Marcus Freeman opens up on what he's learned in first year as head coach
You learn a lot through experience. That’s true of anything you do but is certainly true of being a first-time college football coach. That’s the experience Marcus Freeman is currently wrapping up but, in the end, he says it hasn’t changed him.
Freeman shared his biggest lesson learned during his press conference earlier this week. He says it’s obviously a new challenge but that he attacks that challenge with the same effort that made him Notre Dame’s hire last offseason.
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“You don’t become a new person because of your title or role. You continue to attack challenges being the person you are. That’s what I’ve learned,” said Freeman. “It’s a different challenge. You’ve got a different responsibility. But continue to be who you are, work tirelessly, love with your heart. It’s never going to be perfect but, if you work at it, you continue to find different ways to improve.”
Whatever Freeman is doing is working. It got off to a bumpy start, but Notre Dame has found their footing down the stretch. They’ve won five straight and eight of their last nine to earn themselves a Top-15 spot in the nation.
However, that’s not because success in coaching suddenly hit Freeman. It’s because he, as well as his team, have grown as the season has progressed. Now, they’re all looking to punctuate that season with a win over USC this weekend to send them off into their bowl game.
Marcus Freeman shares what concerns him most about USC offense
Notre Dame has faced some pretty talented offenses this season. But perhaps no other team on the Fighting Irish’s schedule presents as difficult a defensive challenge as Lincoln Riley and his USC team. With stars in the booth, under center and split out side, the Trojans are eviscerating seemingly every foe they face on the offensive end. However, have they seen as strong a defense as the one ND puts on the field every Saturday? We’ll find out Saturday.
Ahead of the game, Marcus Freeman, Notre Dame head coach, was not brash in evaluating the challenge the Trojans present. When asked what scares him most about the USC offense, he simply responded, “everything,” before explaining how excellent they are in every phase of offense, but most notably, quarterback.
“I mean, it all starts with the quarterback. Every offense, I believe, starts with a quarterback. It starts with the quarterback in the decision-making, in his ability to extend plays and put the ball where it needs to go.”
Freeman also credits Riley for rolling with the punches at running back and finding effective guys down the depth chart once the starter went out.r ahead of becoming head coach last offseason. So he knows a thing or two about how to stop and offense. If you can’t tell, game planning to stop this one is a scary proposition, even for a defensive mind like the young Freeman.