(Photo: Chad Ryan)
“NOTRE DAME FOOTBALL” a worldwide brand synonymous with excellence. Rockne, Leahy, Parseghian, Devine, Holtz. Bowl wins, Heisman trophies, All-Americans. And national championships. Lots of ’em, 11 consensus, 22 total.
But no “major” bowl victories since 1993 (until now)….. and no national championship glory since 1988. Lots of wins since then, lots of great players, lots of great moments, but no real glory. You know the kind of glory that built that iconic Notre Dame brand, in a really long time.
Holy Lou Holtz!
Then on November 29, 2021, Brian Kelly quit at Notre Dame after leading his team to an 11-1 record. He left for LSU, citing a desire to “consistently compete for national championships.” Apparently, according to Brian, that wasn’t possible anymore at Notre Dame.
What was a Notre Dame fan to think?
Enter Marcus Freeman, a man who on the day he had been hired to be Brian kelly’s defensive coordinator before the 2020 season, gushed at his introductory press conference, “Every day I’m here, I realize more and more why this place is so special. It’s very unique. It’s top of the line in everything we do. And that’s as far as not only football, but academics and everything that comes with being part of Notre Dame”
I wrote it then, and have said it since, “Marcus Freeman, you had me at ‘hello’.”
Freeman was elevated to head coach two days after Kelly jumped ship. And on short order he pledged to “challenge, everything”. To this observer I was impressed, but skeptical about a man with no head coaching experience taking over one of the most high profile jobs in sports. On the other hand I thought in the age of NIL and transfer portal I thought that a 30 something, energetic, super smart guy just might be what the Irish needed to get over the hump.
Freeman’s first two seasons included a couple of head scratchers, but a lot of wins. Then came this season, and you know, it was the ND head Coach “season number three”, the year they are expected to win a National Championship. After all. Leahy did it, Ara did it, Devine did it, and so did Lou.
The preseason prognostication was that this team had a solid balanced team, more speed than ever and a favorable schedule. Nothing less that a CFP invitation and a win or two in the big games was acceptable.
On August 31 (134 days ago), the Irish passed their first test. and down went Texas A & M. Irish nation was sky high after the win.
And then there was Northern Illinois. After that loss questions about everything arose. Is Marcus Freeman the guy? Is Riley Leonard the guy? Maybe Brian Kelly was right?
Well, mark the date of that embarrassing loss as the date Marcus Freeman matured and become a complete head coach. He learned the subtle art of motivating and preparing his team from week to week over the course of a long season.
He had to, there was no margin for error left for the Irish to have a successful season.
Marcus Freeman changed in his press conferences. He smiled less, and he portrayed just a bit of attitude.
Since that loss, ND has now reeled off 13 straight wins. Mostly in dominant fashion. And it is safe to say his players have bought in fully, as each week they have chosen “hard”. Culture, culture, culture. In the 28 years Fighting Irish Preview has been in existence, I’ve never seen anything like it. Frankly, considering the state of of college football and the influence of gobs of cash, the transfer epidemic and a heavy dose of entitlement sprinkled in, I didn’t think it possible.
Well, Marcus Freeman, it turned out, was the right man at the right time. It is possible to win and still uphold your ideals as a special place that does in fact choose “hard”. Our Lady on the Dome, I suspect is pleased.
I don’t know if the Irish will finish off their quest for team glory next week, but I do know this: Notre Dame fans should be over the top proud of their football team.
I know I am.