Quick-hitters: Marcus Freeman on Notre Dame offensive coordinator search, hiring Gerad Parker
The two weeks from Alabama’s initial discussions with Tommy Rees to Notre Dame choosing tight ends coach Gerad Parker as his replacement brought no shortage of twists and turns. There were two on-campus interviews of sitting offensive coordinators, a sighting of one candidate at an Irish hockey game, two top choices that didn’t work out, a whirlwind of discussion and reporting on why the second external candidate didn’t take the job, and — finally — Parker’s promotion.
Head coach Marcus Freeman addressed it all Monday morning, two days after Parker was formally announced as offensive coordinator. Here are some highlights of his press conference.
On priorities in hiring an offensive coordinator
“I had a criteria and a vision when this process started for what I was looking for. I wanted to see on film a pro-style type offense. What does that mean? It’s multiple. Multiple formations, multiple personnel, pro-style type concepts in the pass game, multiple running schemes. It’s not just one thing you’re looking for. It’s multiple different things that I feel will help our guys translate as they move forward to the NFL.”
On the first two candidates and ultimately choosing Gerad Parker
“The criteria was we wanted to search nationwide. We wanted to see that offense displayed. I wanted to see a coordinator call it. I wanted to see someone run it at a high success rate. The top two offenses you saw on film were Kansas State and Utah. We interviewed both of those guys, [Collin Klein and Andy Ludwig]. We brought them to campus. For their own reasons, they decided not to come.
“We reconvened and looked at all these different candidates that we were looking for. At some point during that process, Gerad Parker rose to the top. We put him through a long, tough interview. What he was able to display to me is where we were at currently as an offense, his understanding of the terminology in our offensive philosophy, but also the vision for how he can enhance it with what he has done and what he believes it takes to be successful as an offensive coordinator.
“Halfway through the interview, my mind was made up. I said, ‘This is our next offensive coordinator.’ But I wanted to take some time and sleep on it, really think about it, not make an emotional decision.”
On reports Notre Dame was unwilling to pay a $2.8 million buyout to hire Andy Ludwig
“I was aware of some misconceptions of what was being said out there. Most of them were just not true.
“The misconception of the support, at no time during this process did I not have the support of Jack Swarbrick and the administration. I want to be very crystal clear about that. At no point during this process or since I’ve been here do I not feel that I’ve have had the support. He has offered to pay whatever buyout there’s been. That’s a part of college football and business.
“There are certain buyouts for different people. Jack Swarbrick has never shied away from paying a buyout. In our line of business, part of college football and part of business, we negotiate buyouts. Any coordinator or position coach that has a buyout, we talk about those things. We discuss them. but that’s not the reason someone didn’t choose Notre Dame. Two individuals decided it was best for them to stay where they’re at. Much credit to them. We found the guy who was the right guy for us.
“I don’t want the narrative to be that someone didn’t choose Notre Dame because of a buyout. It’s not true. I’ll say it again and again. That is not the truth.”
On why Parker’s inexperience was not a sticking point
“He has called plays. He was a coordinator at West Virginia for a couple of years and called it for a certain amount of games. His ability to say, ‘Here’s how I would implement our system, here’s how I’d implement my system as an offensive coordinator, here’s where I believe we are as an offense, here’s the vision for how it will enhance.’ To clearly display that and get that conveyed to myself and the offensive staff is what it took.
“There’s a lot of people who have had success, but maybe not the type of offense I want to run here at Notre Dame. But to have someone who can understand where we’re at to help our guys with the learning curve and really convey how we’ll improve is why I chose him.”
On Notre Dame’s commitment
“I don’t see there’s any other way they could show more commitment to having success. That could be with coaching salaries. That could be with NIL. That could be with the support of our football program to enhance everything we do — facilities, training tables. Whatever it is we believe our program needs to continue to climb to the mountaintop, I’ve had full support of the administration and Jack.”
On two coordinator hires in two seasons preparing him for the future
“Hiring is going to be a part of what this position entails. You’re going to have guys who continue to move forward and move on. At the end of the day, coaches do what’s best for themselves and their families. That’s what we have to understand. These men who are coaches in the college football profession, a lot of them have families and a lot of them have to make decisions that are best for them and their families.
“It’s going to be something that continues to happen. With team success comes individual success. Guys will continue to get options to continue to move forward in their careers. I’m always the first one to support our coaches as they move forward.”
On having so many former Cincinnati staff members at Notre Dame
“One of the benefits is hiring people you know and trust. There are great resumes out there. There’s great guys who can interview extremely well. But you learn a lot about an individual when you’re with them every day. It doesn’t take long to say, ‘This is a great coach and this is someone I want to coach with.’ Or maybe it’s someone I don’t want to coach with.
“At the end of the day, I want to make sure we get the best coaches we can into this place. There’s an element of, ‘I know and I trust that this person can get the job done.’ I know he’s an excellent football coach. I know he’s going to develop our football players. I know he cares about them and that he will treat them the right way. I’m going to take a chance on guys I know and I trust rather than just maybe a résumé or someone who did a great job in an interview. The experience with someone goes a long way.”
