They're already talking about a Pat Haden replacement

Not as the USC AD. As the Notre Dame analyst.

Joe Theismann, Steve Beuerlein, Mike Golic, Rocket Ismail and Aaron Taylor might be the South Bend favorites, but James Lofton, Dan Fouts and former Irish coach Bob Davie are also in the conversation to replace Haden as the game analyst on NBC's Irish football package.

This, according to those throwing out names on sports-talk shows and blogs because there's not much else to talk about this time of year.

Cris Collinsworth, who once did this package in the early '90s, may also be asked to take on the seven-game package in addition to his NFL duties at the network.

Taking it further, some even speculate that Tom Hammonds will take the opportunity to step away after 14 seasons as the play-by-play over the last 17 years, which could open an opportunity for Ted Robinson (Notre Dame Class of '78) to take it.