Marcus Freeman Leads Notre Dame to Championship Game After Players’ Campaign

ATLANTA — In late November 2021, Notre Dame offensive lineman Rocco Spindler and his teammates were riding high after an 11-1 season, only to be blindsided by the news that head coach Brian Kelly was leaving for LSU. The team, still in contention for the College Football Playoff, faced uncertainty and chaos. “There was a lot of uncertainty that whole week,” Spindler recalled. “We didn’t know who else was leaving, who else was staying.”

Amid the turmoil, the players found solace in defensive coordinator Marcus Freeman. “He was the one guy we all gravitated toward,” Spindler said. The team’s faith in Freeman was so strong that they openly campaigned for him to take over as head coach. “Immediately everybody was like, ‘Why doesn’t Coach Freeman just be the head coach?'” said defensive lineman Isaiah Foskey. “Everybody agreed.”

Freeman, then 35, had no prior head coaching experience, but his ability to connect with players and his track record as a defensive coordinator at Cincinnati made him the clear choice. “It was absolutely risky to hire somebody at a place like Notre Dame who doesn’t have a track record as a head coach, but he won the job,” said former Notre Dame athletic director Jack Swarbrick, who made the hire. “Based on my experience with him, based on what the players told me, and based on a really excellent interview, he distinguished himself.”

Three years later, Freeman has proven to be the right fit, leading Notre Dame to the brink of its first national championship since 1988. His journey to this moment is a testament to his leadership, authenticity, and ability to inspire his players.

Freeman’s coaching career began to take shape at Cincinnati, where he was hired as defensive coordinator by Luke Fickell in 2017. At just 30 years old, Freeman quickly made an impact, transforming a struggling defense into one of the best in the nation. “He came in and immediately made a first impression on us,” said former Cincinnati defensive lineman Kimoni Fitz. “We were trying to find ourselves and restart the culture with the new staff, and he made it easy.”

Freeman’s innovative approach, including the introduction of the “turnover dunk” celebration, energized the team. “He was such a high-energy guy,” Fitz said. “If we came to practice without any juice that day, he would be the guy to always bring the juice.”

At Notre Dame, Freeman’s ability to connect with players has been a hallmark of his tenure. Running back Audric Estime recalled a meeting where Freeman challenged him to improve. “He was like, ‘I really believe, and we all believe, that you can make plays like this,'” Estime said. “It was a great thing to have. If the coaches are quiet, it’s not such a good thing, but if they’re telling you something, it’s a good thing.”

Freeman’s leadership style has resonated deeply with his players. “He has a relationship with every single person on his team of how that person needs to be interacted with and motivated,” said kicker Blake Grupe. Linebacker Jack Kiser added, “He’s just a very authentic, genuine person, and I think you see that on the sideline, too.”

Freeman’s ability to embrace Notre Dame’s traditions while fostering a modern, inclusive culture has been key to his success. “He tells us all the time to be misfits,” Estime said. “That seems like an unusual word for Notre Dame, but people like me, I’m not Catholic myself, I’m from Texas. I didn’t grow up thinking I would be at Notre Dame, and look, we have a minority head coach at Notre Dame.”

As Notre Dame prepares for the national championship game, Freeman’s journey from a players’ coach to a championship contender is a story of trust, resilience, and belief. “Everyone believed in him then, and everyone believes in him now,” Kiser said.