I’ve been among the many many who’ve been impressed with what Marcus Freeman has inbuilt South Bend via his first three seasons as Notre Dame’s head coach. In reality, I used to be so impressed with how he coached this season that I mentioned following Notre Dame’s nationwide title recreation loss to Ohio State that I feel he might win a championship quickly if he opts to remain in South Bend.
So, we determined to carry “Big Noon Conversations” to South Bend and interview Freeman for the premiere of the present’s third season. As Freeman prepares for his fourth season as the pinnacle coach of the Combating Irish, he and I touched on quite a few gadgets all through our 30-minute dialog. We mentioned Notre Dame’s impartial standing, the way forward for its rivalry with USC, studying from his early losses as head coach and carrying on this system’s custom.
Listed below are a few of the highlights of my dialog with Freeman.
Elements of this interview had been edited for brevity.
Klatt: I’ve gotta let you know, and I didn’t wish to let you know earlier than you sat down, as a result of I didn’t wish to steal this line and I hate to interrupt it to all of you on the market. That is my singular favourite spot in faculty soccer, the locker room at Notre Dame Stadium.
Freeman: I admire that. We’ve gotta be certain we get that message on the market slightly bit extra.
It’s unbelievable, they usually did slightly little bit of this earlier than you grew to become the pinnacle coach, however mixing the outdated with the brand new, going out the door and down the tunnel and all of the historical past. But, it’s a contemporary program that’s excelling. I really feel all of that once I stroll into this constructing and it’s simply quintessentially faculty soccer, which is admittedly cool.
That’s what we would like it to be. You possibly can’t get away from the issues which have made this place particular. You embrace it. You have a good time it. You present it off. However you additionally wish to proceed to be related. You wish to proceed to be new, fashionable and appeal to younger expertise. Notre Dame does an impressive job of doing that.
You say “appeal to younger expertise.” What I’m fascinated by is that once I stroll in, the historical past hits me and I find it irresistible. However once you get a younger child out right here, how lengthy does it take for them to know what this place is?
It relies on who it’s. Generally, their mother and father perceive it, which might resonate with the younger individual. However a whole lot of these younger individuals now, they don’t have any clue in regards to the outdated Notre Dame – the historical past and the way this program was constructed. The success it’s had and its 11 nationwide championships. We haven’t gained a championship since [1988]. How do you proceed to make this related? It’s vital that we clarify to the younger individual what makes this place particular.
Do this for me. Let’s say I’m a dad and I’ve a child, or I’m a child that you simply’re recruiting. How do you clarify the particular, distinctive nature of this place?
I feel it goes to this point past the soccer program. We spend time speaking in regards to the historical past of Notre Dame soccer, the way it was constructed and the rationale why we’re impartial. We had been in search of groups to play and we had been prepared to drive or go on a practice from coast to coast, from Navy or Boston College all the best way out to Southern Cal, so as to discover an opponent. That’s how the Notre Dame soccer program was constructed, in independence. That’s why we wish to maintain that independence as a lot as we will. That’s what makes this place so particular.
However I usually discuss in regards to the training, networking and other people which can be intertwined with Notre Dame as a result of that’s, to me, what makes this place so completely different. All people that involves our program aspires to be a first-round choose. For those who’re ok, you can be a first-round choose. We’ve bought loads of them to indicate you. However what else do universities present you? And that’s what we’ve bought to verify we repeatedly educate younger individuals on. No. 1, the proportion of individuals which can be these first-round picks or are these draft picks, but in addition the belief that soccer goes to finish. It’s going to finish earlier than it. So, what else do these excessive instructional establishments present you?
That’s what we would like individuals to know, what makes this place completely different. They like to speak by way of stars. It is a five-star soccer program; we get that. However there’s additionally a five-star training, and listed below are the advantages of acquiring an training from this college.
The 94-year-old Notre Dame Stadium has gone via loads of renovations through the years, however the iconic “Play Like A Champion In the present day” signal that its gamers faucet earlier than taking the sector stays. (Photograph by Erick W. Rasco /Sports activities Illustrated by way of Getty Photographs).
You touched on independence, which was one thing I wished to the touch on with you. You kinda referenced it there, however how vital is it for you guys to retain your independence?
It’s what this soccer program was constructed from. So long as we will, we are going to [remain independent]. I’ve a whole lot of confidence in our administration and Pete Bevacqu, our AD, that he’ll at all times maintain us ready to achieve success. So, so long as we will maintain that independence, we are going to. But when there’s ever a time the place we’re at an obstacle as a result of we’re not in a convention, I’m positive he’ll decide, together with our president, to affix certainly one of these conferences and place ourselves to not be negatively impacted by being impartial.
What’s the largest risk to that? The place does an obstacle pop up?
Being at an obstacle to make the postseason since you’re not within the playoff or if there comes a time groups gained’t schedule you as a result of the Big Ten or SEC are saying “we’re going to play 9 video games and a crossover recreation and who cares about Notre Dame.” Effectively, then there’s going to be some extent the place we’re compelled to affix a convention. Till that time occurs, which doesn’t look doubtless, we’re going to remain impartial for so long as we will.
Do you’re feeling like independence matches with the way forward for the game due to what you mentioned there with crossover video games and scheduling?
I might see it trending that means. I don’t know when that point can be. However once you begin including in TV cash and scheduling, there’s some huge cash concerned with faculty soccer. There may come a time the place an outdoor entity takes faculty soccer away from the NCAA. I don’t know, the long run’s unsure. I might see a university soccer system the place everybody’s impartial and, just like the NFL, another person is scheduling video games and once you play one another. Hastily, it’s not based mostly off TV offers along with your convention anymore. It’ll be based mostly off regional location and issues like that.
You guys lately made the scheduling settlement with Clemson, which I feel is nice. We’d like to see extra video games like that involving premium manufacturers. Are there every other groups that you simply’d wish to play yearly?
I really feel such as you’re attempting to get a sure crew that’s been buzzing (laughs). You consider rivalries, and I’m positive you’ll be able to return to once you performed highschool soccer and even earlier. I feel again to my highschool years. I used to be from Ohio and performed at a highschool known as Huber Heights Wayne. Our massive rival was Centerville Elks. The blokes which have come from Centerville that you simply may know are AJ Hawk, Kirk Herbstreit, Mike Nugent and a few actually nice gamers. That was an enormous rivalry. Then, you go to Ohio State and also you play Michigan yearly.
The factor about rivalry video games is that no one cares what the document is. You win that recreation, you view that season as successful.
Michigan final 12 months with Ohio State.
Amen. So, for us, certainly one of them that’s repeatedly introduced up right here during the last month or so is the rivalry with USC. Earlier than I even bought to Notre Dame, there are reminiscences I’ve in my head of nice performs within the USC-Notre Dame rivalry. I feel it’s vital to proceed that rivalry.
In the event that they ask my opinion, I wish to repeatedly play USC yearly. It takes each events to tangle. It’s to suit each establishments. They’re in a convention, we’re not, after we play – all of these various things. However I feel it’s vital that we proceed to have this rivalry.
Notre Dame and USC have no video games scheduled towards one another following the 2026 season, placing the way forward for certainly one of faculty soccer’s prime rivalries unsure. (Photograph by Ric Tapia/Getty Photographs)
You guys simply made an unbelievable run within the College Football Playoff. You performed for a nationwide championship. What are you aware now in regards to the head coach of Notre Dame that you simply want you would inform that man after the loss to Marshall in your first 12 months in 2022?
Most likely one very clear assertion: The best issues in life take time and there’s no such factor as prompt gratification in the event you’re speaking about creating one thing nice. You be taught a lot extra from the losses. You possibly can’t lose otherwise you’re not going to have a job. However dropping is part of steady development. No person enjoys it, however there’s a desperation that each particular person naturally has once they’re within the dumps, once they’ve misplaced and really feel embarrassed. I feel I’ve had my most development as a frontrunner from a few of these tough losses.
However in the event you would’ve instructed me once I was employed as the pinnacle coach right here that I might play in a nationwide championship recreation in 12 months 3, I might’ve been like, “Heck ya, that’s an superior begin.” However in the event you additionally would’ve mentioned that you simply had 9 losses in your document earlier than you probably did that, oof, that’s onerous to swallow. However that’s what it took. That’s the expertise that I’ve needed to undergo, and we’ve needed to undergo as a program to place ourselves within the place we’re in now. We’ve bought to proceed to make use of these experiences from the previous as a brand new basis for the long run.
Is there a second or recreation that stands out the place you’re feeling you realized essentially the most?
I feel every loss may need taught me one thing completely different. The very first loss to Oklahoma State, we’re up massive. We’re up 21 preparing to enter half, they find yourself scoring and we’re up 14 at half. I’m like, “Man, that is simple, the pinnacle teaching factor.” Then, swiftly, you discover a method to lose that recreation and also you go, “Oh, this isn’t as simple as you thought.” We play at Ohio State within the first recreation within the following 12 months. We’re up, I feel, within the third quarter, 10-7 perhaps. We’re up within the third quarter and I’m like, “We’re good.” We ended up dropping, [but I thought] we’re going to be nice.
Then, you lose to Marshall. And I feel, that loss, I had by no means gained a recreation as a head coach, and also you begin dropping slightly bit of religion, like “Do I do know what it takes? What’s occurring? We’re a greater crew than how we simply performed. What’s it going to take?”
Marcus Freeman misplaced his first dwelling recreation as Notre Dame’s head coach to Marshall in 2022. (Photograph by Robin Alam/Icon Sportswire by way of Getty Photographs)
So, you be taught via these losses. Then, you lose to Northern Illinois this previous 12 months. The lesson I realized from that was easy methods to deal with success. We weren’t prepared. I wasn’t able to deal with success as a head coach. That was the primary time in my three years as head coach that we had gained that massive recreation early. … That is the primary time that we had gained that massive recreation. Everybody’s saying you’ve bought a simple schedule, you’re going to the playoff. Then, you don’t put together mentally and bodily the proper means. The soccer Gods taught us an excellent lesson. I feel each loss, you be taught one thing completely different.
You got here up quick towards Ohio State within the Nationwide Championship Sport. What did you be taught in that recreation?
In these largest video games and people largest moments, you’ve gotta play your finest. You possibly can’t make errors towards a crew like Ohio State. You consider that first drive on offense, I feel it was a 19-play drive. We execute, we’re bodily, and we go down and rating. Defensively, we didn’t play our greatest. Credit score to Ohio State. That they had some elite playmakers. They performed actually, rather well. I want we might return and play our greatest. The outcomes may nonetheless be the identical, however there have been moments in that recreation the place I believed that’s not how we play all 12 months lengthy.
However pay attention, we fought till the very finish. We had been down 14 at half, 21 [later on] and it was an eight-point recreation. This group isn’t going to stop. Ever. As I give it some thought, it’s like, OK, what didn’t I do to arrange them the proper means for that chance? What didn’t I do as the pinnacle coach to verify we had been able to play our greatest in that second? Was the sport too massive? Did I make it too small? I consider many various causes. I need everybody in our program to assume that means, “What didn’t I do to verify I used to be ready to make the most of that chance?” It’s actually onerous to get there.
So, it’s one thing I’ll at all times bear in mind. We made some modifications. We already debriefed from that recreation. If we’re in that scenario, listed below are some various things as we put together for it. On the finish of the day, you’ve bought to play your finest once you’re taking part in the very best.
You bought some curiosity from the NFL from that run. As a substitute of asking you particularly about that, right here’s how I might relatively ask you this query: What are the one or two issues we have to repair in faculty soccer to verify the Marcus Freemans of the world keep?
I at all times take into consideration our employees and the way I, as the pinnacle coach, do the very best job potential to verify our employees enjoys coming to work right here. A part of that’s attempting to not overwork them. Generally, faculty coaches can overwork their staffs. We’re going to work onerous. I’m not saying it’s going to be simple. Nothing nice in life is straightforward. However how will we proceed to take a look at the calendar and make it in a means that there’s a while of steadiness for the assistant coaches? They’re those which can be on the highway 24/7 continuously. We’ve bought to create some kind of steadiness for these coaches and I feel we’re. I see us trending, from my first 12 months to now my fourth 12 months, in a route that’s attempting to create some kind of steadiness for assistant coaches and that’s vital.
However how will we proceed to have a university soccer construction that helps younger individuals regularly develop into self-sufficient? I feel again to my time at Ohio State. I used to be a fairly large recruit. There was a thought in my head, “I’m going to stroll in right here and begin.” Effectively, you’ve bought three linebackers, two of them had been first-round picks – AJ Hawk and Bobby Carpenter – and the opposite was a third-round choose, Anthony Schlegel. I wasn’t ok to begin. I needed to be taught for 2 years to embrace my position and proceed to work, though I wasn’t taking part in as a lot as I wished. How do I, as a person, make the most of my alternatives and get higher? That’s the way you develop into self-sufficient. You overcome challenges. There was no thought for me to stand up and go some place else.
That’s the best factor I needed to be taught to do. Keep there, overcome some adversity, make the most of the alternatives that I bought, graduate and get a level. I simply don’t need a construction that’s created the place when issues get onerous, it’s simple to choose up and go some place else. I feel it’s vital that we create guidelines and a few kind of construction that continues to advertise self-sufficiency for younger individuals and overcoming obstacles.
Marcus Freeman and Notre Dame misplaced to Ryan Day and Ohio State within the 2025 Nationwide Championship Sport (Photograph by Kevin C. Cox/Getty Photographs).
Once I first got here to Notre Dame, I used to be like, “I don’t wish to like Notre Dame.” However after we bought right here a few years in the past to arrange to name Notre Dame’s recreation towards Wisconsin, you had been the defensive coordinator on the time, we did some interviews and I’m strolling round, “It’s not that cool.” Then, we go to the Grotto, the Basilica, we stroll on this locker room and I stroll out on the sector. I used to be like, “Dang it, this place is so superior.” I nonetheless really feel that means. It’s a extremely particular place.
It’s. It’s an honor to be part of this place. You’ve bought to be cautious about how a lot you brag about it as a result of any person that hasn’t been right here to know is perhaps shocked as a result of the best way individuals have a lot ardour about this place. I feel again to earlier than I grew to become the defensive coordinator right here. I was like, “Notre Dame followers are excessive. These guys are loopy.” Then, you get right here, and it’s such a ardour for this place and college.
Joel Klatt is FOX Sports activities’ lead faculty soccer recreation analyst and the host of the podcast “The Joel Klatt Show.” Comply with him at @joelklatt and subscribe to the “Joel Klatt Show” on YouTube.
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