Marcus Freeman named Dick Corbett Head Football Coach

[NDdomer2]

I’m not going to pretend like BK was as active as he should be but the bolded is just not true. I’m not here to white knight Kelly but this stuff is turning into total insanity. He literally just personally recruited Devin Moore. And, per Devin, BK leaving was a reason for his de-commitment. There were a handful of recruitments that BK personally handled most cycles. And then he got involved later in the process for a lot of the others. They literally held recruiting events at BK’s lake house where he was extremely engaged with recruits and their families. Prior to the pandemic those were a smashing success.

Can you call it flawed? Of course. Can you say it wasn’t good enough? Have at it. But let’s stop re-writing history here. It’s getting a little much. We should all want to love Freeman for Freeman. Not because we have to lie about the reality we just lived through.

its just salt in the wounds I think.

However, it is getting really hard to believe some of the Kelly talk I see here post-leaving.

The man took the program out of the dumpster, period.

For as much as we want to question and point out the things he could have been better at, there are far more questions surrounding MF and his ability to even maintain the level of success let alone improve upon it.

Maybe some insecurities about the future are projecting on the past.

 

[StPaul_Irish]

I’m not going to pretend like BK was as active as he should be but the bolded is just not true. I’m not here to white knight Kelly but this stuff is turning into total insanity. He literally just personally recruited Devin Moore. And, per Devin, BK leaving was a reason for his de-commitment. There were a handful of recruitments that BK personally handled most cycles. And then he got involved later in the process for a lot of the others. They literally held recruiting events at BK’s lake house where he was extremely engaged with recruits and their families. Prior to the pandemic those were a smashing success.

Can you call it flawed? Of course. Can you say it wasn’t good enough? Have at it. But let’s stop re-writing history here. It’s getting a little much. We should all want to love Freeman for Freeman. Not because we have to lie about the reality we just lived through.

1/2 right on this one Lucky. It is WELL documented by all the beat guys, straight from the horses mouth(s) on multiple guys that they hever heard from BK. Then there was the 2nd group. Guys that came to campus and got barley a sniff of BK. Group 3, guys that would hear from him time to time. Group 4.. The smallest group, guys that BK was active on.

While it may be hyperbole to say that he "didn't call or text guys", it is far from being "not true". Baking one cake doesn't make you a baker.

EDIT: From all accounts/reports, BEB was fantastic in the room, be it a living room or his office. And yes, he is responsible for more good then bad, ND is in the conversation again, the program has had its luster restored and BEB is a major reason for that.

 

[Free Manera]

1/2 right on this one Lucky. It is WELL documented by all the beat guys, straight from the horses mouth(s) on multiple guys that they hever heard from BK. Then there was the 2nd group. Guys that came to campus and got barley a sniff of BK. Group 3, guys that would hear from him time to time. Group 4.. The smallest group, guys that BK was active on.

While it may be hyperbole to say that he "didn't call or text guys", it is far from being "not true". Baking one cake doesn't make you a baker.

EDIT: From all accounts/reports, BEB was fantastic in the room, be it a living room or his office. And yes, he is responsible for more good then bad, ND is in the conversation again, the program has had its luster restored and BEB is a major reason for that.

Agree. I credit Kelly with being a great CEO, pushing the admin to make improvements, and being a great closer when he wanted to be. But there are no illusions of his recruiting effort left now. He was virtually absent to all but the very top of the board guys.

 

[ACamp1900]

I don’t envy Freeman. He farts once and the worst of the fan base is going to cry he dealt it.
.

Yeah, if they lose to tOSU and drop one or more of the hand full of games prior to Clemson.... a lot of the fanbase will be shitting bricks.

 

[Crazy Balki]

Yeah, if they lose to tOSU and drop one or more of the hand full of games prior to Clemson.... a lot of the fanbase will be shitting bricks.

Unfortunate, but true.

Part of it stems from the fact that ND is returning a lot for this year and ND has things running well right now and we finally have a coach who's going to put in the work in recruiting. Having a rough start to the year would definitely take a lot of wind out of the sails.

 

[Irish#1]

My only gripe about Kelly was him not immersing himself in the recruiting process. I don't know if it was time constraints due to demands of the position or he thought getting into the grind of recruiting was beneath him. Regardless, he should have been wearing out more shoe leather than he did.

 

[IrishRazor82]

My only gripe about Kelly was him not immersing himself in the recruiting process. I don't know if it was time constraints due to demands of the position or he thought getting into the grind of recruiting was beneath him. Regardless, he should have been wearing out more shoe leather than he did.

Watch MF burn out in 3 years and in hindsight we realize BK's approach was correct to ensure longevity and stability - marathon not a sprint (No I am not predicting this).

 

[irishff1014]

Watch MF burn out in 3 years and in hindsight we realize BK's approach was correct to ensure longevity and stability - marathon not a sprint (No I am not predicting this).

Another reason I think it’s a mistake he didn’t name a recruiter coordinator. This a tough job and I get it you want to be the leader in recruiting but you also have to coach l, be a boss, and be figure at any fundraising event.

 

[IrishRazor82]

Another reason I think it’s a mistake he didn’t name a recruiter coordinator. This a tough job and I get it you want to be the leader in recruiting but you also have to coach l, be a boss, and be figure at any fundraising event.

But also why I like the Al Golden hire. MF can step out of defense completely and know it's in fully capable hands.

Agree with you, just saying Al helps.

 

[Crazy Balki]

Another reason I think it’s a mistake he didn’t name a recruiter coordinator. This a tough job and I get it you want to be the leader in recruiting but you also have to coach l, be a boss, and be figure at any fundraising event.

I don't think it's a big deal.

To my knowledge, Alabama doesn't have a designated recruiting coordinator. Georgia doesn't. Ohio State doesn't. Texas A&M doesn't. They all seem to do pretty well for themselves. All four also have head coaches who are notorious dogs on the trail.

And it was also mentioned on ISD, but it could be a situation where Freeman decides to name one of them at a later date. Wouldn't surprise me if Freeman already has Brian Mason acting as a sort of head recruiting liaison in an unofficial capacity, but I think it's not a huge deal. It matters less having a recruiting coordinator if your coach is at the forefront of recruiting and you have a guy like Chad Bowden leading your recruiting office.

I think it matters more for a coach like Kelly who was less involved in the day-to-day operations of recruiting, but Freeman seems to be taking more of a Nick Saban/Urban Meyer approach to it. He's the one every coach has to answer to in regards to every player they're after.

 

[Rogue219]

I want him to succeed so badly.

 

[NDdomer2]

I want him to succeed so badly.

i want all coaches at ND to succeed so badly, especially for football

 

[IRISHDODGER]

I want him to succeed so badly.

Me, too. He checks every box except “winning games” but that portion hasn’t begun yet. His first season as a head coach will be a tougher road to hoe than what BK faced the past few years.

His message to players’ parents has to resonate based on that interview. He gets it. I love that he doesn’t shy away from the stark fact that a lot of these kids don’t know their father but need to know how to be a father one day so he can serve as an example.

 

[Irish#1]

His schedule is loaded, yet he found time to be at Warren Central in Indy a few weeks ago to watch his kids wrestle at the ISWA Folkstyle state tournament.

 

[DONTH8]

His schedule is loaded, yet he found time to be at Warren Central in Indy a few weeks ago to watch his kids wrestle at the ISWA Folkstyle state tournament.

Private jet perks.

 

[BrownerandFry]

Yeah, if they lose to tOSU and drop one or more of the hand full of games prior to Clemson.... a lot of the fanbase will be shitting bricks.

Good, let the wimps wimp out and break their ankles jumping off the bandwagon.

It is a Notre Dame tradition.

When Leahy went to the Tformation, the Rockneites screamed "Bloody Box formation" More seats for the nonwhiners

Ara raised suspicion because he was a non Catholic and non-alum, revisionism be damned.

And Devine was absoutely pilloried before he won the glittering '77 national championshp in resounding fashion.

It's like combat. Veterans used to get mad at draft dodgers. Now, may of us realized we were better off without the wimps. the 1ys and the the cowards.

this is Notre Dame. We started off late and as outsiders. Let the frontrunners root for Bama

If two losses is the cost to identify the Quislings, let's get it on.

 

[clashmore_mike]

Marcus Freeman Rallying Notre Dame Football Alumni

Marcus Freeman Rallying Notre Dame Football Alumni

247sports.com

Pretty good stuff here with what Freeman is doing to get former players back around the program. Wes Pritchett says on a scale on 1-100 on how much alums were welcomed back it was at a 1 in the previous regime. Now they are having a 3 day event around the spring game and players are encouraged to visit any time they want.

 

[irishff1014]

Marcus Freeman Rallying Notre Dame Football Alumni

Marcus Freeman Rallying Notre Dame Football Alumni

247sports.com

Pretty good stuff here with what Freeman is doing to get former players back around the program. Wes Pritchett says on a scale on 1-100 on how much alums were welcomed back it was at a 1 in the previous regime. Now they are having a 3 day event around the spring game and players are encouraged to visit any time they want.

I wonder why Kelly was so scared to have the former players around?

 

[Irish#1]

I wonder why Kelly was so scared to have the former players around?

Ego. He wanted this to be his FB program and not ND's.

 

[Rockin’Irish]

It is indeed very strange that former players were not generally welcome during the BK era……you would think that common sense dictates that using all the tools at your disposal would create the best opportunity for success. Real head shaker.

 

[Pops Freshenmeyer]

I would be leery about letting the team culture of Kelly's predecessors permeate into the locker room.

 

[Rogue219]

Me, too. He checks every box except “winning games” but that portion hasn’t begun yet. His first season as a head coach will be a tougher road to hoe than what BK faced the past few years.

His message to players’ parents has to resonate based on that interview. He gets it. I love that he doesn’t shy away from the stark fact that a lot of these kids don’t know their father but need to know how to be a father one day so he can serve as an example.

That's what I'm getting at. It is the part that ultimately decides whether he gets to matter and for how long. His message, his attitude, the way he carries himself right now is perfect for what the program is supposed to be about. I hope he never loses that.

 

[BrownerandFry]

The most impressive thing that Freeman has done is giving such a wide berth to Al Golden and the defense.

Great people and great leaders are never threatened by competence that surrounds them

Freeman is wise beyond his years.

 

[Rogue219]

Based on Al Golden's recommendation, both offense and defense began spring practice working on red zone packages. Freeman and Rees were all in on this. Evidently most teams work on red zone toward the latter of spring ball, but they started with it. It's stuff like this that gives me hope that Freeman was and will be the right choice.

He is also bringing back having the team attend pregame mass, which went away under Kelly. The players will then leave the Basilica and walk to the stadium. Was surprised to hear this went away.

 

[AlaskanIrish]

Based on Al Golden's recommendation, both offense and defense began spring practice working on red zone packages. Freeman and Rees were all in on this. Evidently most teams work on red zone toward the latter of spring ball, but they started with it. It's stuff like this that gives me hope that Freeman was and will be the right choice.

He is also bringing back having the team attend pregame mass, which went away under Kelly. The players will then leave the Basilica and walk to the stadium. Was surprised to hear this went away.

Any thoughts on Roby Toma's comments on twitter? Essentially, he said it was more difficult for players to "switch on" for the game right after the serenity of Mass. So, he liked having Mass the night before.

 

[Veritate Duce Progredi]

Any thoughts on Roby Toma's comments on twitter? Essentially, he said it was more difficult for players to "switch on" for the game right after the serenity of Mass. So, he liked having Mass the night before.

They need to coordinate the entire thing: Mass / moment of reflection, then as they exit the doors, we need to have speakers lined down the walk with shipping down to boston or any other "pump up" music to help them switch on. I have no doubt Freeman could get something like this done. It needs to be a spectacle to build towards the intensity of game day. If it's a night game, there should be lights lining the walk.

 

[NDdomer2]

Any thoughts on Roby Toma's comments on twitter? Essentially, he said it was more difficult for players to "switch on" for the game right after the serenity of Mass. So, he liked having Mass the night before.

the solution to this is the topic intensity of the sermon.

 

[Rasputin]

This is partly true. I think the biggest issue with Kelly is the way he left, and for me, probably more how he characterized the potential of his new school in contrast to Notre Dame. It was disrespectful. He could have left on better terms. I understand that this is the way of college football now, but not every coach has to bend to the system. This is basic integrity. Of course, he did great things as a coach at ND. But his actions out the door did not reflect a modicum of loyalty to an experience that also rewarded him tremendously, and thereby he alienated many of his defenders who love the school he once represented. For this reason, love him or hate him, I think both are justified.

Freeman faces the scorn of fans just waiting for him to slip up and underperform (the told-you-so crowd), and I hope he is able to weather the pressure. Everyone is already saying he has a full cupboard, so his margin for error is extremely thin. But there will certainly be growing pains his first season.

Is there any meaningful segment of the Notre Dame fan base that is actually in this camp? Who is saying the cupboard is full? The lunatic fringe doesn't count as meaningful.

 

[ACamp1900]

Is there any meaningful segment of the Notre Dame fan base that is actually in this camp? Who is saying the cupboard is full? The lunatic fringe doesn't count as meaningful.

This is why I believe in consistency from a fan perspective. No matter if the cupboard is barren or overflowing with talent, no matter if the head coach is a legend or first time HC, I always support my team in the same way....



Whoever ND is playing by 50.

 

[Rogue219]

Any thoughts on Roby Toma's comments on twitter? Essentially, he said it was more difficult for players to "switch on" for the game right after the serenity of Mass. So, he liked having Mass the night before.

No