer your question, a fresca sounds great.\u00a0 It\u2019ll be refreshing after I finish mowing your lawn!<\/p>\n Eric Hansen: \ud83d\ude02\ud83d\ude02\ud83d\ude02\ud83d\ude43<\/p>\n Barry from Napa Calif.: So glad these chats are still happening, filling that void until August!\u00a0 As you look back on 2025, is there any one play that stands out where you say, \u201cIf that had gone differently, there might be a championship banner hanging next to the 1988 team?\u00a0 Buchner\u2019s mishandle of the extra point?\u00a0 Adon not playing the ball against A&M? CJ\u2019s INT on a bubble screen? It really did feel that razor close\u2026if only. 2026\u2026leave no doubt!<\/p>\n Eric Hansen: Hi Barry, I did get your message about coffee and I will email you. I am not good at that hypothetical, because let\u2019s take for instance 2024. If the Northern Illinois loss doesn\u2019t happen, do Riley Leonard and that team transform the way they did? Do they lose the USC game instead? It is close. But the bottom line is, I believe Notre Dame did enough to be included in the CFP field even with those plays included.<\/p>\n Matt from Austin: Good morning Eric, I hope you are well and warm. I also hope you received the $10 NIL money from Keurig!!! Given the early enrollees and the portal haul, can you give us a few thoughts on any surprises that you see coming this spring. Secondly, the hiring of Coach Henry seems to be very well received. Do you anticipate that, if Coach Ash departs at some point, Henry is being groomed as the next DC? Thank you always for your time in these chats\u2026.and your patience!<\/p>\n Eric Hansen: Hi Matt. I am still waiting for my $10 in NIL, but at least I know where to buy pods cheap, So that helps. \u2026 Surprises coming in the spring? I recently did a pair of stories \u2014 five way-to-early breakout players and five way-too-early question marks. There were potential surprises on both lists. Off the top of my head and to give you more options, I think redshirt freshman O-lineman Will Black<\/a> and Matty Augustine<\/a> are going to surprise some people. I\u2019ll go with Cam Williams<\/a> at wide receiver, although I don\u2019t see him as a potential starter. Ethan Long<\/a> as a rotational safety. Christopher Burgess<\/a> at some point as an interior D-lineman. James Flanigan<\/a> at tight end, but that\u2019s probably not super surprising.<\/p>\n Eric Hansen: OK, I am out of time. I\u2019ve got to run to the next assignment. Thanks for all the great questions. We\u2019ll be back to do it all over again next Wednesday at noon ET.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"Eric Hansen: Welcome to Notre Dame Football Live Chat. National Signing Day Edition. Yep, they still have the…\n","protected":false},"author":2,"featured_media":449900,"comment_status":"","ping_status":"","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[67],"tags":[399,398,396,397,1778,99],"class_list":{"0":"post-449899","1":"post","2":"type-post","3":"status-publish","4":"format-standard","5":"has-post-thumbnail","7":"category-ncaa-football","8":"tag-football","9":"tag-ncaa","10":"tag-ncaa-football","11":"tag-ncaafootball","12":"tag-notre-dame-fighting-irish","13":"tag-sports"},"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/449899","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/2"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=449899"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/449899\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/449900"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=449899"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=449899"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=449899"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}![\"\"](\"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/02\/No-Bare-Feet_thumb-4.jpg\")
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