Marcus Freeman named Dick Corbett Head Football Coach

[Te'o4Heisman]

I sure hope Freeman can figure out coaching. He is interviewing for the AD job if he can. Dude is the greatest rep any school can have.

Greathouse is not built like a freshman WR.

 

[rtrn2glory]

If administration would get out of MFMF way he'd win at least two Natty's

 

[PutuporShutup]

There ain’t another guy or coach in the country I’d rather have than Freeman leading this team he gets it. Now if the administration can get their heads out of their A** and get on an even playing field with NIL and give some leeway with admissions it will be a game changer

It’s one thing to get it(agree) another to know how to be an elite coach. Not there yet. He’s been at ND for two years now and I’m underwhelmed by his coaching ability. This is a huge year because most of the pieces are there to make a run.

 

[stlnd01]

It’s one thing to get it(agree) another to know how to be an elite coach. Not there yet. He’s been at ND for two years now and I’m underwhelmed by his coaching ability. This is a huge year because most of the pieces are there to make a run.

Eh. We shall see. The thing that has impressed me most about Freeman is how last year - despite multiple opportunities to do so - the team never gave up and packed it in on what must have been a disappointing season. That’s a credit to his ability as a coach and a leader, and in this sport probably more important than any X’s and O’s stuff.

 

[PutuporShutup]

Eh. We shall see. The thing that has impressed me most about Freeman is how last year - despite multiple opportunities to do so - the team never gave up and packed it in on what must have been a disappointing season. That’s a credit to his ability as a coach and a leader, and in this sport probably more important than any X’s and O’s stuff.

I don’t think it’s a credit to his coaching, but instead like you mention a credit to his leadership. He needs to become a great head coach, a big part of that is his staff. Golden was so so last year, Parker tbd, a lot on Washington this year. Dline clearly regressed last year under him.

I think freeman is a great leader and I love that he seems to have minimal ego. Just not sold on his actual Xs and Os and development.

 

[PutuporShutup]

You’re a little too attached to the semantics game here in regards to leadership. Being a great leader is a HUGE part of being a great coach. The Xs and Os were not absent. Inexperience was a factor. It was his first season as a head coach. Evaluate him more on the Xs and Os after next year. If we are in the same place then, let’s talk.

X’s and O’s of dropping foskey and ademilola in coverage in 21 a lot, and that happened again last year … inexcusable poor scheme with our players

 

[Te'o4Heisman]

X’s and O’s of dropping foskey and ademilola in coverage in 21 a lot, and that happened again last year … inexcusable poor scheme with our players

Interesting considering it is commonly run at the highest level of football.

 

[PutuporShutup]

Interesting considering it is commonly run at the highest level of football.

Nfls top pass rushers rarely drop into coverage, especially on obvious pass rushing situations.

I could get on board if there was any deception. Starting foskey 10 yards off the Los, NEVER worked. Didn’t fool anyone.

 

[Te'o4Heisman]

Nfls top pass rushers rarely drop into coverage, especially on obvious pass rushing situations.

but they do, and that is the point. You are acting like our coaches just constantly drop out top pass rushers into coverage on obvious get after the Qb pass rush situations and that is 100% not the case. There are schematic advantages to drop a DE into coverage in certain passing situations, to put someone in a passing lane on a quick slant. Screen or quick out for a slot or Te connected to the line. It is done at every level of football to disrupt these otherwise difficult to defend passing situations And create confusion with pressure from different places. You are letting your preconceived perceptions of how often and in what situations we do this cloud the reality. It might not be an every series situation in the NFL, but it is part or every NFL defensive playbook to a similar degree that it is part of ours.

 

[Te'o4Heisman]

Nfls top pass rushers rarely drop into coverage, especially on obvious pass rushing situations.

I could get on board if there was any deception. Starting foskey 10 yards off the Los, NEVER worked. Didn’t fool anyone.

To take this a step further are you trying to convince anyone on this board that zone blitzes are not a regular in NFL playbooks?

 

[PutuporShutup]

To take this a step further are you trying to convince anyone on this board that zone blitzes are not a regular in NFL playbooks?

I think you don’t understand zone blitz vs having the de start 5-10 yards off los. Zone blitz has deception and confusion. Freeman didn’t have that in 21 or 22. To not abandon that scheme after the FSU game was disappointing to say the least. It’s also, Part of the reason why our lbs almost never get home in a blitz and we did bad on third and long situations. I really don’t want to Telegraph that our DEs will be in coverage. Our D for two years has been statistically average for power 5, after being good for the prior 4 years

Are you trying to tell anyone on this board freeman has done a great job coaching?

 

[NDohio]

I think you don’t understand zone blitz vs having the de start 5-10 yards off los. Zone blitz has deception and confusion. Freeman didn’t have that in 21 or 22. To not abandon that scheme after the FSU game was disappointing to say the least. It’s also, Part of the reason why our lbs almost never get home in a blitz and we did bad on third and long situations. I really don’t want to Telegraph that our DEs will be in coverage. Our D for two years has been statistically average for power 5, after being good for the prior 4 years

Are you trying to tell anyone on this board freeman has done a great job coaching?

This is just not true.

Over the last six years the overall defensive rankings for ND have been fairly consistent. In fact the two worst seasons for overall defensive stats came in 2018 and 2019.

NCAA Statistics

stats.ncaa.org

 

[Te'o4Heisman]

This is just not true.

Over the last six years the overall defensive rankings for ND have been fairly consistent. In fact the two worst seasons for overall defensive stats came in 2018 and 2019.

NCAA Statistics

stats.ncaa.org

Not only is his argument untrue but I think while it may not have been Nick Saban great or even as good as it possibly could have been, no reasonable person can MF didnt do a “good” job coaching this past year All things considered.
I’d also like to know where I can find game film that showed Foskey lining up anywhere close to 10 yards off the LOS. The whole argument is stupid.

 

[stlnd01]

This is just not true.

Over the last six years the overall defensive rankings for ND have been fairly consistent. In fact the two worst seasons for overall defensive stats came in 2018 and 2019.

NCAA Statistics

stats.ncaa.org

At risk of oversimplifying matters, I just looked up defensive points allowed per game. This is how we fared:

2017: 21.5 PPG (#31 in the country)
2018: 18.2 (#13)
2019: 17.9 (#12)
2020: 19.7 (#14)
2021: 19.7 (#15)
2022: 23 (#39)

2022 College Football Team Defense | College Football at Sports-Reference.com

Check out the 2022 College Football Team Defense and more about College Football at Sports-Reference.com

www.sports-reference.com

So, no meaningful difference the Lea years and Freeman's year as DC. Yes a bit of a dropoff in 2022, but still above average. And I wonder how much of that could be attributed to our often-inept offense putting the D in tough spots. Perhaps some advanced stat-head know which dataset accounts for offensive incompetence.

Either way, I've never thought of Freeman as some Xs and Os genius, so much as a leader of men. Both are important to coaching, but a head coach can hire the Xs and Os part. He can't hire the leadership. I will say I'm not entirely sold on Golden. But on the latter front, Freeman is doing just fine.

 

[PutuporShutup]

At risk of oversimplifying matters, I just looked up defensive points allowed per game. This is how we fared:

2017: 21.5 PPG (#31 in the country)
2018: 18.2 (#13)
2019: 17.9 (#12)
2020: 19.7 (#14)
2021: 19.7 (#15)
2022: 23 (#39)

2022 College Football Team Defense | College Football at Sports-Reference.com

Check out the 2022 College Football Team Defense and more about College Football at Sports-Reference.com

www.sports-reference.com

So, no meaningful difference the Lea years and Freeman's year as DC. Yes a bit of a dropoff in 2022, but still above average. And I wonder how much of that could be attributed to our often-inept offense putting the D in tough spots. Perhaps some advanced stat-head know which dataset accounts for offensive incompetence.

Either way, I've never thought of Freeman as some Xs and Os genius, so much as a leader of men. Both are important to coaching, but a head coach can hire the Xs and Os part. He can't hire the leadership. I will say I'm not entirely sold on Golden. But on the latter front, Freeman is doing just fine.

Any chance if you have the time can you put in SOS? I'm pretty sure the last 2 years our SOS has been very easy, especially 2021 and why our PPG were down that year despite all other defensive efficiency metrics not down. It's why in 21 offenses with a pulse did well against us but we dominated some of the worst offenses in football.

 

[Veritate Duce Progredi]

Any chance if you have the time can you put in SOS? I'm pretty sure the last 2 years our SOS has been very easy, especially 2021 and why our PPG were down that year despite all other defensive efficiency metrics not down. It's why in 21 offenses with a pulse did well against us but we dominated some of the worst offenses in football.

Any chance you could do some goddamned research before making assertive claims on this message board?

 

[PutuporShutup]

Not only is his argument untrue but I think while it may not have been Nick Saban great or even as good as it possibly could have been, no reasonable person can MF didnt do a “good” job coaching this past year All things considered.
I’d also like to know where I can find game film that showed Foskey lining up anywhere close to 10 yards off the LOS. The whole argument is stupid.

5:58
18:04 -ademilola
18:31

Just took a few minutes. You have to remember how much freeman played 3 down in that game and most of 21, we did it not as much in 2022. The 3 down a lot of times had a DE dropped back as a LB. It flat out almost never worked and got gashed a ton especially vs teams with an athletic QB.

 

[317Irish]

I don’t have the time to do the research that proves me to be wrong about our DE usage in coverage, but can somebody please provide some numbers disproving it and I’ll continue to argue my point regardless? I’ll proceed to divert and deflect as needed to make sure I end up being correct about something, should it not be about my original point. Please and thank you!

 

[IrishLax]

Red zone defense was the major flaw with last year's defense. Nothing more, nothing less. With even an "average" red zone defense the overall unit would've graded out very well. Agree on overall DL regression tho.

 

[PutuporShutup]

Red zone defense was the major flaw with last year's defense. Nothing more, nothing less. With even an "average" red zone defense the overall unit would've graded out very well. Agree on overall DL regression tho.

Defense did an exceptional job at 3 and outs and did just as bad at red zone. I think first and last for those or close to it?

I'd add on 3rd and longs we'd give up enough yards to make 4th down a go, or allow teams to get in field goal range. Also add run D, especially late in games when we needed a stop.

It's a big year for the front 7. I'm really really curious to see if we're rolling out with Marist, Betrand, Kiser. All 3 struggled last year, betrand maybe was the only one that at times played well. They might be the right 3 to role out first series vs Navy, but I'm not sure they are the right 3 to beat Ohio State. Kollie, sneed, maybe Ziegler you'd have to think need to be pushing them.

 

[PutuporShutup]

I don’t have the time to do the research that proves me to be wrong about our DE usage in coverage, but can somebody please provide some numbers disproving it and I’ll continue to argue my point regardless? I’ll proceed to divert and deflect as needed to make sure I end up being correct about something, should it not be about my original point. Please and thank you!

Apologies, i'm not on here enough, what's your opinion on our DE usage in coverage?

 

[Te'o4Heisman]

5:58
18:04 -ademilola
18:31

Just took a few minutes. You have to remember how much freeman played 3 down in that game and most of 21, we did it not as much in 2022. The 3 down a lot of times had a DE dropped back as a LB. It flat out almost never worked and got gashed a ton especially vs teams with an athletic QB.

So youre arguing the scheme being stupid and ineffective by hanging your hat on an example of a play from 2 years ago where foskey started 4 (not 10 yds) off the ball, dropped right into the throwing lane for Travis’ first look which caused him to hold onto the ball, take a sack and nearly end up with a scoop and score.
Oh what a world we live in.

 

[PutuporShutup]

Any chance you could do some goddamned research before making assertive claims on this message board?

I believe we were 44th in total D in 2021, and like 22nd last year. PPG flip flopped due to SOS flip flop.

 

[PutuporShutup]

So youre arguing the scheme being stupid and ineffective by hanging your hat on an example of a play from 2 years ago where foskey started 4 (not 10 yds) off the ball, dropped right into the throwing lane for Travis’ first look which caused him to hold onto the ball, take a sack and nearly end up with a scoop and score.
Oh what a world we live in.

Yes the scheme was stupid for our personnel. If you go 3 down you need 3 monsters on the DLine to eat up the oline. We didn't and still don' really have that personnel.

Are we not talking about Freemans coaching ability at ND? I'm not really sure how September 2021 is 2 years ago? Did you not watch the game vs FSU where we were in 3 down probably over 50% and they kept gashing us on it? Do i really need to find the article/interview where freeman admits to being shell shocked at FSU that the scheme he worked on and coached all spring/fall was being gashed and how he had to figure out how to tweak it but couldn't abandon it due to it being foundational for the plan that season.

IF you are truly claiming we didn't play 3 down much at all in 2021 with DEs dropping in coverage (ND getting gashed) there's no point in us discussing this or even freeman.

 

[NDohio]

Are we not talking about Freemans coaching ability at ND? I'm not really sure how September 2021 is 2 years ago? Did you not watch the game vs FSU where we were in 3 down probably over 50% and they kept gashing us on it? Do i really need to find the article/interview where freeman admits to being shell shocked at FSU that the scheme he worked on and coached all spring/fall was being gashed and how he had to figure out how to tweak it but couldn't abandon it due to it being foundational for the plan that season.

IF you are truly claiming we didn't play 3 down much at all in 2021 with DEs dropping in coverage (ND getting gashed) there's no point in us discussing this or even freeman.

Did you miss the part where the FSU game was the first game of the season and MF did make adjustments and the defense improved greatly throughout the season and as a result were ranked in the top 15 by year's end, and they continued to improve even after the best defensive player on the team got hurt and by the end of the season we were shutting down teams on a regular basis and...

 

[NDLS_USMC]

Some people have too much time to spend on this site...and they usually are "new" users. Appreciate you long-time members who battle these guys to keep IE rational and enjoyable.

 

[317Irish]

Apologies, i'm not on here enough, what's your opinion on our DE usage in coverage?

Being diverse, giving multiple looks, and creating uncertainty for the offense (QB specifically) in general is a positive. Foskey has the athleticism to drop, and I think there was an effectiveness at times in doing so. There’s a limitation to how much I personally would want to see him drop vs rush/hang around the LOS, but I’m also able admit that just maybe the coaches can game plan for an offense better than myself. It seems to me that you’re not taking that into consideration with your argument.

 

[Veritate Duce Progredi]

I believe we were 44th in total D in 2021, and like 22nd last year. PPG flip flopped due to SOS flip flop.

According to who? Provide a link if you're going to make such definitive statements. We're all interested in the numbers because they help us get an idea of how things've changed year over year.

Here's the FEI rankings for defense (includes adjustment for opponents)
FEI rankings link

2018 - 20th
2019 - 8th
2020 - 24th
2021 - 11th
2022 - 31st

Our red zone defense was atrocious and our offense failed to keep drives going. Here's more stats to explain:
BCF Toys PPD - point per drive:
BCF Toys PPD link

2018 - 10th
2019 - 6th
2020 - 12th
2021 - 9th
2022 - 21st

 

[stlnd01]

The first time I paid any real attention to Freeman as a coach was watching the fourth quarter of Cincy v Georgia bowl game at the end of the 2020 season and Cincy just got shredded running that three-man front, allowing Georgia to march down the field for a game-winning field goal. Then that FSU game, which was pretty ugly.

But he adjusted and our defense was really pretty good in 2021, as all these stats indicate. Not really that worried about Freeman's acumen as a defensive coach. But, again, now that he is a head coach, it's frankly more important is who he hires as DC.

 

[PutuporShutup]

The first time I paid any real attention to Freeman as a coach was watching the fourth quarter of Cincy v Georgia bowl game at the end of the 2020 season and Cincy just got shredded running that three-man front, allowing Georgia to march down the field for a game-winning field goal. Then that FSU game, which was pretty ugly.

But he adjusted and our defense was really pretty good in 2021, as all these stats indicate. Not really that worried about Freeman's acumen as a defensive coach. But, again, now that he is a head coach, it's frankly more important is who he hires as DC.

Agree with this and the plan for Ohio State was really really good, but then Marshall happened the following week and Cal the week after that. Also Stanford happened after good wins vs UNC & BYU (Despite them both being over rated).

If I was really confident in this staff I would be really confident in 10-2 or better this year as we have that type of talent and ability on the team this year.

I hope the staff gels, grows, and we crush it with a good shot at the CFP. We obviously play 3 really good teams. The team that is away (clemson) is probably the worst of the 3 depending on how Klubnik develops vs Ohio States QB.