Player & Coaching Updates at Notre Dame — IST621

Notre Dame had a bunch of players return for another year and the position coaching hires are taking shape for the Marcus Freeman, program.

Episode Transcript

(00:01):
You're listening to Irish Sports Talk ElloNordame fans. Welcome to Irish Sports Talk
Episode six and twenty one. I'mReubin and I'm joined by Randall. Randall,
how's it going. It's going good? All right. So we're a
few weeks we've removed from the FiestaBowl, and there's lots of news that

(00:22):
happened over the last few weeks,including some that we just heard about just
right before we started recording, asfar as players deciding to come back.
So we're talking about players coming back, we're talking about coaches coaching changes as
well. Randall's anything else that youwanted to start off with before we jump
into that. Well, I'm veryglad that Alabama lost, and by a

(00:46):
pretty big score difference. I mean, it was close down to the end,
but yet it was good to seeGeorgia. I kind of thought Georgia
could win. I was scared tobelieve that they actually would, just because
it's Alabama. But Georgia was clearlythe better team during the season. They
had a bad game, Alabama beatthem, and I didn't think that Alabama

(01:07):
could do it twice in a row. And really the only reason that Alabama
even got a touchdown was because ofa bad call in my mind where they
had that fumble, Like that wasjust pure luck with Alabama's that they that
the fumble and then the recovery wasn'teven it was more just getting the ball.

(01:30):
It wasn't even like a the guymade a big effort to save the
ball as a record. I don'tthink he even knew that it was a
fumble. Well they said it was. My all I say about that is
how can the ball go ten plusyards down field forward if he law if
he wasn't throwing it. So Ithink it was a bad call and it

(01:53):
gave Alabama the lead and looked likethey had a shot. So I'm pretty
sure that ref was being paid byNick Saban and staff so or some booster
in Alabama. Um, but anyways, it all worked out in the end.
Georgia One Championship, and I hadn'tknown it was that long since they
won. Yeah, it was kindof like they've been good the last year
and I was like, it hasn'tbeen that long. I was like,

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wait, it's been a long time. Was it forty one years? I
think it was eighty it was nineteeneighty, was the last time they had
won, so it was they hadthey had a longer streak than Notre Dames
currently in Yeah, which that's great. I had not realized that, so
thankfully Alabama was on the losing endof this one. Um, what was
your thoughts on this being a rematchwith two teams from the same conference,

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Like, did you uh? Imean, obviously we saw what happened.
I mean, each team won agame, but I just I just feel
like, I mean, I don'thow it ended up, you know,
I don't. I don't have aproblem with a huge problem with it,
but I do feel like the playoffsdo need to be expanded so that teams

(03:00):
have an opportunity to play and thatyou don't have to be sitting here wondering
about two teams from the same conference, and I keep seeing things that you
know, what was it, twentytwenty six, they're going to expand the
playoffs. Well now it sounds likethat might be pushed back because the conferences
aren't. It seems like they're notall behind it, which I haven't really
dug into it, but I'm notsurprised because of how overloaded the SEC is

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getting in why should they be infavor of it. If they can get
two teams into the playoffs out offour, two out of four teams multiple
times they could get they could potentiallyget, you know, three out of
six. Yeah, but what dothey had, Like they just had more
to lose with that. So that'sjust what I hate with how the conferences
are reshuffling and stuff. Well,here's my only thoughts about the playoff is

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that I don't care about any otherbowl game besides the playoff. Yeah.
And so if you're gonna make thoseball games meaningful, yeah, yeah,
they don't mean anything. Yeah tome, they don't mean anything to me.
Like I don't care about any bowlgame. I barely. I barely
care about New Year's six bowls.I know. It just isn't the same.
And it's you understand. I Mean, that's one reason players, so

(04:10):
many guys aren't playing in the bowlgames because what do they have to play
for? But it if you'd expendthe playoff, I can't imagine that a
player wouldn't play if you're if you'rein the playoff, right, they would
if you have a chance to wina championship. Truly, truly, everyone,
I don't think anybody's chosen not toplay when they were in the playoffs.
Yeah, like that doesn't happen.Like, get these guys something to

(04:32):
play for. Ye make it morefun for the fans. Stop worrying about
the money and whatever. Like Iguarantee they would make more money because fans
would be into it more. Likeit's frustrating. We've done about that for
a while. Let's talk about thecoaching shake up and then we'll get to

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the players. Yeah, So,how are you feeling about Marcus Freeman and
staff after the loss? Like haseverything come back down to earth? Uh?
Yeah, a little bit. Andmy thoughts on Marcus Freeman are he
he could be better than Brian Kelly. He could take Notre Dame to another
level. But Brian Kelly, Ithink did have systems and processes in place

(05:17):
that turned out a really high qualityproduct. And Marcus Freeman is a much
younger coach and turn thirty six thisweek. Yeah, so I'm I'm I'm
very I'm concerned that Marcus Freeman doesn'thave a lot of stuff figured out,
which as a young coach would kindof make sense. Now, one thing
I think he does have figured outis recruiting because I think recruiting is less

(05:40):
about figuring it out than it isabout relationship relationships and maybe like just excitement.
Yeah, so I ciment around theprogram, and so I'm very I
have I have a lot of confidencethat the quality, the overall quality of
players coming to Notre Dame. Ithink it's gonna better. I think we're
gonna get better football players out ofhigh school. But I'm concerned that there's

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not the systems and processes in placethat are going to turn out a consistently
high quality product on the field.Well, obviously Notre Dame is at the
level they've been able to get toNew Year's six Bowl games or playoff games
pretty consistently, but you know theydid the coaching staff wasn't complete. Yeah,

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not a whole lot changed. Theyweren't going to change a whole lot,
you know, because the season isstill isn't over it. This was
still part of this last season.So just like del Alexander, for instance,
he was still the wide receiver coach. He helped coach the game,
but now he's gone. After that, I think the biggest thing was just
not having a defensive coordinator. Ithink that one of the biggest things in
the Oklahoma State game was not havingMarcus Freeman as a defensive coordinator. Yeah,

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and just there's a lot fair outand that's all gonna a lot of
that or all of it should weget taken care of in the off season.
And so I think this was itwas a good start. Yes,
it was disappointing, but what canyou expect with what they had to deal
with and everything that's happened in thelast month basically so, but things have

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been happening since then. And yousee like time about Mark Freeman's recruiting,
like they've had commitments, They've gottenguys to stay come back for another year.
Right now, the twenty twenty threeclass No Name is the number one
ranked class. So they're off tovery good start with the with the recruits,
it seems so many of those guyswant to play for Marcus Freeman's staff,

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and the current players want to comeback. Yeah, instead of going
to NFL, they want to comeback and play for Marcus Freeman and be
part of I think next year.Next year is the year to do something.
Yeah, is one of the bestopportunities to get to the playoffs and
win at least one game. It'sone of the better means they've had in

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a long time. And along withso the one thing I didn't touch on
is is Marcus Freeman's assistant hires orfires as it may be, and so
far those all look positive. You'regetting Harry he stand back to replace Jeff
Quinn. Everybody's excited about that.And getting a new wide receiver coach.

(08:26):
I think that's definitely that's a positive. That's something that needed to happen,
and that's something that Brian Kelly.So I just thought about. I think
Brian Kelly had systems and processes inplace. One thing he did not do
great at for a long time washiring and getting rid of assistance when it
was necessary. Now we've talked abouthe did do a really good job.

(08:48):
He did do a really good job, but there were still guys in the
staff like Jeff Quinn del Alexander thatthat should have been let go before this
year and they weren't. Yeah,another name that was added to the staff
Brian Mason's coming as a special team'scoach, and he's coming from Cincinnati where
he was the special team's coordinator andsnipers coach for the last five years or

(09:13):
who's on the staff there for fiveyears and so you know they still need
a defensive coordinator, wide receiver coach. It's unclear what they're gonna do,
but like they are adding more players. He's also bringing former teammates from Ohio
States. Do you remember James Lernidas, the linebacker from Ohio State. I

(09:37):
don't actually remember when he was playing, No, but I remember and obvious
in the NFL. He's coming asan analyst or not sure what his actual
talibly, but he's joined the staff. Him and Marcus Freeman played linebacker together
at Ohio State UM, so that'llbe the first game of the year next
year. It will be a bigone for both of those guys. But
then with Harry he Stand, itsounds like Chris Watt is coming back as

(09:58):
well as a position coach. ButI don't know what his title will be,
but we've heard how much the playersoffensive lineman loved Chris Watt the last
few years with the offensive line notbeing as good. You know, Chris
Watt was here for a while andhe was kind of the guy that the
players talked about that kept things togetherwhen they weren't too happy with what Jeff

(10:20):
Quinn, or's the coach, whatthe coaching staff was doing. Chris Watt
was behind a lot of the goodthings that were happening. So to have
him come back, that's exciting forthe players. And I guarantee it made
a difference with Patterson coming back aswell, knowing he stand and Chris Watt
were coming back. So so yeah, the coaching staff is getting shape.

(10:43):
He is taking shape. There's stillmore guys to hire, but he is
taking shape, all right. Andthen what about players, So well,
we'll get the big news outlet BrandonJoseph transfer from Northwestern All Americans safety is
coming to Notre Dame. So thatwas a huge hole at Notre Day.

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Obviously Kyle Hamilton didn't play the lasthalf of the season, but we also
saw how much the safety's struggled inthe bowl game and how much you know,
better they looked because as they wereplaying weaker opponents of the second half
of the season. So there washuge question marks there. It showed like

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the lack of like the issues they'vehad recruiting that position and stuff to the
last few years. But bring BrandonJoseph in. I mean, he's instantly
the best guy on the team.I mean the best safety defensive back on
the team. Oh what does hedoes? He have nine interceptions the last
two years. I mean like hehas more interceptions than her name's whole team

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did this year. So and he'splayed good comptent, Like one of his
highlights is against Ohio State, justinfields and five stories when he made a
one handed interception in the end zonelast year. But here's a guy that's
going to come in and we'll bethe starter. I mean we've we've seen
that the last few years, umwith uh just amazement from Navy Looie Gilman

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and uh you know he came inand we made a huge impact on the
team. I mean, here's anotherguy. You know, there's questions,
how are you going to place?You know Kyle Hamilton, clearly he's not
KYLEO. Hamilton, but Brand Josephis an All American. He's done it
on the field and this was ahuge pickup for Notre Dame. So good

(12:35):
start, good job by Marcus Freemanstaff and getting him there. And uh
so that's that's the one. Ithen there's a whole list of guys that
have decided to come back and obviouslythe number one guy is Isaiah Fosky,
Like that's huge. I don't knowif he wants to come back and break
the sack record next year, um, but you know he is coming back.

(12:58):
And it's kind of like there's awhole group of guys. It's it's
it seems like it's usually they allleaver, they all come back kind of
and there's a big group coming back. So you have, um, obviously
the Adamiola brothers are coming back,both of them. Um. So he's
got two offensive linemen right there withhim, and so that's huge for the

(13:20):
For the defensive line, Bo Baueris coming back, Houston Griffith is coming
back. And then uh, Ithink that's it on defense or the big
name guys. But then on theoffensive, Jared Patterson, Avery Davis both
captains. So you've got two captainscoming back, um, Joe Wilkins and

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then Josh Lugs coming back, BradonLenzy, George Tackis. So there's a
big list of names coming back.Obviously you're losing Kevin Austin. That's the
big one. He should have comeback for another year, but um,
yeah, he obviously isn't doesn't wantto be in college and so hopefully he

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ends up in a good spot andcan be successful. But the other one
was kind of probably Jay Bramblet isn'tcoming back. We put his name that
Okay, So some of these guysput their names a transfer portal. That
doesn't mean that they can't be convincedotherwise that they still they still have the
opportunity to come back. But JayBramblin's ones that's transforming Paul Mawala Isaiah Prior,

(14:33):
it's going to the NFL, likehe hasn't had a good note or
he's yeah, well but it's hiseligibility used up. No, I think
he could have come back for anotheryear. Well because last year didn't count.
That's what messes everything up. Likelast year didn't count. So that's
why so many guys have an opportunityto come I mean, Avery Davis is

(14:54):
coming back, like so yeah,the JAF bramble that's like they need to
pick up a puncher then real quick, Um they do. I think they
do have one committee or a freshmanbe a young guy, but they do
have a they do have another punter. But still, I mean he did

(15:15):
a good job. Yeah, soso yeah, I'm surprised that Hull is
coming back and also surprised at afew that are leaving. But I think
next year's team is going to bevery, very good. And you got
the two big names are obviously JaredPatterson and Isaiah Fosky. And I'm gonna

(15:35):
put Avery Davison because Avery Davis washuge before he went like he was,
he was doing very well before hegot hurt. Yeah, so that wide
receiver groups is going to need him. Um. But no, so it's
been it's been definitely been good newsat Notre Dame in the last few weeks.

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All right, Randall, anything elsewe should cover before we wrap up?
No, not really. I meanthere's gonna be a lot more stuff
in the next few weeks with recruiting. I mean, obviously you got another
signing day coming up in a fewweeks, and I'm not sure they're probably
gonna try to add a few players. I'm not sure who all try to
do it. But I mean,I think it'll be a little more in

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the next one just because of thecoaching changes and stuff. So it'll be
a little more excitement on the secondsigning day compared to other years when they
pretty much have everybody signed in December, so we'll see what comes out of
that. But yeah, they'll keeprecruiting other guys and adding to the coaching
staff, so there'll there'll be alot of stuff happening last in the next

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few weeks. All right, thanksfor listening, and until next time,
Go Irish, Go Irish.