Marcus Freeman named Dick Corbett Head Football Coach

[Reaper97]

You’re knowledge of Driskell is impressive

It should be, myself, with a few others, used to talk to him daily.
We used to talk football, talk to players, their families, coaches, etc..
Then he jumped the shark.

 

[PutuporShutup]

2012 with those 2 and 7 ranked recruiting classes as junior and seniors

And a RS frosh QB

I get your point, but we were preseason what 5 last year, that's based on talent, and Freeman went 8-4 regular season. We got to #9 this year, and honestly many thought this was our best chance to win it all, myself included. We are at risk of not being ranked in a week.

There's no hiding behind how bad our coaches are. It all started vs OK St, when they adjusted and we had no clue. Everyone tried to blame elston but it was freeman's team and D. Our coaches have no clue what to do on game day with adjustments or calls made in the game.

 

[PutuporShutup]

What kind of makeup does Marcus Freeman have? I think this is the key question to whether he will be successful at ND or a bust.

1. Is Marcus a learner? If he is the kind of guy that learns from his mistakes and builds slowly getting better each year, then he will succeed at ND.
2. If he is not a learner, we will get more of the same until he is fired.

While I fear he is more likely #2, I will withhold judgment for now hoping he is #1.

He's 21 games in, and his first game we got abused because he couldn't in game coach and make adjustments, it's only getting worse. We can't ever adjust in games. How many games does it take to realize someone just isn't a good coach. The talent is there, the culture WAS there.

 

[NDRock]

You’re knowledge of Driskell is impressive

Some might even say, obsessive.

 

[Irish#1]

I can't believe this guy gets so much discussion on this forum. Don't know the guy. Never read the guy. Never listened to the guy. I don't give a F about the guy. What is it that makes lovers and haters attracted to him like a moth to a candle? Put on your big boy pants fellas. If he drops dead tomorrow, it doesn't affect ND one iota.

 

[PutuporShutup]

The first question to Freeman today needs to be very simple, professional, not rude, but also very telling to remind him that everyone knows WHO the issue is.

Is Gerad Parker still calling plays this week?

Freeman should be ready but to me his answer will say a lot based around his body language.

 

[Reaper97]

Some might even say, obsessive.

It’s always amazing to me the hypocrisy.
Kind of like your obsession with what I say?

Obsess over this; Marcus Freeman is not a good HC.
And you are a grown man, take his picture off your profile, unless you are in fact Marcus Freeman.

 

[Reaper97]

I can't believe this guy gets so much discussion on this forum. Don't know the guy. Never read the guy. Never listened to the guy. I don't give a F about the guy. What is it that makes lovers and haters attracted to him like a moth to a candle? Put on your big boy pants fellas. If he drops dead tomorrow, it doesn't affect ND one iota.

No different than Loy, Prister, Sampson, Singer, Jamie U, etc…
They all get discussed.
Loy, Prister & Sampson LONG before Driskell was.
People are just hypocrites.

 

[Irish#1]

No different than Loy, Prister, Sampson, Singer, Jamie U, etc…
They all get discussed.
Loy, Prister & Sampson LONG before Driskell was.
People are just hypocrites.

Personally, I read very little from any of them, but they don't get discussed like him.

 

[ThePiombino]

I feel bad for this guy -- I genuinely think he had the personality and aptitude to take us to the next level with recruiting and ultimately results on the field. However, between the brutal timing of the NIL era and a Notre Dame administration that absolutely refuses to get out of its own way... It was over before it ever started for Freeman. And the worst part is when all the dust settles, we'll just have to hire another Brian Kelly, because that's the only personality type that will be able to have any type of success here. And by that I mean an average of 10 wins per season will forever be our ceiling.

 

[NDRock]

It’s always amazing to me the hypocrisy.
Kind of like your obsession with what I say?

Obsess over this; Marcus Freeman is not a good HC.
And you are a grown man, take his picture off your profile, unless you are in fact Marcus Freeman.

Is that a lawful order? I'm not sure you have that kind of power.

 

[IRISHDODGER]

No different than Loy, Prister, Sampson, Singer, Jamie U, etc…
They all get discussed.
Loy, Prister & Sampson LONG before Driskell was.
People are just hypocrites.

Exactly anyone who says otherwise…is a hypocrite

 

[IRISHDODGER]

When Ludwig hire fell through (regardless of reason & I don’t think anyone truly knows the truth), why would a rookie HC settle for a internal hire of the TE Coach who was demoted as OC at his last post? I know MF is an OSU grad but he doesn’t strike me as an idiot. The buck should stop with him. He’s said as much so I find it hard to believe he could convince himself (knowing the pressure cooker he was in) that elevating a TE coach for his 2nd try as OC was the best move…unless he was told it was his only option…which as cheap as ND is doesn’t sound like something Swarbrick would do (And I blame him for a lot). Maybe MF panicked b/c time was running out when there was still plenty of time when you consider the veteran QB you had coming in. I think if MF doesn’t survive his first contract, it’ll be largely b/c of elevating Parker to OC

 

[IrishLax]

When Ludwig hire fell through (regardless of reason & I don’t think anyone truly knows the truth), why would a rookie HC settle for a internal hire of the TE Coach who was demoted as OC at his last post? I know MF is an OSU grad but he doesn’t strike me as an idiot. The buck should stop with him. He’s said as much so I find it hard to believe he could convince himself (knowing the pressure cooker he was in) that elevating a TE coach for his 2nd try as OC was the best move…unless he was told it was his only option…which as cheap as ND is doesn’t sound like something Swarbrick would do (And I blame him for a lot). Maybe MF panicked b/c time was running out when there was still plenty of time when you consider the veteran QB you had coming in. I think if MF doesn’t survive his first contract, it’ll be largely b/c of elevating Parker to OC

Probably because of the timing. Who were Freeman's other options at that point? This happened a mere month before spring ball and with Hartman as a brand new transfer. He also needed to find a QB coach. They went through a lot of options and very publicly and couldn't close the deal on any of them. Parker was a stop gap hire, and here's where I'm pissed:

1. The administration made him take Rees as a package deal to get the job.
2. After foisting Rees on him, Rees left at one of the most awkward times that he could and the administration should have written a blank check to attract whoever they needed to get because most of the good OCs had already taken new jobs by that point and weren't viable options. The coaching carousel was done... until it wasn't when O'Brien left in late January to go to the Patriots.

It was just not a good situation for anyone.

 

[Giddyup]

They pulled Rudolph who despite the last game had a stellar reputation and was compensated quite well at VT

Timing excuse doesn’t fly with me fwiw

 

[PutuporShutup]

They pulled Rudolph who despite the last game had a stellar reputation and was compensated quite well at VT

Timing excuse doesn’t fly with me fwiw

Agree - When ND says we need an OC and willing to pay over $2M a year, people that weren't available become available. It's how Bama got Tommy so late. It's how we got Sam Hartman

 

[NDWarrior]

Right, it was a very tough time of year to attract a new OC period and we needed someone. The $ didn't talk so the talent did walk... away! And as many have said here, you got what you paid for!

 

[Giddyup]

The money didn’t talk. That’s funny.

 

[stpeteirish]

Presser was interesting today. My take is he has no answers to our problems.
What do others have to say?

 

[Giddyup]

Who cares? Talk is cheap, we’ll find out against USC

The last three games on O sounds like the answers are lacking for him.

 

[NDWarrior]

Who cares? Talk is cheap, we’ll find out against USC

Make or break game for the season and for MFMF

 

[calvegas04]

He probably can't wait till off season, his time to shine

 

[bobbyok1]

There is no way we turn it around against USC UNLESS Freeman steps up and tells Parker to figure it out quickly and make some serious adjustments. Teams should not be able to stack the box and have success stuffing us with the talent we have.

Parker has shown almost no adjustments through the first 7 games of the season

 

[Old Man Mike]

I've watched many new coaches get "stuck" with parts of the old staff (especially when an internal hire.) Even the guy coming in new at VT years ago got "stuck" with the great Bud Foster as DC --- and, because Foster ran the defense as a Kingdom (even if it was a successful kingdom), sooner than later Foster left/retired. (with plenty of football left in him.)

OK, so Freeman got "stuck" with a lot of his staff. Don't we all think that that is not a normal team-happy situation? Admin meetings on big issues? Who do we really go after recruiting wise --- who do we send the HC out on, who the OC only? Where's most of our money go? What's our coordinated team plan --- defense DOES impact offense and vice versa after-all.

How does Tommy NOT feel a bit unwanted here? How does he NOT look elsewhere? How does Harry not feel a diminished comfort zone and decide to finally pull the plug? Staffs "clean out" and rapidly all the time.

This is Freeman's team --- entirely --- he had to know that it soon would clean out to be wholly his team. He so far doesn't look like he has the contacts to fill that stable with ND level quality people. He's very young. We should have known that. Some of our comments seem very far from well-known realities of coaching trees and staffs. --- and, how many big time coordinators want to come "under" a green rookie unless they get top salary PLUS some BIG assurances of special controls?

 

[mrmcgrail]

I think with the oc hire after the Ludwig debacle and how bad it made the administration look they said promote him that's it we aren't getting turned down again

 

[stpeteirish]

For those who might be wondering: first question (Prister) was are you changing anything re the play calling? Answer: No. its the execution that is the problem. 2nd question (Hansen) did the rotation of OLM including Fisher clear anything up? Answer: OL played "decent". Fisher came out because of a hand injury.

 

[IRISHDODGER]

Probably because of the timing. Who were Freeman's other options at that point? This happened a mere month before spring ball and with Hartman as a brand new transfer. He also needed to find a QB coach. They went through a lot of options and very publicly and couldn't close the deal on any of them. Parker was a stop gap hire, and here's where I'm pissed:

1. The administration made him take Rees as a package deal to get the job.
2. After foisting Rees on him, Rees left at one of the most awkward times that he could and the administration should have written a blank check to attract whoever they needed to get because most of the good OCs had already taken new jobs by that point and weren't viable options. The coaching carousel was done... until it wasn't when O'Brien left in late January to go to the Patriots.

It was just not a good situation for anyone.

Yeah it’s Monday Morning QBing on my part. You’re right about the timing. Probably painted MF into a corner. But still seems like a program w/ ND resources could have dug something up.

What stings the most is Rees likely has ND undefeated. He would’ve had the first 3 games to really get his footing w/ the new QB. At Bama, he got Texas right off the bat but he’s seemed to have settled in to what Milroe offers and adjusted accordingly. I mean TAMU shut their run game down so he schemed Milroe to passing for 300+ yds in the win.

 

[domerfreak]

 

[IRISHDODGER]

Wow, as Brian Kelly would say “I’m for it…executing the players I mean…or something. It’s an old John McKay joke…get it?!”

 

[NDWarrior]

Yeah it’s Monday Morning QBing on my part. You’re right about the timing. Probably painted MF into a corner. But still seems like a program w/ ND resources could have dug something up.

What stings the most is Rees likely has ND undefeated. He would’ve had the first 3 games to really get his footing w/ the new QB. At Bama, he got Texas right off the bat but he’s seemed to have settled in to what Milroe offers and adjusted accordingly. I mean TAMU shut their run game down so he schemed Milroe to passing for 300+ yds in the win.

Exactly, it was so unexpected that the Sat afternoon CBS crew for the game was going on re: how shocked they were that Milroe was passing so much, but as you pointed out here, Rees had to and did make adjustments and look at the results. It was likely a bit of gamble re: how Milroe would do with more passing in his game, but I'll bet the change up with Rees and staff's confidence him to make the throws went a long way... whereas Parker and the O staff having Hartman doing the same thing over and over again, did the exact opposite and reduced his confidence and pocket composure because we all know Hartman is much better than he played Sat night.