Frank Leahy, Ara Parseghian, Dan Devine, and Lou Holtz all won National Championships to close their third year at the University of Notre Dame. On January 20th Marcus Freeman’s team tragically fell short of this feat after a 34-23 defeat to Ohio State, yet Irish fans are as optimistic as ever.
Freeman, one of the youngest coaches in college football, has reinvigorated the sleeping giant and won over the fan base on and off the field. His competitiveness and energy are second to none, showcased by his participation in the team’s weightlifting program and the fervor he delivers every speech with. Before the big game, an interviewer asked for his pregame message, he responded that he didn’t care what Vegas thought and exclaimed “We’re not underdogs, We’re some dogs!” Everyone loves the guy, including President Robert Dowd C.S.C. particularly due to his reinstitution of the pre-game mass.
Fabio Yepez, a freshman at Fairfield confidently stated that “Freeman reminds me of Bill Belichick but better.”
Shane Gillis, a popular comedian and Notre Dame fan, is a huge supporter of Freeman. “Marcus is the man. He’s awesome. He’s the nicest, coolest guy,” Gillis said on the Pat McAfee Show.
These new sentiments towards the program are in sharp contrast to Brian Kelly’s regime. Kelly, Freeman’s predecessor, would often drown all excitement with his trademarked grumpiness, age and obesity. The main difference with Freeman is that his players want to play for him, and this makes all the difference in an age that is dominated by the transfer portal and NIL deals.
Following the loss to Ohio State, Freeman was caught on video glaring at a TV broadcasting the trophy celebration of Ohio State. Even though the season had just ended it appeared he was already preparing his mindset for the next and garnering all possible motivation.
The forecast for next year looks very good for the team as they were relatively young this season. It is unclear what the exact roster will look like but key defensive players Christian Gray, Leonard Moore and Boubacar Traore should return. On the offensive side there will be a battle for the quarterback position between CJ Carr and Steve Angeli, but they will be supported by a backfield of returning weapons Jadarian Price and Jeremiyah Love.
They have also landed exceptional talent in the transfer portal like the leading wide receiver for University of Virginia Malachi Fields, and Virginia Tech Safety Jalen Stroman. Notre Dame is poised to stack up on even more talent for their roster as they have received 20 million dollars as a bonus for reaching the playoffs and the National Championship game. Usually, a team would have to split the prize between fellow conference members, but Notre Dame’s independence allows them to collect the full check. Many non-Notre Dame fans have voiced their concerns for this “unfair” advantage, but Athletic Director Pete Bevacqua and the university do not care at all. The athletic director said in an interview, “It’s no secret that the playoff expansion to 12 teams helps us. We feel good about where we are moving forward.”
Marcus Freeman signed a 4-year extension just before the playoffs to make him one of the highest paid coaches at 9 million dollars a year. Freeman shows no public signs of leaving the program anytime soon and seems to have settled down with his wife and 6 kids for the time being. And although the young coach fell short of the National Championship in his hallowed third season there is no question that he can make history by winning one in his fourth.
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