Marcus Freeman Revisited

[OhioIrish]

My takes:

1. Seems like a nice, likable guy.
2. Loyal to players. Arguably to a detriment
3. Has demonstrated he can get big time coordinators.
4. Good recruiter / transfers (say what you will, Hartman and Leonard were top commodities). Is he elite though?
5. Very, very questionable in game decisions
6. Has a poor understanding of clock management
7. Lacks attention to detail / not a perfectionist
8. Team is inconsistent and often unprepared

I don’t know at this point …

​

Agree with all. To me it’s really a question of whether MF the ability to adapt quickly — which is the new reality in the NIL era. For three seasons it has been essentially the same product on field — very solid defense with above average athleticism; on offense, QB play that cannot take advantage of the limited playmakers at skill positions, coupled with inconsistent line play. The program has not improved, imo — I honestly cannot say which of the last 3 teams is best because they are all so flawed and inconsistent. I think we keep MF until we have a no doubt coach who wants to be here. Until then I still think MF is worth the risk.

 

[stlnd01]

Agree with all. To me it’s really a question of whether MF the ability to adapt quickly — which is the new reality in the NIL era. For three seasons it has been essentially the same product on field — very solid defense with above average athleticism; on offense, QB play that cannot take advantage of the limited playmakers at skill positions, coupled with inconsistent line play. .

We’ve also had three OCs in three seasons and no consistency at quarterback. Stabilize that and the offense gets a lot better, I think.

 

[texbender]

I really like Freeman and think he’s grown every year.

The only issue I had with him yesterday was going for it late in the 4th up 14. Punt the ball and force them to go 90 yards.


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

Agree 100%. Defense had kept you in the game all day. Didn’t like the call at all, and running your QB up the middle all day as your go to play only tells me the staff knows we can’t pass.

 

[OhioIrish]

We’ve also had three OCs in three seasons and no consistency at quarterback. Stabilize that and the offense gets a lot better, I think.

Totally fair. But, I think the new norm is turnover at key positions every year. OSU, Bama, Texas, Oregon, are all playing with either a new QB, new OC, or both. Staying elite on the fly is now the standard, I think.

 

[ThePiombino]

While I am concerned about our offensive recruiting at the moment, I do genuinely believe we are a legit quarterback away from stabilizing things. The bad losses and recruiting should improve with a competent quarterback. Hoping Minchey or Carr grab the bull by the horns next year.

 

[stlnd01]

Totally fair. But, I think the new norm is turnover at key positions every year. OSU, Bama, Texas, Oregon, are all playing with either a new QB, new OC, or both. Staying elite on the fly is now the standard, I think.

Ewers is a third-year starter and the “new” qb is Arch Manning. Texas’s OC is a former head coach in his third year there. And Sarkisian has always been a QB whisperer.

Milroe is a second year starter and Bama just hired one of the best offensive coaches in the game as their head coach.

Ohio State brought in Chip Kelly and has a ridiculous WR room.

What we’ve been doing at QB and OC - with a young defensive-minded head coach - is not the same thing as that at all. I want to see Denbrock and either Carr or Minchey cook for a couple of years. Do that and our offense will open up considerably.

 

[BobbyMac]

We’ve also had three OCs in three seasons and no consistency at quarterback. Stabilize that and the offense gets a lot better, I think.

Can't believe I read that many posts from today before THIS was typed.

ND's a slave to Win-Now. I'm almost hoping for loss #2 and Freeman having the stones to say F this season & give CJ all the snaps to make a run at a tougher yet doable schedule next year and against anybody in '26.

 

[Grahambo]

My big picture take is that he is great at getting his team “up” for big games. In his first three seasons he is 12-3 ATS in games where the line is a TD or less. Meaning when he’s playing a good opponent / opponent of comparable talent his team is over performing expectations 80% of the time.

He has also done a good job of recruiting and that’s how this team is still competitive despite being on their 9th offensive lineman and losing other critical starters.

Overall team discipline, in game management of clock/situation, etc. all seem nowhere close to where they need to be which is how he’s to three grossly inferior opponents in 30 games.

I remember for a long time Andy Reid was considered one of the worst at clock management. I hold out hope MF can improve in that area.

Team discipline is a bit more worrisome for me. Two weeks in a row an absolutely boneheaded after the play foul by the defense.

 

[Bluto]

I remember for a long time Andy Reid was considered one of the worst at clock management. I hold out hope MF can improve in that area.

Team discipline is a bit more worrisome for me. Two weeks in a row an absolutely boneheaded after the play foul by the defense.

That’s my biggest concern by a pretty wide margin.

I think some of that has to do with how young much of the team is and by extension there is a lack of veteran leadership.

Cheating aside, experience was one of the key elements to Michigan being able to win it all last year.

 

[mrmcgrail]

You know Alabama with saban was always one of the most penalized teams

 

[ThePiombino]

You know Alabama with saban was always one of the most penalized teams

The margins were markedly wider at Bama. Still are.

 

[mrmcgrail]

But you are saying that is the sign of a good coach so you can't have it both ways

 

[mrmcgrail]

I'm pretty sure Michigan was one of the top teams in the entire country last year too

 

[calvegas04]

You know Alabama with saban was always one of the most penalized teams

Easy for bama to have high penalties when they have the coaching and athletes make up for it.

 

[mrmcgrail]

But what you guys are saying penalties are part of bad coaching so what is it? Is it bad coaching by saban or no?

 

[Bluto]

But you are saying that is the sign of a good coach so you can't have it both ways

I think what is being said is that a good coach gets his team to understand their own limitations if they expect to win consistently.

 

[mrmcgrail]

So you think a coach at Notre dame wants his team to think they aren't as talented as any team they play? Have a lot of you not played football?

 

[mrmcgrail]

Freeman has to get better as a coach but some of this stuff is just nonsense.

 

[Bluto]

But what you guys are saying penalties are part of bad coaching so what is it? Is it bad coaching by saban or no?

Excessive penalties as well as the situation and timing can definitely be a sign of bad coaching.

Big difference between a false start in a blowout win and a personal foul after a play that allows a team to stay on the field for a potential game winning drive.

So you think a coach at Notre dame wants his team to think they aren't as talented as any team they play? Have a lot of you not played football?

No, but he needs them to understand that they do not have the talent to overcome a bunch of stupid mistakes on a regular basis. That’s just the reality at hand.

Saban kind of had the opposite problem in my opinion and that’s why he was always going on about “rat poison”.

 

[mrmcgrail]

I will take a team playing aggressive and there being some pi or personal fouls false starts delay of games is where you can see coaching and a young team

 

[BobbyMac]

Stop. We know the answer is highly penalized teams can be great if their havoc rate, yards per play and scoring D overcome it.

Bama was brought up under Saban. The '85 Bears collected 15 yd PF's like baseball cards & sea shells.

 

[irishandy]

0 penalties for ND in the first half- that was one of the best stats I saw on the scoreboard yesterday.

 

[TheProspector]

Stop. We know the answer is highly penalized teams can be great if their havoc rate, yards per play and scoring D overcome it.

Bama was brought up under Saban. The '85 Bears collected 15 yd PF's like baseball cards & sea shells.

I’d be interested to see a breakdown of the penalties as well. False starts, delay of games, illegal formations, etc. would seem to fall under the “poorly coached” bucket, while holding, pass interference, etc. could be a team just being very aggressive and something a coach could live with.

 

[GrangerIrish24]

So you think a coach at Notre dame wants his team to think they aren't as talented as any team they play? Have a lot of you not played football?

No but we a legends on the keyboard.

 

[ThePiombino]

But what you guys are saying penalties are part of bad coaching so what is it? Is it bad coaching by saban or no?

Can't speak for others, but my belief is that lack of discipline is a coaching shortcoming. Saban had no dearth of coaching acumen which MORE MORE MORE than made up for it. Does Freeman? TBD, but not looking great so far...

 

[mrmcgrail]

Look at sabans records at Michigan State it took him time to become that guy

 

[irishff1014]

While I am concerned about our offensive recruiting at the moment, I do genuinely believe we are a legit quarterback away from stabilizing things. The bad losses and recruiting should improve with a competent quarterback. Hoping Minchey or Carr grab the bull by the horns next year.

I am not sure about this. I thought we were recruiting well at offensive line but they are good players but not stellar. With the offenses we have keep throwing out there require stellar o lines and I am not seeing that anymore.

 

[ThePiombino]

I am not sure about this. I thought we were recruiting well at offensive line but they are good players but not stellar. With the offenses we have keep throwing out there require stellar o lines and I am not seeing that anymore.

They're SO YOUNG and there has been constant change. We had what? 4 injuries on OL alone now? I'm sure they'll progress appropriately. I have WAY more confidence in OL than other positions groups.

 

[irishff1014]

I said after the NIU game he should have been fired that’s inexcusable. I also know that he has done to much off the field to make the university to really good. So he isn’t going to be fired. We will have to just put up with him.

Just know that we are going to lose stupid games and we will be a good team but not great. I just have to overcome that we’ll never be a consistent top 10/top 5 team.

 

[OhioIrish]

Ewers is a third-year starter and the “new” qb is Arch Manning. Texas’s OC is a former head coach in his third year there. And Sarkisian has always been a QB whisperer.

Milroe is a second year starter and Bama just hired one of the best offensive coaches in the game as their head coach.

Ohio State brought in Chip Kelly and has a ridiculous WR room.

What we’ve been doing at QB and OC - with a young defensive-minded head coach - is not the same thing as that at all. I want to see Denbrock and either Carr or Minchey cook for a couple of years. Do that and our offense will open up considerably.

Well now you’re making my point for me. In modern CFB you have to have to bring in elite difference makers — on both the roster and staff — every year. Head coaches have to adapt rapidly, and do it at a high level. MF seems two steps behind.