he [Music] IB Nation welcome back to another edition of the Irish breakdown podcast it is Friday we are one day away from Notre Dame kicking off their home schedule for the 2024 season they host Northern Illinois northern Illinois for uh for their home opener this season it'll be at 3 o'clock 3:30 excuse me is the slated uh I should they say kickoff time that's more of the broadcast time the kickoff will be Clos to like 337 338 but it's a big one for Notre Dame just another chance for this football team to go out and get better as they continue their path and continue their climb to hopefully what is a Deep Run in the postseason this year coming off their big win over Texas A&M so today is Friday which means it's it's uh Friday free for all time so it's time for you guys to get your questions in that you want me to answer here during the show we'll do the best I can to get them all in and we'll um we'll have some fun with it so uh Archer uh yeah fundraiser show that big Super Chat was we did a fundraiser a couple years ago for uh local community and somebody gave that big one then I think somebody asked during the beforehand what's the biggest Super Chat that anyone's ever given and I said it was $500 it was for a fundraiser but yeah so that's what we got going on today everybody got about 21 Questions started so far so we'll see if any uh any more good ones come in but we're going to get rocking and rolling here pretty soon you guys know what to do put the MB in there or put a mailbag emoji and we will We I'll do my best to see it and start it and get it answered if you uh best easiest thing to do to see something get started get moved to the top is to put in the super chat we'll obviously do that as well and it'll be uh it's GNA be a fun show so hopefully you guys are ready for it and and bring those questions and we'll get rocking and rolling here with the Friday free-for-all mailbag just a reminder tomorrow we will have a postgame show we'll start either it'll either be 10 minutes or less uh on uh usually is when we'll get started after the game it'll be Vince Ryan Trevor and Shawn Davis tomorrow so going to be a lot of fun also Sunday night 7 o'clock pm Sunday night Vince and I will do our upon further review after we break down the game we'll be ready to rock and roll and let you guys know what we saw from the game Let's dive into we got we do have a super chat here to start things off for my guy A1 12321 his question is what ranked team is most like to get upset I assume that he's referring to this weekend's game let's go it's there's honestly not a lot of games where I necessarily see a rank team being upset I'll give you a couple I do think there are a couple uh although I I don't I wouldn't predict them to happen but I do think there are a couple Arkansas plays at Oklahoma State this weekend Oklahoma state is obviously ranked 16th they're 10-point favorite over the Razer backs I expect state to win that game but I do not think it's going to be the Sleepwalk that maybe the spread would lead us to believe I do think that uh that that Sam Pitman did some things this offseason to to help that team get better and and and including hiring Bobby patrino who I don't really care much for as a as a human being but he's a heck of an offensive mind and they hung up 70 on Arkansas Pine Bluff in the opener now again I I realize it's Arkansas Pine Pine Bluff and I I realize that's FCS team and I realize that's not a very good FCS team but they still hung up 70 you know that look Tennessee hung up 69 on an FCS team and everybody's acting like their quarterback's going to go out and win the Heisman this year and they're a national championship Contender but we're not talking about Arkansas hanging up a 70 spot so I do think it was impressive they did get a the quarterback the transfer in from Boise State this past off season he's a a pretty Dynamic guy passed for 229 yards and two touchdowns in the win over pan Bluff also rushed for 88 yards and two more touchdowns so I think Arkansas's got some weapons they're not super super talented but are they good enough to go on the road and beat Oklahoma State yeah they're good enough to go on the road and beat Oklahoma State I'm not predicting it but it's certainly possible that's a team that I think has a chance to uh to to get upset this weekend Georgia Tech goes on the road at at Syracuse uh Georgia Tech is favored by three Georgia Tech is ranked I again I I predict Georgia Tech to win this game but I won't be shocked if Syracuse wins this football game uh it this obviously this um you know we we got a lot to learn about Syracuse this is only going to be game number two of the Fran Brown era didn't get off to a great start Ohio had a six nothing lead in the second quarter but then nor Syracuse kind of ran away with it after that so we'll see if s if Syracuse can can put up a fight kle McCord threw for 354 yards and four touchdowns in that in that first game Rand Gadson is back and healthy uh we can have the debate if he's a tight end or a wide receiver but that's a team that that I like and and think Syracuse has did a really good job of of sort of stacking up their roster a little bit this off season with some good transfers but the big thing for them is getting Gatson back him being banged up last year killed their offense absolutely killed their offense he's a very talented player big kid athletic had almost a thousand yards in 2022 beat Benjamin Morrison for a touchdown when ND Dame played them two years ago getting him back is huge so that's one to keep an eye on for this weekend Iowa State Iowa you know that could is a potential upset I don't see it I got Iowa winning that game but it's certainly one to keep an eye on heading into the weekend Kansas at Illinois Kansas is a four and a half Point favorite and they're playing on the road I like that Illinois team to be a solid middle-of the road Big 10 team that I think look I've said this before I think Illinois is going to upset somebody this year you know they're not I don't view them as a as a contender for the the league Crown I've still they got the same question marks a quarterback that they had coming into the season right but you know Luke alm's got another year in the system they've got some talent in the backfield so Malik El's caught a couple passes for 51 yards in the touchdown you guys remember him you guys remember Kaden Fegan who's a notre name recruited for a little bit ended up passing on he rush for over 100 yards in the opener against Eastern Illinois so you know Illinois is a team that that I look at as a a team to watch I I do think they're going to upset some people this year I really do and I just don't know if it's going to be this weekend we we we'll see but that's another to keep an eye on couple other games uh see here Oklahoma Houston won't I don't think that'll be close I'll tell you what I would have gone with Boise State at Oregon as a potential upset until Oregon struggle with Idaho last weekend the fact that Oregon struggled with Idaho last weekend to me means Oregon's gonna be locked in they they're they're they're G to be locked in and I see them I see them coming out against this game and unfortunately for Boise taking all their frustration ations from the opener out on on the Broncos so that's kind of how I see that one going but uh those are just those are a couple of the upsets that that I see happening this week or that I could see happening this weekend I should say I mean obviously if if NC State upsets Tennesse that's a potential upset I again I don't see it happening but that would be a potential upset uh if Michigan beats Texas that would be considered an upset Texas is not only higher ranked but they're also a touchdown favorite but I don't see any of those happening and lot of the other ones you know Kansas State at two lane I mean potentially but you know I don't this isn't Willie Fritz's two-lane you know so I don't see that one happening Baylor at Utah I I guess I'm you know I'm not super high on Baylor coming into this year but most of the other games are games that should be dominated by the higher ranked team so those are some those are some games to keep an eye on there's going to be some decent games this weekend just not a lot of games where I see ranked team being upset this weekend I mean actually there's a couple other games this weekend that I got my eye on actually tonight BYU at SMU is a game that I'm definitely going to have my eye on on top of some of the games that I talked about that Arkansas Oklahoma State game is one that I'm definitely going to keep an eye on pit pit at Cincinnati is a very interesting game it's an old Big East rivalry ACC vers Big 12 both of those teams were bad last year does and they both need this win uh definitely need this win meh Troy at Memphis this these are two of the better group of five teams or at least they're supposed to be two of the better group of five teams Troy lost their opener at home to Nevada last this past weekend which was a bad loss for them but uh that's one to keep an eye on for this weekend there's a couple other games uh that I had my eye on of some unranked teams Ken Auburn I really want to see you know I thought Cal and Auburn both looked really good in their openers I want to see that game that was a very hardfought game last weekend and South Carolina Kentucky Shane Beamer's on a little bit of the warm seat in my opinion want to see how he performs Michigan State at Maryland is another game of unranked teams that I'm very much looking forward to watching this weekend uh I I love the quarterback from Michigan state had some I I was watching that game in the airport sitting at Fridays in the airport I was sitting at the the they had a restaurant Friday's restaurant at the airport in Dallas and I was sitting there watching that game on my iPad and he made some big mistakes but that kid's just turned 18 years old or actually he doesn't even turned 19 18 years old he's voted a team he's going to be so good but I really like the Michigan State Defense I thought they were pretty salty in the opener so I'm very curious to see what they can do but I think that's a game that I definitely have my eye on those are two teams that I think could sneak up on some people this year but I really like that Michigan State team I think they got a chance to be much much improved this season I think that's pretty much the other the the game as I was looking through the schedule earlier th those were games out had an ey Virginia at Wake Forest obviously that's one that matters for Notre Dame you want to see Virginia win that game nice to see their Notre Dam's opponents win some games we talked yesterday about Colorado Nebraska that's obviously an unranked game that that I've got my eye on Texas Tech at Washington State the pack two is going to look to get a big win this weekend actually two Oregon State plays at San Diego State so the pack two got big weekend for the pack two they got to go out and get some wins this weekend so we'll see how it plays out but uh yeah we we'll get to that but thank you for that that question that I always like talking a little bit of college football absolutely Iden bonami real quick what is Faison's injury just has a spr ankle it's nothing severe surand ankles can linger a little bit so if I was noted Dame I'd be very cautious you need to get him healthy you need a healthy Jordan faas on this season so I would uh I would not rush him back at all for this weekend's um this weekend's matchup so let's get back to the top and we're going to get started with another question from Iden benami and he says does Madden fery Amo or Nathaniel Wu boen have any scheduled game visits yet uh any new wide receiver Intel Miss are if I had new receiver Intel I'd put it on the message board not talk about it in a podcast uh but it's nothing new beyond what we've talked about before with the kids that they've offered and then they're going to continue scaring the nation game just started they're going to get on the road and go check guys out uh Miss okay so um yeah I think they're both going to games this weekend and I expect both of them to be at Notre Dame for visits and I don't know that they've scheduled them that I know of I would assume that that uh at least one of them is going to come in town for Louisville which is is the 28th that's going to be a big recruiting weekend for Notre Dame and I certainly expect um Madden Faro to be in in maybe for that game but potentially also later in the year so yes I do expect both of them to be in the uh on campus at Notre Dame and they're also both visiting schools I believe this weekend so Aiden Regan with a question week one overreactions are finally over what do you think about this rough draft of the Irish and what other teams are you high on right now I mean look another any one on the Road and beat a top 25 team that I think is a good football team that a lot of people in this chat said that they thought notame was going to struggle with and didn't know if they could beat and you know all the national prognosticators picked against Notre not all of them that's hyperbolic but a lot of them picked against Notre Dame so there was a lot of people that didn't think that Notre Dame could win this football game and uh they went out and got it done and did what they needed to do so um yeah I'm I I'm I'm think this is a good football team I mean not Notre Dame showed me on Saturday that they are what I think that they are going to be in a lot of areas are they a finished product no I didn't expect them to be I tried to tell everybody and most of you understand this you're not going to look like a finished product in the opener when you play a good team you're going to look like a team that's playing their first game against another good team playing their first game and there's going to be some mistakes but the thing about this team is is this all this stuff will get cleaned up you know the the this mistake that mistake you know not being on the same page this that and the other but what matters is do you do you have toughness this is what I said about the offensive line a couple weeks ago when I was talking about this is a big year for Joe Rudolph I said look I they're going to make mistakes ear the year fully expect them to make mistakes they're going to give up pressures they're going to give up minuses but that stuff will come over time but what you do not need experience to do is to play hard to play tough that you don't need you know a thousand snaps under your belt and you're like oh I finally figured out I got to be physical I got to be tough I got to get after it you know no you should do that the first moment you step on the field and we certainly saw that Aiden from the offensive line so you know I don't know that I've overreacted too much to that I mean you always kind of have those fun overreactions from stuff but with this their Dame team I like what I saw you know some of the guys that we thought would maybe take some time to get rolling I thought it looked pretty good in their first starts I mean I thought Drake Bowen obviously has stuff he's got to clean up but Kingston vam Asa has some stuff to clean up Jaden allsbury has some some stuff to clean up same with Jaylen need but they were not I mean the moment was not all too big for those guys I mean I thought they handled the moment incredibly well and same with Adon Schuler same with Christian Gray you know those are guys that make big mistake big mistakes early bounce back didn't let it phase them I thought the maturity showed by this football team was really impressive and that's and when and I'm not talking about the veterans I'm talking about the young players and that's something that for for me Aiden was really important to see because that's the the one thing you don't know right like I know this team is talented and even people that that maybe weren't super um optimistic about the A&M game I don't I don't know that anybody's like gee I don't know if notame Has Talent it was like hey yeah they've had Talent the past too and they still didn't win these football games and so I think all those things are aspects of of building your football team I mean those are those are all aspects of um of what you what really goes into being a championship team it's yeah talent and all depth and all that but you've got to have heart you've got to have toughness you've got to be able to come overcome adversity be able to handle rough environments and Notre Dame certainly did that I mean we got told all off season CFB 25 you know said say oh it's toughest place to play and it's so loud and it was loud and it was rocking and that was a very Pro Texas A&M crowd it was everything that you'd hope it would be the A&M fans were a little nuts after the game but like the whole week leading up or the whole the two days leading up to it or day before I got there and then the day of the game and the day I left you know they were upset with their team but super gracious super kind uh great College environment I haven't heard any complaints from their name fans about being mistreated or it was just a a great College environment and and it was loud and it was rocking and they had the Cannons and the chants and all the other cult stuff that they do and no name handled it at all and said hey but yeah but that that's all fine that's all great but we're better than you and we're going to prove it and that's exactly what they did man so I'm excited about that some other teams that I'm high on I mean no nobody's the only team whose opinion I've changed on from the start of the Season really is is Florida State I mean I thought Florida state was going to be good again I thought that they were going to be good up front I thought they were gonna be able to run the football I still don't understand why Lawrence toafili doesn't play more I'll never understand that their receivers I didn't expect to be very good they're even worse than I thought going to be DJ's DJ he's just kind of you know he is what he is their defense has not been nearly as good as I thought they were going to be and the thing is like they got guys coming back that were good football players last year and they're just soft they're just mentally soft I'm trying to remember who it was I was talking to or maybe I was listening to somebody that was talking about it but they were saying like they were they were over in this might have been something I heard on on a show but they were talking about how they were around the Florida state player and they were talking like about Georgia Tech like Georgia Tech was nobody like yeah this team's got a lot of false confidence a lot of false enthusiasm and and when they got punched in the mouth they weren't able to handle it and and that's a that's a big concern so that's the only team that I would look at and say boy Bo they're way different than I thought they would be I mean everybody else I mean what did we really learn about top teams with the the slates that they played you know like people overreacting oh Oregon I'm like I don't care what Oregon did against idah they slept walk through that game and still out out gained Oregon Idol by a couple hundred yards you know Penn State had an impressive win I expected them to have an impressive win I I I like that Penn State team I'm normally think Penn State's overrated but I've said before I like this Penn State football team Michigan looked about exactly how I thought Michigan was going to look in their first game coming back I say here's a team that actually impressed me a lot USC I'll say this USC I I told y'all this whole off season they were going to be a lot better on defense I thought they I picked them to win by four they won by seven uh Tennessee looked how I thought they would look on offense their defense was a little better than I thought it was going to be LSU's defense is is better coached but still not talented their offense is not as good as people think it's going to be not surprising at all and I mean outside of that I mean what what can we really learn about a lot of teams that that we go into the season I'll tell you one team however that I did look at on on the opener and say that team showed me something that I didn't think they had had is Miami and we all knew Miami has talent we all knew that the portal and and also we talked about how he's done a really nice job High School recruiting yeah they have talent but can they get that talent to play together will they play hard will they handle the environment they had not shown any ability to really go on the road and and play with any kind of mental toughness this is just a team that gets smacked around and and doesn't handle environments very well and you know last year lost at North Carolina lost at NC State lost at Florida State I mean their their only Road winds last year were over Temple and Boston College lost in a bowl game it's like how are they going to be and then they come out against Florida and smacked Florida absolutely smacked Florida and so you know that's kind of you know one of those things you look at say okay this Miami team's got a little something to them at least for this one game now I want to see it a little bit but Miami took it to Florida and there was a couple times when made mistakes that gave Florida a short field and they buckled down and held him to field goals and it was good stuff man so I was very I was impressed by Miami and the opener there's no doubt other than that the teams I was impressed by were teams I expected to be impressed by or you know that are and that's kind of you know that was something that I thought was uh was was good for the ACC they needed they needed somebody to look good in the opener and and some at least one of their good teams to look good in the opener in Miami was that team good question we got some some college football questions coming in there today I love it Andrew Burke with a super chat thank you Andrew very very much uh asked he said ask the question when did you realize that n name was going to win last weekend me when coach Marcus Freeman cracked that slice smile on TV after getting stopped on fourth down so I did I didn't see that because I don't watch the watch the game during it Andrew but I'll tell you when I knew when they went down and scored to make it 2013 and the game was over in my opinion and and I know there's like I in a group text with it's like it's like Trevor Ryan Vince Shawn Davis we all all like in a group text during the game and I'm also like I got my dad texting me I got my buddy Jason texting me Spanky from the chat you know we're texting during the game and like every almost everybody to to a man was like you know still a lot of time left and all that kind of so at least anybody that that responded and I was like I I once they scored that touchdown I said game's over like they're not going to go down and score on this defense there's no way they're going to go and score on this defense and I probably shouldn't have felt that way because you know again we we they they did give that up against U Ohio State last year but but this isn't Ohio State they don't have the receivers Ohio state had they don't have a they don't have a Julian Fleming much less than a mecha Booka or a Marvin Harrison so I there's no way they were going to go down and score so when when Jeremiah Love took off and I saw him creased the the the second level and it was him in a DB in space that's a touchdown and once he scored I was like it's ball game in ball game the only the I was worried on that offensive drive because I thought that Marcus Freeman was GNA settle for a field goal and play for a field goal and the last two times he's tried to do that the running backs have been like sorry I'm gonna take this to the house which is what they should do you know play for the score in my opinion but I was I was I thought it was over when they scored that that's when I thought it was over and and I wasn't like the the fourth down breakup like they lined up for that fourth down I was like n they're not going to complete a pass here like maybe they scramble maybe but I thought the game was already over so that's kind of when I thought felt good about not winning is because I just wasn't sure up until that point in time that the offense had what it took to go down there and win and I was very nervous about going overtime because A&M was starting to lean on the another defense a little bit and and start to move him around a little bit that got me a little bit concerned so when that when he broke that off I said okay it's it's it's there uh back up ask will we see a foot fullback dive this season I hope not unless it's to like a jadarian price or something like that in a two- back look but other than that I I hope not I really hope not all right let's get some more questions got some good ones today you guys are you guys got some some good stuff here so I appreciate yall getting those in here we got tommy guns could a jetw sweep double reverse pass to Riley being the cards this weekend I hope not I'm okay I like having some fun in games like this but that's a little too much so no I I hope Jet Sweep so I'm thinking like Jet Sweep reverse double pass or no no I really hope they don't do something like that Tommy I really don't Stone adore with a question what previous college teams are good comp for the 2024 Notre Dame team if they one remain consistent on offense or two live up to their potential on offense that's a good question if they live up to their potential on offense what is a good comparison for Notre Dame um boy uh there's a couple teams that come to mind but I'm not sure that they're as as good of a comp as I I'd like them to be because of the skill Talent on offense is a little bit different but part of of me wants to compare them a little bit to okay so take out the specific players I'm more so thinking of the result but that's not a no I don't know that I like that one I was going to say Clemson 2016 but I don't know that anyone would really be willing to or able to kind of think past what I'm trying to say and what I'm trying to say is like I don't think that they are the same type of team I think notame is much better at running back as much as I like Wayne Gman notame is better at running back notame doesn't have a a Mike Williams receiver they don't you know Riley Leonard's different than DeShaun Watson I'm not trying to say like they're but as far as like the the type of offense they had big playability not always the most efficient but explosive big plays you know step up when they needed them to a dynamic on the perimeter and then a really good defense defense although I think this nerame defense is better than that that 2016 Clemson defense and so that's that's a a team that I would say somewhat compares to them as far as just the the type of impact players they have but again I don't love it because they're they're different in how they how they attack teams and so it's it's not a great comparison there it's a that's a good one because I'm trying to think of a of a team that I mean look you're talking about having a potentially a top five to eight defense and if they reach their potential on offense it's a top 10 to 12 offense I you know I I don't I don't like Michigan like somebody said Michigan's last year I don't love that example because I think Notre Dame should if they reach their full potential has a have a better offense than Michigan did last year uh not Michigan only scored 35.9 points per game last year and you know no name better be better than that on offense as far as like a difference in scoring margin that's similar I mean there's a 25 and a half difference in scoring margin uh last season and you know okay I could kind of see something like that I think Michigan's more of a a power running team yeah I you know I'd have to think about that ston ofor that's that's a great question that maybe ask on the uh message board just because it gives me some time to to kind of think about that one a little bit more but I'm not quite sure if I can think of a of a good comparison with that one because every time I think of a team it's like no they're not as Dynamic there like you know part of me wanted to look like 21 Georgia no not's defensive line isn't that dominant like it's not like 202 their defense is really really good I don't know if it's like 2021 Georgia good I don't think it is 2021 Georgia good I mean that that team held let see they had two they had three shutouts they held one two three four five five more teams to seven points or fewer they held see one two three four more teams to 13 points or fewer I mean that was a generational defense I don't know that Notre Dame is that good on defense so that's I like so that one doesn't make a lot of sense I just somebody said Bama 23 I think this n's offense is going to be way even if in his premise they just remain consistent consistent on offense they're still going to be way better than than Alabama was on defense last year Al or on offense last year Alabama's offense last year was very mediocre they scored 34 points in the season and that includes 56 against Middle Tennessee 66 against Chattanooga if you look at Alabama's off actually I'm gonna look at that let's let's go to 23 and let's look at scoring offense against FBS teams only and Alabama only scored 31 and a half points per game Notre Dame better score way more than 31 points per game this SE I mean Notre Dame was eighth last year in scoring against FBS only teams at 37.8 and they were 0.2 behind Memphis so they they better be a whole lot better than Alabama last year so again I just that would be very disappointing for me because you look at that Alabama team last year I mean their offense was a problem all year all year and I just that would I mean like you you look at like the game last year against Tex A&M they only rushed for 23 yard s on 26 carries against Texas A&M last year so yeah I'm have to think about that one to be honest with you I I got to think about that one maybe put that on the board and give me some time to think about because it's a really good question but I'd have to kind of go through the schedule and really or not the schedule but the years and think through some different teams but who so people are giving some some answers and and I and I like that but I just like none of those like really you know really kind of impressed me and I I don't buy the whole but Michigan called off the dogs nonsense from no they didn't call off the dogs last year I mean they they were a a good offense they were methodical offense they were not a lighted up offense and I think Notre Dame now I'll say this Andrew if Notre Dame just remains consistent like to the first one then I could maybe say they are like Michigan's offense last year sure different in style you know more Dynamic quarterback and little bit more speed at receiver maybe not nearly as good on the offensive line similar running back production-wise but more Dynamic so I mean so that Andrew that might be a good one if if for number one is true but if number two is true then Notre a should be a lot better than what Michigan was on offense last year and you know so and they're very different style of Defense as well so that that'll be a that'll be an interesting to see very interesting one to see so good question Stone adore have to think more about that one uh B fast is uh BP H sorry with concerns about our size on the D line after the Rubio injury do you see sevano carving himself a roll we could use a big boy or two in the middle I just don't have that same concern I I like I know look here's the deal like when you're a really good team people got to find something to be nervous about especially Notre Dame fans because y'all can convince yourselves all you want that you're B past BK PTSD but we're not let's be honest we're not are there going to be games where Notre Dame's lack of top size necessarily can be a matchup problem of course there are but there's also if you're really big there's also games where your lack of athleticism can be a little bit of a concern and there's there's always matchups that don't that don't favor you I don't care who you are I'm not concerned about ner name's lack of size on the defensive line just doesn't concern me the way that it does some people uh they're they're every they're actually bigger than they were last year on the dline and they missed Rubio for like four or five games last year I don't Rubio I don't think played against Ohio State I don't think or was that the game he got hurt against I have to go back and look but he missed several games last year and they were they were fine yeah it' be nice to have him back but I think not's going to be just fine uh this season up front I do they just got to play better it wasn't a lack of size they just got to play better so uh NC State he didn't play Gabriel didn't play against NC State did play against Ohio State didn't play much they were fine there didn't play against Louisville again I don't think size was the problem he did play against Duke and played against Clemson it was still a problem so uh but to your point they I do think that they I'd like to see because like just in theory i' always like to have the option of having a bigger guy in certain situations that's always something that you should should want to have but I don't think sevano is necessarily that guy that I would turn to I think armo mukum is he's an 300 plus pounder he's he's got some size to him as well he'd be the guy that I would turn to before I would turn to sevano in in Normal down in distances now could seano carve himself a a role as a nose tackle sure but here's the other thing about Sean seano I think he's a fiveyear player I think he's one of those guys that you have a chance to get five years out of so I wouldn't necessarily want to use that year of Eligibility just while Gabriel Rubio's out I would want to see kind of how how how quickly you're going to get Gabriel back but I'd get armo mukum queued up that's who I would put in there more Wyatt Kerwin hey guys maybe I missed it or it was on a premium boards but I didn't hear much on Emil Wagner's first start what was your evaluation of performance for saying him I talked about it in my video breakdown so you definitely missed it on the boards but I thought he was steady got knocked back a couple times into the quarterback which is just going to happen so like on one of them he gets in his pass and he just kind of sticks his arm out and he's like wait waiting on the Texas guy and the guy grabs his hand and kind of just shoves him back like I I I don't know what that was I don't necessarily want to see that again you know get into your set when that guy comes and use your hands for Force amil's got very strong hands in order to somewhat negate his lack of girth which he I mean you guys can see it in the all 22 I did a run game breakdown you can just watch the all 22 that I put in there watch the tight copy and go from left to right and you just see a big difference in body type when you get to a Wagner he's the narrow frame smaller butt smaller legs he's just a thinner guy but he's got really strong hands and he's a pretty decent athlete he's got to start being you using those hands more effectively that's what's going to help him kind of play that a little bit more so I just want to see more of that from uh from him but overall he was solid he didn't have a lot of mistakes he he played a lot like he did in the blue gold game to be honest with you which is you know a couple plays look when you play a dline as good as A&M you're going to get beat sometimes I don't care who you are I mean if if Joe Walt and Blake fiser came back you know there'd be snaps in the Run game where Joe Walt might get beat and there'd be snaps in the run and pass game the Blake fiser would get beat that's just going to happen when you play a really good defensive line and so Emil had some plays where he got beat but overall I thought he held his own well you know got a got an okay push in the Run game at times I want to see him be a little bit more forceful he he looked honestly Wyatt like a guy making his first career start with some Talent he had some plays where he okay that's what I want to see from him and some other plays where he didn't play with the same Force you want CU it looked like he wasn't quite sure what he was doing but it was a good first test for a meal I thought he he held his own he showed some good things and now it's about building on that so you know I just want to see him be more forceful that's really the big thing for me with a meal let's get to our next question which is from Carlos Garza Carlos asked Brian did you get to try any Texas barbecue while you were down here unfortunately I did not so my travel day my travel for this game was a train wreck and I ended up not Landing in in College Station until about 12:30 at night I was stuck in a Dallas airport and I made the mistake a few years ago of having barbecue in an airport and it was just terrible so I did not do that and then on Friday on Saturday I had to then so I had to take a the it was a little tin tiny airport the guy tells me only usually have like two to three flights out a day three to five at the most so the rental car counter which is like two of them was closed down at 10:30 and so I had to get a cab to go back to the hotel and then the next morning I had to get a a cab to go back to the airport get my rental car and by the time I got did all that I had some stuff I had to finish up to get ready for the game and then leave for the game and then my flight was at 10 o'clock in the morning so no unfortunately I did not have a chance to do any of that and uh hopefully I'll get another crack that because I do love Texas barbecue Carlos I do I think last time I was there and had it I'm trying to think when it was maybe 2018 for 2018 for the Clemson game I certainly had some then and I was there for I'm trying to remember I went there recent I flew I had a layover in Dallas like a year or two ago from another game I was going to and that's when I had that the airport barbecue so I'll never do that again never do that again all right let's get to some more questions here Iden bonami with a question here he asks what is Jordan F Al he already already answered that one also I really do think these RBS can both get to a thousand yards they are both unfreaking real well if they're both going to get to a thousand yards they didn't get off to a great start if they're both GNA get to a thousand yards I mean Jeremiah Love Rushford 91 yards that gets him to slightly over a thousand yards if we're talking about the the the 13 you know 12 plus one type thing that would get him to about 1183 three and jadarian price at 44 would get him a game would get him to 572 so now there's going to be games where jaran gets more yards but I look a thousand yards is going to be tough for these guys for both of them to get to a thousand yards of just rushing I I've said before I think they both get to a thousand yards in total offense I that would not Shock me at all but rushing it would it would it be pretty good but I don't see it hope I'm wrong David Knight what is the best what is the best about an NC the Journey of the season the actual game win or the Afterglow well I I think it it depends David I think there's different SK there's different aspects I think during like when you talk about it like the present it's the journey which is culminated by the actual game right but you enjoy that Journey the game is huge the Afterglow is important but like in the present it's the journey and then when we get to that game and that moment will be that game and the Afterglow that next morning I even think about like waking up on Sunday morning and and just being like fired up about the game that they just played and that was an opener against a team I thought they were going to beat but when you look back at like history then I think that changes a little bit so like I think the journey eventually becomes the prominent aspect so like if you talk about the 1988 Notre Dame team I rarely have people talk about the Fiesta Bowl rarely that was almost a forone conclusion and it's different now obviously with the playoff but you people talk about oh the Michigan game and and the growth of that team and that led to the Miami game and then you had the USC game and you had all these different things about the regular season they talk about you know the emergence of of Tony Rice and and Chris zor becoming a playmaker and the linebackers and this allamerican and the journey is what we remember I think more than anything at least that's my experience with the title that I lived through with noted aim and the in the conversations we have about it the journey is the story over time I think if you're going to look in the present it's building blocks but the thing that in today's era I think would would hold the most is most in my opinion most likely it'll be the actual championship game I think that be the one that for the immediate present and future it's that it's that game it's it's it's did you see what they did to so and so I I you know and then as time goes on it becomes less about that game and more about the journey um for me as a fan and you as a fan and the Afterglow is going to feel pretty good but that kind of Fades pretty quickly in my at least it does for me and you start thinking about what's next so so yeah I um I I think in the present it's the game The Journey once you you get through the whole season you look back at the season it's that game but then the longer you go it's the it's the journey that's that at least that's kind of how I see it Sean and it's of course it's different for every person too Sean green do you see Billy Napier making it past September at Florida a loss at A&M might well guarantee he doesn't you know Sean it's uh that's an interesting one man I we we got talk we asked about this last week and I looked at the schedule and I was like man that that that A&M game if let's say they beat sford this weekend and blow sford out and you get into the A&M game you're at home you lose that game if they get blown up by A&M that that could be it that that could be it if they just lose a close game to A&M I don't know if that'll necessarily be it but then you go on the road in Mississippi State the next week and then I'm starting to wonder like okay can you even win that game like will that team have quit by then will there will there be like any fight left in that team like that's the question that I'm very curious about is what kind of fight's going to be left in that team if they do lose to A&M you know that that's a that's a big question and that's going to factor a lot in it if you know if he survives A&M and they go on the road and beating Mississippi State okay then he'll survive September obviously but I I really think the A&M game Sean to your point is going to it's going to be about if he does get fired after that game it's going to be about how they play if they battle their butts off for 60 minutes and A&M's just a better team which they are in my opinion then it just it's hey you know we bowed our butts off we got a freshman quarterback you know let's let's try to get another win next weekend and maybe that that a really hard fought close loss keeps his job until he loses again but like everybody keeps talking about like he's going to be gone by Tennessee there's three games before the Tennesseee game that could all be the end for him I and could you imagine if he loses at home to UCF oh man but I think the Mississippi State game could end up being the the end for him if if they drop those two or even if they play really poorly in those two and go one and one because the bye is after that and and if you're G to make a move it's it's it's good in my opinion to do it during a buy it's hard to do it in the middle of a season and you fire a guy on Sunday and then by Monday your team is out there having to get ready for a game again so that would um A&M game's going to be huge for that no doubt but a blowout loss could make it could be over at that point in time but then it's like but would he would he like because I guess here's where where I'm I'm thinking through this Sean is if they get blown out by A&M I don't know that that would be the week they do it they still may wait till after Mississippi State and then go into the buy and handle it that way that that's kind of what I was thinking we got a Super Chat down here from Shan Higgins thank you Sean what are some Marshall Stanford moments to that peep of Aqua will have to learn from during his first year on the job I I don't I don't think there are any I don't see Notre Dame have any new Marshall or Stanford moments I I don't see any team on the SK I don't no I don't see that at all Sean I maybe there's something different you mean by that and if you do just please clarify in the in the comments but I don't see any chance in heck of notame losing to a marshall or Stanford type of team because the Marshall type of Team could be like this weekend and I don't think that they have any chance to to do that I I I have no idea no idea I just um I don't see that happening I I think the things that Pete Bak will have to learn from during his first year a job are going to be more about the business side of things not the football side of things it's going to be about coming up with a plan for nil coming up with a plan for collectives coming up with a plan for you know retaining coaches coming up with a plan for fundraising coming up with a plan I mean look Notre Dame's TV contract runs out in five years right they didn't sign a new deal like they signed an extension to the deal they have and you know I think that's going to be more more of the focal point for him than you know on field issues Sean clarifies said off the field issues similar to Marcus Freeman losing to those teams I mean I can't foresee that I I there's no way I can possibly know what those type of issues will be you know it would have to be something from you know there's some player issue that he has to deal with I I I I I honestly don't even know what that what that would be would be would be honestly Sean so I I I think Pete's the the the modern athletic director's role is Shifting in a big way it's now personnel and business it's it's handling the business deals that's a lot of what he does and they've got all these associate ads that handle sort of the day-to-day stuff that you have to deal with and that's that's kind of where I see his role his role being more impactful but hopefully none I mean hopefully have to deal with any of those issues so yeah uh Hayden Randol where are these Message Board questions coming from I'm looking on the message board and I only see one to two questions for the mailbag thread where should I post my question on the message board I thought on mailbag on uh on mailbags days Hayden you post them in the chat where you just posted this so you just put MB or put a mailbag emoji and then post your question and then I'll bring it up what the only thing that we do for questions on from the me from The Message Board is the Wednesday biso hold so when we do our Wednesday biso hold I will only bring and we'll have a whole thread on it and so I'll only bring bico hold submissions from the message board or super chats but the mailbag is meant for people from that you know our our subscribers and our listeners to the to the podcast that's their day to get their questions in and which we appreciate so yeah you just post it down there same place that you posted this just put an MB or put a mailbag Emoji I'll I'll try my best to see it and then I'll get it answered and hopefully that will answer for everybody else as well got a question from uh let's see here we got one from uh Ronnie Reeves is this defense we play tomorrow Stout enough to give us some good resistance or will it give us false hope if they pass the ball well against them I mean Ronnie we talked about this yesterday and we talked about this on Wednesday this is a very good Northern Illinois pass this is a very good group of five pass defense yes they're not super athletic in the secondary but they're long they're experienced they're very well coach and they just don't give up a lot of passing yards I mean you just look at I think last year I think they gave up they had two games where they had over two gave up actually let me look at that again I want to make sure I get that right I thought it was only two or three games all year they gave up over 200 yards passing and again they played in a lot of close games so it wasn't like they had a lot of blowouts you know so yeah three teams Toledo Kent State and Arkansas state were the only teams that passed for 200 yards matter of fact they held more teams to under 150 then they gave up over 150 so they had they held four teams to under 150 and only gave up three games of over 200 and then another team had 158 another team had 159 another team had 151 so this is a legitimately good pass defense now if they go out and torch this pass defense does that mean bring on Georgia bring on Ohio State bring on B no it doesn't mean that it's a step in the right direction that's what it is and it's a it's the kind of test that you look at and say hey look this is a team that you should beat this is a team that you should have success on this is a team that you should score on but if you do have that success it'll it'll be it'll be earned because this is a good football team there's no question about that so uh yeah they'll they'll give good resistance and if notame plays well it'll be earned it'll be earned success tommy guns Brian do you know the Indie Alma moer can you serenate us with a bit of it please a I would never ever sing on this show uh B no I don't know the alma Moder because I didn't go to Notre Dame and I didn't know the alma Moder to school I play that either so um no I I their name is not my alma Moder and so I never took the time nor will I ever take the time to learn it I think it's cool that that the players do it because they are Notre Dame men I think it's cool that the fans do it I think it's cool that aums do it they're Notre Dame men I'm not I didn't get into Notre Dame I didn't apply to Notre Dame I couldn't have gotten into Notre Dame I didn't graduate from Notre Dame so I don't have any problem you know being a fan and admitting my fandom and and and all that but there's just certain things that I think alums should have a special place for and that's one of them and so I don't um I don't know it don't plan to know it and I if I did I still wouldn't sing it I don't no one nobody wants to have to deal with that nobody I wouldn't torture I like y'all I I I like the fact I love y'all I mean y'all y'all are my people why would I want to torture you like that why would I want to torture you and make you have to listen to me sing that'd be so mean that would be very mean of me very mean of me Andrew nlman do you think Marcus Freeman Mike Den Brock should try to work in any kind of trick plays deception with Buckner in at QB wide receiver feels like he could play a role in the offense given his athletism experience no I don't think so not this year if if Riley Leonard goes down then sure but but listen Tyler Buckner's a very good athlete I I I still feel like if Tyler Buckner hadn't a transferred he'd be a much bigger bigger Factor on this football team but here's the reality of it you've got Jeremiah Love jarian price Riley Leonard kedrin young anias Williams Jaden greous Jaden Harrison KK Smith you'll get Jade you'll get Jordan phas on back those are all guys can do some things carrying the football there's no need to take reps away from them to get Tyler Buckner reps to get him ready to play just don't you don't need to do that in 2021 you needed to do that in 20124 you don't need to do that so no I would not waste time on that would not waste any time on that dur practice John Lacy I thought the D played great last week do you think all the Miss tackles were due to Adrenaline of the game or do you have concerns that is more of the same issues from last year I think it's very similar to last year but look John last year they didn't tackle well early in the year and got better and better and better season went on that that's college football nowadays I mean I watched a lot of college football games from this past weekend Miss tackles are a problem at a lot of places because you can't practice it like you used to so I don't think anything to do with the adrenal of the game I think it's more about the speed of the game I think it's more about this is the first time you've really I mean you have like the scrimmage they probably tackle but even then you can't tackle the quarterback and that's one of the issues that I have you can't tackle the quarterback in practice and then you know you get to a game and guess what quarterback scrambling and you can't get to them you know I don't want them hitting R Leonard it's just a reality of it but I think it's just early season woes because you can't practice anymore like you used to when it comes to tackling you don't do a lot of Life tackling and practice and and so first game doesn't concern me too much if we're sitting here you know going into the Louisville game and they've had they've had you know four five that kind of thing then that that that would be a concern that would be a very big concern so um this is from Martin who's a notre name Notre Dame Alum here always felt like the MMA Moder belongs to anyone who loves nerame in any and all aspects that's fair I mean that's fine and and I'm not I'm not just so you're clear I'm not telling other non- Notre Dame PE non-name Lums they can't or shouldn't sing the alma moer I'm not saying that at all go for it I'm just telling you why I don't why I wouldn't sing it and why I don't sing it because I'm not an it's not my moer so I don't have any problem with anybody that wants to do it go for it I mean especially if notame alums have no problem with it that's that's pretty cool I respect that it's just for me like a lot of times I'll tell you what I do and don't do I'm not telling you you have to do that or don't do that I'm just telling you why I don't do it and that that's the reason that I haven't learned it nor would I learn it and and here's the other thing too is what are the odds that I'm at a Notre Dame game in a capacity where I could sing it like Tim prer for example is an Alum of Notre Dame and he goes down like I stay up in the Press Box in the end of games and finish writing and but Tim and the other you know beat writers and stuff they go down in the field and Tim's in Alum Tim played baseball at Notre Dame he graduated from Notre Dame loves Notre Dame as an institution but he doesn't sing the alma mater because he's there in a professional capacity at least he doesn't do it like at football games he doesn't get there with somebody and and and do all that because he's in a professional capacity that's the other thing too is I wouldn't be able to sing it at a game I wouldn't be able to tell you know so what's the point of me learning it so that's another reason as well but uh yeah that's kind of where I'm at Jason I tell Brian what he should do all the time and he don't listen you are absolutely correct on that absolutely correct on that buddy uh no nor will I nor nor will I uh some other got a couple other things about me singing so I'm making a smart decision here Stephen imh BD is not looking for thumbs down on the YouTube you are correct my friend Wade Garrett I think my computer screen would crack if Brian sings you're you're probably not wrong on that you're probably not wrong on that to be honest with you I think there's some truth to that one as well uh somebody asked if I would dance no I would also not dance on the computer screen I nor do I dance in public the only time I dance is is for my wife to make her laugh and that that says a lot about my dancing is if I want to make Angela laugh I'll dance in front of her and I think that sums up everything you need to know about my dancing skills so there there's that now you guys learned something a little bit new about me I can't sing and I can't dance so yeah there you go somebody asked is is Riley Leonard and Timbo a good comp they seem to have the same running style and both good arms but not great arms no I I think they're very different players I mean they they impact the game in similar ways but they just their styles are different so if you wanted to ask about overall impact I'd say sure it that how they get to that's a little bit different in my opinion but it's not a terrible comp at all I mean I get where someone would go Bill wash will you shave Vince's head if we go 16 and0 no I wouldn't sh I wouldn't do that to Vince Vince would probably do it though he would probably he he would probably make that bet but um no no I wouldn't I wouldn't do that I wouldn't do that usma says your singing your singing might frighten R it wouldn't frighten Rita she'd probably start howling at me like make it stop I think that's probably what she would do to be honest with you Andrew Gilmore just on the surface which roster depth chart do you like more the 20024 team or the Notre Dame 2012 team that's 2024 because you said roster depth look I I I've said this a bunch of times I think notame has had teams in the past that maybe had their top five is better than the current top five I said about the 15 team and I I think you can make that case on the 2012 team I mean you know Jason Spanky and I were talking about this yesterday and and you know and something I said to Preston guy at tiger bait when I was on with him and I don't think he quite understood it because I don't think he knew half the guys on the AME team but you give me Manti Tao Zack Martin and Tyler eord I'm trying to think of who you'd say Stefan to it and St Louis Nicks I'll stack that five up against anybody's top five in 2015 if you give me Quinton Nelson Jaylen Smith will Fuller Ronnie Stanley and I don't know who who do you want your fifth guy to be Sheldon day Mike mcglinchy uh CJ prosise I mean pick pick whoever your fifth guy is and I'll stack that top five up against anybody's top five I don't I mean this team could maybe have that you know Xavier watts and Benjamin Morrison may maybe Howard cross Riley Leonard maybe a Jeremiah love like I don't know that that top five is necessarily as good as the top five at some of the Premier programs the difference for this team however is way better after that top five and that's why I think this team from a from a roster depth chart standpoint is better than that 2012 team in just Talent now that 25 team or 2012 team had a lot of uh there were some character aspects of that team that made it unique and made it kind of special that we're still learning about this team but I think the first week of the season was a good example of of of that they have a little bit of that they they do maybe they have some of that toughness that mental toughness that leadership that culture that that 2012 team had that's what we're going to have to learn but talent-wise I'd take this roster over that one uh Nate Indie Milton fan said I'd take the 2024 culture too I don't know that you can I I don't know how you can make that case after one game though that that's my thing is I we we are looking back at the 2012 team with entire hindsight the stuff that led to their demise in the championship game is not stuff that was necessarily a problem or that we knew going during the season that team had incredible culture I don't think one game on the road against Texas A&M who's good but not a top 10 team tells us that they have that what I would say is that it tells us that they may have a shot at that but there's a lot more overcoming that this team is going to have to do a lot more growing that they're going to have to do in order to get to that point and so uh we'll see potentially sure but right now now you know now I'll say this uh somebody in the chat just said uh um referring to the the coaching staffs I would take I would take this coaching staff over that coaching staff no question about it no question about it but but culture culture-wise that team had great culture I don't think it was built by the coaches it was well I think Bob diako actually did a pretty good job talk building that culture that defense absolutely but overall head coach and all that no but but the culture of that team was strong this team make it stronger but we need to see a lot more than just one game to to be able to confidently say the culture is better Damian Gonzalez your thoughts on Duce Knight taking a second trip to Auburn I don't know honestly why Notre Dame fans are still talking about Duce Knight like go go go to Irish breakdown. comom the top left of the page I'm going to go through it right now top left of the page you will see a a three bars and it and you click on those three bars and you go down to football recruiting and then you go down to the list of 2025 commits for Notre Dame and just observe I I don't know why we're still having these conversations so like I I understand other people list him as a commit he's a committed he was a he was a committed player that took an official visit to another school is taking another official another visit to that school is wearing that school's towel at his high school football games why are we treating Duce Knight like he's still committed her Dame why are we talking about him I don't talk about anybody else that's committed to Auburn not gonna talk about Duce knight uh it just it doesn't matter if if Duce Knight shocks the world and sticks with Notre aim great we'll talk about it I I just you know I don't know what else we need to say about that I don't even know why we're still asking that question I don't know who else is visiting Auburn this weekend because I don't know any NRE Dame commits any NRE Dame prospects are visiting Auburn Duce Knight is is in my opinion not committed to Notre Dame I don't I don't know what about so just because he hasn't done something publicly and just because he hasn't told Notre Dame what he's doing doesn't mean he hasn't told other staffs what he's doing so I don't know what else we need to say about Deuce I I mean there there's a reason I don't talk about him anymore I'll talk about other commits but I don't view du Knight as a commit to Notre name and until he comes out and publicly says hey I'm I'm staying with Notre name you know I don't know why I don't talk about Alabama's commits I don't talk about old Miss's commits I don't talk about Ohio State's commits I talk about no name's commits and I don't view Duce Knight as committed Notre Dame right well name me one thing about Duce Knight that says he's committed Notre Dame he doesn't have anything on his Twitter page about Notre Dame I I don't know about his Instagram page I haven't been on that in a long time but I his Twitter page he doesn't have Notre Dame on there he doesn't have committed Notre Dame on there you know I there's nothing about Duce Knight that says hey I'm committed to Notre D nothing so I I don't treat him like one I don't view him as one so that's where I'm at when he uh if he comes out and says publicly he's going to another name then I'll then I'll talk about him again as a potential as a potential notame player but right now I don't view it that way so that's why I don't I don't address it much but I I know you asked about it twice and somebody else asked about it and that and that's fine but honestly I just don't know that we need to waste any more time talking about Duce KN and I and I don't have any ill will towards Duce it it's this isn't a negative thing it's not an attack it's just I don't know why I need to talk about an Auburn commit just it's not really something that I need to spend my time on covered Notre name and um there's nothing about Duce Knight right now that makes me think he's committed to Notre Dame and the only thing that's going to convince me otherwise is if he goes another whole month and and hasn't committed to Auburn publicly yet which I would be shocked by I'll still feel the same way the only thing that's going to make me feel like Duce Knight's commit Notre Dame is if Duce Knight comes out and says I'm going to Notre Dame and I'm not taking any more visits that's it so other than that I just it's just not a concern of mine I'm focused on noted a I cover noted aim I don't need to talk about I don't need to worry about what's happening at Auburn question from Andrew Gilmore were you surprised that Cooper Flanigan not Eli Ren was the deao starter last week is that indication of what's to come or was that isolated for A&M no I mean look Mitchell Evans was somewhat Limited in Fall camp and in the spring Eli Ren was also somewhat limited early in Fall Camp um I also have have told you guys a bunch that I don't I don't really care a ton about who is listed as the starters or who even takes the first snap that that's just not a big priority for me um Cooper Flanigan it's it's more about who plays more and I don't care if Eli ran starts the game the fact is is Cooper played 43 snaps and Eli played 24 I don't know that c that Eli's 100% but I also think part of it is Cooper Flanigan's had a very good off season and has earned a lot of opportunities he's gonna have to play better than he did against Texas A&M in my opinion but all of them are but I would imagine that Cooper flanigans earned a a lot of reps I like I had something on on the um the Intel piece about that that was something I talked about is that he's had a very strong off season very strong off season Seth Coleman did last week's win gain any traction with recruits it certainly did now again you got to build on it right but it I'll just say this it it opened a lot of eyes and there was a lot of kids at Notre name is recruiting that were at that game on on half of Texas A&M Andrew Gilmore what under the radar game this week are you paying attention to I'm sort of interested in the Georgia Tech Syracuse yeah I'm with you on that uh I'm very very much with you on that one I like I think that's going to be an interesting game I don't know what you know what kind of Coach Fran Brown is he's only coached one game but I gotta tell you I mean he's done a good job of he put a pretty decent staff together he's built he brought in some good players getting a Ronde Gadson back as I mentioned earlier is huge that's so that's certainly game I'm looking at another one and I I mentioned this earlier also is I'm really intrigued by that BYU uh SMU game tonight at seven o'clock it's at SMU SMU did not play well in their opener uh at all uh but they had a great comeback against Nevada and then Nevada goes out in week two in beats or in week one because they played each other in week zero and SMU beat them 29-24 in a really impressive comeback win but they didn't really play well until that comeback and then you like okay that win means a little bit more something because Nevada went out and beat Troy last week at Troy then SMU this past week obviously just destroyed Houston Christian which you expect them to but it's kind of like well how good is SMU really you know let's let's kind of see how good this football team is really and and see what kind of team they are and we're going we're gonna get a chance to find out a little bit about that this weekend when they play BYU obviously BYU their opener against Southern Illinois I again I don't know what that tells us I know they put up really good numbers they did kind of put at Southern Illinois it was more it was a lot like the um the Iowa game where sort of a good second half win but that's an eight- win FCS team from last year uh Southern Illinois beat Northern Illinois last year the week after Northern Illinois Beat Boston College so that's going to be an interesting game it's it's a game that I think the ACC needs it's Big 12 vers isn't that crazy to say BYU versus SMU Big 12 versus ACC that just seems very crazy to see to discuss I I mentioned earlier the Arkansas Oklahoma State game I do the Georgia uh this Georgia Tech Syracuse but I'm telling you that the game that I'm very intrigued by very intrigued by above all those others is probably Michigan state of Maryland I very very very much look forward to watching that game and you know Michigan state had a an unimpressive first win in from an offensive standpoint but I think defensively they showed me some really good things beating Florida Atlantic it was an ugly win but but it was a win and I'm very much looking forward to seeing what Maryland does this weekend Maryland destroyed Yukon in their opener 50 to7 I don't know what that means because I again I don't know how good Yukon is or how bad Yukon is in fact I was shocked to see however that Nick Evers is at Yukon I was shocked to see that because he I liked him a lot coming out of high school and I think he was committed to Florida end up going to Oklahoma I never thought that made sense not name tried to make a run at him in that 23 class but you know Maryland looked pretty good I mean jumped all over him early looked pretty good winning that game so we'll see what kind of we'll see what kind of year they can have but I think this game is going to be very interesting it's one of the ones that I'm actually looking most looking forward to this weekend that's sort of an under the radar game is is that one that one's going to be a very interesting game Iden bami Notre name needs QR code coach the players on some sort of screen or something I'd send them money yeah I think they ruled that like not legal last week cuz Oklahoma state was going to do that and they said that it's not it's not legal but Notre name football players are doing just fine my friend believe me they're doing just fine and a lot of them have like different things you can do like some kids have like clothing lines and stuff like that and I would say if you're going to support a player find a player that has like some sort of gear so that way you can at least get something out of it you know what I mean like that be pretty cool I think Ryan does that um like where he'll he'll like kids that he interviews or kids that he's supporting he'll like rock their gear and stuff like that I I think that would be I'd rather you do that and and the kid'll get money from it but at least that way you're getting something out of it Andrew Gilmore when announcing Freeman as head coach Jack sber compared Freeman's potential to that of Dabo is that the coaching comparison that you would make known not at all I think they're very different in a lot of different ways uh no that's not a comparison I would make no and I don't know that there is a comparison I would make yet for Marcus Freeman but no I that's where I would say that maybe you could say that comparison holds is that not name is not a place that's going to consistently land top one two three recruiting classes from a recruiting ranking standpoint doesn't mean that they're not Landing Elite classes it just it won't be perceived that way you've got to be great at evaluation and development at a place like Notre aame and that's something that Marcus Freeman takes a lot of pride in so I mean I think in those regards sure that's a comparison but I don't know if Dabo would be the would be the one I necessarily would would want to compare most to but if you think about it at the time it would have made a lot of sense you know because at the time I mean Clemson was coming off of of a Down year in 2021 but they had won two of the previous what 16 17 18 19 20 two of the previous five titles they had played for the title uh at in one of those seasons and were in The Champ the playoffs all but one season like 2021 was the only season they Wen in the playoffs so it would have made sense ien benami can you speak on the coordinators being in the field compared to the box I can't imagine being the box would need to be on the field in action with my players I mean we we get asked this all the time and there's no right or wrong answer it's what you're comfortable with and it depends on what your role is if you know you're a coordin and you've got a very veteran team and you've got coaches that you trust from a communication standpoint I personally would rather be in the Box as an offensive coordinator I'd want my sheets I'd want to be able to chart things I'd want to do all that stuff and there's some Merit to that and and but I'm also someone who feels like hey I'm a I'm a I'm a coordinator who's got who's a I'm a field guy I I like to be down on the field and kind of you see what's going on you feel the tempo you can feel the energy and that just gives me a little bit of an edge when I'm call them plays I just it depends on on who you are what you're comfortable with what your communication is like what kind of you not's got a very young football team as I mentioned the other day they got nine freshman or sophomore eligibility players in their starting lineup and there's a lot more coming off the bench I don't know that I would want someone else talking to those guys after a series I'd want to kind of be down there if I had a more veteran team probably want to be up in the Box as an offensive coordinator that I we spend so much oxy on this topic and and it's just really not something that I think we need to spend a lot of oxygen on personally because it just it it's it doesn't matter in regard to what's better what's worse it's find what you're comfortable with do what you think gives you the best chance to make sure that you're you've got great communication and Leadership during a game and then carry it out and and you know I may be someone who wants to be down in the field but if I don't trust the guys up top to tell me what they're seeing I got to be up top you know so it there's just so much that goes into it ien but there's really no right or wrong answer there's coaches that are great from the box and coaches that are great from the field Marcus Freeman and Al goldner on the field guys Clark Lee was an in the Box guy right Tommy ree was a a box guy chip long was an on the field guy you know Mike Den Brock's done both I mean it really it I just don't think it's something that that um is is uh that big of a deal as far as one or the other you know um and and you don't need to apologize Iden you didn't do anything wrong man it's it's something that you you care about something you want to ask about I'm just saying like it just I don't know what else I can say about this topic it's just one of those things where there's no right or wrong answer and look I get why a lot of people discuss it because it's gets discussed in a press conference and then every everybody and their mother writes an article about it and and all those type of things and it's just it's just really not that big of a deal as long as you're doing it for the right reasons whether you're up or down it does it really doesn't matter you've got to make sure that you're doing it for the right reasons and that you've got a good structure in place and as long as that's being done you know what I mean then that's really where you're at ID bami with another one I know we talked about this but the o line battled proud of them for the first time I love the pin and pull I think the right side did amazing no one said a word about them which is good it is kind of interesting we didn't hardly talk at all about the right side of the offensive line like at all and I mean they were steady like people somebody asked about a meal earlier and it was just like he just kind of did his job I thought Billy sh was pretty good you know there's a couple mistakes there I mean the pin and pull stuff they did was was all related to the quarterback they didn't do any pin and pool stuff with the um the running backs so it was a lot of that stuff was with Riley and I'm curious to see kind of how that evolves but they ran a ton a ton you know of of inside Zone I mean that was by far by far what they did the most and so I that's going to be your bread and butter but as we've talked about a lot in the past you've got to be able to have some counters and some and and I don't mean just counters as in like a counter counter tray but you just in general counters to your inside Zone and I thought Notre Dame had some really good counters they ran a ton of inside Zone inside Zone lock inside Zone read uh they ran outside Zone twice and one of them went for big play they ran counter a couple just a couple times once got blown up the second time went for a touchdown and then they ran some basic quarterback sweep calls with Riley Leonard so they had a really nice blend of plays really nice blend of blend of plays T Smith oath 323 with a question are we doing anything for the home opener I will be there this weekend and also bringing a couple of my OSU buddies because they want to see NS campus in game I will not be doing anything I I probably earliest I would do something would be probably louville uh but right now the only thing I have planned for sure is H is this the Florida State game is right now currently all that we have but uh they should enjoy it just take them around all around campus like take him over not just around the football stuff but get out there early enough that you can get over like towards the Basilica and The Grotto and if possible let them kind of experience the player walk but like there's a lot of cool stuff like if you're only like in the parking lot where the the tailgates are you're missing a lot of cool stuff further into campus like head over to the library and and all that cool stuff so just take them all around campus Because I've I've taken my I went to a game my first game ever actually my brother-in-law came with us it was me my dad my brother-in-law and a friend of theirs a friend of my brother-in-laws who's a Notre Dame fan and guy named Eric who's who I talked to him forever but he's an Notre Dame fan but uh I mean my brother-in-law was impressed by it and he's a Michigan fan so kind of does he's more of an NFL guy he's like yeah Michigan won a championship and I'm like name three players in her team you can't but you know so it's like that kind of fan he's more of an NFL guy you ask him about the Broncos and he can name a lot more guys tommy guns will a jet sweep double reverse passor Riley deep in the car yes that one already um tommy guns what do you think the score will be after each quarter I'm going with 17 nothing 313 453 and ultimately 5910 that seven I mean that would surprise me if they blow him out that quick that early that would surprise me a little bit I mean I I I Tommy I haven't spent a second of thought of of what the the score will be at the end of each quarter but my hope is that that kind of where you're coming from is is on point because that would mean Notre Dame does get off to a fast start and getting off to a fast start is absolutely important for this game we talked about that yesterday you got to get up to a to a a fast start you know what I mean so that's kind of that's what's important I just I want to see them get off to a fast start so if they're up 17 nothing at the beginning great great I hope that's the case I hope that's the case because they're going to need that uh Gideon Rosa what was coach's score prediction I went 41-13 was my score prediction originally was going to go 38 to 13 but then Anthony Solomon in the chat was like predict coach a score I I predict 3813 so I like mix it up now I can't have Anthony getting my score like that so I gotta I gotta mix it up a little bit you know what I mean all right Alex trap I can never make it to a live and now that I finally have just want to say Mr Driscoll thank you so much for all the content that you and your team provide it gets me through a lot of hours of work I appreciate that thank you for that Alex very much much very much appreciate that and thank you for being able to actually join us today so and hey John like dude if you want to have a question answered earlier get in here and get a question in earlier okay some of you I swear listen I'm going down the line in order of the questions okay I'm trying to I can't answer read a question answer a question and then also while doing that read through all the questions to see what's going to come up next okay I'm going through the questions ien got in here and and and haggy 24 I just I don't need you in here anymore peace out okay I I cannot stand this type of attitude okay I'm GNA get to all your questions it's going to be a three hour show for all the questions and you're in here complaining that I don't get to your question soon enough or I too many questions for well then get in an hour early like Aden did and get some more questions in and I'll get your question in earlier but a lot of people like iden's questions and they learn something about it and yet it's his question but it's my answer and if you didn't even put in a question I definitely don't want to hear you complaining about whose questions I'm reading from I'm goingon to bring up a bunch of ident questions now just to tick you off so here's another one for my Den bonami many times in last week's game I kept saying throw a bomb to Mitchell or go deep to someone or mix it up am I just being a fan or do you agree no I mean I was kind of saying the same thing man to be honest with you I I I felt look I understood it I understood the question I understood or I mean I understood why they did it I understood why they didn't press down the field I understand why they were a little bit more conservative I just purpose P personally would have liked to see a couple more shots and and the thing is they did have a couple plays that I think could have gone for deep balls but Riley didn't read it and I'm going to have I do I am going to have a pass game video that I hope to get up tonight that's going to go through um it's um I've got the the I want to go through the third and five play at the end of the game I'm going to walk through the pass to Bo Collins uh to start off and kind of do a video on that to um to kind of explain to people like here's how those plays worked and then I'm gonna have a couple others that I'm like some of the missed opportunities and one of them is a play where they ran a um it's sort of an inverted smash outside guy runs a burst Corner inside guy runs like a slide it's actually the play that that Jaden great house uh caught his ball on but I felt pre- snap Reed that Riley should have gone left if he would have gone left he'd have seen a one-on-one against Bo Collins on somebody that Bo was going to beat in my opinion and not only did Bo beat him but the guy fell down at the top of the the the of the route and if Riley would have let read it properly that's a huge play probably a touchdown and and so you know that's kind of what what I want to see that's what I want to see uh they didn't do it but it was called Riley just didn't throw it you know there's a couple other times where you know maybe there's a shot there but he's didn't call it um part of it is too they were playing a lot of two high safety and if notame Dro back the pass they would stay in two high safety it's a little harder to kind of hit some of those outside go balls to a guy like Chris Mitchell when that's the case so I that's kind of where where um you know where I was but yeah I would have liked to seen a couple shot couple more shots I would have lik to seen a couple more shots all right and and some of the some of these responses Bas and Domer please don't pound the table coach D no my my frustration is genuine uh I will not be pounding the table for effect so sorry uh we will not will not be doing that one no fake table pounds for me all right let's get another one from Iden Iden says we were you surprised by the lack of Effectiveness activity from the defensive line I think you're confusing a lack of Effectiveness with a lack of production I think the defensive line did their job uh they didn't do it great but they did their job I thought Jordan patelo did his job very well I thought that uh that Howard cross did his job I thought Jason on did his job I thought Riley Mills was solid he did his job he needs to be better I I thought that Josh Burnham played very well they just they were not asking them to get after the quarterback or Crea a lot of negatives it was kind of keep everything in front of you and don't let him get going and that's really what it came down to from you know from the standpoint of of uh what they did I don't so again I I don't know did they have a lack of big play production sure do I want to see more big games play production absolutely uh do they do I want to see more pressures on the quarterback absolutely but not doing that doesn't mean they weren't effective you know what I mean and a lot of times with dline when we look at the effectiveness of D line we often judge it by okay did they make sacks and did they make tackles for loss and that's a part that can be a part of it a lot of times it is and I do want to see more of that but other times your job is to make sure that that that you've got all the gaps covered and that you're making sure they're not getting anything more than three or four yard gains in the Run game and that's pretty much what they did so I think they were effective they weren't dominant that's the difference they weren't they were effective they weren't dominant and I think that would be kind of how I would how I would phrase uh that one that's how I'd phrase that one all right we did have a super chat down here and then I'm going to get back to more questions for my Den so Doug said do with a super chat thank you very very much Doug I've been a notre aame fan for 56 years I love Irish breakdown in your entire staff respect your breakdown analysis of all things Notre Dame football thank you and keep up the good work I appreciate that Doug I appreciate that very very much man I really do especially after the the the annoyance of um some recent comments that were made uh I really appreciate that I really do because I think that I kind of work my butt off to be honest with you and I'm out here doing shows every single day I don't I don't know of a lot of people that are doing that and I'm giving you guys my time and it's and and and I because I I love yall I love being with y'all and some people don't appreciate that and think they're entitled to certain things and that's fine you can think that but you're not and so Doug I really appreciate that man it's it's people like you and Iden and igk and a lot of other people in the chat that I that that we do this stuff for you know that that that's it's appreciated and the people that show up every single day and whether they ask questions or not y'all are why we do this I mean there's a lot of things I'd rather do right now I have a lot of work I still have to get done I haven't got I haven't spent hardly any time with my wife this week but I'm here because I love y'all and I appreciate y'all and even those that don't appreciate us I'm still here you know answering the Bell so uh it does mean a lot and I'll be honest when I first started doing this job especially when I first started Irish breakdown I obsessed over negative comments if if we had a 97 or 98% like like re I would freak out like why did we not have a 100 and I got to the point where I was like that's actually pretty good I'm pretty happy with that and like you know negative comments on Twitter would really bother me like I don't understand why people don't like after a while I was like you know what I don't really care about those people I don't care about that small minority of people who just want to complain about stuff and be upset and be in their feeling you know what I because I realized there's so many more people that appreciate what we do and respect what we do and they just don't they don't say it as much to be honest with you but they they say it they they show up every day and they're with us every day and it's like you know what those are the people I'm going to focus on not the not the social media clowns trying to punch up and that kind of stuff or you know people doing other podcast that try to pick fights so that they can get some CL I don't care about all that stuff man I'm here for y'all and I've I learned that the the vast majority of you are very preach of in love what we're doing and and it means a lot and that's why we're here every day and um so when you do when you give your hard-earned money it me it does mean a lot it does mean a lot and I don't think that I'm being petty on that when us I truly believe that I'm I'm not taking shots I'm just I'm being serious I'm I'm telling you how I feel you know na Nathan you know you don't want to quit me you know you don't you wish you couldn't quit me you know you love it here and we love you too maam so appreciate all y'all Corey Dean everybody it and I mean I'll be honest I'm also human and it is nice to sometimes have people say hey man thanks I got an email the I was having a terrible day this is a terrible day a few days ago you know dealing with this stuff with Rita and we've got all the stuff going over their house and just the stress of the season and just you know my wife's not feeling good and I wasn't feeling good I'm like man this is just a terrible day and I got an email from someone just randomly just some subscriber and just say hey man really appreciate what you do and and it's just like I needed that and so yeah I'm not going to lie sometimes it's good to hear that sometimes it's it's you know on a Friday when you've been grinding all week and people are complaining about certain things it's like you know what man like just what am I doing here but then you guys remind me why so I don't think that's Petty at all I I think that's you guys are showing appreciation for what we do but I also appreciate what you guys do I really do it does mean a lot to me and I uh sometimes will allow the the quote unquote haters or whatever to to to to distract me but you know what that's kind of what keeps interesting sometimes but you guys are definitely appreciated I hope you know that and you're not a you're not a bother so I just you are very much appreciated but uh let me see if do I got any more questions from My Den find some more questions for my Den I guess Andy Milton fan more Iden yes yes appreciate that very much all right let's get back up to the top because I think we've used up all of iden's questions but spark 5219 what improvements do we need to see in Saturday's game showing the team is going in the right direction more growth from the offensive line and is is a big one a more aggressiveness in the in the pass game is a very important one and and it doesn't have to be like a bunch of bombs I mean it it'd be nice to see some aggressiveness but aggression isn't always just throwing 50-yard bombs I want to see just more intermediate downfield stuff actually I have a breakdown one of the things I'm going to have in my breakdown today I'm actually going to pull it up so I'm going to give see I've given you guys some taste of the premium content but I want to pull something up to show you guys a little bit of a glimpse of when they threw the ball down the field they actually had a little decent amount of success on Saturday uh they had uh let me see here they went they threw two balls here we go I'll pull it up right here they threw two passes on Saturday past the L past 20 yards and this is something that I'm going to have up on the message board later and it'll be part of my breakdown of the game but as you can see here from this they took two shots down the field one went for 20 yards to Bo Collins one drew a pass interference penalty that's it right now a lot of the other stuff they weren't like what shocked me is how ineffective they were in the short stuff they were actually if you if you go look at they were five of eight thrown the ball past 10 yards they were what's it say six of six of 15 on throws of one to nine which I thought was very fascinating but when they did finally go deep they were effective and you know what else gives me encouragement that that spark that we're going to see Improvement is go look at Riley Leonard's numbers I'm actually going to have that in the breakdown as I as I one of the things that I chart in the breakdown is I look at the past game stats like in different scenarios so like what is it in down you know what down in distance here and and one of the statistics that I have is by quarter and by half I should say and so I'm going through and I'm looking at Riley Leonard's numbers and the let's pull the A&M game the first half of the game Riley Leonard went 11 of 19 for 74 yards 3.9 yards per attempt 6.9 yards per completion in the second half he was not great but better seven of 11 63.6% completions 8. 7.6 yards per attempt 12 point yards per completion it's not good but but better fourth quarter of the game fourth quarter Riley lonard went four of five 80% completion 48 yards 9.6 yards per attempt 12 point yards per completion so like when when the game was on the line that's when Riley Leonard was was at his best and so to me that's going to be something I want to see them build on and and start doing that maybe in the first quarter of games and second quarter of games and not necessarily waiting till the fourth quarter but like if you're gonna have a time when you're at your best you want it to be the fourth quarter right so that's but I want to see them build on that you know they they more aggressive in the fourth quarter two of the three deepest throws they had they threw in the fourth quarter the back shoulder throw to Bo Collins and then the uh um the the corner route to Mitchell Evans or actually no that was or C I think that was third quarter actually so you know they they took they took some shots and you know I want to see more of that build on that defensively it's really just clean up some stuff right eliminate the penalties tackle better I'd like to see a little bit more like iden's question earlier about the I think the dline was effective they weren't dominant but I'd like to see more dominance from the dline this weekend that's something I like to to see but other than that it's like kind of keep doing what you're doing right and outside of those things we just mentioned just keep doing what you're doing I think that's going to be the key got question from Jason Smith actually no hold on a second Jason let me um let me get down I got a couple super chats down here John B with a super John thank you thank you very much man I appreciate that very very much Idan benami a free question for John M love IB Nation appreciate you Iden and then uh Raymond uh Haron We Appreciate You IB absolutely appreciate you Brian I thank you for that I thank you for that and yeah I thank you for that very much Jason Smith is there any way to get the number of snaps for the different linebacker pairs together uh last week Sneed Kaiser Kaiser KVA Bowen sne I mean you could I I wasn't planning on doing it to be honest with you but it it probably would be something interesting to track now that you mention it Jason I hadn't really thought about doing that but i' I'd be kind of maybe curious to see like which pairs were together how often they were together and what was the effectiveness when they were in the game that's actually not a terrible idea Jason at all that's actually a a pretty good idea let me think about that one let me think I'm gonna write that down Jay as a potential as a potential thing to look at I don't have the answer to that but I'd have to kind of go through the game and and chart the plays but then who was on the field it's um it's an interesting one very very interesting one I'm going to go back and look at that all right be feeder nd8 Brian just trying to to Benchmark sanity check our o line how would you compare the o line performance last weekend versus Louisville last year significantly better than last year against Louisville and the the biggest reason why is is number one you didn't have the devastating penalties right you didn't a hands of the face when you completed a 30 yard bomb like imagine if the pass to Bo Collins for 20 yards got brought back because Emil Wagner put his hands in a defensive player's face that's the impact that that play had last year against Louisville you're down 1710 in the second half you hit a bomb to Mitchell Evans for 30 yards get you deep in your own territory and it comes back because the hands of the face they avoided those bad mistakes yes they gave up pressures but I think I counted like four or five runs in the game got to get cleaned up like definitely has to get cleaned up but the biggest difference between that between not just the penalties and you got some stuff clean up but the biggest thing is be feeder is they competed their butts off they didn't do that against Louisville last year they didn't do that against Duke last year they didn't compete and they didn't fight there was no fight in that offensive line that night the whole team there was no fight but it's you you're you're a line driven program that's where it's a lot of it's going to start and this offensive line I mean if if we're being honest right like take out context take out the context of who they played or their inexperience or those type of things take the context out did the offensive line play well in this game no no they didn't if you take out all the context they did not play well but did they exceed expectations sure did they compete their butts off yes but they didn't play necessarily well they had some good moments but they didn't play well if last year's line or the 2022 line would have performed like the 2024 line did against A&M we'd probably like it wasn't a very good performance but what I loved again I could all the stuff that I'm upset about not when I say upset like as a coach I'm like man you got to do better there all the stuff from the offensive line on Saturday that I feel needs to get better and it's a lot it's all correctable it's all it's technical stuff it's assignment stuff it's leverage hey you know Emil sink your hips a little bit there hey Billy take a better angle on that down block hey Ashton get those snaps where they need to be hey Sam you got to recognize this B Gap run through you got to step inside and be prepared to come back out of that you can't turn your hips there hey Anthony you need to Anchor a little bit better on that particular play you got to come off on that that double team a little bit later or a little bit sooner you know that there's all that stuff is correctable you know use your hands better here Emil you know do a better job getting to the second level Billy all those type of things are correctable the hardest thing to correct in football is toughness and heart and I don't know that you you can do things to enhance it but if guys don't have it then they don't have it and if you don't know how to and when they do have it you've got to be able to get it out of them and that's not always the case like guys don't show up and be tough just because you gotta you got to do things in preparation to get him there and whatever Joe Rudolph did on Saturday he's gonna have to do a lot of things moving forward to fix the technical and assignment issues but I said in the preseason I'll say it again now if this line just shows up and fights every single Saturday like they like like like they did at their best last year and and now that we've seen it like did against A&M this team's gonna be really good really good because they're they're talented enough to when they do things right they're going to make big plays now clean up clean up the mistakes and always say right young players are going to get better the more they play veteran play players who don't have talent don't get more talented the more that they play so I want to see improvements but man I I just I want to see them match that intensity every week the toughness every week the competitiveness every week those are things that I want to see on a consistent basis and we don't know that they're going to do that because we've only seen them play once and that's something that we'll saw last you know we'll see that this hopefully see this Saturday but we'll see no matter what this Saturday uh but hope hopefully we see them bring it again and that's the big thing for me it's just I can live with some of those when you got Riley Leonard jermiah love and jarian price in the backfield I can live with some of those mistakes as long as you play your butts off because when you play your butts off there's going to be about five or six times when it all goes right and on Saturday when it all went right the running backs did their thing and that's all you can ask for the other stuff will clean up as you get into the season that's how you look at as a coach but I need you to compete like that every Saturday and honestly with the depth that they have on the offensive line look there's hey you you have a game like some of the guys had last year against Duke or Louisville that bur sorry man sit on the bench I got I got two I got gerby Lambert suvin Absher Roco Spindler Pat cougan Chris trick Ian you know Peter Jones Tai CH look I got list all Joe aing I got all these guys begging to get a chance to play for me and you don't even play hard go sit Morocco get in there and play hard gerby get in there play hard right I mean Joe aen get in there play hard uh that that's the thing is like you better have that and that's where competition hopefully keeps this unit more fresh where last year there was like no guys knew that my job right there's a little bit more of that this year and hopefully these guys handle that well and they go out there and battle their butts off every week Super Chat from andd Milton fan thank you very much which o lineman had the most dominant moment Sam Pendleton and Billy shra those two they had the most dominant moments Sam Penn probably had the most dominant block of the game but Billy had his fair share of of Big Blocks as well they had the those two had the most dominant the dominant performances of the game yeah that's that and that's a pretty easy answer to be honest with Andy mil it wasn't close I mean not that other guys didn't play well but as far as dominance just like dominant snaps those guys those guys were were at the top in my opinion tommy guns the biggest jump a team makes is between games one and two correct which teams can be expected to be improved on most tomorrow so I'm I'm bringing this up to address the first part the second part Tommy I just answered in the other question but I we we get these kind of these these mantras that people that we have in sports like you know your biggest jumps are from games one to two that's not always true I mean Notre name in 2022 their biggest jump came in what weeks three to four right from Cal to North Carolina other teams the jump comes later other teams you don't ever see the jump you you expect the jump between one and two but it's a it's more of a a cliche to say that the biggest jump always happens from game one to two that's a coaching cliche to be honest with you sometimes it turns out to be true but other times it doesn't and and it also factors into to you know who are you playing like let's be honest it it may be hard for some guys to get motivated for this game people are lying to you if they tell you they have the same level of motivation for every game it that just that's just not the case it it it doesn't mean you won't be motiv it's just different like there's no way to fake a you know Northern Illinois being as good as A&M there's no way to fake it there's no way to fake this being a top 25 team or being in front of 107,000 you enemy fan so to speak so you you know it's going to be different you just what you want to see though is you want to do see that that jump and but I I would hope I mean especially with this team because they're so young Tommy I think this statement may be true more for older teams but for me there's so much youth in this lineup on both sides of the ball that the biggest jump may not come till week three or week four hopefully week five I hope week five is when we see this team play at its best that'll that'll be that'll be important is let's get them to be there week five Johnny Jimenez I was sitting in zone for the game oh nice and notice Wegman got Happy Feet almost immediately did the tight coverage lead to this pressure didn't feel overwhelming all game well I mean they didn't they didn't get to him like a lot of sacks but there was a lot of the pocket kind of collapsing around him like the the throw that he sailed that Adon Schuler picked off he didn't get pressured per se but I mean you're a quarterback you see bubacar closing in on you hard I think that was in his head a little bit the windows were super tight I think the moment of the of the game kind of got to him a little bit and and look we said this before the game there's a lot of hype being put on Conor Wegman that that he's not he's not there yet I think he will be if if he works hard keeps the right attitude as impatient I think we'll get there but we we pointed this out before the show go look at what he did against some of the Lesser known opponents you know like just just go look at what he did against Auburn last year who's not even that good or not the the the better opponents is what I should say he didn't play as well because he's young and he missed a whole season of development he'll be fine if if he works hard and has the right attitude I think he's going to be fine as long as they're patient with him and they and they run an offense that fits what he does but look this is a this this defense makes a lot of people nervous in the past game and and it's the and it's the way they mix up their looks pre- snap they do a lot of jumping like the linebackers are coming and on Saturday a lot of times they did come but that can make a Young quarterback a little anany you know I mean it can and especially when you've watched film for weeks of how good this defense is that can get in your head a little bit too is even when you're not getting pressured you're kind of expecting to get pressured and that's something they're going to have to you know he's gonna have to improve upon Aiden ree with the release of the footage of the two Colorado assistant coaches fighting each other are you taking the over or under on Dion leaving in two years I honestly didn't see this so I'm going to look this up here real quick so you said two Colorado coaches were fighting um so let me see here uh was in a video so let me see here was it at a practice was it in a game I'm just curious like what was this what was the context of it um I'm let me just give me a second I'm going to try to find this here real quick so I don't want to click on their stuff let me is there a video um where are they fighting okay here it is here's something here so um yeah I guess I don't see I don't I don't see the video but are these assistant coaches at Colorado I everybody just keep saying coaches but nobody's saying what coaches so I don't know who it is but no I mean look you spend enough time in a in a coaching staff there's G to be there's going to be stuff like that I mean look it gets it gets promoted more because it's Dion and maybe Dion did something to promote this type of environment I don't know I'm not there but I had a coach threatened to fight me once because I called him out in a staff meeting you know and he he tried to get up I mean I sit down it's an old offensive line coach but he was sitting there saying like he was sitting there saying some nonsense in a meeting like hey guys it's not us we're doing our jobs it's them talking about the players I was like man that's some I I was I was young and um did not have a filter and I probably spoke to him with more disrespect than I should have but I felt he kind of deserved it at the time uh if at my age now I probably would have been as Stern but would have done so in a less confrontational manner but you spend that much time with people things like that are going to happen I don't know the context of this fight to be honest with you so I really can't tell you what it was but if this would have happened uh at some other program nobody'd be talking about this but it happened at Dion's program so we're gonna we're gonna you know make it a Dion thing and a Dion culture thing I don't know if it's a culture thing I don't know what the situation is I would be curious what Deion Sanders could have possibly do from a culture standpoint that two grown freaking men you know felt they wanted to go have a fist fight wherever it was so um you know I just I don't know man I I just I think a lot of this stuff is and I told you guys I told you guys this a year ago with Dion Sanders and you guys got to give me some credit here I know the media I I keep telling you this I know the media and I told you guys last year that the way it is with with with Dion Sanders they were hyping him up for the inevitable fall because they were going to tear him down when things didn't go well and looking in the chat it says Josh Giants and Trevor Riley Josh jins is a graduate assistant coach I don't even know who Trevor Riley is I still haven't gotten to him on the the coaching roster he's not even listed on their coaching staff roster Josh Giants is a graduate assistant coach right I mean these are two young Knuckleheads acting a fool I don't maybe it is Dion's culture but it could also just be two young idiots you know handling things a certain way or or you know who knows man but they built Dion up to get clicks but also they wanted to be able to get all the clicks from him on the way down because we all knew he was going to struggle at Colorado it was a it was a tough environment and that's what's going on now and there's a couple there's a couple um you know right leaning I guess uh websites that just like Feast on Dion they just love talking about Dion Because it's like some of the stuff is deserved some of us like dude you're just you're just this is all clickbait like this is this is nonsense and that's just what that's what coaching is now man I mean that's or that's what a lot of media is now it's like let me find something that it's like um I'll be honest like Caitlyn Clark is that way like I actually love watching Caitlyn CL Clark play and I do think there's some disrespect that's been done to her that I think is unfair and there's some things behind it but it's like some of these Outlets like outkick they just obsess over any negative thing said about Caitlyn Clark and turn it into some big issue why because they're just doing it for for clicks there's not some moral like High Ground that they're on to try to protect the Integrity of women's basketball it's just this is a story that I know is going to get clicks so anything said about her we're going to turn into a story and get a million clicks from it it's not real journalism it's the lowest form of what this business is and it's the same thing is happening in college football with Deion Sanders so um and John marish I am not at all surprised that you feel that way like that doesn't shock me at all it is nothing but TMZ for sports that's all it is it's not real it's not real analysis or real journalism it's just let's take the topic of the day that divides people and lean into one side and get a million clicks from it right and yes Caitlyn Clark is absolutely the Rookie of the Year in women's basketball and anyone that says otherwise has got an agenda that girl is freaking phenomenal phenomen Al she's you know she's one of five WNBA players to have multiple dribble doubles in a season and she's the only rookie to do it so she's only rookie ever to have a triple double period she's had two already so anyway Chief Brody with a super chat 4217 noted aim 2114 halftime my pick cooked last week there you go man I hope that you're wrong about the halftime pick but I definitely uh I definitely like the uh um I definitely like the aspect of uh the final score I can live with that I could live with that all right let's get to some more down here from Ryan waly what do you think will happen next year when jaasa and Lambert are ready to play it seems there may not be spots for them if nap penlon and Wagner play good this year look I I I think that's jumping the gun way too much way too much let's see if they play well I mean look reality is Anthony nap and s p didn't actually play well again their first game they battled their butts off I'm pleased with that they did because they competed and had some clutch plays but overall I mean they did not grade out very high if you take away the context of their age so let let's let's just kind of pump the breaks a little bit on that here's the reality of it what I think should happen and what needs to happen is every year there look you can't yeah you started and played well last year but are you the best guy for the job now let's just say right now Sam Pendleton Anthony nap and Amil Wagner best players for the job but what if next year they're not what if next year gerby Lambert's just playing better than Emil Wagner you got to play the better player just just like you did this year with Sam Pendleton I mean you let a young Sam Pendleton beat out a 13 game starter and a 10- game starter so why why should Sam Pendleton and Anthony nap and Emil Wagner and Billy sh and Ashton Craig not have to have the same battle and and fight to keep their job next year when svin abser has another year of development jaasa comes back gby Lambert has a year of improvement Joe aen keeps getting better Chris Terk keeps doing his thing I mean they they that's what good teams do if you're still the best guy okay cool then we we'll keep playing you but if somebody's better than you then so it's not about spots if they're the better player there's a spot for them it's real simple Ryan and and and this is a very fair question and and this is being asked a lot and it's going to be a dilemma that no name's gonna have to face next year but it it there's five spots for them there's five spots for Charles jagas for next year there's five spots for gerby Lambert it's are you one of the best five and if you are make it figure it out and that's what I love that Joe Rudolph did this year in his view he felt the best five was this young group and they put three returning starters on the bench well two returning starters on the bench one guy that was expected to start started the bowl game but he put him on the bench because younger players were better and if that's also true next year then those guys should start that's the reality of it now it's harder to beat out a talented veteran because Amil Wagner is talented Sam pendlton is Talent Anthony Napp is talented I don't think that Pat kugan is overly talented Zeke Carell is not the same player he was when he's younger before all the injuries and some different things kind of went through so he just got beat out by a more talented younger player but that's what I love about this all I mean if you think about it with the exception of well actually exception of one of the two tackle spots four the five corners in this offensive line are starting because they beat out somebody older Ashton Craig last year beat out basically Crow Billy stra beat out Roco Spindler Sam penon beat out Pat kougan Emil Wagner beat out Tosh Baker then Anthony knp had to beat out TSH Baker but that's where you want to be right this is what we all said we wanted but next year now you've got to beat out gerby Lambert you've got to beat out Charles jasol you've got to beat out suan Abshire you got to beat out Joe aing again and and that's what good teams do is you you you play your best players you get play the guys that give you the best chance to win and maybe it'll be the same five we see this year maybe not we'll see like if I have told y'all at end the Spring ball the starting lineup is going to be there's going to be one injury starting lineup is going to be Emil Wagner and Anthony Nappa T tackle Sam Pendleton and Billy shal at guard and Ashton Craig at Center and the only injury is Charles Jaga y'all be like hold on a second what about this guy this guy this guy this guy this guy but that's why you that's why you battle do you think no Chris W do you think notame could beat Georgia Texas Ohio State if we progress well through I think Notre Dame can beat anybody doesn't mean they will they have to play a higher level game against some of these teams but there's not a team in college football that Notre Dame can't beat and for as far as Ohio State guys like you know Notre Dame like played Ohio State down to the wire they lost in the final seconds down Ohio to Ohio State last year I think no's a better better team this year why would I not think that they can beat him again this year of course they can can they beat Georgia yeah they can it's going to be tough they're gonna have to play their aame can they beat Texas yeah it'd be tough they have to play their aame same with Bama but can they beat him of course this is not a game where like you know 2020 bam you needed everything to go right you know the only way you were going to beat you know bam and and uh you know is a TW you know that 202 I don't necessarily agree with that but you know the only way Notre Dame was going to beat you know Clemson in in 2018 was you had to bring your aame now could they have beat Clemson of course but they had to bring their aame you make some mistakes then Clemson makes you pay but this team is to me on a much more closer to being on that level than than than maybe some other teams that they've had that were pretty good in the past bason Domer will Notre Dame have a new wide receiver commit before November 1 I think so I think so yeah I do at least one yeah Joseph de Jagger de Jagger I hope I'm saying that right Joseph help me out de Jagger would you like to see cam Williams in the wide receiver rotation perhaps the specific routes uh by the end of the regular season I if he earns it sure if he earns it I mean like to me the thing that would be great about Cam being in the rotate like I'll say this to answer your question yes I would o but only if like because if he earns it only if he earns it but if he earns it Cam's an incredible talent but yeah if he earns it sure but KK Smith's going to have something to say about that Chris Mitchell's goingon to have something to say about that Mah Gilbert's gonna have something to say about that Jaden Thomas both cins so it's not going to be easy and it just speaks volumes to how loaded this football team is right now but yeah I mean if if guys here here's where I'm at with all this I I've said before I don't really care who plays as long long as it's the best guy that gives you the best chance to win if that's Cam Williams awesome because he's really talented but if he's not ready yet and he doesn't give you the best chance to win then then play KK play Chris Mitchell play Micah Gilbert whoever you think gives you the best chance to play Don't not play guys that can help you win just because they're quote unquote young that was always my issue in the past but sometimes young guys aren't ready to play Pete Weber with Super Chat thank you Pete this is going to be an interesting question you get to produce your own Saturday morning college football show you have to choose one or the other non IB ND journalist two national commentators and a special guest picker who are you rolling with and why so I have to pick one noted a journalist I would Pro I'd go Tim prer uh you know obviously I'd think about Tim O Ali and Tim M be the guy to fill in for prer at times but you know Tim prer is like we're watching the um the uh the here comes the Irish thing on peacock I was watching with Andrew she goes why' they have Tim on there and I was like because Tim's like The Godfather right now of of Notre Dame media I mean Tim's a Notre Dame grad he played baseball at Notre Dame he's been covering the team since I was a kid I love the joke with them about I've Haven been reading you since I was a kid but yeah I mean that you you'd want to get Tim on there for that that would be great uh two national commentators that's an interesting one two national commentators uh boy I tell you what I would you guys are not going to like my answer on that one no I'm not going to pick him because no I got he violates my morals Clause I was going to say Urban Meyer because as much as I dislike him uh in certain ways guy really knows football and does a great job breaking stuff down uh you know what I'm gonna go with um I'm going to go two national commentators I'm going to go with hm H boy this is a tough one because there's some really good commentators out there let's see boy man that's really put me in a spot here two national commentators there's some good ones i' I'd want to get someone I you know what I'm gonna go away from the main stream I'm gonna get two national commentators so I'm gonna go with h I'm going to get Jordan Reed to come on and he's going to talk about the NFL draft prospects of the big Notre Dame game that's going to be my one and then I'm going to bring on let me see here I'm G somebody said McAfee and fine bomb that's really funny Dev man because I know you're you're you're that's really well played my friend that's a tough one there's a lot of there's actually a lot of good quality commentators they're just not pushed by ESPN like they should [Music] H yeah uh I'm not taking the guy that picked A&M to to beat uh to to beat um Notre Dame he won't be on there I'll probably go Joel clatt I like talking football with Joel clatt uh the reason I'm not picking Brady Quinn is because that's probably my that's my special guest picker is is Brady Quinn I thought about having May or Mike Urban Meyer I thought about having Nick Sabin I thought you know those guys do really good analysis but I I'd want to kind of not have coaches on there uh you know that's Joel clatt I don't know there's a lot of good guys out there to be honest with you I would would not have herb Street on there um you know Brady Quinn would be my special guest picker because we're doing a noted aim game right and so Brady Quinn's gonna be in town he'd be my special guest picker so that's who I'd be rolling with I you know I yeah I mean there'd be a lot of good guys on there so yeah that's where I'm going that's where I'm going good question it's a fun one super chat from Chief actually already got that one from Chief Brody uh Francis monigan first time chat thank you very much another non another notame podcast is am posited that Indie analyst could beat Western Illinois uh who who when asked who plays QB Driscoll I thought you may be amused I mean look I mean I get the hyperbole but maybe in our Prime we might have been able to be me because you know like look in our Prime I'd have like okay I'd be quarterback I'd have like ghouls be middle linebacker right I mean you know I mean come on now we wouldn't be in Western Illinois there's not enough of us but I get the point but I I appreciate the the shout out as long as they weren't being as long as they weren't taking a shot I I appreciate the shout out I I got about two good throws left in me but in my Prime sure maybe I could I could ball a I could B I could have baled against Western Illinois in my Prime yeah I think so beaser 12 washing beard any upsets you see this weekend are coming down to Pike for me I could see Tennessee going down this weekend personally I we we went over that a little bit earlier uh I want to address the Tennessee part I mean it's possible I just I don't see it and and it's not even so much that I'm in love with Tennessee yeah Tennessee looked great in the opener I I thought their defense was a lot better than I expected it to be they played Chattanooga I mean like it just it didn't do a whole lot for me my my thing is more of I just I don't feel NC State this year I'm just not on the whole NC State bandwagon right now I'm just I just don't see it with them the way way that that that a lot of a lot of folks do they just they have a lot to prove to me to be honest with you I'm just I'm not I'm not fired up about NC State so that's that's why know they could go out and prove me wrong this weekend sure absolutely they could prove me wrong I just it's like I need to see it from MC State I need to see it and this is kind of in Dave doran's Mo right like he'll he'll win just enough eight nine games a year to make you think they're ready to take that next step and then they never do maybe that changes this year but you know yeah we'll see but I uh next week I we'll kind of wait for next you know what you know what actually you just made me think of something something I'm gonna talk to Bill Bender about is potentially of doing a little short segment on the Thursday show of upset of the week where we pick an upset of the week that's not part of the games we feature so you just made me think of that good job beer so I'm going to uh talk to Bill about that one that might be a fun little segment to look at each week uh Hast I remember talking the spring about jayen Asbury lining up a nickel did that happen at all in last week's game if not do you see it happening this season like well I first of all I pushed back against that at the time and I said it won't be about necessar playing nickel it'll about he's a Rover he could play Rover and he can but he can do more as a Rover than some of the other Rovers can do and so Notre names oh we moved him to nickel and move he mooved to Nickel I mean he worked out with some of the things because they were they he needed to work out with the DBS because he can do some coverage things the other Rovers can't do and it's kind of like people saying oh you know uh so and so lined up at Viper just because a guy lines up on the edge doesn't mean he's the Viper like you guys understand that right like some people that cover the team apparently don't understand that but just because a guy lines up off the edge and blitzes off the edge doesn't mean he's a Viper a Viper is a very specific thing that has a long list of rules and so like with Jaden at nickel yes they called him a nickel but he was still basically a really athletic linebacker now he did do some things outside in that Rover roll uh but I don't view that as like a nickel roll per se um we could maybe see more of that in the future but I don't think that was necessarily A matchup that they wanted to go with this weekend based on on the personnel and jayen played some outside and he also played some inside will faul Brian if if we want to analyze the growth of the young linebackers what are some specific things we should watch for great question will for me it comes down to a couple things more consistent physicality at the point of attack against blockers there are some times they kind of let guys get into their body weren't quite sure of okay where am I going and that's something you like when a linebacker's really on point he does a great job of like knowing when to take the edge knowing when to take a guy on and you know and and get extend and is is a big thing for linebackers and then the second thing is timing of blitzes and timing of pressures they showed themselves a little too early at times on Saturday but they also post Snap the timing of the pressures was not great um they they've got to do a better job of really getting downhill and and really timing their blitzes better to where they're coming right off the D lineman there was a lot of blitzes that were just not timed well with the front that's another area that's got to get better and then there's a little bit of room for improvement also from Saturday although it's hard to say how much is needed because I just thought A&M's pass game was just not good you know getting a little bit better hunting for routes when you get into the the underneath coverages like hunting for those digs and those overs and those crossers do a little bit better job there uh and then what the end result will be of those improvements is more production at the ball right they did a lot of impressive like knocking guys back but wasn't a ton of great on ball production when they get better you'll see even more on ball production it a great first step great first step it's kind of like the offensive line did they play did they grade great with zero context they they graded okay with no context you put the context of opponent situation youth in there they did really well now it's about not doing well for young guys but just doing well period That's kind of the next step for them Muhammad Abdi with a question thank you Muhammad Brian do you have do you think Freeman needs an undefeated 11 and one and a deep playoff run season to have a game-changing recruiting class like 2013 well let me think about that one does he need it to have a gamechanging yeah I think so I think so like I mean let me rephrase another one does he needed to have another one because I I truly believe that the 23 and 24 classes were were game changers I mean think about all the stuff that we're talking about in the show right like the young offensive lineman Sam Pendleton Anthony knap the great running back Jeremiah Love we're talking about Jaden greous and Jordan fison and cam Williams and Micah Gilbert and Drake Bowen and Jaden Albury and Kingson vama Assa and Christian Gray and Adon Schuler and lubar tayori and I mean all those guys came from the 23 and 24 classes right I mean like I think not name's already had sort of game-changing recruiting classes that was sort of point of the article I wrote the other day it's like we're already seeing the recruiting classes of Marcus Freeman changing the program in a big big way we haven't even seen CJ Carr yet we haven't seen kedrin young and anas Williams yet we haven't seen you know uh BR we saw only two snaps of Bryce young we're gonna see a lot more of Bryce young we saw a little bit of Leonard Moore like like guys they've already landed some game-changing recruiting classes in order to see but see now that they did that you were selling hope right you were selling hope to those classes this is what we're going to do well now that they're there and you've been there three years now recruits in future classes want to see okay let me see the results yeah you sold me on Hope but you're year three now brother I need to see the results so to have another one Muhammad I do think there's a level of of show me there so if you're talk especially if you're talking like 2026 yeah yeah I think there's something to that but I mean like I just talk about 2025 there's some holes you know quarterback's a hole right now running back's okay receivers a problem right now you know I'd like to see one more D lineman but man this you want to get one more line This DB class is is a game Cher for Notre Dame game changer you know so I mean even James Flanigan's gonna be a dude a dude at Notre Dame so I mean it's building on top of it but to truly have that class that just wow Notre Dame has changed the game yeah I I think so I think so I think you need to see that yep Andrew 44 if Notre Dame were to host a home playoff game against a popular SEC Big 10 school what could the admin do to limit the opposing fans coming nothing uh the playoff my understanding and you all correct me if I'm wrong but my understanding is Notre Dame will not Notre Dame will not be able to control they don't control the tickets I believe that the tickets are controlled by college football playoff so I don't know that you can like I don't know that Notre like I don't think again I could be wrong but like I don't think season ticket holders get their season tickets for that I I don't I think it's just open for kind of whoever it's like a a normal postseason game so I could be wrong on that but that's that was my understanding of of the of the way that tickets be handled so I I don't know that there's anything that NM can do on that and in the chat if you if I'm wrong on this guys please correct me but my understanding was that tickets are just going to be on sale like a normal bowl game normal playoff game type of thing Irish Gordon not what is an impressive statline for Riley Leonard on Saturday I want to see him average over nine yards a pass attempt and I want to see him average over 14 yards of pass completion that's what I want to see from him I don't really care what the end result is specifically numbers wise because I don't know how long he's going to be in the game but I want to see over 9 9.09 yards per attempt and over 14 yards per completion minimum minimums then and they get over that and I'll be impressed Jay ly G Brian if you haven't addressed would you have attempted the last field goal absolutely absolutely I mean this is what you brought M Mitch Jeter here for right this is a guy that's an over over 90% kicker in his career he's basically money from inside of 50 yards he's kicked in that stadium before right like if if you go if you can't trust him to kick that I'm not saying this is this is just in theory if you can't trust him to make that field goal in that moment then you're definitely not going to trust them to to kick one in the postseason now the other coin is okay it's not about not trusting Mitch Jeter it's you know go for the first down and the ice clock what ices the clock out more ices the clock more you getting a first down or you kicking a field goal to put the game away right because here's the thing you have a little bit of breathing room cu cu the one concern would be well you know you missed a field goal they got really good field position with you know some time left true but you're up a touchdown you have a little bit of time left but there's nothing nothing that guarantees that game is over more than kicking that field goal nothing and that's what you brought the kid in there for right you brought Riley Leonard in there to to lead you on that fourth quarter drive and and to make that big play you bought Bo you brought Bo Collins in there to do what make those plays and those big money moments like this is what you brought these kids in here to do you brought Mitch Jeter in here to be a money field goal kicker and help you win football games that's exactly what he did so yeah absolutely so I'm all for kicking the field goal there put the game away I mean game's over 10-point win with minute some left game's over right game's over uh that's yeah that that's what I would have done I there's no way I would have punted it there's no way I would have gone for it on fourth down in my opinion yeah you could have maybe got it one the but again you're you got a you're there aren't many teams actually I'm GNA go look at this how many what was the highest percentage of fourth down uh success last season let me see what the best fourth down team in the country was last year the best fourth down team in the country last year was Minnesota at 82.4% okay so think about that 80.2 80.2% let's go down to Old Mitch Jeter and let's go look at Mitch Jeter career kicking average so Mitch Jeter college stats pull that up Mitch Jeter is a career 92.9% field goal kicker so best team in the country last year 82% field fourth down percentage Mitch Jeter 92.9% field career field goal kicker and he's over 90% I believe from under 50 what gives you a better chance to win that football game right so there's no argument for me that I'll accept that would have said hey kick the field goal that's just that's just my stance so I I I understand the argument however to go for it and run the clock out I just it's not compelling to me you you take the points you put the game away and you know you show you show some faith in uh you know yeah show some faith in your kicker if you can't have faith in them now then you know what's what's the point Irish gordian not any validity to the look good play good thing or is it more of a recruiting player retention tactic I I look I'm that's how I felt I mean guys look I think it's different for other people some guys don't care about how they look for me I did I mean like if I look good it just got me in the right mindset it just kind of you know like I like when I played quarterback's a little harder but even then like I had my wristbands a certain way I my towel a certain way I make like so we had maroon helmets I've actually think I've showed my helmet on the show before my Salsbury helmet for example I bought a chin strap that was the same color because I thought it just looks sweet you know I had my jersey tucked a certain way my my my my my uh towel a certain way my wristbands a certain way I just just wanted to feel good when I was a receiver you know like I I put my wristbands up around my elbows like like like Peter Warick and Charles Woodson you know I mean like you look good you feel good you feel good to play good so for me personally yeah that mattered to me and but a lot of skilled players feel that way I I I was at practice the other day or like the last PR we at and I don't think Sam Pendleton gives two rips about feel you know looking good my man has got his shirt tucked up underneath and a big old gut hanging out why because it was cool and I don't mean cool is like oh you're stylish I mean cool is in like it's really freaking hot out here and this is this is goingon to keep me cool I mean Sam's got like an old military crew cut and he wears glasses all the time like you know he's like he doesn't care about that stuff he cares about I'm gonna go out there and kick your butt you know what I mean and he's a lineman but for skilled players like me yeah that stuff kind of matters I mean it just it does I mean you look good you feel good you feel good you play good I do think there's something to that and and maybe that says a lot more about me than than that philosophy and maybe not in a good way but that's kind of how I always feel felt as a player I just you know and I was like that in baseball and you know just yeah it just like here's an example when I was in middle school this is back in the 80s right 80s and early 90s we had those steal those real high shorts and I did not feel comfortable I was like dude I got like draws bigger than these things man like I did not feel comfortable with those things and so I always wor the the um what like the what it called spandex is that what they called back then you know those things that would kind of go down I'd wear those underneath my shorts because I did not feel good wearing those short shorts I just didn't feel comfortable that way so I put those on there all right there you go right felt better I feel better I'm gonna play better I'm not feeling selfon self-conscious about that kind of thing or concerned about so yeah look good feel good feel good play good yeah I wholeheartedly believe that for not all but for a lot of players yeah Irish Gordon not also asked is it better for team morale to win 63 to 20 or 43 to nothing well I first personally I feel the second the second one I think 43 to I mean first of all it's a 43 Point win no matter what so both are going to be good for team morale but I mean 43 points is against this defense is really good and you're probably going to be running the clock out late in the game if you're up 43 nothing your defense is absolutely dominant against an offense that has two of the better skill players you're going to face over the next month until you get to Louisville for sure one of the best running backs you're going to face all season you shut them down and score 43 on offense that's an absolutely complete team win you win 63 to 20 you feel a lot better about the offense but you're like Dang d why don't you give up 20 points you know so of course that you know let's say two of the touchdowns come late sure like the if you were to tell me specifically okay here's the deal two of the touchdowns come the fourth quarter when they were up 63 to six all right cool maybe that one might be a little bit better but man there's nothing as a football and I'm an offensive guy there's nothing like just completely blanking it team that's that that's like one of the most disrespectful things you can do to an opponent is just like you didn't you weren't even good enough to get on the board you know I mean it it it was true in baseball it's true in football I mean you you just tell a team you're not even good enough to get points you couldn't even get a garbage fourth quarter that's how bad we dominated you you in 63 to 20 it's like we just got better players than you we just got way better players than you 43 nothing's like you don't belong on the field with us like that's kind of how I feel about it so I just there's something about just shutting a team down that's just a level of dominance that goes way beyond that you know so and especially when it's a quality opponent and I think this is a quality opponent I I really do BP Hast could you see the aggressiveness by Freeman to start the second half become an identity instead of a one-time thing I love the attitude it sets out of the gate the warriors were famous for this in the NBA if you're talking about the down stuff then yeah I think we'll see him do that he's done that before uh the aggressiveness I want to see from coach Freeman is more of the don't be thinking about telling a guy to go down in the fourth quarter you know don't go for the play for the field goal when you know or play for you know the field goal when a touchdown puts the game away I was okay with them playing for the field goal after they went up like what I'm referring to is when it was 1313 I don't want you playing for a field goal there right we learned that against Stanford you you just need one big play to get in field goal range uh make them score a touchdown with less than two minutes left second one yeah play the field goal don't they take a chance doing something where they make a big play and and they you get them the ball play for field goal field goal when you're up by already up by seven you know come out be a little bit more aggressive attacking on offense sure those are all things I want to see but as far as the fourth down thing I I think you're going to see a lot more of that because of the confidence that he has number one having Riley Leonard at quarterback with the skill he has in the back field but then number two a lot of times fourth quarter conf idence is is as much about your defense as it is your offense yeah okay I got my you got to have confidence your offense going to convert it of course but do you have your you have confidence in your defense to to get you out of a bad spot if you don't get it which is what happened and he did so it was hey our yeah we turn it over here it's okay our defense is going to hold him to field goal or keep them off the board or whatever and that's what he did and I thought it was a great call but a lot of that you really have to you really have to feel good about your defense in order to make that but it is an aggress it's a gutsy call and I was glad he made it it and I was even more I was sh I was actually like a lot of things coach Freeman does don't surprise me because it's just like you know it's okay a lot of coaches good coaches make that call and you know but there's sometimes I'm like I just want to see a little more aggressiveness so the first fourth I was like oh okay that's pretty gutsy but when they got to the second one and it was about fourth and two not just like the first one was like really short like if you can't get that you're in trouble second was like fourth and two he didn't hesitate I was like okay dang that surprised me a little bit I was I was glad he made the call it surprised me a little bit that was a statement call to his team hey I believe in you guys let's go win this thing they didn't get it but the def there're and and here's something about this team that I've that I've heard and and we'll see how true it is if they get into some tougher times but I've heard that there's a lot more confidence in the offense from the defense than there has been in past years and I think that factor we saw a little bit on Saturday too like when the and and what we saw from Notre Dame to me was hey look the defense you know made some stops and the offense answered and vice versa so I think your defense if you don't convert on fourth down is going to have the same negativity that maybe you might have in the past when there wasn't that same faith in the offense so I think that's hey all good you we'll get you get it next time we got your back and that's that's really a good place to be as a coach spark 5219 the new video iPads being used in the sidelines I believe were extremely helpful for our young offensive linemen and our young linebackers what's your opinion I think you're spot on I think young players being able to see it live like okay yeah I see it coach I yeah oh I think it's inv incredibly invaluable same thing with like ad Don Schuler and Christian Gray and you hey you see this route man they do that you got to make you gotta play on it you know like hey you're not you're not look at this play we're we're blocking too low you got to block higher on this down block you're letting this guy get across too easily show it to him as opposed to just you know drawing it up on a board there's still some of that you got to do all that but as far as like correcting a mistake oh it's huge it's absolutely huge so yes I I do believe um I do believe that it is very important and I think it absolutely helps younger players even more I think you're spoton spot on on that analysis Archer 452 I haven't said this in a while Archer 452 a resident Ohio State fan I found myself watching games of teams where Ohio State players have transferred to do you do the same or give yourself an added rooting interest in a game you otherwise wouldn't care much about sometimes depends on the player I didn't get a chance to do that this weekend just because I was so busy but yeah I mean I go back and look and say Hey you know did Chris Tyree do anything did Rico Flores do anything and it's it's in hoping that they do well there there's no instance where I'm like oh I I don't want this guy to ever do anything I screw that guy he left there no it's like I hope I hope Rico does well nothing against Rico Flores I want brillan James to do well I want Tobias Maryweather to do well I want Zeke Carell to do well I I want all those guys to do well I think they're all good kids I have no I have no beef with any of them so occasionally I'll do that but it's usually like down the road I'll kind of get caught up or if a game is on and I know a kid is n any kids in it I'll watch it but it's not like I'm like waiting till 7 o'clock to watch the you know the the cow game so I can watch a bias it's it's not really that because I've just got so many other things on my mind but you you want to see those guys do well I'm kind of with you on that one and I don't I think the bias got hurt like right before uh fall camp or right before the end of the start of the Season he was doing really well in Camp but had like I think a little a minor some kind of injury before camp but I didn't like I didn't look to see if brillan James played against against um um Stanford I I didn't look to see that but I hope he does hope he do well I I'm actually going to look now and see if he played at all in that game I'm not sure if he did but looks like he did not play in that game so still has some work to do apparently major herheart played five snaps in a game you guys remember that kid really fast really fast and then the last one here from Jay clampin Investments thank you Jay uh you know it's funny Archer I'll get to that Archer you said I was watching the D Hayden I actually watched the Noah Dalton Hayden one more so than maybe some of their name guys because I thought of how impactful that move could have been for Colorado but they didn't do a whole lot for him but yeah they definitely did not do a whole lot for him we actually have two more questions that I'll get to I just saw a new one that popped up that we'll get to before we get out of here got from Jay clamping Investments Brian there are rumors that nerame wants to get more aggressive in nil do you believe that and what would that mean in Notre name terms I still don't think they will pay cash for high school kids look here's the deal uh that's not a rumor they've literally said that and we've said that Notre name is very aggressive in nil are they just paying cash for high school kids not directly just to commit but there's very very very good packages that are very large for some of these top high school kids that no name is willing to get involved in yes they they understand look this is the reality of the of the life we live it's legal and if you want to win you've got to and get the best players you've got to be willing to do that uh where where they're not going to do things like I'll just say this let's say that notame had a really highly ranked kid committed in this class on offense and a school from South offers him a big nil deal no D has no problem matching that let's just say hypothetically like that school also offers a job to like let's say a a parent or a sibling and they get a a really nice paying job for you know that relative of this fictitious Prospect they're not going to do that nor should they do that and so U I don't want to see Notre Dame getting into to to things with they giving jobs to parents and no if if that's what we need you to get you here then just go have fun at that place just hypothetically speaking but as far as you know B compend the nil Universe yeah they're they're going to do that they're but they're always going to take care of their roster first but there absolutely is going to be a world and that it is a world already that they're involved in where there is a lot of deals that they're working out for the kids that are committed to their name and some of the kids they want are they just straight up pure cash no and I don't think I honestly I don't want them to get into that word which just pure cash honestly they're and and I do think that they're getting a lot closer to that and I don't want that because if if you have to do that to get a kid I don't know that that's a kid that you want like seriously think about this just take a step back from the world of if you don't get the highest ranked recruit you can't win Universe just just take a step back from that because that's an on paper conversation if a player will only come to your school because you paid him x amount of dollars and you paid him more than anybody else if that's the only reason he's going to come is that really a situation be involved now your first answer is going to be yes of course blah blah blah recruiting rankings but here's the thing you're not understanding number one that guy doesn't really want to be at your school he just wants the most amount of money that type of kid a lot of times is not going to be bought in if things aren't going well right away he's just gonna bail if he does really well right away he's GNA want a pay raise and if you don't give him a pay raise he's going to jump in the portal because that's all he cares about I am all for making sure let's just say hypothetically Dallas golden wants to come to play for you School a is offering him x amount of dollars and he's like coach I don't need that I I'll actually I'll use a better I'll use a real example Jeremiah Love there were absolutely schools that offered Jeremiah Love much bigger deals than what he got from Notre Dame but his thing is like look I don't need you to match what Oregon and A&M are offering him what I need from you is just something that like on top of the value that we as a family already believe nerame has to just make it to where you know I'm comfortable and that's what they did because a kid like Jeremiah Love yeah look his F me all families need I mean look I don't care if you're middle class you get a chance to to capitalize on your or your nil take advantage of it but with him and his F it's like look you got to do what's best for you for your future as well and and he felt it was Notre Dame all Notre Dame had to do was step up to the plate enough to make sure they were taken care of it was never a conversation of an Oregon offered this match it because he wanted to be at not Dame and if that's where it would have been then I don't know that it would have worked for him at Notre Dame it it it just wouldn't so I don't want kids like that you're not going to win with kids like that because kids like that are absolutely going to be the first ones to be crying in the locker room when things don't go your way this because you guys don't put enough emphasis on building a team you guys look at recruiting rankings and you look at five stars and four stars and all this other kind of stuff and you guys just think that's all the matter put all that onto look at Florida State recruiting rankings for Florida State blow BC and Georgia Tech out of the water but they got their butts kicked by both why because they don't have a team they don't have a CO they have a bunch of dudes that got paid that doesn't make you a team I'm okay paying players that want to be here not just because they got paid because that guy will be I mean bear Alexander wins a Tyler Georgia and leaves he was playing why just want to paid so he invest all that time in a kid and then he bails and now you're stuck in re no I don't you're not gonna kids like that are it's just gonna be hard to win with a lot of kids like that maybe every now and then like that one kid that one position you definitely have a need for go get a portal kid in that instance but you need guys that want to be here and then you got to make sure that you're making things in a good enough position where they can accept the fact that that hey do right by me but I want to be here and that's the kind of kid you win with just if it's all about I got to match every dollar to get a kid here then then otherwise he's not going to come here then he doesn't want to be there and in this era of like you know what it'd be different Brandon if it was a situation where the old portal system was back where kids had to sit out a year before they left that'd be a little bit different but in this era where kid's unhappy or kid wants more money they just jump in a portal I want more money again because that's all I care about I don't know how you win like that in Notre Dame I don't think you win like that in Notre Dame I really don't so yes be competitive in nil no question they should be it's the rules do it these kids have earned it make sure you're taking care of your team first and make sure that when you make these money contributions and these money pitches to these high school kids you better make sure that they actually want to be here for the right reasons absolutely here's a funny thing from just your ordinary Joe speaking of Jeremiah Love do you feel a special kinship with him because so much of the world can't handle the wise in your names I I do I I love that but here's a funny story I now spell Jeremiah wrong for everyone else because I've spelled his name with a Y so many times and every time like I was writing a story the other day where I was writing Jeremiah Wu kamoa and I wrote I wrote it with a Y so he has completely ruined the the other spellings of Jeremiah but yes I think there's just something about that why in the middle of a name that just has a little something special to it that's just maybe I'm biased but it just does and uh you know that's kind of how I feel about it so yeah I I do I do and I also I I he's got a great great family a great family and that's the other thing too and you you can understand why Jeremiah's the way he is like it that's true with a lot of kids you meet this kid that's that's a different kind of kid and then you meet his parents you're like oh yeah like who was it we were in when we when we had jayon Blair on after he committed you guys remember that like man this Jon K this jayon Blair kid is way more mature than I was when I was eight 17 18 years old like way more mature and I'm like and me me I I didn't listen to my parents enough I should have listened to my parents more but you're like man this kid is he knows what he wants he's he's he's thoughtful he's this and then you talk to Jay his dad and then you talk to his mom when we interviewed him you're like oh I get it now I know exactly why jayon Blair is the way that he is look who he's look who's raising him look at the things they're instilling in him look at the the lessons they're teaching him look at the standard that they're holding him to you know like some things he heard like hey look you you want to make grown man decisions and you need to act like a grown man you need to call these schools first and tell I just love the way and you're like oh yeah you totally get why jayon Blair is the way he is now when you talk to to his family you want to know why Dallas Golden's the way he is spend 10 minutes talking to his dad you're like oh yeah I get it yep I get it now totally makes sense totally makes sense why he's the way that he is because I just talked to his parents for 10 minutes and then there's other times you're like you know like you want to know why Blake Barnett didn't pan out uh let's just say I spent around some time around some people that are related to him at the Army all at the underarm game and you're like okay that's a problem that's a problem and shock you when certain things pan out the way that they do I think that stuff's very important and and so you you want to make sure that you've got kids like that you don't want parents that are encouraging their kids to lie you get a parent you find out that a kid's got a parent encourage them to lie drop the kid drop them because it's gonna be a problem drop them and if he's playing the game with you if kid he my dad's a I ain't got no do my dad he's doing whatever that that's different but if you got a kid playing the game and then you find out he's playing the game because his parents are encouraging him to play the game drop them drop them that's what another name should do drop them don't no don't because if the parents don't have don't support you then that kid's gonna be a problem when he gets another name you know because and that's true at this was true at the division three level if we're coming down to you know which kid do I want I A lot of times say okay a lot of things are similar I'm going with the kid whose parents are bought into what we're trying to do here because I know how it is for kids that first fall Camp first time adversity hits first time you're not start off you're calling home when to come home and if you got Mom and Dad don't support you guys hey you know what I didn't want you to go there begin with yeah you come on home but hey look no you committed there this and this is why we bought in big picture you stay there you see through and it's time to become a man you need to you need to have that so all those things factoring if I know if I got a family that fully supports what we're trying to do and we just need to up that Annie on that that that P nil deal that we're offering to get the kid here as long as there's buy into to what we're trying to do here and it's not just about top dollar hey coach if you don't match this school and equal this school I'm going somewhere else I'm like all right go somewhere else if that's the only reason you want to come here is you know they gave you 50,000 more than we did and we offered pretty big flipping package if that's all it takes and go there because we're trying to do something different here and like like talking to to to to parents of Notre Dame players that have have dealt with nil stuff a lot of you'd be surprised how many parents of Notre Dame players and Notre Dame players factor in the value of the Notre Dame degree long term when thinking about the overall package for Notre Dame so okay this school's offered me 500,000 let's say Notre Dame's only offered me 300,000 you the parents that get it like listen there's a $200,000 difference now but first of all $300,000 is still a lot of money but you get that notame degree you do this you do this you do this you do this and then boom you're going to be successful right and that's a fact and you find that from poor families you find that from middle class families you find that from wealthy families I mean go go go let's remember what happened to Lewis Nicks Lewis Nicks came from a a poor family in in a in a not great part of town but you know who the biggest champion was for Le Knicks going to Notre Dame and staying at Notre Dame his mama because she understood what Notre Dame was going to do for him and so there's a lot more parents like that that than you think and and some of the the kids that have the the worst parental support are actually kids that come from money true story that's not all true but you find a lot of that a lot of those helicopter dads they're not poor families that are just trying to you know make ends me no it's it's it's a the the dad who's like trying to negotiate you know ridiculous deals for their kid because they're just trying to they're just trying to get this so it it there's no one way oh it's only with poor kids or it's only with Rich Kids it's it's those good examples and bad examples exists in every demographic white black Hispanic Asian poor dirt poor low middle class middle class upper middle class and Rich you find good parents and crap parents and every one of those demographics and that's just a fact you want to try as best you can to find kids who who have that parental support because those are the kids that are going to a lot of times be the most thoughtful be some of the toughest mentally they're going to be willing to fight more and and also when they're not they're calling home and you know that that family has your back that's important it's very important so anyway uh that's that question Joe thank you very much and then this last question from Ghost x what position groups are you most wanted to see the most improvement from by the end of the Louisville game and what players in that group do you expect to make a move what position group are you so if I have to pick one I'm GNA go one on each side of the ball on offense it's offensive line there's no question I want to see Improvement at quarterback I want to see improve a receiver but I expect that we will I want to see more improvement from the offensive line and and what player do you do you expect to make a move it's a good question you OB you want nap and Pen keep developing but I really want to see Ashton Craig take another step that's a big piece for me is get that guy right up the middle to take another step that's that's a big one for me I want to see him really make a big move because he can have such a positive impact on everything else around him and and I wonder if having such youth by him kind of is what maybe led to some of his snapping issues because I didn't see that a whole lot last at all last year and didn't see it really that I remember and did don't remember seeing it in the spring or fall camp but it was definitely an issue against A&M but is it because he's got so much on his plate with the younger guys maybe but as they work more together he'll he'll work some of that stuff out but the one offensive lineman I want to see take a step as him defensively it's defensive line I want to see the defensive line play a lot better yes they they did their job on Saturday I want to see him dominate more and the guy that I want to see make a move it's got to be Riley Mills he's got to he can't be what he was last year I mean he can if still be really good but if they're really going to take that step and be an elite elite defense Riley Mills has to be better than he was last year he can't just be the same guy same guy have you a really good defensive line and really good defense I'm not saying that but you're talking about trying to compete for a championship you really need him to take a step you really need him to take a step and that's that's a big piece so I want to see that as well so anyway that's going to do it for today's show everybody thank you all so much for being with me today and thank you for all the kind words and support and the audience actually grew in the we had more people here in the third hour than we did in the second hour so a lot of people joined a lot of people stuck with it so I appreciate y'all appreciate y'all being here so I'm G to get out of here we're gonna have a post game show tomorrow I'll be back on Sat Sunday night for our Pawn further review Sean Styers will be we'll be publishing the uh countdown to kickoff later tonight so definitely check that out uh if you have not done so make sure you subscribe to our podcast Channel also you can find that wherever you listen to podcast just search for Irish breakdown you'll see that logo right there behind me you'll know that that's us definitely check that out and of course of course make sure you sign up for the message board at boardre down.com a lot of you people that want to know more about the details the stats the film all that stuff is Message Board only when I'm done here I got a couple articles I got to finish and when I'm done with those articles I'm going to start recording the videos for the not D pass game breakdown that I want to get up it's a lot later than I wanted to but hey better late than never so I'll have that up at some point in time tonight I'll have that up and you'll get a chance to check that out as well so have an awesome rest of your day everybody thank you all so much for being with me thank you for the support and I'll see you all again very very soon on the Irish breakdown podcast