As the Notre Dame players stood in the tunnel looking out at over 100,000 Texas A&M fans, one would think nerves had to be creeping in. But staring down the barrel of College Station, head coach Marcus Freeman had not a shred of fear, and he made sure his players didn’t either. As passionate as A&M fans can be, I doubt any single one was louder than the clapping and roaring Freeman as he prepared to lead his team out of the tunnel. The belief was palpable. This game was going to be different.
Freeman was hired to build a unique culture for Notre Dame football, one that would bring the Irish back to college football’s upper echelon. The video still replays in my head to the day he was hired and entered the locker room to meet his team for the first time. Seeing the way he was received in that moment, it was clear that every player would be playing for more than himself — they would be playing for him. That meant something. Fast forward two years to the scene in the tunnel, and the impact of that kind of culture becomes all the more impactful. This was a team of players who were prepared to play anyone anywhere, even at one of the most imposing venues in the sport.
Fielding two classes in his first two years that rivaled former head coach Brian Kelly’s best, the culture that has been set in place is one recruits want to be a part of. It was always going to take time for Freeman’s recruits to get established, but now in year three, he is starting to find his guys. When the depth chart was revealed on Monday afternoon, there were a couple of eye-openers. The choice to start true freshman left tackle Anthonie Knapp and sophomore left guard Sam Pendleton was the headline, but sophomore safety Adon Shuler being preferred to sixth-year transfer Rod Heard in the secondary was also a big surprise.
While the young offensive line, which came into the game sharing only six starts between them, had its struggles, it grew into the game and powered the rushing attack in the second half. 133 of Notre Dame’s 198 total rushing yards came after halftime, as did the only two Irish touchdowns, both coming on the ground. Facing one of the best edge rushing talents in the country in Nic Scourton, Knapp allowed only one pressure the entire game. Shuler also shined, getting his first career interception in the second quarter and playing at a high level all game.
“Our coaches have put us in this position at practice every day, so just go out there execute, do your job and let things come to you,” Shuler said when asked about the defensive mindset late in a close game.
The redshirt freshman points straight to the coaches, a reflection of how the staff prepared this group. Freeman made the gutsy decision to lean on the young talent he brought in, and it more than paid off.
Recruits are not the full extent of Freeman’s talent acquisition capabilities, however. His ability to evolve with the changing college football landscape and utilize the transfer portal is becoming a major strength. Senior quarterback Riley Leonard stepping in as the team’s new leader on offense. Fifth-year receiver Beuax Collins making an enormous catch on the sideline during the final drive. Graduate kicker Mitch Jeter going 3-for-3 on kicks and icing the game from 46 yards out with 30 seconds remaining. Each of the players that were brought in through the portal played a massive role in the victory.
When asked about how validating it was to see the effort he had put into building this team come to light on the big stage, Freeman emphasized the importance of finding the right guys.
“When we talk about bringing in transfers, they have to be really good players or great players, but they have to fit the culture we have,” Freeman said. “That was a sign of what you saw out there. Guys that are really good players that fit this place and this culture.”
While Freeman had started to build a foundation of on-field talent from day one, he did not always have the support he needed off the field, particularly from the staff around him. That is no longer the case. The hires of offensive coordinator Mike Denbrock and defensive coordinator Al Golden were home runs, and both coaches called outstanding games on Saturday. For the Irish to win, Denbrock’s scheme was going to have to be a big reason why. And while the offense was far from explosive, they played within themselves while doing enough to win.
“This was exactly the gameplan for our offense this game. We had to be smart versus a really good defense, and we executed really well,” Freeman said when asked about the offensive approach.
Denbrock’s unit avoided any detrimental mistakes and turnovers all night. When it came time to go out and win the game, they executed a perfect game-winning drive.
As for Golden’s defense, it more than delivered, holding A&M to 246 yards of total offense and forcing two turnovers. Most importantly, it generated stops in the pivotal moments, including before and after the game-winning drive.
The game’s unsung hero has to be first-year strength coach Loren Landow. Another Freeman hire, Landow prepared this team to endure the Texas heat. By the end of the game, it was the Aggies that looked haggard while the Irish continued to play at top speed, with not a single player suffering from cramping.
As a head coach, you play the role of CEO, and the people you take on board can make or break the business. Freeman’s coaching hires have bolstered the staff and greatly increased the ceiling for this team.
But for as much as the recruiting and program-building shined on Saturday, Freeman was always going to do that at a high level. He did in his first two years and will continue to do so. However, questions remained about his ability to manage a game. Heading into the season, one could argue, as I did, that Freeman had yet to win in a truly high-stakes moment. He also has, up to this point, a checkered history of costly mistakes in these games dating back to game one, where Notre Dame surrendered a 28-0 halftime lead to Oklahoma State in a 37-35 Fiesta Bowl loss. In his second season, he takes some blame for the heartbreaking loss to Ohio State, where the Irish defense fielded only 10 men on the infamous final play of a Buckeye game-winning drive. Later that season, he had a hand in several questionable o-line substitutions in the middle of Notre Dame’s worst offensive display of the season in a loss to Louisville. Texas A&M was a different story.
Barring a wasted early timeout in the second half, Freeman’s decision-making was spotless all game. On fourth downs, he was aggressive at the right times, while taking the points on the opening drive, a decision that avoids the potential to give a hungry defense the chance to turn the ball over on downs and ignite the crowd. What stood out most, however, was the management of the fourth quarter, particularly the final drive. When asked about it, Freeman described his thought process in such a high-pressure moment, and how he prepared his running backs if they had the chance to score with time on the clock.
“If something happens where we break it, do we tell him to go down or do we score? I didn’t want to put that in his head. I didn’t want to take points off the board,” Freeman said.
The choice to go against the analytics requires a consideration of what is best for the player as well as the numbers. Freeman found that balance perfectly. After the defensive stop, he had one more decision to make: kick the field goal and end the game or pin them deep up a touchdown. He chose right again, relying on the leg of Jeter, who delivered the knockout blow from 46 yards out, capping a brilliantly coached game.
The win was a prove-it moment for Freeman, and it set the team on an upward trajectory for the season. There are still 11 games remaining, and we have yet to see this team stay consistent across a full season, but the third-year head coach has Notre Dame positioned better than it ever has been during his tenure. And regardless of whether this season brings the year three magic that it has for so many Irish coaches of old, Notre Dame football is in good hands. This game gave fans a glimpse of what the Freeman era might hold.
