Live updates: Notre Dame coach Marcus Freeman Sept. 11 press conference

Notre Dame (3-0) is riding high coming off a 45-24 victory over NC State. The Fighting Irish are home this week hosting Central Michigan (1-1).

Head coach Marcus Freeman speaks to the media at 12 p.m. ET to issue a final recap of the game against the Wolfpack and to preview the upcoming matchup with the Chippewas. Watch live via the YouTube link below, and scroll down for written, real-time updates of what Freeman is saying.

WATCH: Notre Dame head coach Marcus Freeman Sept. 11 press conference

What Freeman is saying

**Keep refreshing this page for real-time text updates once Freeman’s press conference starts at noon.**

• Freeman starts by paying respect to everyone impacted in some way by 9/11. He says he visited the memorial in New York City this summer. “To see the place where the World Trade Center was located, it really impacted me.”

• Freeman says he is really impressed by the way Notre Dame showed resiliency against a good opponent on a weird day with a weather delay vs. NC State.

• Freeman says if there is more than 30 seconds on the clock and there is a chance for the Irish to get the ball back at the end of the first half, he will burn timeouts to do so. That’s how confident he is in Sam Hartman and the Notre Dame offense.

• Freeman is complimentary of special teams standouts Spencer Shrader and Bryce McFerson, both of whom he says has a huge leg.

• Notre Dame players of the game vs. NC State were Holden States, DJ Brown and Spencer Shrader.

• Freeman says walk-on wide receiver Jordan Faison, who is on scholarship for lacrosse at Notre Dame, was the offensive scout team player of the week. “He’s going to be a really good football player for us.” He had a very impressive fall camp.

• Freeman: “We only get 12 opportunities. We’re down to nine. For us to overlook any opponent would be crazy.”

• Freeman is asked about pass protection. He sounds like he did last year when he says it’s not all on the offensive line. He mentions route running needs to be better. Recognition of defensive scheme needs to be better. “It’s not all on one person or one position.”

• Freeman says intercepting three passes in one game like Notre Dame did vs. NC State is huge for morale. Makes the defensive players hungry for more.

• Freeman: “You always try to put your players in difficult positions and see how they respond.” He says Notre Dame’s resilience vs. NC State was a reflection of leaning into difficult times in training and practices.

• Freeman says Notre Dame coaches will intentionally not tell players how many gassers they have to run or what they are up against in those situations because he says when you lay out a finish line, that’s when guys find ways to coast to get there. He believes in leaving it open-ended so the guys keep pushing until they’re told they can stop.

• Freeman says the beautiful part about how Notre Dame is playing offensively is that any player can be “the guy” on any given play.

• Freeman says he doesn’t want the offense to go “mach speed” all the time just because it has shown it can execute well in two-minute drills. The Notre Dame offense has the ability to incorporate tempo into its offensive system outside of the two-minute drill situations, but the Irish haven’t felt the need to throw that in yet.

• Freeman: “I never want to say anybody plays harder than us because we pride ourselves on that, but [NC State] came out of the gate blazing.”

• Freeman says Notre Dame’s main adjustment vs. NC State was to spread it out a little bit in an attempt to force the Wolfpack to be less aggressive.

• Freeman says Notre Dame has certain packages for certain running backs. “We have to continue to utilize the strengths of each guy in that room.” Freeman clarifies that he is not in the business of appeasing players, though. “It’s about Notre Dame football having success.”

• Linebacker JD Bertrand is in concussion protocol. His status for Saturday is to be determined.

• Running back Devyn Ford is expected to be back in uniform Saturday.

• Defensive tackle Gabriel Rubio will be out for a few more weeks.

• Tight end Eli Raridon is still progressing, but he’s not ready for the full grind of football on game days yet coming off his second ACL injury in a 10-month span.

• Freeman says he tells defensive line coach Al Washington not to get frustrated that Notre Dame only has four sacks through three games. He says the Irish defensive line has still done plenty of good things. “They will come. The sacks will come… The results big picture have been exactly what we wanted.”

• Freeman says there are so many things that happened in Saturday’s game that will make Notre Dame better in the long run.

• Freeman says he has confidence in Spencer Shrader making a 60-yard field goal because he has seen him do it in practice.

• Freeman: “I have a lot of confidence in our offensive coordinator, Gerad Parker… We have a great coaching staff.”