Chat Transcript: How does the Notre Dame defense get up to speed?

Eric Hansen: Welcome to Notre Dame Football Live Chat, Texas A&M Week!

Some quick programming notes:

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As far as this week’s chat …

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

Here are the rules, with the “no drinking” rule rescinded.

Eric Hansen: Off we go …

Don from Scottsdale: Eric!!!!!!! Glad the season started.  Unfortunately, the outcome was not expected but Miami played well. I did not see Coach’s press conference but did read the questions and CMF’s answers. I might be reading into an answer to a question regarding the play of the D.  Freeman answered and said something about the D not playing fast. Is that due to DC Ash’s defensive scheme?  What do we need to see this week to know the D is on the right track?  If the D does not improve this week, when do we start worrying about the return of BVG? Thanks.

Eric Hansen: Don, that’s the best punctuation from you EVER. Strong start. ND may need you on the D-line if you have eligibility left. … To your question. If you reference the press conference, there was a question I asked Marcus Freeman near the end about adjustments he had to make in his scheme after giving up 38 points in his first game as ND’s defensive coordinator in 2021 to a team that finished 80th that season (Florida State) in total offense. The Irish then coughed up 29 to Toledo in a narrow win the next week, but he adjusted.

The problem is even with spring ball and training camp, there are things you learn about your scheme and how your new players fit within that only a game can give you. And Miami provided that lesson. So what Marcus was referring to was the players weren’t playing fast, because there was not clarity. Former ND linebacker Rocky Boiman does a great job of explaining this on our Third & Gold Podcast that drops Thursday morning. … if you want more depth.

Marcus did make some schematic tweaks with his defense and he simplified it and then was able to get more complex later in the season. And ND was very good on defense that season, even losing Kyle Hamilton in October for the season. Chris Ash and the staff need to make the same kind of adjustments, so the players are not playing hesitantly. This isn’t a talent problem. … We’re a long, long way from Brian VanGorder.

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Manny from San Pedro, Calif.: Eric!!!!!! Much needed bye week for the fan base!!!! Texas A&M wants revenge. For us to win. What position battle can we not afford to lose? To me it’s our OL vs their D Line.  We have to run the ball!!!

Eric Hansen: Manny!!!!!!!&^^%%$!! More strong punctuation. … I think ND is mad too, so things should be intense on Saturday night. I think Notre Dame will run the ball more often and more proficiently. It’s been Texas A&M’s weakness to this point — the Aggies are 82nd nationally in run defense after playing UTSA and Utah State. I think some misdirection would work well mixed in. ND needs to win the line of scrimmage on both sides of the ball.

John from Elkhorn, Neb.: Hey Eric – any plans in the near future to do a piece on Jeff Samardzija? Do you ever run into him at any ND events?  One of my favorites along with Tommy Z.

Eric Hansen: Hi John. I think you’ve asked me this before, and I’ve responded positively and then had a brain cramp. It’s a good idea that I will write down in my big black book. Maybe having Jeff Samardzija and Tommy Zbikowski on together on a podcast might be fun. Thanks for the suggestion.

Eric from Bristol: Eric, thank you for continuing to host these chats. One of my favorite players toward the end of last season was Aneyas Williams. His ability to run, catch passes out of the backfield, and block were great complements to the RB rotation during the playoff run, and he had some key plays in the championship game. Knowing that Denbrock is trying to get J. Love more touches in general, it seemed like the offensive game plan against Miami would’ve been well suited for Williams, and his ability to block would’ve been valuable in a game where the OL struggled with giving up pressure.  Any insights into why Williams didn’t get more snaps against Miami, and do you know if there are plans to incorporate more of Williams moving forward?

Eric Hansen: Eric, thank your parents for me for coming up with such a cool name. Colleague Tyler James reminded me during our podcast recording that Aneyas did have an elbow issue in August, though that injury did not show up on the availability report for either the Miami game of this week. We no longer get coordinators every week, but a rotation of coaches on Tuesday night, so  DBs coach Mike Mickens would not have been someone in position to bring clarity. Here’s what I think. Jeremiyah Love’s touches need to be the priority. But with Texas A&M struggling against the run to date, ND still has to mix things up, but I think all the RBs will get more touches … both in the run game and passing game. But I can see why Aneyas Williams is a favorite of yours. Bright present and even a brighter future next season.

Jack from Strongsville, Ohio: Hi Eric. Before I get to my question, my wife said you looked very debonair on FNS in your white shirt and gold tie! With the perceived emphasis on late-season wins, how does Notre Dame beef up its November schedule? The Clemson series obviously helps but with the SEC and Big Ten going to 9 conference games each it leaves little left for ND. And the added factor that a lot of ND fans don’t care to watch a game in Notre Dame Stadium in the middle of November on a Saturday night. Thanks as always for these weekly chats.

Eric Hansen: Jack, wow thank you. I’m just happy I haven’t broken my webcam yet. Very nice of her. I don’t know that you need a gauntlet of tough games in November, but I do think you need at least one. And if USC goes away, I do think AD Pete Bevacqua is doing a good job of building a Plan B. The first couple of Clemson games in that soon-to-be annual series are in November … and others could be too. There’s sentiment about playing Miami and Florida State more regularly and perhaps that could replace the USC/Stanford rotation if that goes away. So, I think it’s a really good question, but there are options.

Norm from Temple Terrace, Fla.: I saw lots of missed tackles and I don’t recall that from last season.  Is this a Coach Ash shortfall or under emphasis?

Eric Hansen: Hi Norm. I assure you every defensive coordinator who draws a paycheck — and even those who volunteer as coaches as I did eons ago (youth football) — emphasize tackling. My colleague, Jack Soble, pointed out the other day that Drayk Bowen had four missed tackles against Miami, yet had only five all of last SEASON. So it’s more a confidence/hesitancy thing. The players need to be better, but Chris Ash needs to coach his scheme better and make the necessary small tweaks so they can play with confidence, competence and velocity.

Monty, Great Falls, Mont.: Freeman talked about how the team was prepared for the heat and humidity in Miami- What happened?

Eric Hansen: Hi Monty. It wasn’t the weather that melted them. It was Miami’s offensive and defensive lines. Credit where credit is due.

Pete from Erie, Pa.: Hellooo Eric! Game week again! Need to snap the 2 game L streak this time! I’m listening to the great FNS as I type this and you’re answering my questions! I was going to ask about the bye and MiamiFL hangover, especially in light of Clemson’ LSU hangover vs Troy, but y’all covered that! I’d like to hear more about your Rockne experiences 🙂 Former DC Mike Elko returning to ND Stadium as the HC on the other side is unique, no? Do you know the history of former coaches returning to do ND harm? I don’t recall any. Did you get a vibe from the players yesterday? do they seem tight? I hope they’re fired up because another L might be too much to overcome. Win in the trenches and let the Jere-Monster out of his cage! Thanks Eric! You’re the best! Go Irish!

Eric Hansen: Hi Pete! Thanks for watching Football Never Sleeps, either live or on the replay. I will answer the Rockne experience question at the end, because it kind of is a funny story. So let me get to your more-serious stuff. Mike Elko returning as an opposing head coach … is it unique? Let me answer that in the span of my career (1983-present) Chuck Martin of Miami (Ohio) comes to mind. I’ll try to wipe away the cobwebs. If I think of another before the chat is over, I will add to this list. But Martin is the only one I can think of. … as far as player vibe, there were four of them at media availability on Tuesday night, and they came off confident, defiant, and ready to rock. Thank you for the compliment. Now to the Rockne story.

Note: After the chat ended, I dug into the Notre Dame archives and re-caffeinated, and these are the ones I dug up during my career span: Rick Lantz came to Notre Dame Stadium as Navy’s interim head coach in 2001. The others were former Irish assistants who did not carry the interim tag: Brian Polian with Nevada in 2016, Steve Addazio with Boston College in 2019, Charlie Strong with Texas in 2015, and Skip Holtz with USF in 2011. Martin actually has coached as the Miami (Ohio) head man twice (2017 and 2024). Bob Davie was supposed to coach at ND in 2019 as New Mexico’s head coach, but he missed the game recovering from a serious medical condition. Interim coach Saga Tuitele took his place.

So, Tyler James and I were introduced to a very nice young person who is a student at Notre Dame earlier this week, and who is covering the team this year. As I was being introduced, the introducer was hesitating as to how long they wanted to say I had been covering the team, thinking that might hurt my feelings maybe (lol it does not). And I just blurted out that I had been covering the team since Knute Rockne was the coach with a laugh. And then, in all seriousness, 4 minutes later, I was asked what it was like covering Rockne… whose last season was 1930.

Len from the Jersey Shore: Hello Eric!!!!!!!!!!Notre Dame has used Tight Ends in their run blocking schemes and not a spread offense. What do you expect for this week given the TE situation?  Linemen as TE’s ala Joe Alt, running from a spread? For the defense how much zone passing defense will we see?

Eric Hansen: Len!!!!!! Beyond starter Eli Raridon, the rest of the tight end corps was credited as having played one offensive snap (Ty Washington) by the Pro Football Focus film review, and zero by the Notre Dame stat crew. Either way, with Texas A&M’s defense not lighting the world on fire either against the run or the pass to this point, it would seem like more multiple-tight end sets would be in order. Here’s what Marcus Freeman had to say about it when asked on Monday …

“They’re improving. We just, last game, we didn’t feel like that was what we wanted to do to attack their defense. We have a lot of confidence in the tight ends room, and those guys are getting better. If it calls for playing more this week, they will.”

Eric Hansen: Yes Notre Dame could use someone like freshman O-lineman Will Black as a TE in a jumbo package, so maybe …  I think ND is committed to playing pass defense well in zone or man, so I think the degree that you’ll see zone over man this weekend hinges on how A&M quarterback Marcel Reed handles it. Does it confuse him? Will he be able to ID it at the line of scrimmage> Sixth-year Miami QB Carson Beck had no such issues.

Denis from Niagara Falls, Canada: Hi Eric. I was wondering about the qb1 vs. qb2 dynamics. With Leonard last year, in a runaway game, he would come out sooner rather than later, to give qb2 much needed reps. This year qb1 needs all the reps he can get but qb2 needs something.  I suppose there is no blueprint for this since each year would present a different scenario. How do you think the staff will handle that this year?   How mindful do they have to be of keeping qb2 somewhat satisfied?  But still develop Carr.  What is the plan according to Eric and Freeman? Thanks kindly.

Eric Hansen: Hi Denis. Actually, the situation was more similar to last year than maybe we realize off the top of our heads. Riley Leonard, experienced? Yes, but he was in a new system. On top of that, he had missed almost all of spring practice, so he had a short runway. He also was learning to play QB in a much different way, so he really needed the practice AND game reps. As a coach, you need to have both things in mind — long-term development, but also the appetite and blueprint for winning now. And winning this season takes precedence. Keeping No. 2 happy can’t be a priority. It can be a byproduct, especially if he’s competitive and ready, which I think Kenny Minchey is.

Steve Angeli, last year’s No. 2, didn’t get his first snap of the season until game 3 vs. Purdue. And that may very well be the case with Minchey. Minchey and CJ Carr only played against Purdue, as Nos. 3 and 4, and only four snaps each. For the season, Angeli had 103 snaps over 16 games, so an average of 6.5 a game. Roughly a quarter of his snaps for the season came in that 66-7 win over Purdue. He only had one other game with more than 10 — 21 vs. Stanford — and played only 11 total in the four playoff games. But the nine against Penn State were critical to ND’s success and an example of what a good backup does.

Chuck from THE LAND (CleveLAND): Eric, thanks for being the voice of reason and calming much of the overreaction and frustration. The Irish played badly complimentarily and still had a chance to win in a raucous place. Season defining week and I have 2 questions: 1) Since both lines were bullied and looked soft and confused, which Player on the O-Line and D-Line will set the tone for nastiness? ( Cross, Mills, Coogan, Spindler are gone) 2) Running QB this week so is it prudent to dial up blitzes or play reactive, which IMHO, ND did all game at Miami due to lack of interior push? Again, I LOVE reading yours and Tyler’s articles in BGI, keep up the fine work.

Eric Hansen: Thanks Chuck. It is a big week for the team, no doubt, To your questions … 1) Billy Schrauth, to me, is the butt-kicker on the O-line. D-Line, I’d go with a fully healthy Jordan Botelho, but will also take Boubacar Traore in that role. Talked to him last night. He seems up to the task. They need someone in the interior besides Jared Dawson to take on that persona, and I think it could be Jason Onye. 2) I think you have to blitz some, but you also have to disguise that well and drop into coverage. For a guy who started roughly half the season in 2024, Marcel Reed is still relatively inexperienced, and you have to try to rattle and confuse him, because lack of talent is not his problem. Thanks for the hype. Love it.

Shamrock Sushi from Tokyo: Considering how thin TE depth is, wouldn’t it be better to use a 6th offensive lineman (e.g., Will Black, Sullivan Absher) in a 12-personnel package?

Eric Hansen: Len from the Jersey Shore brought that up earlier, and I don’t dislike the notion in certain packages and situations, but I’d also like to see the actual tight ends play more. And I do anticipate that this week.

Tom F from Kennesaw, Ga.: Hi Eric, hope you are well and ready for a BIG game Saturday night.  I will try not to approach the question limit: Has the A&M QB played in a big prime time game before Saturday?? A&M fans travel very well. What do expect the stadium fan breakdown to be?? 15%? 20? for A&M? I think we were all surprised at the lack of edge pressure other than Traore.  What should we expect against A&M from the other edge rushers?? Finally, who will we see from ND Saturday: the aggressive team from last year or the team from last week?? As always, thanks for all your great intel.  We don’t need to know who your “sources” are just that you must have the trust of some very good people to keep us fans ahead of the game. Go Irish!!!!!!

Eric Hansen: Hi Tom. Looking forward to your scouting report on future Notre Dame quarterback Teddy Jarrard. To your questions … Primetime big games this year? No. Last year? Almost weekly. As to the size of the A&M fan contingent, I’m not sure this is a bucket list item the way it was for Georgia, Nebraska, etc. And it’s more difficult for visiting fan bases to get their hands on ND’s allotment in the digital ticket era. I wouldn’t think it would be more than 20 percent. I was talking to an A&M reporter about that just last night.

2) Texas A&M’s offensive line is very good and very experienced. I’d expect more pass rush from Bryce Young, but I think ND will have to get some of its linebackers involved as well. 3) I do think this team has fire, and it will show itself on Saturday night. Thanks again for the compliments!

Mark Czar from Grand Rapids, Mich.: Is there QB Marcel Reed reminds you of? Do the Aggies rely on called QB runs or does Reed’s dual threat mainly come from scramble yardage on called pass plays?  On paper does ND have the advantage in the trenches on offense and defense?  What offensive and defensive lineman makes biggest step up from game 1 to 2? Thanks for taking my questions.  You are the best Eric.

Eric Hansen: Mark, thank you. No one jumps to mind. No one on last year’s schedule. Maybe Haynes King (ironically a former A&M QB, now at Georgia Tech), but he’s so much bigger physically than Reed, Someone from past ND teams? Maybe Malik Zaire (except right-handed). Reed has a lot of planned runs, but he is very dangerous in his ad-libs. He is not only the Aggies’ leading rusher, he leads them in attempts. On paper, I think both offensive lines have the advantage this week. On paper. Biggest jump from week 1 to 2? O-line Aamil Wagner. D-line Bryce Young.

Ryan from Frankfort, Ill.: Good afternoon, Eric. What is the key to beating Texas A&M? I think the key Is Running the ball with Love and Price. My score prediction is Going to be 35-17 Irish Or something like that GO IRISH ☘️☘️☘️🏈🏈🏈

Eric Hansen: Hey Ryan. I picked Notre Dame 30-20, but had to make that pick before they played Miami, but I will stick with it. Running the ball and stopping the run will be key components for the Irish to come away with a win on Saturday night.

Tom from Evanston, Ill.: Hi Eric. First question in a while. ND struggles defending short passes in which the receiver gets the ball in stride, e.g., slants. But ND seldom seems to throw these types of passes. I get that they can be riskier, especially slants, but it would be nice to see an ND receiver moving when he catches the ball, rather than standing still. Do you think these types of passes will get worked in as Carr matures?

Eric Hansen: Tom, keep in mind when you’re putting together a game plan, you’re looking to create mismatches and take advantage of weakness AND putting the defensive coordinator and the defense in run/pass dilemmas as much as possible. So, what each team is trying to exploit isn’t always symmetrical and quite often isn’t at all, if that makes sense. That doesn’t mean those aren’t really good concepts to consider. And I do think as CJ Carr gets a better command of the offense, we’ll see more variety in the passing game, starting with this week (incrementally).

Marie from Atlanta: Hey Eric, I hope you’re having a fantastic week. What are the key matchups both offensively and defensively for the game this weekend? Is there any way you see Notre Dame winning this game if they don’t win the battle at the line of scrimmage? Can you predict one or more changes that we will see on offense and defense from the Miami game? As always, thanks for hosting the chat and all the great insights.

Eric Hansen: Marie, that may be the shortest multipart question from you ever LOL. But thank you, Busy week, which is good. To question 1, they almost did last game, but losing the line of scrimmage and losing the turnover battle is too much to overcome this week, I would think. I would call the offensive changes growth. And I think this week you’ll see more expansive running and passing concepts, so more variety, more dynamic in its impact on the game. Defensively, I could see ND simplifying things to get players playing fast. I’m really curious about whether ND will go with a spy concept on third down. Very curious about blitzing. But playing with a strong understanding of what’s being asked of the players is where it starts.

Tom from Toronto: Hi Eric, I hope that you and your family are doing well. I thought it good to not take part in last week’s chat. Better to let things settle for a week and not start bitching and moaning right away. Having said that, watching the Miami game made me feel that we had been sold a bill of goods. The team did not play well on either side of the ball and did not live up to the expectations. Nor did the coaches. With more time to consider things, that game may have been a blessing in disguise – think Northern Illinois. Once ND lost that game, every game after that became a “must win” game and the team rose to the occasion each time and made the playoffs. Do you think that this team can do the same thing, and why or why not? Thank you for your excellent work and great insights.

Eric Hansen: Hi Tom. Thanks for the good thoughts. And it’s OK to take a bye week yourself. Glad you’re back. I think the dynamic you laid out could happen. I know this is a talented team and you’ve got a coach that knows it and I think will maximize it. Football — and life — is about adjustments. Marcus Freeman is a good role model for both of those. And think about it this way, last year Ohio State lost to a middling  Michigan team in late November. I had friends who were so pissed off, they gave away their basketball tickets for some reason and refused to attend a single playoff game. And yet what happened in the playoff? Now if ND came out uninspired this week, they you could fire uo the torches and pitchforks. Just, hopefully, not on my porch. I appreciate you Tom and understand where you’re coming from.

Mark from Golden Valley, Minn.: Hi Eric:  Since I go way back to the South Bend Tribune following you, I am wondering for old times sake, if you could refer to Mike Elko one more time as “One and done former ND Defensive Coordinator Mike Elko.”  Not saying this will help us win, but still, it might help.  On a serious note, one has the feeling that this week is a must win game for the Irish to remain viable in the National Championship conversation.  Very curious to your thoughts if there is a legitimate path for the Irish do if they do not prevail Saturday night?  Go Irish!!!!!!  Finally, since following you this long I feel we should nominate Manny as the King of the Exclamation point!  He has the most experience and has put the time in for ND readers.

Eric Hansen: Hi Mark. You mean, old one-and-done Mike Elko? LOL I hope he doesn’t call me one-and-done or Rockne’s favorite beat writer to work with. … Yeah it really is a must game. Probably both from a reality and a perceptual standpoint. There is a narrow pathway for a 10-2 Notre Dame team on a 10-game win streak to get into the CFP field, but you are depending on so many outside variables you have no control over. Win Saturday night, and you remain in control of your destiny. Manny is the exclamation point OG, no doubt. But there are a lot of chat-heads that have punctuation “game.”

Kevin from Calgary: Eric, I missed the chats the last couple weeks (mostly because I couldn’t think of anything intelligent to ask you). Of course that doesn’t mean things will change this week, but here goes. If the Irish win this week and march on into the playoffs later this season (fingers crossed) and they end up with a rematch with the Hurricanes, preferably in the NC game, do you think the Irish will overcome the obvious deficiencies they showed in game one against “the U,” especially in the trenches, or are they doomed to let Carson Beck get the better of them again? As always, thanks for doing these chats!

Eric Hansen: Hi Kevin, well since you actually rose to the occasion of asking an elite-level question, that puts me on the spot to match your energy. So, here goes, I hope. Let’s talk first about overcoming deficiencies just to get into the playoff. Yes, I think Notre Dame has the talent and growth potential to do that. With hard work and a little luck along the way. Sometimes playing a tough game early, win or lose, can really help you. Because it gets your flaws exposed right away and you can go to work getting them fixed. But if you don’t fix them effectively and quickly, you will see other teams use that as a template until you show you can overcome them.

Think of it as a rookie who comes up to the Majors and they find out he struggled with curveballs. Guess what he’s going to see a steady diet of until he fixes that? As far as rematching with Miami, they’d actually play them in the same venue and I do think ND could be the better team in December and January. Miami has some big tests coming up too, including USF this Saturday.

Ced Walker from Saginaw Michigan aka sagnasty  Saginaw pride  Notre Dame must get off to a fast start on offense I really see our defense ( d-boyz) playing less zone more man coverage  prediction ND 27  tex a&m 24 God Bless This football team here come the irish trust the process the golden standard rally we are nd god country go irish love thee notre dame our mother pray for us

Eric Hansen: Ced if you snuck a question in there, I apologize I didn’t see it, but you kept it under 17 parts, so we’re good.

Matt from Austin: Hello Eric. Thanks as always for these chats. From a schematic standpoint, what changes do you envision for our OL and DL to improve their effectiveness? Maybe even personnel changes? Secondly, looking into your crystal ball, how many carries for Love and catches for Greathouse? Thanks, Matt

Eric Hansen: Hi Matt. I might have missed your question last week, and that’s because I think it might have been similar to another one that I had already answered that was similar. So thanks for reloading for this week. Let’s go O-line first. I think the only personnel change there is whether you’re going to timeshare at right guard or pick one. I think they’ll settle on Guerby Lambert. On the D-line maybe alter the rotations a bit … like more Jordan Botelho, more Jared Dawson and maybe even getting a bit deeper with the rotations. And maybe putting Kyngstonn Viliamu-Asa and/or Jaylen Sneed up on the line of scrimmage in some packages. At least that’s what I would like to see if I’m in charge (and I’m not). Schematically, simplifying on defense and just sounder play, better chemistry on offense. On your numbers game. I’ll guess 14 carries for Jeremiyah Love and 4 catches for Jaden Greathouse.

Scott from Bossier City, La.: Hey Eric. Just curious if I saw something and am overthinking it or not? I noticed mainly in the second half of week one vs Miami that J-love had a tendency to not wear his mouthpiece on plays he wasn’t featured in or getting the ball. Is that a normal thing for him in general or was that maybe a tell the defense picked up on that allowed for a better pass rush due to knowing the play type? Also do you think we see more of KVA in the lineup as he was our best LB week 1? Finally, Go Irish!!!!! Need to get our MOJO back. And one more thing, Thanks for hosting these!

Eric Hansen: Hi Scott. Thanks for your question. I did not notice the Jeremiyah Love mouthpiece thing, so I will keep an eye out for that in this game. There are sometimes very subtle tells sometimes. I remember when my oldest son played high school football as a linebacker, he’d notice an offensive guard’s hand placement might be a tell to whether a run or pass was coming, so it’s worth digging into. … As far as sophomore linebacker Kyngstonn Viliamu-Asa, he was by far ND’s most effective defensive player in the Miami game, per Pro Football Focus, and played 37 of 71 possible snaps. I too think he should play more vs. Texas A&M.

Jeremy from Goshen, Ind.: What is the game plan for Carr this week? I know Freem said he is special and can run the whole playbook. But how do you think ND would like to use him?

Eric Hansen: Mike Elko, A&M’s head coach, and not coordinator Jay Bateman, is calling this defense this season. And my sense is he might have a couple of wrinkles in store that the Aggies didn’t have to use against UTSA or Utah State. Still, it has not been an impressive defense to date. So how does CJ Carr fit into that? Offensive coordinator Mike Denbrock is not going to need as much time to probe and test and figure out A&M’s inventory as he did last week, so he can get into how he really wants to attack earlier in the game. I do think it will include more vertical passing. Not Air Raid stuff, but more of it mixed in. Probably fewer Carr planned runs and more use of the running backs in both the run and pass games. So, Carr throwing to them.

Mike from Rockville, Md.: Hi, Eric!! When MF became a head coach, I remember hearing that he needed to spend more time with the offense because that was a weakness of his. Now, how much time do you think he spends with each unit? How much influence does he have on creating the gameplan and making adjustments within the game? Also, you mentioned that the defense was playing slow because of the scheme. I don’t know a lot about schemes in football, but honestly the defensive scheme seemed very basic and vanilla to me. Thoughts?

Eric Hansen: Hi Mike. I’ve had that conversation with Marcus Freeman at some point this offseason and I think he’s also been asked in press conferences, and the answer is pretty consistent. He shows up where he feels he’s needed the most. So his voice is in the game plan on both sides of the ball. I think he feels he’s hired good enough coaches around him that he doesn’t need to micromanage, and yet he has the confidence to import his vision into the formula. My sense is during the bye week, he spent more time with the defense than the offense. Just because a scheme might look simple on TV doesn’t mean it is. We don’t know exactly what the players are being asked to do, and if there’s confusion about where they’re supposed to be lined up and how they do their job when surprises pop up, it slows them down. Think of it trying to find your turn at night when your GPS is malfunctioning. If you know where you’re going, you move at a normal speed. If you have no idea of when that turn is coming up, you slow way down.

Jonathan from Addison, Texas: A lot of Tom’s today!!! Tom Toronto, Tom Evanston, Tom Kennesaw. Must be some kind of omen, no? Is there an offensive scheme designed to isolate RBs on corners? I KD so, what is it? I would Love (pun intended) to see ND force the A&M corners to make multiple tackles. Did not do that at the U.

Eric Hansen: Hi Tom. I mean, Jonathan. I think you are asking me how to do this on a pass play? If so, it’s more advantageous to get a linebacker or a safety on Jeremiyah Love, because of the speed factor. if a team plays a lot of man, you can isolate players with motion, formation and play call, less so in zone. I hope that makes sense.

Dave: No one seems to be thinking ahead to late December (or whenever they might move Portal Days). Beau Pribula left Penn State prior to playoffs. What’s to keep Kenny Minchey from a similar, million dollar decision? And should Tyler Buchner get some game reps as insurance?

Eric Hansen: Hi Dave. That’s a well-worded short question that packs a lot in it, so let’s unpack it piece by piece. First, this has not been finalized, but the proposed transfer portal change for this season is one window — 10 days, from Jan. 2-11. Last offseason, there were two  … Dec. 9-28, and April 16-25. And the teams in the playoff had a special window beyond Dec. 28. That one opened for ND and Ohio State right after the title game. So, very different dynamic this season/offseason if the new plan is finalized, as expected.

There were players who entered the portal last December from every playoff team, but very few were similar to Beau Pribula’s situation. ND had Jaden Mickey, who wanted to redshirt, and two others who had been medically retired. So, they weren’t going to play whether ND was in the playoff or not. There were others on other teams in similar situations. Kenny Minchey has already redshirted, so him pulling the plug on this season, as Mickey did last year, doesn’t make sense. And even if he did want to leave in the middle of the playoff, you don’t plan for that now.

You plan on getting Minchey ready in case he needs to be the starter during the regular season at some point. And I asked Marcus Freeman two weeks ago about the plan for freshman Blake Hebert, and the coaching staff is very intentional about bringing him along … in case he’s needed this year or in 2026.

Jim from Wheaton: Eric! I was down in Miami at the game, and watching live, I was frustrated to see that both Traore and Young were rarely coming off the edge in a three point stance. Rather, they were standing up, and thus forfeiting some of their quickness and leverage getting out of their stances to beat blockers. This seems very different from last year. Do you know if this is coaching, or is there some other reason? Even though Traore made some plays, neither of these two talented edge rushers seemed as explosive, and I attribute some of that to how they were coming off the ball at the snap. Thoughts? Thanks as always for the most practical and thoughtful analysis on the ND beat!!

Eric Hansen: Jim! I’m used to seeing both approaches from Notre Dame’s edge players. And keep in mind sometimes those guys want to appear to be in a pass-rush mode, then drop into coverage, especially the left end or what used to be the Vyper. Let me ask around and get you a better answer, because it was not something that struck me as odd. I’ll try to have that answer next week. Thanks for it.

The Ghost of Irish past from Denver, Colo. by way of Hershey, Pa.: No question. Pound the rock with JLove and JPrice. Play action down field with the kid. The Ara championship formula. Blitz and man cover via Golden. Would have won v. The U. Will win v. the Aggies. Both co-ordinators blew. So did Marcus, because we came out flat. Still, a work in progress tho’ I love the guy.

Eric Hansen: That was like having a bye week. I didn’t have to use my brain on that one.

Andy Ziker: Notre Dame recruits smart and versatile players. Last year, special teams performed several trick plays, but not so much on offense. Why don’t we see more end-arounds, reverses, double reverses, wildcat formation, running back options, and wide receiver options?

Eric Hansen: Hi Andy. While they’re fun for the fans, it’s difficult winning games if you have to lean too heavily on fooling someone. And often those plays come with a high risk factor as well. The plus could be big yardage, but flub one, and it’s a drive killer. I think when you are equal or better in the talent column, you want to find mismatches on defense that work in your favor, You want to keep on schedule, so that you have third-and-short rather than third-and-forever. And you want your players running plays they work on all the time and are good at. Do that, and the defense has to guess run/pass a lot, and you move the chains and score points. Again, I love seeing that stuff, but think of it as a really sweet dessert. You can only handle so much of that in one sitting.

Mike McFadden from Williamsport, Pa.: Unless I missed it, I did not see any change of pace of the our offense vs Miami. I love the no-huddle offense, with 15-20 seconds remaining on the play clock. Why or why not?

Eric Hansen: Hi Mike, I don’t think tempo change is a bad idea at all under normal circumstances. With a QB making his first start and challenging communication, I’d be less inclined to mess with that. Now this week, maybe we’ll see a bit of it.

J Buck from San DIego: Good Morning, we’re having a heat wave here, its getting into the mid to high 80’s. I know its ridiculous, no worries I’ll make it. Question , can we hope to see CJ Carr play under center more?  A little play action? I belive he ran it in HS, so its not foreign to him, but the O-line needs to show up. One more, thanks.. Can we get a little meat at the tight end position near the goal line?  Lets throw out Will Black to play tight end down there and/ or some other beefy O lineman. Did any of the coaches address this? Thanks for all you do, and getting answers to the questions we all ask/ yell during the game. You’re the best.

Eric Hansen: J Buck, save the weather bragging when it’s icky here. It’s really nice here still at this time of year LOL. JBuck, if you want him to play under center more, tell me what you hope to accomplish with that. Against Miami’s pass rush, I would argue shotgun made the most sense in MOST instances, but not all. Play-action, sure but ND has to have its running game going to sell it. And I think they will on Saturday night. I love the Will Black concept in small doses, because he’s also athletic enough to catch a pass if need be, as Joe Alt was early before he moved into the LT spot forever. Thanks for the compliments!

Dave from DC: Over the offseason, we heard Chris Ash say on multiple occasions that he wasn’t here to reinvent the wheel and that he had no reason to fix what wasn’t broken, in light of the personnel and what Al Golden had accomplished the previous two seasons. And yet, in is very first game as DC, Notre Dame played zone coverage in half of Miami’s drop backs. What gives?!

Eric Hansen: I think he wanted to be a blind date for Miami. And he was to an extent, just not the scary kind he needed to be,

Dave from DC: Any insight into why Brenan Vernon has been unable to emerge as a contributor on the interior defensive line?

Eric Hansen: Some of it’s been changing his body. Some injuries. And some just the people ahead of him are better. I said spring was a defining time for him to make a move … and it didn’t happen.

Alex from Cincinnati: Hi Eric.  Do you think ND was just flying too high heading into the Miami game?  They didn’t have the same swagger that they had last year. I know they were in NYC doing all of those TV interviews and promotional spots.  Maybe they needed to be knocked down a peg to get right.  Wanted to get your thoughts on this. Thanks for all you do!

Eric Hansen: Alex, I don’t think it was that. Maybe Miami was better than they thought, but this didn’t impress me as a team that was too full of themselves.

JDub: Every QB has a learning curve. Carr’s seems to be “when to hand the ball vs when to pull and throw.” How do the coaches help him balance the game to get the most out of the offense?

Eric Hansen: Film review, having him ask questions. The bye week was a perfect time for that.

Eric Hansen: OK, I am over my limit here, so I have to move on to my next assignment. Thanks for all the great questions, compliments and exclamation points. Thanks for not making me regret rescinding the “no drinking” rule. We’ll be back again next Wednesday at noon ET to run it back again. See you then.

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