Head coach Marcus Freeman has made waves in the realm of Notre Dame football with his celebrity status since assuming the position. It’s been a love affair with Freeman; there’s no doubt of his Irish spirit or ability to amplify team culture, but his first two seasons were filled with plenty of missteps which could be attributed to being a first time coach.
Hauntings like the Marshall loss in year one or last year’s Ohio State debacle reminded fans of Freeman’s youth. Not to mention coming out flat against Clemson and Louisville in year two, or the lackluster Sam Hartman experiment.
“I think every year you learn something new. You look at year one, and you’re just trying to figure this thing out — there’s no playbook, no gameplan. And then you go to year two [and ask], ‘How do I get better from year one,’” Freeman reflected. “What I learned in the first two years is that, as a head coach, you can get in the habit of just going through your routine instead of truly challenging yourself as an individual to be the best version of yourself, which is gonna make you a better head coach and a better leader.”
While anticipation for Freeman is reinvigorated and expectations are set high each year, they have yet to be fully met.
But, that anticipation should not waver. Rather, this is the year to be most excited about what Freeman could do. With a 19-7 record and .731 win percentage during his tenure, year three is the time all excuses end. This year’s team is truly “Freeman’s team,” with many players recruited specifically by him — or at least well accustomed to his coaching. Freeman has continually improved recruiting, going after types of players former head coach Brian Kelly never did. But, final class rankings still haven’t reached elite top five status.
Notre Dame has a legacy of year three being the make-or-break time for coaches — predictive of their tenure’s trajectory. Just look at the history books, and they will tell you where year three has taken the coaches of Notre Dame’s past. Frank Leahy (‘43), Ara Parseghian (‘66), Dan Devine (‘77) and Lou Holtz (‘88) all led the Irish to a national championship in their third year as head coach. Brian Kelly almost made it there in his third year, with a perfect season that was clipped at the national championship game in 2012-13. This raises the stakes even more for Freeman.
“The things you learn from year one and year two could have a tremendous impact on the way you lead in year three — where your focus is, what really needs your attention. And everyday it changes,” Freeman said. “What part of your program needs your focus is so important to make sure that there’s no part of your football program that starts to slip.”
This offseason, Freeman has already identified flaws and addressed them. With changes such as the firing of wide receiver coach Chansi Stuckey and the transfer of the majority of the touted young receivers, things are shaken up. First-time offensive coordinator Gerad Parker left for Troy and was immediately replaced by former LSU offensive coordinator Mike Denbrock — who coached last year’s Heisman winner Jayden Daniels.
“I think [bringing in Mike Denbrock] was incredibly important. Not only has he had the success he’s had the past few years as an offensive coordinator, [but] the ability for me to already trust him because we worked together for four years at Cincinnati and to know the mind, the competitor [and] the person he is … It’s tremendous for me,” Freeman said. “I feel as confident as I ever have in that offensive room in terms of the camaraderie [and] the stability in what the productivity’s gonna be when it’s on the field.”
The quarterback and wide receiver rooms are also now rebuilt and loaded with talent that will play with more urgency than the previous group. There are plenty of players looking to make a name for themselves in their rookie season, while returners hope to cement their status and hoist the team to a championship season.
“I’m excited with this new group. Every year, you start over, right? In January, you start over with this new group, and you’ve got freshmen, you’ve got a couple transfers, you’ve got new coaches, and you start building this group to make sure you’re as close to your full potential as you go into week one of the season.”
“I’m optimistic, as any coach would be before the season starts. But I’m eager to do it with this group.”
So, the question remains for Freeman: what will he come to prove in this crucial year three? Freeman has the opportunity to transform Notre Dame into the next-level program it should be. Or, he could also show us that he cannot make it over that hill. With expansion of the College Football Playoff as well as an easier schedule this season, Notre Dame has a better chance than ever to make it big — even reaching the goal of a national championship.
Can Freeman deliver on the field with no coaching blunders, having two seasons under his belt as the lead for the Irish? Or, will it just be a rewrite of what we have seen before? The Blue-Gold game this weekend will be the first glimpse of what is to come in the all-in season ahead.
