Notre Dame had a promising season in 2024 but came up just short in the CFP National Championship, losing 34-23 to the Ohio State Buckeyes. Even though the team didn’t take home the trophy, it showed that it has evolved into a contender, which could be credited in part to the Fighting Irish’s sideline leader, Marcus Freeman.
Marcus Freeman Not a Top-5 Coach in College Football?
In December 2021, Freeman was hired as the program’s 32nd head coach, and while this year’s loss wasn’t a part of his plan, he has turned Notre Dame into a whole different team. In light of this, On3 analyst J.D. PicKell, who has the coach at No. 6 on his top 10 head coaches list, justified why Freeman wasn’t ranked higher.
“At No. 6, I got Marcus Freeman, and if you’re arguing that he should be higher on this list based on what’s happening right now, I don’t disagree,” PicKell said.
“To me, I think he could be a guy that’s top three in one to two years on this list. … I’ll say this: I’d send my kid to play for Marcus Freeman tomorrow. The way that he runs Notre Dame, the way that he’s rebranded Notre Dame football.
“He’s completely renovated what that program is. … He’s fresh off a national title appearance, man. He’s not just an ascending star in this sport, he’s straight up a star in this sport right now. I think his best year is still ahead of him, and I think the title run they had this year getting to that game with all the injuries speaks to the traits of what Notre Dame football is going to be.”
In their 2024 campaign, Notre Dame had a 14-2 record, with their only loss before the championship game coming from the Northern Illinois Huskies in Week 2. With this, the Fighting Irish set a new program record for 14 wins, and under Freeman, the team is at 33-10.
Because Freeman has been such a success, Notre Dame inked him to a new contract extension, complete with a pay raise and more resources in his staff.
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In December, the head coach’s contract was extended for four more years, with an average salary of over $9 million. This deal runs through 2030, so it seems like he’ll be sticking around and keep building the development he’s started.
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