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WATCH: The surprise moment when Marcus Freeman was introduced as head coach to team

photos -jpgby: Ashton Pollard12/03/21ashtonpollard7
marcus freeman
Notre Dame head coach Marcus Freeman is looking to build an elite 2023 recruiting class. (Robin Alam/Icon Sportswire via Getty Images)

The Notre Dame football team went to their workout Friday morning intending to go through another rigorous session with strength coach Matt Balis. A surprise visitor showed up instead. 

After a speech from Balis, newly named head coach Marcus Freeman emerged to a sea of riled up Irish football players. 

Freeman was officially named the 30th Notre Dame head coach on Friday. After just one year as the defensive coordinator, athletic director Jack Swarbrick believed the 35-year-old coach was the right man for the job. 

Freeman spent four seasons at Cincinnati as their defensive coordinator from 2017-2020 where he led one of the nation’s top defenses. He has continued that streak of excellence at Notre Dame, as the Irish have allowed just 18.3 points per game this season. The defense has allowed fewer than 20 points in four straight season. Additionally, this year, they are one sack shy of the Notre Dame single-season record of 41 sacks, set in 1996.

“It is an honor to be named the head coach of Notre Dame Football,” Freeman said in a statement. “I am eternally grateful to both Father John Jenkins and Jack Swarbrick for giving me the opportunity to lead the exceptional men who make this program what it is. Notre Dame is a very special place and I look forward to pursuing a national championship with the most outstanding student-athletes, coaches and staff in college football.”

Freeman played college football at Ohio State from 2004-2008. Former head coaches Charlie Weis and Brian Kelly did not have Division I playing experience, making Freeman the first Irish head coach to have played at the highest level since Tyrone Willingham. The linebacker was drafted by the Chicago Bears in the fifth round of the 2009 NFL Draft, but his professional career was cut short for medical reasons.

There will be a press conference at 2:00 p.m. ET on Monday to introduce Freeman.

Notre Dame will stay home this championship weekend as they await their postseason destination. The Irish are one of six teams, along with Georgia, Alabama, Michigan, Cincinnati and Oklahoma State, with a reasonable shot to make the College Football Playoff.