The Notre Dame Football Mailbag was jam-packed with a ton of great questions about the Fighting Irish! We had to break it into four shows! Here is part one.
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Ryan Reynolds here for I guess my hundredth mint commercial. No, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no No, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no. No. No. No. Honestly, when I started this, I thought I'd only have to do like four of these. I mean, it's unlimited to premium wireless for $15 a month. How are there still people paying two or three times that much? I'm sorry, I shouldn't be victim blaming here. Give it a try at midmobile.com/save, whenever you're ready. $45 up from payment equivalent to $15 per month. New customers on first three month plan only. Taxes and fees extra. Speed slower above 40 gigabytes of CD-Tails. My dad works in B2B marketing. He came by my school for career day and said he was a big row as man. Then he told everyone how much he loved calculating his return on ad spend. My friends still laughing me to this day. Not everyone gets B2B, but with LinkedIn, you'll be able to reach people who do. Get $100 credit on your next ad campaign. Go to LinkedIn.com/results to claim your credit. That's LinkedIn.com/results. Terms and conditions apply. LinkedIn, the place to be, to be. Be nation. Welcome back to another edition of the Irish Breakdown podcast. Glad to be joined by fellow Notre Dame fans. And as Aidan Reagan just said, it's either Reagan or Reagan. If I got that wrong, I apologize. But as my guy, Aidan said, it is going to be an elite mailbag today. I'm excited. I'm fired up. You guys know the drill. If you want to get a mailbag question in, you've got three things you can do. You can put an MB on there. So they see it. You can put a mailbag emoji. Or if you want to get your mailbag question kind of put up to the top of the list, go ahead and throw a super chat in there. And I will get that as quickly as I see it. As soon as I see it. I don't know. I see it right away. But as soon as I see it, I will get that up in there. So we can talk about whatever you guys want to talk about football related, preferably today. But some of you might have some other questions that you want to get into it. I might let a couple of those through. We'll see. But we're going to talk Notre Dame football. We're talking Notre Dame recruiting if you guys want to talk college football, whatever you guys want to discuss. I know we got some Ohio State fans in here. Some LSU fans in here. And just some other other fans of other programs. Roger Dodger jumps in here. Sometimes USC fan. He's probably feeling good so far about his team. But whatever you guys want to talk about, let's get into it today. So, as I said, hit the MB on there, hit the mailbag emoji or do a super chat. Super chats are also easier once the show starts. I always prefer super chats. But they're even easier to see. So just keep that in mind as we get ready to rock and roll on today's Irish breakdown mailbag Notre Dame football mailbag Friday free for all. We're going to start my dude. I then bonami got in here early and loaded up with the question. So we're going to start with him today. When I then asked, do you think Rocco and Coogan can improve moving forward or they, for the most part, are who they are now. Look, there's there's certain things that can be improved upon in regard to the play of them as part of the unit, right? Like, you know, let's say the timing isn't great early on between Rocco and Emil Wagner. I'm not saying that's the case. I'm just saying that that can be the case sometimes when you've got new starters or maybe Pat Coogan's snaps aren't quite getting there the way that Riley Leonard liked them or maybe the combos with him and Sam Pendleton are quite hitting with the right timing. Those things can be improved upon the more reps they get right. And that's part of improvement is Pat Coogan all of a sudden going to go out there in three weeks or as Rocco spend they're going to go out there in three weeks and have faster feet, quicker feet. Better athleticism. No, those things don't get better, but their play can improve as they get more comfortable and confident in the line. And even though they're seniors, I do think there's areas for both of them to improve because they're still both guys who really only were one year starters. And so I think there's some technical things. For example, you know Rocco is a senior he's not going to all of a sudden go from running a, you know, a four nine in the pro shuttle to a four four in the pro shuttle by the end of the season. But can Rocco do a better job of, of sinking his hips and or you know, or not, you know, it's really dropping his knees a little bit bending a little bit better, driving a little bit with his, with his, with his kind of his hips instead of just using all of his upper body brute strength. Can that be improved upon? Yeah, absolutely. You know, can Pat Coogan do a better job of working his feet through contact when he engages. Yeah, absolutely. Those things can be improved. But the talent's not going to get any better and that that's not a negative. That's not saying, oh, they suck and it's just by the time you're a senior, your, your ability is your ability physically. That doesn't mean that you are who you are technically or experientially and those type of things you know when when Joe was playing last year that that's who he was I don't know how much better he could have got he was three or senior or third three or starter. He kind of seen everything he was he was advanced physically there was nothing that was like going to cause him to make like a big jump during the season like he did in 2022 when you saw Joe really improved throughout the year because he was still a sophomore. He was still developing physically. By the time you get to your senior year you are who you are physically, but it doesn't mean that's you are who you are as a player, because you can always improve aspects of your of your, your skill set or you can improve your ability to maximize your skill set even more. The more experience you have and the more that you play. There is where he can he can certainly approve it so Pat and Rocco can can both improve. We do have a super chat from chief Brodie USC by 74 and a half and he wins by 25. Don't make me laugh today man I got sick the other night and I had a really rough night and my lungs and my ribs hurt really bad so when you make me laugh chief Brodie. Don't make me laugh that is really well done man USC by 74 and a half. I think Michigan's defense is a little bit too good for that one but I do have USC winning this football game. I had USC beating LSU and the opener as well. I told you guys this offseason I think this is an improved USC football team. Dantan Lynn's part of that I thought losing Caleb Williams is going to make them a better team and that's not a knock on Caleb Williams it was more of a knock on Lincoln Riley who I felt put too much on Caleb Williams at USC. Now it's back to running the offense and scheming people up and spreading the ball around and in making it about your system and making it about your skill and not making it so much about your quarterback. I thought having an offensive line that was more homegrown to a degree worked better or was better for them so those are areas where I thought and then of course Dantan Lynn was there I've talked about how I liked what USC did from a transfer portal standpoint this offseason of course they went to the portal they're going to that's what they're going to do but they went out and got you know good players good steady players not the big name free agent so to speak but just good football players. And I think that's helped USC be more of a team a little bit more hungry and they're more physical because of the addition of Dantan Lynn so we'll see if they can continue right. I mean they had a really good first game against LSU we don't know how good LSU is I know there's a question about that in the chat that I'll get to so so there's still a lot we're learning about a lot of these teams you know like it. But at that 51 10 win over NC State look pretty good for Tennessee well then let's say we find out NC State's really a 48 football team they're not going to be. You know that changes things a little bit so we're still learning a lot about about who this team is and who all these teams are but I think today tomorrow we're going to learn a little something about USC because for all of Michigan struggles I think they're still a pretty physical football team. And LSU is not and then that's not a knock it's just that's not their style right now but we're going to see if USC can kind of play that big boy football in Midwestern football on Saturday. Because it can't just be about the athletes it's got to be the athletes plus your ability to play physical in the trenches and we're going to find out if the Trojans can do that on Saturday. 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Download the prize picks app today and use code Irish for a first deposit match up to a hundred dollars that's code Irish on prize picks for a deposit match up to a hundred dollars. Prize picks run your game. You've had Wendy's nugs dipped in sauce but have you had them covered in sauce Wendy's new saucy nugs takes the crispy and spicy nugs that you love and turn them up to eleven. Choose between flavors like buffalo honey barbecue garlic palm or if you're a real heat seeker try spicy ghost pepper only on Wendy's signature spicy nugs I dare you. That's seven delicious ways to try the nugs you already love pick a flavor grab some extra napkins and prepare to nug like you've never nugged before for a whole new way to nug. It's got to be Wendy's at participating us Wendy's. Got a question from Aidan and Aidan can you do me a favor I know you're listening to the show and you're still locked in can you is it Regan or Reagan. Can you because I've seen because I've seen that our EGN I've seen like one of my favorite comedians Brian Regan is spells like that but I've also seen people that spell like that where it's Reagan. Where Reagan's normally spelled RAG but I just would be curious but I want to make sure that I'm getting your name right so if you can just let me know if it's a Regan Reagan I'd appreciate that. But Aidan asks in Irish breakdown studio would be awesome to see could you ever see a world reset that up for you and Vince. Yeah I mean it's potentially down way down the road. It's a it's a bit of a challenge to kind of kind of get that done so I mean we actually had an investor a couple years ago that had wanted to do something like that for us but the terms weren't weren't. We're some I was uncomfortable with but you know great guys even just wanted to make our breakdown an even better product but yeah I could I could potentially see that that's that's way down the road. For me and and not something that I'm necessarily overly concerned about right now. There's other things that I am spending money on and infrastructure and people and things like that but. And potentially down the road look up. I don't anticipate Irish breakdown being right where it is now for the eternity. But my focus right now is on making the product we have now the best going to be and then hopefully growing and hopefully the economy improves and different things get better and we can find some different ways to create some different revenue streams and really get this thing going so. But some someday someday maybe john a one with a question do out golden and now Washington to consider using open as a pure package player like he was at Duke. But he wasn't really a package player Duke. I don't believe that to be a a proper explanation or description of his role at Duke. I wouldn't call him a package player. More to do it the fact that at Duke he was more used in a more specific way even as part of the base defense so I don't know that I would call him a package player and then the other part of it too is the package he was used for Duke if you were to call it that. Or the role he had a Duke was more of a one dimensional player that was just primarily a pass rusher. I don't believe that that is something that would would really be beneficial to Notre Dame right now. I don't know that that's something that that I would would would view as the key adds a skill set that the other guys don't have as a pass rusher. And that was his primary focus at Duke I mean look he was the number two leader and snaps from the defensive ends last year at Duke the top guy had 447. He had 404. That's not package player reps. What Notre Dame needs to do is is honestly like look I get look I get it three games in and we're just assuming that everybody that's that's all who they are and in some instances Kaiser just they are who they are and other instances especially guys that are new to a system. They are going to get better they are going to improve they are going to do some things that allow them to be more effective and more productive. Let's not forget the last season right when we talk about Howard Cross in his all American season. Let's not forget the Howard Cross did not get his first tackle for loss in the season last year till the Duke game. That was the sixth game of the season. So he didn't have it more than six tackles in a game he had his breakout against Duke and then he got a lot better after that. That happens sometimes guys not everybody comes out of the gate like in the world on fire I wish he was better. And I'm hoping that as the season goes on that Howard kind of has a similar ascension as the season goes on. But you know sometimes that doesn't happen last year. Javante Jean Baptiste last season for Notre Dame had 10 and a half tackles for loss led the team and tackles for loss. Wright had a very good season for Notre Dame last year through three games he only had one tackle for loss and that came against Navy. So these guys are all going to evolve and improve and even veteran sometimes will go through a season and they're better than what you thought that they would be or they're better than that where they were when the season started and that happens. You know Riley Leonard is not a finished product that doesn't mean he's going to get better he could get worse. You know he could he could struggle even more team start doing more things to him he can end up having even more problems and he's having now. He could also get a lot better he could end up saying the same guys are not locked into who they're going to be in game three. And I know sometimes we think that's the case. But that's that's not the case, especially for guys that are that are in the system and kind of new I'll give you another example last year through three games. Javante Jean Baptiste finished the season with 38 total pressures. 16 total hits plus sacks and a quarterback through the first three games last year you only had two pressures and he had zero hits or sacks and a quarterback through three games. Now the next, the seed 10 games, he had 16 of those but it took him a little while to really get rolling and really get comfortable in the offense we saw that from Thomas or in the defense we saw that from Thomas Harper a little bit. He was transitioned over last season so guys are not finished products right away and I know that we kind of think they are because they're six your seniors but I remember a conversation I had with Marcus Freeman this summer. And we were we were discussing I had asked him a question about, I thought it was really fascinating. To look at this Notre Dame football team and say, you know you've got all these 60 year and fifth year players that are played a lot of football you've got Howard Cross and, and RJ, you know, you had Howard Cross who's a six year senior and Jordan Patello and Riley Mills who were six year fifth year seniors Jack Kaiser's a six year senior Xavier Watts is a fifth year senior. And then you've got some of these transfers coming in that are veterans you had Rod Hertz a fifth year Jordan Clark's a six year RJ opens a six year. And then on the flip side of it, you've got a bunch of puppies, you've got Drake Bowen and J. Nausberg who are sophomores you've got Kingston who's a true freshman Jaylen's needs a red shirt sophomore who hasn't played a ton of football. You've got Christian Gray who's a sophomore you've got a Don Schuller who is a sophomore. He had all these young players. And he was like I'm not worried about the sophomores because they've been in the system for a year I'm more concerned about getting the transfers ready to go. Because those guys are new to the system, they actually have the most to learn from from, you know, what what what we need from them, you know, so you kind of made the point like you look at a sophomore defensive lineman that guy's going to have more experience in this defense than RJ open, for example, you know, so Buba car Treyori has more experience in this system than then RJ open. Now that doesn't guarantee the RJ is going to get better. It doesn't. It just means it's a little too early to be discussing okay well he is who he is let's let's roll because we would have might be done that with Jean Baptiste last season, through the first three games as well and and that's the thing that that I wanted to point out because yes he can acknowledge that what RJ open is doing right now is not even close to being good enough. Like you will never hear me defend how he's played excuse away how he's played. Try to spin it in any kind of positive way I don't do that. But what I can also say is but that doesn't mean that he this is who he is. And that's the thing I wanted to get across. I mean two of two of the four lowest graded games of the season last year for Javante Jean Baptiste were the first three games of the season. Right. So let's just let's just see how RJ evolves now if we get here's the thing if we get into the bye week. And certain guys have shown no improvement. Then you have start at least be able to have a conversation of okay are we using this guy appropriately are we using him correctly. Has someone else earned more reps but through three games is not necessarily the time where I'm ready to just say hey listen. This guy's gotta go, you know, or this guy has to have his package completely changed his role completely changed. So I would say the same thing about about K K Smith or not K K Smith Chris Mitchell. Right. And just because both columns got more comfortable early on doesn't mean that Chris Mitchell won't. And those are the things you have to figure out as a staff now that doesn't mean that you just keep trotting guys out there who aren't making plays john I'm not saying that either. I just think there needs to be a little bit more patience you need to evaluate a little bit more of what's happening. Are you seeing growth? Are you seeing improvement? Do you see a potential breakout coming? And that's what we're gonna have to find out if RJ opens has the ability to do that. Light it. Hey Irish breakdown listeners it's Urban Meyer this fall the game changes join me Heisman trophy winner Mark Ingram and broadcaster Rob Stone as we bring you a new perspective on football and culture every week. We will be joined by the biggest name in sports and talk about everything inside and outside of the lines. Let us guide you through a new era of college football. Watch triple option on YouTube or listen on Apple podcast Spotify or wherever you get podcasts. Hey Irish breakdown listeners it's Matt liner. I've got a podcast called throwbacks with actor Jay Ferrar will be talking all things sports but also so much more. We'll give you the behind the scenes stories from my days as the quarterback on an iconic college football team to Jerry's days as a star on an iconic TV series. So subscribe to throwbacks on YouTube Apple podcast Spotify or wherever you get podcasts. Got some super chats popping up lucky ducks 512 what did you learn thank you for the super chat by the way. What did you learn from I'm in going there. Thanks for the greatest anti content around go Irish sign up the message board folks. Yeah I'm not even going to say those words but I they had me I should have known because of who it who tweeted it I should have known that it was not serious that's on me. But I saw that I was you got to be kidding me you have to be kidding me and he had they had that outlet on you know they're they're NBC show and he goes on their channel so I mean it. It was understandable why you would think that they actually had a scoop on that one but I was glad to find out that wasn't true. That was that was going to I was going to have some words on that one it's going to definitely have some words on that one. Now appreciate the super chat Tyler Evans thank you for the super chat Calverse four to state who wins and who wins why and give me UCLA over LSU. Hey you can you can go ahead and waste your money on USC or you know or UCLA over over LSU but I don't I don't think that's happening man I have you watched UCLA play this year. They are hot garbage they are hot garbage I mean look LSU didn't play very well against South Carolina last week you know but South Carolina was coming off of a 31 to six beat down a Kentucky and then the next week Kentucky goes and takes Georgia down to the wire and I was pretty good and better than I thought they were going to be but UCLA is just bad and they beat they barely beat Hawaii who's not good. They needed a they needed to field actually they were down 13 seven late in the third quarter against Hawaii and then they needed to fourth quarter field goals to beat Hawaii. Hawaii had had a win over Delaware state and then a week after only losing the UCLA by three they lost to Sam Houston state 31 to 13. So yeah Hawaii stinks UCLA is not good. I have a feeling LSU is going to view is going to have a bit of a get right game against UCLA and and smash them and yes I think Indiana is a better team I had a question. You know about from Joseph Barrett what do you think of IU start. I mean look it's too early to tell we don't know how teams are going to be long term but you can't look at what they've done the first couple games and not but they're three and all right. And they played Florida national beat them pretty good. They beat Western Illinois 77 to three that's a team that that Northern Illinois beat 54 13 in their first game and then they smashed UCLA. The question though is is but are any of those teams any good. Right I mean Florida Atlantic beat beat. FIU by 18. Now FIU beat Central Michigan pretty good but I don't know how good that team is. I don't think UCLA is very good so we have to see a little bit more but I got to tell you I like what I've seen from them so far. The big thing about Indiana isn't in the past years they've actually had. They've actually played scrappy defense you know their defense hasn't been good but they've been scrappy on defense for a couple years back when you know it's like what the. The early years of the Tom Allen tenure they had a couple good years on defense where they were scrappy. They've been pretty bad on defense in recent years but I think they have a chance to at least have a competent defense the question has been can they score. And the only time they ever really had a good offense was when Kaitlyn de Boer was there and then like the year after he left is the only time they really had good offenses. And this year they're looking pretty good man you know they got Curtis work in from Ohio as a transfer he's a very experienced kids thrown for a lot of yards. I think he's had at least one maybe a couple three thousand yards seasons in the Mac. And so you've got a veteran player in there and that helps and Kurt Cignetti did a great job at James Madison and absolutely great job at James Madison. So you know we'll see if they keep it going we'll see if they keep it going but he certainly made Indiana a destination place for some quality transfers this off season and we'll see if they can keep that going but we're going to find out a lot more about this football team here in the next couple weeks. Right and as you look at Indiana schedule and they've got Charlotte coming up that's a game they should they should smack Charlotte but then you know Maryland home is it going to be a quality opponent Maryland just smacked Virginia you play at Northwestern they've got a pretty scrappy defense and then you've got a home game against Nebraska so I mean there's a chance they could be six and over five and one in ranked going into that Nebraska game. You know I like what I've seen so far I know there's a lot of people that are subscribers and Irish breakdown that are also kind of co Indiana fans or any and there's number two team. I've never had an issue with Indiana I you know I like when there's more good teams out there so hopefully Kurt Cignetti can keep that going. And I would hope he would stay I mean that's that's the thing that you you gotta that kind of has to suck if you're like an Indiana fan right like you know Kurt Cignetti's the real deal. What if he goes out there needs he's really good well how long is he gonna stay. And hopefully he falls in love with Bloomington and decides to say so. But yeah we'll see he's done it he's doing a great job right now though great job right now at Indiana. And so we'll see but to the other question your Calverse Florida state. I honestly don't know what to make of this game honestly I mean I like what Cal has done so far I talked about them in the preseason that I thought they could be a bit of a sleeper team. They've certainly been that so far you know too convincing victories over UC Davis I don't know if UC Davis is still good but in the past they've been a really good FCS team. They absolutely blew out San Diego State 31 to 10. San Diego State's not very good this year they're one and two but they handled business they went and beat them convincingly and then of course they went on the road and beat Auburn. So they're not going to be intimidated by Florida state they're going to kind of smell blood in the water but it really comes down to this Tyler it's it's what version of Florida state do we get. Do we get a Florida state team that finally says okay enough is enough and they come out and play hard. If they come out and play hard and they play with a little bit of fire and a little bit of hey we actually want to be here then I think they'll be Cal. If they play like they have in recent weeks and they're going to get beat again I mean just just a soft football team. I don't know that that can get fixed I had somebody say this I don't know if I said this on the show but I had a friend of mine talk to me he's like dude. I'm getting 2016 Notre Dame vibes from Florida state and it could even be worse and he's spot on because at least Notre Dame was competitive in their losses I mean when you think about how bad Notre Dame was to start the 2017 to that excuse me 2016 season they didn't win a whole lot of football games but they were competitive you know they lost by three points to Texas they lost by eight to Michigan state they lost by three to Duke and a game they led. They lost to NC state by a touchdown in a game that was tied until second half on a block I think it was a blocked punt right that they scored on basically got the ball and scored on. They had a touchdown to Stanford in a game that they were competitive they lost by a point the Navy in a game where Navy scored late they lost by three points to Virginia Tech. Their first double digit loss didn't come until the last game of the season when they lost by 18 to a red hot USC team that was just absolutely annihilating people and two weeks prior had gone on the road and beaten number four Washington who made the way off that year. And if you remember I mean it was like first or second play the game Josh Adams ropes off like a 74 yard run and Notre Dame takes an early seven not to lead they just have the horses that game and they had like a punt return first score and I think a pick an interception that they took back first score but Notre Dame was hanging with him for a while. That team at least showed some fight this Florida state team is showing no fight at all I mean they they act like they just don't want to be out there. And there's some big time lessons that your boy Mike Norvell is learning this year about how to build a team and if I'm him the next time one of my players jumps in the portal and says hey I'm only going to stay if you give me more money I'm telling them to take a frickin hike because all the guys that did that last season are playing like they just don't care this season and I have a feeling some of those guys are potentially going to find out that maybe they should care a little bit come in if I'll draft time because there's a lot of of a bad film being put on on display for NFL teams to look at from some of those guys so it's a bad situation man really bad situation and I don't know like I don't I can't predict now that they're going to bounce back I mean you can't think well if this team had heart they would have bounced back against after the Georgia Tech loss well if they had heart they definitely would have bounced back after the Boston college loss and how embarrassing that was and they didn't And then you're like okay so now I'm supposed to assume that they're going to bounce back from the Florida State or from the the the lost to Memphis. I just man this this team this is just not a good football team is not a good football team at all. They got out gained by almost 100 yards at home by Memphis now Memphis is a good football team don't don't get it wrong. He 238 yards of offense this is just a team that has no heart right now like no heart and I don't know when that light comes on. I really don't. I really don't. And somebody said people under actually my heart is replaced to first round defensive alignment that's not the problem. It's not I mean there's there's plenty of teams that replace guys like that and their step back goes from 13 and 0 to 10 and 3. You don't go from 13 and 0 to 0 and 3 and you're losing to Boston college Memphis and Georgia Tech. And then you've got potential hydra fics but those guys aren't playing well there this is a team that's got way way big like here's what's here's what y'all have to understand this is not about oh they lost too much talent. This is about this is a team that lost talent and has no heart. There's talented players on that team there's potential NFL players in that team there's at least all ACC caliber players in that team. This team has no heart and you say well BC's a really good team they're not a really good team BC so far has been a good team but they're not a team that should go on the road and pound Florida State into oblivion. They're not that team Florida State made them look like that team. And that's the whole point yeah Memphis is a quality team they were my group of five predict pick to go to the college football playoff this year. But you didn't lose that game because you lost Jared verse in Braden Fisk you didn't that's not why you lost those games. You could say maybe the maybe the Georgia Tech game but you bounce back from that and they haven't. So this isn't about losing guys this is about this team has no heart. This team has no heart and and no toughness they're playing soft. And I don't think that Jared verse and Braden Fisk alone were the reason that that team played completely different. I mean you look at the offensive line they have three starters coming back. That are sixty years seniors that have started I think something like a hundred games together and they suck. Like that's not because of the off the defensive lineman that they lost. Right. And so. I mean this is a team that has no heart and again Stephen like you said I called a four loss force that that's cool. Four loss I had you other people were saying the same thing I thought they were going to be better I had them at I think 10 and two 11 and one I thought they'd be better I was wrong. But this is going to be a way worse than a four loss Florida state team right. You get that they're oh and three. If they don't fix this they're they may be a four win team on a four loss team but a four win team I think about it if they play the way that they have so far they don't change. They could lose to Cal they could lose on the road to SMU they will lose to Clemson they could lose at Duke they will get killed at Miami they will lose to North they could lose North Carolina they'll get smashed by Notre Dame. And they could lose to Florida as bad as Florida's been the only game that I look at say that's the game where I know they're going to win that game is Charleston Southern. That's it if they keep playing the way that they are now. So this goes way beyond they lost some good players way beyond that. And if they don't if they don't get it fixed they're going to have some major major problems so I would like to pick Cal in this game because I wouldn't necessarily be opposed to Florida State kind of losing again because I just. You know that that that I'll be honest I kind of enjoy what's happening to Florida State I actually have always been sort of a Florida State fan not a fan like the team like hey if I left Notre Dame I'd be a Florida State fan but I've always. I've always rooted for Florida State when they're not playing Notre Dame I always rooted for them to beat Miami I was rooted them from the big Florida. You know I grew up really respecting Bobby Bowden a lot and for a lot of different ways love Charlie Ward when I was a kid you know just just fun to watch and play Peter Warwick was a guy that played receiver during the era where I was in high school and college and you know guy that I really liked and respected and so I've always kind of had a bit of a fondness for the Florida State program. In recent years I've really lost respect for that institution just because of the way that they've handled trying to get out of the ACC. It's been petty it's been childish. It's been like who are you to act like you guys are so much better than this league when was the last time you won the league it's been like a decade since you've won the league. They've just they've kind of lost me as a as a someone who kind of held that program in high regard and and now I kind of enjoy and watch them and get their butts kicked. To be honest with you they needed to eat some humble pie and they're doing that a little bit super chat from Iden Benami thank you Iden. What's for breakfast or lunch tomorrow with and thank you for the mail bag so I don't know what we'll do for breakfast or lunch we'll eat whatever is at the stadium most likely because we'll leave the house. It's a start heading over to the stadium and and and probably just have some there they have chili there that's really good they got rid of it for part of last year and then they brought it back late so happy that they did. And I was concerned that they were not going to have it this year but they had it the first home game and it's a really good chili. I'm not a big fan of chili with big chunks of tomatoes and so it has big chunks of tomatoes but it's easy to pick them out. And it's really good so I'll probably have that little bit of cheese I like to put so when I have chili I used to put crackers and chili I don't do that anymore. But I'll put some some cheese they put some shredded cheddar cheese there and I'll put that in there let it melt and then have that for lunch but for breakfast we'll probably just have eggs and bacon. Probably for breakfast tomorrow so yeah I'm going to try and see if I convince her to to make it or at least I'll make the bacon she can make the she makes scrambled eggs better than me. I'm pretty good cook and you guys know I like to cook but I'm just not good at making scrambled eggs I can't get them to be scrambled they all they end up turning into like I'll scramble them and then they'll end up turning into like kind of chunks. You know bigger chunks I can't get them to to scramble them the way that Angela does and the way that my mom does I can't figure it out I've tried it they're like no you're going to do this and then I do that it doesn't work. So I just don't I don't I don't think I have the patience to be good at scrambled eggs so the flavors good but it's just it's not really a scrambled egg it's more of like a I don't know what I would call it. So we'll probably have that tomorrow so thank you. Thanks for the for the super chat man got a super chat from Lucky Ducks 49 512 thank you for the super chat a player on both sides of the ball who has surprised so far. And a player you hope will pick up their play going forward so player that has surprised so far and I'm taking your surprise as a good thing like a good surprise. Player and offense that has been a good surprise so far. Unfortunately I don't know that there's a lot of those. I will say that that Sam. A meal Wagner's been a little bit more steady than I thought he would be that's a little bit of a surprise I thought he would be a little bit more flashy with some, some bad snaps which is kind of what you expect from a guy who's a little light and who's a first year starter. And he's been steady so far so that's that's been good to see. You know Jeremiah love. Giant price we we talked about all season is being breakout players. I don't know that there's a lot of guys that are surprising me in a good way so far this season on the offense to be honest with you my my guy that I hope will pick up their play going forward on offense is obvious it's rightly Leonard you hope that rightly Leonard can get back. I said it before he can just be the guy he was a Duke Notre Dame is going to be a really really good offense this year but he hasn't been that guy he was the closest we've seen to that was against Purdue. But if you watch the so if you're on the board go to boards on our spake down calm if you're a premium member. I've got two different pass game breakdowns that I did. One I put up yesterday the other one I put up this this morning. And the one yesterday talked about how they used motions and shifts and different things like that to really get the offense going. And then I showed a couple missed opportunities and and plays where they were placed to be had but you know Riley's just got to stick with the read longer and he's not he's not sick with the read. He's got to do some things to give guys chances to make plays I think that's carry over from Duke, where he's not one to kind of throw that one on one and let his guy go make a play because he didn't really have guys that could do that a Duke and he's going to have to learn to do that. And then we saw you know later in the game, Steve Angeli did that and it's like I break down the two plays I'm like look it's kind of the same thing you've got to throw that ball out there and give that guy a chance. So that part I understand but some of the stuff he's just not sticking to his reads and not reading the defense and like there was an over concept that Jaden Harrison that goes for touchdown if he reads it properly. I've seen him literally read that play and make that play at Duke. He's just not comfortable doing it so if he can get comfortable doing it he can get back to being the guy he wasn't he certainly the runner he was a Duke. But they need him to be the minimum the passer he was a Duke and right now he's not and so if they're going to beat Louisville and if they're going to beat USC and beat Georgia Tech and a four state figures it out beat four state. And then get to the postseason and do some damage in the postseason they're going to need him to like they can't just repeat. I said it the other day, if they play the way they did against Purdue I don't know that anyone on the schedule between now and USC can beat their name I don't know if they can. But I also don't think that's good enough to then go beat Georgia Bama Ohio State Texas teams like that in the playoff. I don't and that's ultimately the goal so he's going to have to get better defensively. He's been a surprise so far like the biggest surprise so far I'll tell you, it's a Don Shuler. Like I thought a Don could be this player that he is right now of what he's been so far. Not shocked at all that a Don could be that kind of player. I mean we talked a lot about him when they signed him through that whole process that we liked him he was not an elite athlete we smart he's physical. He's probably a year ahead of where I thought he would be like I thought that what we've seen from a Don so far is what we would see in 2025 from him as a junior. So it's not that I'm surprised that a Don is doing what he's doing he's just doing what he's doing a lot faster than I thought he was going to do it. And that's really been the big surprise for me. Like I'm not surprised that Jason Onyay is really good we had him as a breakout player predictor we predicted him as a breakout player this season I'm not surprised by the good things we've seen for me the linebackers like Jay Nausbury making plays that doesn't shock me at all I mean you guys know my thoughts on Jay Nausbury. The surprise is unfortunately for Notre Dame so far this season to be honest with you have been guys that are playing as well as we thought they would play. Riley Leonard Riley Mills Howard Cross those guys have been disappointments so far hopefully they're going to be able to get going. And that gets to my question about you know player who has to pick up their play going forward Notre Dame can't be the defense that they want to be if the two defensive tackles don't play better. Howard Cross is at least making some plays Riley Mills is yet to make a play well I shouldn't say that. And he forced the interception by Buba Carr Riley had the pressure on that he's the hit the quarterback and knocked the ball he made a play there. He hasn't made I don't want to be hyperbolic and say he hasn't made a play all year he made a really good stop or he blew a guard up and drove him into the backfield and burn a mixed tackle for law so he's made a couple plays but it's been very challenging to play between. And it's not that I'm it's not that Riley's not playing well relative to my expectations he's just not playing well period. And he's going to have to play well period if they're going to need him to play well moving forward if this thing is going to get get figured out. And you know we'll see we'll see and and he doesn't need to get benched and Howard doesn't need to get benched right now they just need to play better you're you're not going to be who you are by putting somebody else in the game you're only going to be who you are by getting them going and getting them playing to their ability. It's not just put Jason on you in the game no if you want to get to the way that you need to be you need Jason on you to keep doing what he's doing but you also need Riley Mills to come in and do what he does. And what he's capable of same thing with Howard Cross so they're gonna have to figure that out they're gonna have to get those guys rolling. And those are the guys to me that that that need to really step up in my opinion and improve their games for moving forward. Good super chat appreciate that. AST 1 2 3 2 1 super chat thank you very much if you could choose to go back and beat Northern Illinois by one in exchange for for being Florida State's first win would you know not at all. No I would much rather lose to a really good Florida Northern Illinois team that to a bad Florida state team that's number one number two. If you're going to have a loss have it on September 7 not November 9. There's no way I want that to be something that you would change no way wouldn't even remotely consider that. No Northern Illinois is better than at least four or five teams on their name schedule at least. And the way Florida State's playing right now they're better than Florida State. So I would and again the timing of it is huge as well like if they played Florida State on September 7 and beat them. You know or lost to them and then you know beat Northern Illinois November okay that would make me think more through it because of the timing so the timing alone makes me say no to that. But again I wouldn't ever want to lose to a bad team. And Northern Illinois is not a team that had any business beating their name but they're not a bad team it's like Marshall. And we had this conversation in 2022 and some people didn't quite understand what we were saying saying look guys this is a good football team Marshall's got a good football team. Like you lost to a good football team. And then someone says well you're making excuses no I'm not making any excuses those are horrible loss. No name had no business losing the Marshall that no business losing to Northern Illinois. But it doesn't change the fact that I can say that and still acknowledge that's a good football team. That's a well coached football team they earned that win. And I would argue that Northern Illinois earned the win more than Marshall did. Because against Marshall you had some just bad plays from Notre Dame I mean if Tyler Buckner doesn't miss a wide open. Brain Lindsey on the go route late in the first half that that games over. If Notre Dame doesn't make have dumb mistakes on defense late in the game they win that game. I think Northern Illinois outplayed Notre Dame much more so than Marshall did. Which honestly kind of bothered me is what bothered me it's like man you got whooped. It wasn't like bad breaks missed this play missed you just got whooped. And I would much but I would still much rather deal with that than a November 9 win. To an Owen would be like Owen 9 0 and 8 at that time floor state team. That'd be horrible absolutely horrible. Just to give you guys a little heads up just to prepare you. So my voice is a little shot today. And there are just going to be some times where I've just kind of have to go quiet for several minutes and drink. Some of this because just in order to save my voice otherwise I won't be able to go longer and get to all the questions which I'd really like to get to. So just to give you guys a heads up I apologize in advance for that. That I'm just going to have to take a couple pauses during the show just to kind of let my voice recover because I can feel when it's about to go. And so I just I'm not making excuses hey I'm staying here Ray I'm I'm staying here I'm doing the show I'm just letting you guys know. In order to do that I got to do some of these things sometimes so. 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