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The College Football Report with Eric & Ryan: Notre Dame 2025 Preview (Guest: Michelle Garmon; Podcast 347.3) · The Central Indiana Sports Report

0:00
[SPEAKER_05]: what you are listening to now is the central Indian sports report podcast number three hundred and forty seven point three the college football report with Eric and Ryan Robinson this week their preview of the Notre Dame fighting Irish twenty twenty five team we look at the offense the defense the coaching staff and a peak at the schedule go but week by week and
0:28
[SPEAKER_05]: Eric and Ryan and guests Michelle Garmin of the Tipton Tribune and L. Wood Collider will make their predictions.
0:35
[SPEAKER_05]: What the Irish final record will be.
0:38
[SPEAKER_05]: All coming up on this week's College Football Report.
0:49
[SPEAKER_00]: You're listening to the central Indiana Sports Report with your host, Greg Mangal.
0:58
[SPEAKER_05]: Welcome college football fans to the college football report with Eric and Ryan Robinson.
1:04
[SPEAKER_05]: Today joined by Michelle Garment of the Tipton Tribune and Elwood Colleater to talk some Notre Dame Fighting Irish.
1:13
[SPEAKER_05]: We are going to break down the offense and the defense.
1:18
[SPEAKER_05]: And we're going to talk all things.
1:19
[SPEAKER_05]: We know today and fighting Irish.
1:21
[SPEAKER_05]: We're in the end of the podcast.
1:23
[SPEAKER_05]: Maybe a few minutes.
1:24
[SPEAKER_05]: We're going to get Michelle Garvin's side of the IU football schedule today.
1:31
[SPEAKER_05]: Welcome to the central audience for a report everybody.
1:37
[SPEAKER_03]: Yeah, we had to have a little bit of hype of some music to get us going.
1:41
[SPEAKER_03]: I'm fired up on O'Rinas as well.
1:44
[SPEAKER_03]: This is other than game day.
1:46
[SPEAKER_03]: This is a big day because we get the top Notre Dame football.
1:52
[SPEAKER_03]: We start drinking the cool aid.
1:55
[SPEAKER_03]: We get everyone involved and now with the platform here.
1:58
[SPEAKER_03]: Thanks to Greg.
1:59
[SPEAKER_03]: We can get everyone's hopes up hopefully and get ready for some Notre Dame football.
2:06
[SPEAKER_03]: And coming off of a huge year last year, I think this year,
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[SPEAKER_03]: Things are really lined up.
2:12
[SPEAKER_03]: Things look positive.
2:14
[SPEAKER_03]: I'm super excited.
2:15
[SPEAKER_03]: What do you think, Ryan?
2:18
[SPEAKER_02]: Well, it's all just shit.
2:19
[SPEAKER_02]: And I'm in the tunnel getting ready to run out.
2:21
[SPEAKER_02]: Not so ready for this season.
2:23
[SPEAKER_02]: And as good as last year was, are we better this year?
2:29
[SPEAKER_03]: I did want to spoiler alert today.
2:31
[SPEAKER_04]: Yeah, it's not spoiled too soon.
2:33
[SPEAKER_04]: We're going to get, we'll be about that coming up here in a minute.
2:37
[SPEAKER_02]: But that's the main haters.
2:40
[SPEAKER_02]: The Notre Dame haters do not want to imagine it, but are we better than last year?
2:47
[SPEAKER_05]: That's a question we'll be answering coming up.
2:52
[SPEAKER_05]: All right, so once again, welcome college football fans.
2:56
[SPEAKER_05]: There are four people sitting at this table three of them are Notre Dame fans.
3:02
[SPEAKER_05]: Notre Dame football fans, so I'm gonna mostly bow out except for probably some smart S comments every now and then.
3:10
[SPEAKER_05]: Eric, are you going to talk about the offense, the defense, the schedule.
3:13
[SPEAKER_05]: We're going to talk about your expectations.
3:16
[SPEAKER_05]: We're going to get your thoughts.
3:17
[SPEAKER_05]: We're going to get Ryan Stotz on all of that, but start with what changed in the coaching staff.
3:23
[SPEAKER_03]: Well, big changes with Marcus Freeman and his coaching staff.
3:28
[SPEAKER_03]: After the loss to Ohio State, the general manager bolted for USC and we hired a new GM and Mike Martin, who's got over twenty years in a
3:39
[SPEAKER_03]: experience in recruiting he's won the top scouts and then I felt he spent the last four years with the Detroit Lions and you look at some of the the upgrades and personnel that the Lions have made in the last few years from going from the bottom to legitimate Super Bowl contenders in the four years he's been there says a lot about him but you look at what he's done in a short period of time at Notre Dame with recruiting if you follow that get alerts like like I do and follow
4:09
[SPEAKER_03]: Some of the other media outlets, Notre Dame is just on fire right now recruiting.
4:15
[SPEAKER_03]: They're in line to maybe have the number one class in twenty-six.
4:20
[SPEAKER_03]: Twenty-seven, they just signed the number two quarterback in the nation five-star kid out of Georgia.
4:27
[SPEAKER_03]: So, big thank you're going on since the higher of Mike Martin.
4:31
[SPEAKER_05]: I mean, honestly, it's not hard to convince a lot of kids and that's the coolest place to complete football.
4:37
[SPEAKER_05]: It's just not that hard, but this question is going to come from Harvard for you.
4:41
[SPEAKER_03]: It's been hard.
4:42
[SPEAKER_03]: I think Marcus Freeman brings something to the table.
4:47
[SPEAKER_03]: I won't say any coach, but I'm like most the majority of coaches and college football today.
4:54
[SPEAKER_03]: He's got a gift.
4:56
[SPEAKER_03]: I think he's a true leader of young men, and I think kids just buy in and just want to play for him.
5:02
[SPEAKER_03]: Also, I'll go in the big loss for Notre Dame on defense.
5:06
[SPEAKER_03]: Deep into corner, I'll go in.
5:08
[SPEAKER_03]: Back in NFL, we bring in Chris Ash.
5:11
[SPEAKER_03]: A lot of question marks on him.
5:15
[SPEAKER_03]: And also, Deeland McCall of the left, the running backs coach who had a huge, very great rapport with Jeremiah Love, Jadarian Price.
5:25
[SPEAKER_03]: I'm that running back room was really electric last year.
5:28
[SPEAKER_03]: He had a big part in that.
5:30
[SPEAKER_03]: He goes in NFL.
5:32
[SPEAKER_03]: But I think we actually upgrade our running back coach when we bring in Penn State, running back coach, Juan Cedar.
5:38
[SPEAKER_03]: This guy is arguably the hottest name in running back coaches in college football.
5:46
[SPEAKER_03]: So far, all the feedback from the players at Notre Dame, they love him.
5:52
[SPEAKER_03]: He's very similar to Marcus Freeman.
5:54
[SPEAKER_03]: Very comfortable in his face, his family life.
5:59
[SPEAKER_03]: kind of has out on the open for the players to see him.
6:02
[SPEAKER_05]: Sounds like you have some questions about Ash.
6:06
[SPEAKER_03]: I do have questions about Ash because he coached at Rutgers and just I thought there'd be a bigger splash for a defensive coordinator and when they hired him, him and Freeman have history so I know there's got to be trust and that maybe why the hire was made.
6:22
[SPEAKER_03]: I don't know but I've got questions on the defensive coordinator because he
6:28
[SPEAKER_03]: He's taken over a very talented defensive unit.
6:32
[SPEAKER_03]: Man, I'd hate to see him mess it up.
6:34
[SPEAKER_03]: I just don't know a lot about him to be honest with you.
6:38
[SPEAKER_02]: Just to follow up on my comment about Ash being hired as the defensive coordinator.
6:43
[SPEAKER_02]: You know, Al Golden, he had a lot of critics on Al Golden as the head coach, but as far as the defensive coordinator, he was at Lee at Notre Dame.
6:55
[SPEAKER_02]: And just to echo Eric's thoughts, we thought there'd be a bigger splash with the new hire.
7:01
[SPEAKER_02]: But I mean, we have to kind of trust what Coach Freeman's doing at this point and hope that, you know, ashes able to continue outgoals already established there at Notre Dame.
7:17
[SPEAKER_01]: But when you guys be, I would be more concerned with that hire, I think if Marcus Freeman's background, if his strength was a defense,
7:25
[SPEAKER_01]: And I think he's a system and I think he probably was looking for a guy that knows what he wants and how he wants things done or coached like that.
7:38
[SPEAKER_01]: And so I didn't know much about him either.
7:41
[SPEAKER_01]: I'm a little concerned, but I think I would be more concerned if Freeman was if he didn't have it back, you know, and defense wasn't his background.
7:52
[SPEAKER_03]: Right, and that goes back to
7:54
[SPEAKER_03]: the trust at the trust, I think there's a relationship there between them.
7:58
[SPEAKER_03]: They work together for a short time.
8:01
[SPEAKER_03]: I want to say Cincinnati, I'm not sure.
8:04
[SPEAKER_03]: So I know there's a relationship there and I know Freeman trusts him.
8:08
[SPEAKER_03]: I'm going to take, like Ryan said, we got to take coach Freeman and trust what he's doing.
8:13
[SPEAKER_03]: He's not going to make a hire without being a hundred percent committed to it.
8:17
[SPEAKER_03]: So I think we just wish for the best and hope
8:23
[SPEAKER_03]: that personnel is going to shine regardless of who's a coordinator and again they're in good hands like like you say Michelle with Freeman's defensive background.
8:34
[SPEAKER_05]: All right guys let's look at the offense and defense and I want to start on offense because let's face it and Ryan said this a little bit earlier.
8:42
[SPEAKER_05]: Good Notre Dame be better than they were last year and I think the answers obviously yes they could be so much of this hinges on what happens at quarterback
8:51
[SPEAKER_05]: Like so many other teams in the country right now, Eric, your thoughts on the offense.
8:57
[SPEAKER_03]: Well, we're not gonna mention the quarterback situation just yet because there's so many other things up front that just blow away last year.
9:08
[SPEAKER_03]: Could the offense be better than last year?
9:09
[SPEAKER_03]: I don't even think there's any question.
9:11
[SPEAKER_03]: The offense is gonna be maybe the best offense we've seen at Notre Dame in years.
9:16
[SPEAKER_03]: And by far, the best offense Marcus Freeman has ever had in his four years.
9:20
[SPEAKER_03]: and it starts up front with the offensive line.
9:23
[SPEAKER_03]: This is a top five offensive line in the nation, maybe when it's all said, done, maybe the number one offensive line in America.
9:32
[SPEAKER_03]: Going into the opener last year at A&M, the offensive line was the biggest question.
9:37
[SPEAKER_03]: There weren't questions at running back, quarterback, the questions were at offensive line.
9:42
[SPEAKER_03]: Last year they only had starting that A&M game.
9:46
[SPEAKER_03]: Six total starts for the offensive line.
9:50
[SPEAKER_03]: This year,
9:51
[SPEAKER_03]: The starting offensive line has fifty eight starts already under their belt.
9:55
[SPEAKER_03]: So the narrative about how good the offensive line can they hang in there.
10:00
[SPEAKER_03]: Those questions have already been answered.
10:01
[SPEAKER_03]: This offensive line is loaded.
10:04
[SPEAKER_03]: It starts with right tackle, mill Wagner, he's preseason all American, started every game last year.
10:09
[SPEAKER_03]: And left tackle, Anthony Napp.
10:13
[SPEAKER_03]: He was a freshman last year, started every game, only the third freshman in the history.
10:19
[SPEAKER_03]: of Notre Dame, let this sink in, only the third freshman in the history of Notre Dame football to start as a true freshman on the offensive line.
10:31
[SPEAKER_03]: And then they get center, Austin Craig, who they lost last year at Purdue.
10:35
[SPEAKER_03]: They lost an ACL to Purdue last year for a year.
10:40
[SPEAKER_03]: He's back.
10:43
[SPEAKER_03]: They're just loaded up front and some of the comments after
10:49
[SPEAKER_03]: the first week of the spring or the fall practice, they go nine or ten deep on the offensive line.
10:55
[SPEAKER_03]: They're very versatile, they can be moved around, guards the tackles, even during a saw right now is banged up with an arm injury.
11:02
[SPEAKER_03]: He played center, he played left tackle, he played right guard, he's projected to be right guard this year when he comes back.
11:09
[SPEAKER_03]: Just lots of things to do up front, lots of talent, lots of experience.
11:15
[SPEAKER_03]: Outside the offensive line,
11:17
[SPEAKER_03]: You look at the running back room.
11:19
[SPEAKER_03]: You got Jeremiah Love, who's a Heisman hopeful, Jadari and Price, who we saw last year's step in, lots of touches, special team touches, catching the ball on the back field.
11:33
[SPEAKER_03]: The running back room in these two guys are loaded.
11:35
[SPEAKER_03]: You also have a face-on and great house on the outside, a wide receiver.
11:42
[SPEAKER_03]: If you looked at, remember, the playoff ran last year, great house with huge in those games, making play after play.
11:48
[SPEAKER_03]: He really emerged as a number one.
11:51
[SPEAKER_03]: But then they pick up a guy, Malachi, Phil's out of Virginia, who was a top portal target by many teams at Wydersey River.
11:59
[SPEAKER_03]: He's big and strong.
12:00
[SPEAKER_03]: He reminds me of Michael Floyd.
12:03
[SPEAKER_03]: He's doing all the comments coming out of camp.
12:07
[SPEAKER_03]: He is just wowing the coaches and the media right now and just one week.
12:11
[SPEAKER_03]: where they've had access to the practice.
12:13
[SPEAKER_03]: So I think the offense is just leaps and bounds ahead of any offense we've seen at Notre Dame for a while.
12:24
[SPEAKER_03]: The ironic thing, the only question mark this year is quarterback.
12:29
[SPEAKER_03]: And there's going to be CJ Carr, there's going to be Kenny Menci.
12:33
[SPEAKER_03]: I felt like it was going to be CJ Carr all along.
12:36
[SPEAKER_03]: But Kenny Minci is really stepping up and put a lot of pressure on that bottle.
12:42
[SPEAKER_03]: I don't think that decision is going to be made for probably one to two more weeks.
12:46
[SPEAKER_03]: And as Coach Freeman repeatedly says, he's not going to make the decision.
12:52
[SPEAKER_03]: Those two guys will make the decision for us.
12:55
[SPEAKER_03]: One day, they're going to walk out of practice and know who their starter is.
12:58
[SPEAKER_03]: So we're going to see how that plays out.
13:00
[SPEAKER_03]: I think CJ Carr is more of a pocket passer.
13:05
[SPEAKER_03]: Kenny Minci.
13:06
[SPEAKER_03]: made some great throws in the spring game.
13:09
[SPEAKER_03]: He can run.
13:10
[SPEAKER_03]: A little bit different style of quarterback.
13:14
[SPEAKER_03]: I can actually see a scenario where both of these guys have to play this year.
13:19
[SPEAKER_03]: I don't know how you keep both of them off the field.
13:23
[SPEAKER_03]: Obviously, injuries can be a part of it, but I always go by if you have two quarterback, you don't have one.
13:31
[SPEAKER_03]: I've always believed in that philosophy, but in this case,
13:35
[SPEAKER_03]: Maybe we do have two quarter packs that are put really good.
13:40
[SPEAKER_03]: We'll see how that competition plays out, but... It's not like that's never worked.
13:44
[SPEAKER_03]: You're right.
13:44
[SPEAKER_03]: And the thing really I like about this situation as well is you have an offensive coordinator who's had two years working.
13:52
[SPEAKER_03]: We haven't changed offensive coordinators this year.
13:54
[SPEAKER_03]: Denbrocks back.
13:56
[SPEAKER_03]: These guys have been in that system now for two years.
14:00
[SPEAKER_03]: They understand it and Denbrock made a comment.
14:03
[SPEAKER_03]: a couple days ago that he's never seen an offense come into fall camp so prepared and game ready.
14:11
[SPEAKER_03]: He's never seen it.
14:12
[SPEAKER_03]: So the offense is going to be super good this year.
14:18
[SPEAKER_03]: The really the question Marcus is going to be the quarterback.
14:21
[SPEAKER_01]: You know, I'm going to talk about the lineage of some of these Notre Dame players and records coming in at the end of the podcast.
14:31
[SPEAKER_01]: You do know CJ cars one of those.
14:33
[SPEAKER_01]: Do you know CJ cars family?
14:35
[SPEAKER_03]: Yeah, his grandfather is Lloyd Carr.
14:38
[SPEAKER_01]: Yes, so when you talk about that, I mean, I've always felt like, you know, coaches kids and I know this is the Graham song, but I just feel like a lot of times they understand and they, you know, the games so much.
14:53
[SPEAKER_01]: So he may have, I mean, his cerebral part of the game is probably, he's probably ahead in that.
15:00
[SPEAKER_01]: I would imagine and a lot of it's probably because he's grown up around football and I am sure that he's watched film and things like that.
15:09
[SPEAKER_01]: I think he hung out with grandpa a lot when he was younger.
15:13
[SPEAKER_05]: Ryan just so much of this comes down to the quarterback position, doesn't it?
15:17
[SPEAKER_02]: Yeah, a lot of it comes down to quarterback play and right now we don't know who that's going to be.
15:21
[SPEAKER_02]: I think most people would say it's going to be CJ Carr but until there's an announcement made
15:28
[SPEAKER_02]: We're kind of in limbo.
15:29
[SPEAKER_02]: I kind of think just my own thoughts that we're going to be in good hands with either player.
15:35
[SPEAKER_02]: Personally, I think CJ Kars going to win that job.
15:38
[SPEAKER_02]: But, you know, from an offensive standpoint, this is a really good receiving staff that we have.
15:46
[SPEAKER_02]: And I've watched a couple other segments on ESPN and some podcasts.
15:52
[SPEAKER_02]: And they're talking like, Notre Dame could have four receivers.
15:55
[SPEAKER_02]: I'll get drafted at this year.
15:58
[SPEAKER_02]: I mean, whoever's at quarterback's going to have great targets and open receiver.
16:02
[SPEAKER_02]: So we're just, we're in a really, really good spot right now.
16:06
[SPEAKER_02]: I think offensively and Eric mentioned the offensive line and that's where it starts and other names built tradition with offensive line and that's definitely holding true this season as far as the outlook goes.
16:19
[SPEAKER_02]: We're going to be really, really strong up front and who's ever at quarterback.
16:24
[SPEAKER_02]: hopefully has enough time to get the ball to one of those four great receivers because we haven't even mentioned.
16:30
[SPEAKER_02]: Will Paul, he was a senior transfer through the portal.
16:35
[SPEAKER_02]: He's going to get a lot of reps receivers.
16:37
[SPEAKER_02]: Well.
16:39
[SPEAKER_03]: Yeah, the kid from Wisconsin.
16:41
[SPEAKER_02]: Yes.
16:42
[SPEAKER_02]: Yeah.
16:43
[SPEAKER_02]: I mean, he's going to get plenty of snaps.
16:46
[SPEAKER_02]: So there's just so much depth right now at receiver.
16:49
[SPEAKER_02]: And you know, in the past, we've had great receivers, but we haven't had like a tandem.
16:54
[SPEAKER_02]: Like we have right now, offensively like that.
16:58
[SPEAKER_02]: So this year, I'm just really excited how this year's looking on paper.
17:04
[SPEAKER_02]: And baron injury, I think it's going to be a great season.
17:08
[SPEAKER_05]: And having great protection and having a great line in front of you and having great weapons to throw to is all great.
17:18
[SPEAKER_05]: So that will obviously help tremendously with whoever plays quarterback.
17:23
[SPEAKER_05]: What about the defensive side of the formula Ryan?
17:28
[SPEAKER_02]: Well, I mean, defensively, it's tough.
17:30
[SPEAKER_02]: You get a guy like Xavier Watts who does the NFL.
17:33
[SPEAKER_02]: Jack Kaiser, who does the NFL.
17:35
[SPEAKER_02]: And if you guys remember, I said during one of the least, he's in podcast that Jack Kaiser's going to get drafted and he's going to make a roster and you kind of question
17:46
[SPEAKER_02]: My prediction with that, but that's exactly what he's doing.
17:48
[SPEAKER_02]: He's going to make that jackfire roster.
17:50
[SPEAKER_02]: Just at work ethic alone, he's just a great kid.
17:56
[SPEAKER_02]: Great work ethic.
17:58
[SPEAKER_02]: So, but I mean, I look for Jalen Smith, the step up, Drake Bowen, the step up.
18:05
[SPEAKER_02]: We got great ad rushing this year with a Joshua Burnham.
18:11
[SPEAKER_02]: And here's the star of the defense.
18:15
[SPEAKER_02]: And he was a freshman last year and he, my, Miami of Ohio game, he had two sacks, two tacos for loss and a force fumble.
18:24
[SPEAKER_02]: And that was like his breakout game.
18:26
[SPEAKER_02]: I'm talking about a boobacart, triore.
18:30
[SPEAKER_02]: He was starting last year as a freshman.
18:31
[SPEAKER_02]: And then the very next week at Louisville, he heard his knee and we lost him for the season.
18:36
[SPEAKER_02]: He's going to anchor that defense this year.
18:39
[SPEAKER_02]: And he's so talented and so athletic and he's so fast.
18:44
[SPEAKER_02]: He's going to disrupt a lot of things defensively.
18:48
[SPEAKER_02]: So I think he's going to have a big year.
18:50
[SPEAKER_02]: And then as far as the secondary goes, Christian Gray, he got picked on a little bit early last season.
18:55
[SPEAKER_02]: But he kind of came into his own and was a great stopper for Notre Dame.
19:03
[SPEAKER_02]: I look for him to have a big year.
19:04
[SPEAKER_02]: And you also have Jay Nasberry back there.
19:08
[SPEAKER_02]: just a lot of talent.
19:09
[SPEAKER_02]: You know, one of the things we have to give a little bit of credit to Brian Kelly and what he tried doing with Notre Dame defensively, what he wanted was to speed the secondary up and Marcus Freeman has just taken that philosophy and taken it to another level.
19:27
[SPEAKER_02]: I mean, when you look at
19:28
[SPEAKER_02]: Our secondary last year in what Marcus Freeman's been able to do.
19:33
[SPEAKER_02]: I mean, passing defense last year, we were fourth in the nation, only allowing a hundred and sixty-nine yards a game.
19:39
[SPEAKER_02]: And then scoring defense, only allowing fifteen and a half points a game.
19:42
[SPEAKER_02]: That was also fourth in the nation.
19:46
[SPEAKER_02]: He's putting together and recruiting players that normally would have maybe been at SEC schools.
19:53
[SPEAKER_02]: And we've watched game after games.
19:56
[SPEAKER_02]: He's an after season of Notre Dame football.
19:59
[SPEAKER_02]: We are finally in these last four or five years, seeing secondaries that look like SEC secondaries.
20:06
[SPEAKER_02]: And I mean, get Brian Kelly credit for making that a focus, but Marcus Freeman's taking it to a whole new level.
20:14
[SPEAKER_02]: And Eric mentioned the recruiting class next year.
20:18
[SPEAKER_02]: He's just building and building and building.
20:20
[SPEAKER_02]: And this is going to become the norm, I think, at Notre Dame.
20:24
[SPEAKER_03]: Yeah, I just want to jump in here on the defensive part, too.
20:27
[SPEAKER_03]: You got a Dawn Schiller back there in that secondary, Leonard Moore, who's probably going to be an all-American, just a sophomore for Notre Dame, too.
20:36
[SPEAKER_03]: So those are two players to watch, going to make big time plays all year.
20:40
[SPEAKER_03]: And then a guy who's injured right now and banged up still, Jordan Battello.
20:46
[SPEAKER_03]: I don't know if you remember him from last year.
20:47
[SPEAKER_03]: He played five quarters, but he was a handful at A&M, and he dominated Purdue for one quarter before being heard.
20:56
[SPEAKER_03]: Guy had four tacos for losses in five stocks and in five quarters last year.
21:01
[SPEAKER_03]: He was everywhere that first game and a half for that front line.
21:05
[SPEAKER_03]: I've been trying to find out when they expect him to return to one hundred percent and can't find anything on hand.
21:10
[SPEAKER_03]: But remember the name Jordan Batella because he is a problem up front for offensive lines.
21:18
[SPEAKER_01]: I agree.
21:19
[SPEAKER_01]: I think the new name has that's a good point maker on defense.
21:24
[SPEAKER_01]: To me, the question is going to be that second there and how well it goes together because I thought Notre Dame last year had one of this.
21:31
[SPEAKER_01]: If not the best, at least one of the top five secondaries and all college football.
21:36
[SPEAKER_01]: And part of secondary coverage is especially kind of knowing, trusting the other guys, especially when you're back there and circuit coverage is known and everything is going to be where he's supposed to be.
21:50
[SPEAKER_01]: And for the most part, you didn't see Notre Dame great, make where I made a mistake.
21:55
[SPEAKER_01]: in the secondary, and that would be my only concern going in to the season is, you know, that backward of their defenses, how is that secondary going to be this year?
22:08
[SPEAKER_02]: I think the secondary is going to be their strong point, you know?
22:11
[SPEAKER_02]: And, you know, Watts leaving, you've got a guy stepping up and Jay Nassberry's going to play the rover this year, and he had thirty-five solo tackles last year.
22:20
[SPEAKER_02]: So he's going to, his number's going to get called a lot this year.
22:24
[SPEAKER_02]: So there's a few different factors that's going to have to step up, but they're not lacking experience in that secondary, which is a good thing.
22:32
[SPEAKER_02]: So I look for that, I look for the defense to be very, very solid this year, just like it was last year.
22:41
[SPEAKER_05]: No, all right.
22:41
[SPEAKER_05]: So we like our offense.
22:43
[SPEAKER_05]: We like the defense quarterbacks.
22:45
[SPEAKER_05]: The big question.
22:46
[SPEAKER_05]: Here's another big question, guys.
22:48
[SPEAKER_05]: His Notre Dame ever started with a tougher first date games than this year.
22:54
[SPEAKER_05]: It is brutal week after week.
22:57
[SPEAKER_05]: You're playing not every week a great team, but every week at least a pretty decent team.
23:04
[SPEAKER_02]: Well, you're still going to have that narrative out there that Notre Dame doesn't play anybody.
23:08
[SPEAKER_02]: which is, it drives me nuts as another name fan because we play it and says that studies schedule every season but you know the naysayers always say well they don't play anyone because they're not into conference but we still play the top teams within conferences so this year this year might be one of our tougher schedules
23:30
[SPEAKER_02]: I just looking at it moving forward.
23:32
[SPEAKER_02]: We'll see how it teams that are coming out and how well they are.
23:35
[SPEAKER_02]: But when you look at the teams that we got lined up this year, it's one of the better schedules Notre Dame's had in the last probably six, eight years.
23:44
[SPEAKER_05]: A lot of the strength of schedule Eric is based on how good Miami is going to be, I think.
23:49
[SPEAKER_05]: And they might be really good from what we hear.
23:52
[SPEAKER_05]: Thoughts on Miami the first week August, thirty first, seven, thirty on ABC.
23:58
[SPEAKER_03]: Well, my thoughts on the Miami game.
24:00
[SPEAKER_03]: I like us going down there and winning that game.
24:04
[SPEAKER_03]: We'll get a buy and come back and host Texas A&M.
24:06
[SPEAKER_03]: I'm more concerned about that game than the Miami game.
24:09
[SPEAKER_03]: My rationale on that Miami game is it's Carson Beck better than Cam Ward.
24:17
[SPEAKER_03]: No, that doesn't mean his team is it?
24:19
[SPEAKER_03]: I know, but Miami just for kind of pretenders last year and they had a really, really good quarterback.
24:26
[SPEAKER_03]: Gosh, I just like us against Miami.
24:29
[SPEAKER_03]: I like, I like us to go down there and handle Miami.
24:32
[SPEAKER_03]: I do.
24:33
[SPEAKER_02]: You look at that first matchup down on Miami.
24:35
[SPEAKER_02]: And I think they most the rankings have them at number ten.
24:40
[SPEAKER_02]: Notre Dame's bouncing back four to five.
24:43
[SPEAKER_02]: So that's going to be a top ten matchup right out of the gate.
24:46
[SPEAKER_02]: And we talked earlier about, you know, you got these early matchups like Clemson, LSU, Texas, Ohio State.
24:55
[SPEAKER_02]: Notre Dame Miami's another one.
24:56
[SPEAKER_02]: Oh, yes, it is.
24:59
[SPEAKER_02]: You know, that's going to start to season off in the schedule strength and people think another day have done plenty of body.
25:07
[SPEAKER_02]: It's just, that's not carried weight with me.
25:10
[SPEAKER_05]: Notre Dame's had a lot of great moments in that stadium, but they've also had some bad ones.
25:16
[SPEAKER_03]: Well, the last one was a very good one, and that's a victory over Penn State.
25:23
[SPEAKER_01]: Although I don't think that's anywhere near true these days.
25:26
[SPEAKER_01]: No, no, no, they haven't Miami.
25:29
[SPEAKER_01]: So, got twenty years ago, they had some really, it is a battle when you learned what it's going to make for the gang started.
25:40
[SPEAKER_01]: But anyway, you know, it's going to be a good matchup.
25:45
[SPEAKER_01]: The key I think from the other day is that Miami.
25:48
[SPEAKER_01]: It's going to be very humid down there.
25:53
[SPEAKER_01]: So that may play just a little bit of a factor as far as conditioning and things like that.
26:04
[SPEAKER_01]: I think it will be a close game because I do think that
26:15
[SPEAKER_01]: I think the offense is probably going to be more of a little bit of a defense about, I won't be early, because I do think offense is especially when you have new quarterbacks and some new personnel in there.
26:27
[SPEAKER_01]: I think sometimes they can kind of take a while for them to jail.
26:32
[SPEAKER_01]: So it should be an interesting game.
26:35
[SPEAKER_01]: It should be very fun game.
26:36
[SPEAKER_01]: I mean, those opening games is in the air, some really good match-ups, and for some of these teams, they're a week one.
26:44
[SPEAKER_01]: Another day Miami, like you said Texas and Ohio State, pretty fun games.
26:49
[SPEAKER_05]: I don't want necessarily want to take this week by week guys, but they start their first eight weeks with eight straight power for conference teams or Boise State.
27:01
[SPEAKER_05]: So basically the same thing.
27:04
[SPEAKER_05]: And it's not like all these teams are great.
27:05
[SPEAKER_05]: Purdue is not very good.
27:06
[SPEAKER_05]: Arkansas is not great.
27:08
[SPEAKER_05]: NC State isn't fantastic.
27:10
[SPEAKER_05]: But any time you run through a gauntlet like that, there is always the possibility of getting tripped up because all of these teams have deleted talent.
27:20
[SPEAKER_03]: I mean, you play.
27:20
[SPEAKER_03]: I mean, you look at what we did, Northern Illinois last year.
27:23
[SPEAKER_03]: I mean, it happens.
27:23
[SPEAKER_03]: That's why you play the games.
27:26
[SPEAKER_01]: That's probably the biggest downfall.
27:29
[SPEAKER_01]: They have a tendency to trip up in some of those games against inferior opponents.
27:34
[SPEAKER_03]: September, twenty, maybe that'll be it.
27:37
[SPEAKER_03]: Yeah, you didn't even mention USC on the schedule.
27:39
[SPEAKER_05]: Like always, I mean, USC is one of those teams I said from a power conference.
27:44
[SPEAKER_05]: Yeah, you know, I said those work very good teams, but Miami, Texas A&M, Boise State, USC in the first five weeks Boston College last year had some moments.
27:56
[SPEAKER_03]: Pittsburgh been playing very good last couple years.
27:59
[SPEAKER_05]: Pit has been playing well.
28:00
[SPEAKER_05]: But the end of the season, if you can get through that, the schedule really lightens up.
28:06
[SPEAKER_03]: Right, with the last two weeks, Sarah Cueson, Stanford, those school were both down this year.
28:12
[SPEAKER_03]: I know Notre Dame fans are hoping for Steve Angelida to play well at Sarah Cueson.
28:17
[SPEAKER_03]: They do come to South Bend.
28:19
[SPEAKER_03]: That'll be a fun game.
28:20
[SPEAKER_03]: But they lost a lot of personal Sarah Cueson going to be down this year.
28:25
[SPEAKER_03]: Stanford had been down for a few.
28:28
[SPEAKER_03]: Those should be very easy.
28:30
[SPEAKER_05]: We're talking about Stanford of the Atlantic Coast Conference of the AC.
28:35
[SPEAKER_05]: This is ridiculous.
28:38
[SPEAKER_05]: We need a sports commissioner to fast as possible.
28:42
[SPEAKER_05]: Doesn't even make any sense.
28:44
[SPEAKER_05]: All right.
28:44
[SPEAKER_05]: Let's start with our guest Michelle and then go Ryan and then Eric and then I'll make my prediction as well.
28:52
[SPEAKER_05]: It's not official because we don't make our official predictions for a couple of weeks still.
28:57
[SPEAKER_05]: But Michelle, what do you think and record wise for the Irish?
29:03
[SPEAKER_01]: Well, I'm sure my nephew, the biggest Notre Dame fan he is, would really allow to see the Irish go on to feed it.
29:13
[SPEAKER_01]: I just think that's so hard to do anymore.
29:15
[SPEAKER_01]: I think one loss, I don't, if they, they won't have any more than two losses.
29:19
[SPEAKER_01]: I don't believe if they would have two losses or more than two losses, then it's going to be a very disappointing year in Southland.
29:28
[SPEAKER_01]: And I don't even think that they'll have to losses, but there is that capability.
29:37
[SPEAKER_01]: Some years, you never know what's going to happen in the USC game.
29:41
[SPEAKER_01]: I still think the opener is going to be key, especially with it being on the road.
29:47
[SPEAKER_01]: That's my thought anyway.
29:49
[SPEAKER_01]: I think it'll be one loss, but I could see too, but not anymore than two.
29:59
[SPEAKER_02]: I think record-wise we're looking at eleven and one.
30:04
[SPEAKER_02]: I think when you look at the schedule, it's definitely a twelve and out of season, but Notre Dame has a history of tripping up, at least wants to get somebody.
30:13
[SPEAKER_02]: And I think the two trip up games, and it's a worthy opponent, the opener, against Miami and Florida.
30:22
[SPEAKER_02]: CJ Card does the quarterback starting job.
30:25
[SPEAKER_02]: That's going to be his first game.
30:28
[SPEAKER_02]: with live action.
30:29
[SPEAKER_02]: I think he took one snap last year and it was a knee at Purdue.
30:34
[SPEAKER_02]: So I hope the moment's not too big for him there in the opener.
30:39
[SPEAKER_02]: And then the next game I look at that could be a trip up game and it's actually at home and that's against USC just because Lincoln Riley's on such a hot seat.
30:50
[SPEAKER_02]: I look for them to really turn things around and have a big big season just because he needs a so bad
30:57
[SPEAKER_02]: So I think that could be another potential loss for Notre Dame, but just expecting maybe we get one of those two games.
31:11
[SPEAKER_02]: I say eleven and one by the years in and then definitely a spot in the playoffs again and hopefully we can make a deep run.
31:23
[SPEAKER_03]: Yeah, I agree with the Lebanon one.
31:25
[SPEAKER_03]: I like, like I said earlier, I like it's at Miami.
31:30
[SPEAKER_03]: My concern is A&M coming to South Bend because we've seen to always lose a home game in September.
31:39
[SPEAKER_03]: So that's a concern.
31:42
[SPEAKER_03]: But looking down, USC is always a good game, but going on the road to Arkansas, that could be interesting, I think.
31:51
[SPEAKER_03]: That's not going to be a gimmie by any means, but I'm going to take a Lebanon one, another college playoff run.
32:01
[SPEAKER_05]: Thank you so much to Eric and Ryan for joining the Central Indiana Sports Report once again.
32:05
[SPEAKER_05]: We are here every Thursday at five o'clock, maybe a little later, talking some college football, and we will have some reactions every week once the season gets here.
32:17
[SPEAKER_05]: And thanks as always to Michelle for joining us.
32:20
[SPEAKER_05]: She is the best and thank you for listening.
32:23
[SPEAKER_05]: Please do us a huge favor and share this podcast with the Notre Dame Fighting Irish Fan in your life and help spread the word that the Central Indiana Sports Report is here talking about Central Indiana Sports every single day.
32:40
[SPEAKER_05]: Central Indiana Sports Report is a product of ITG media and I love music.