Live updates: Notre Dame coach Marcus Freeman Central Michigan postgame press conference
Notre Dame coach Marcus Freeman will take to the press conference podium for a postgame debriefing after the Fighting Irish’s 41-17 victory over Central Michigan on Saturday. Follow along below with live updates of Freeman’s presser.
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• Freeman says it wasn’t a perfect win for the Fighting Irish, but he is proud of the way his players battled to get the job done comfortably in the end. “When we don’t beat Notre Dame, we are a really good football team.”
• Freeman says Audric Estimé’s ability to run the football so effectively opens things up for the Irish passing game. Estimé had a career high 176 rushing yards today.
• Notre Dame tight end Mitchell Evans was out today with a concussion. Graduate student safety DJ Brown did not play today because of a hamstring injury. Freeman says starting quarterback Sam Hartman is fine following getting rolled up on in the second half.
• Freeman says Notre Dame’s eight penalties for 72 yards was unacceptable and not up to his team’s standard. He specifically mentions some holding calls on the Irish offensive line. “We can’t hurt Notre Dame.”
• Freeman is asked what he has not learned about his team through three games. He says that’s to be determined. “I still don’t know if we’ve seen the full potential of this team.”
• Freeman: “We did not tackle well in those first couple series.”
• Freeman mentions a six-man blitz on a big Central Michigan passing play. He says the Irish has got to get pressure on that play and not leave the secondary out to dry.
• Freeman is asked what he’s going to be looking for in film. “Everything.” He says there is something to critique on every single play. Nobody is perfect, but perfection can be strived for.
• Freeman says he still thinks the Irish are a disciplined team despite 18 penalties in the last two games. He just thinks these guys have to stay locked into the moment and not commit mental errors, such as Holden Staes being called for holding on a 72-yard Estimé touchdown that was called back. Freeman admits Staes was indeed holding. He says he’s got to coach it better so the players understand they cannot be doing things like that.
• Freeman says Notre Dame did not need a “rah rah” speech at halftime. He simply told the guys, “Go be Notre Dame.” It seems they got the message.
