Marcus Freeman believes one play did not cost Notre Dame win over Ohio State

As the dust settled on Notre Dame’s stunning loss to Ohio State at the last second last week, the biggest talking point was the final play. The Fighting Irish, of course, only had 10 players on the field as Chip Trayanum punched in the game-winning touchdown with one second to play.

Throughout the game, though, Notre Dame had opportunities to either score or simply keep the Buckeyes defense on the field. But the last drive was when the Fighting Irish really struggled, allowing multiple big plays as Ohio State went on to score.

That’s why, according to head coach Marcus Freeman, the final play wasn’t the only reason Notre Dame lost the game.

“There’s no one play that is the reason why we lost,” Freeman said on the Wake Up the Echoes podcast. “But great teams find ways to execute in the biggest moments. We didn’t. We had the ball with four minutes left in the game, and you would love to finish with the ball. And we didn’t. We didn’t execute the right way. Defensively, that last drive, they convert on 3rd and 10, they convert on 4th and 7, they convert on 3rd and 18. The last two plays, you’ve got 10 guys on the field. So everybody’s accountable.

“Everybody had a part in the result of that game, and we have to embrace that. We have to own it. What we can’t do is point the finger and say, ‘If he would’ve done this,’ ‘If that coach would’ve done this.’ No. It’s my fault. And I want everybody in our program to point the finger at themselves. No one person is responsible, but everybody’s accountable. That’s what it’s about.”

Freeman has been vocal that the missing player on the final play ultimately falls on his shoulders. That’s how he wants his players to look at that loss as they get ready for another big game against Duke on Saturday.

Because it was a team-wide failure for Notre Dame — Ohio State converted multiple big plays on the final drive to set up the ill-fated final play — Freeman said he wants everyone on the roster to avoid pointing fingers at anyone else.

“When you have success, it’s the greatest team sport there is. It is,” Freeman said. “You point your finger at your teammates because it isn’t about you. But when you have failures, I say it’s an individual sport. It’s like — my kids wrestle. It’s like wrestling. In wrestling, when you lose, you can’t point the finger at anybody else. And that’s what I want the mindset to be, and that’s what it is.

“These kids have heard it and this coaching staff has heard that enough. We have a group of individuals that will truly own this and we’ll go attack it and fix it.”