Marcus Freeman named Dick Corbett Head Football Coach

[stlnd01]

On the plus side, it now seems far less likely that Ohio State hires Freeman away to be their head coach any time soon.

 

[Irishdrunk]

Took Kelly three years to not be total dogshit and he arguably inherited a LOT more talent at many different positions than Freeman did. For example, we have 4 total healthy WRs right now and three of those are true freshmen. Winning 9 games last year with Drew freaking Pyne and some of the holes on that team is sorta crazy.

Look at Norvell at FSU too. Has them rolling now and people were ready to run him out of town after his rough initial start down there.

I think it's hard to take the perspective of the positive things that are happening coupled with how bungled the end of that last game was. with that being said... I legitimately think ND is about to have a major "let down" game in Durham and the pitchforks are reallllllly going to come out then.

Are you saying Kelly inherited a better ND team than Freeman???

 

[IrishLax]

I can’t believe I am quoting you but…

How do we players that are so smart that no one thought to jump offsides?

Or fake an injury.

And the answer is fog of war // panic. I feel like anyone who has coached any sport at a reasonably high level knows that mistakes are most frequent when you are 1) preoccupied 2) confused or 3) unprepared. In this case I think that they had basically told everyone "they're going to take two shots at the end zone" and when they got a first down + stopped the clock they were scrambling. I would guess that the breakdown came from a combination of a position coach and a player, and the team collectively did not have the situational awareness to fix it.

 

[irishff1014]

Or fake an injury.

And the answer is fog of war // panic. I feel like anyone who has coached any sport at a reasonably high level knows that mistakes are most frequent when you are 1) preoccupied 2) confused or 3) unprepared. In this case I think that they had basically told everyone "they're going to take two shots at the end zone" and when they got a first down + stopped the clock they were scrambling. I would guess that the breakdown came from a combination of a position coach and a player, and the team collectively did not have the situational awareness to fix it.

Good explanation.

 

[IrishLax]

Are you saying Kelly inherited a better ND team than Freeman???

Do people not actually realize how bad of a team Freeman inherited? I thought it was accepted that last year's team blew. It had 1 great OL, 1 late round OL, and 1 OL who was still developing but will probably be an NFL player. Elite TE. Failure level QB. No WRs of note. A good RB in Estime. Defense had one good pass rusher who would get drafted in the second round and then no one else in the front seven that was an NFL caliber player. They relied on true freshman corners and a grab bag at safety because they had zero developed talent there except for Cam Hart who is a 5th round pick at best. 3 total players got drafted and there were maybe three/four other guys soph-to-senior that played significant minutes and have an NFL future.

Kelly inherited upperclassmen versions of Rudolph, Floyd, and Harrison Smith. He also had multiple late rounders and like a half dozen+ other players that were at least sophomores and would be NFL players. So soph-to-senior he had something like a dozen+ NFL players his first year (including at least 6 top picks) and he went 7-5 in the regular season.

Kelly lost to Navy, Tulsa, South Florida, etc. in his first two years. It's just insane revisionist history to act like Freeman got handed the keys to a Ferrari when the truth is that he was given the worst collection of skill talent on offense in probably a decade AND holes on defense. It's been remarkable to see what Freeman has done upgrading through the transfer portal and playing young guys early to have such a competitive team in only his second year.

 

[317Irish]

Damn there are a lot of whiny assholes on this forum now.

Reps, POTY nominee, and couldn’t agree more.

 

[stlnd01]

Do people not actually realize how bad of a team Freeman inherited? I thought it was accepted that last year's team blew. It had 1 great OL, 1 late round OL, and 1 OL who was still developing but will probably be an NFL player. Elite TE. Failure level QB. No WRs of note. A good RB in Estime. Defense had one good pass rusher who would get drafted in the second round and then no one else in the front seven that was an NFL caliber player. They relied on true freshman corners and a grab bag at safety because they had zero developed talent there except for Cam Hart who is a 5th round pick at best. 3 total players got drafted and there were maybe three/four other guys soph-to-senior that played significant minutes and have an NFL future.



Kelly lost to Navy, Tulsa, South Florida, etc. in his first two years. It's just insane revisionist history to act like Freeman got handed the keys to a Ferrari when the truth is that he was given the worst collection of skill talent on offense in probably a decade AND holes on defense. It's been remarkable to see what Freeman has done upgrading through the transfer portal and playing young guys early to have such a competitive team in only his second year.

But they were ranked #5 in the preseason Lax!

 

[PutuporShutup]

Do people not actually realize how bad of a team Freeman inherited? I thought it was accepted that last year's team blew. It had 1 great OL, 1 late round OL, and 1 OL who was still developing but will probably be an NFL player. Elite TE. Failure level QB. No WRs of note. A good RB in Estime. Defense had one good pass rusher who would get drafted in the second round and then no one else in the front seven that was an NFL caliber player. They relied on true freshman corners and a grab bag at safety because they had zero developed talent there except for Cam Hart who is a 5th round pick at best. 3 total players got drafted and there were maybe three/four other guys soph-to-senior that played significant minutes and have an NFL future.

Kelly inherited upperclassmen versions of Rudolph, Floyd, and Harrison Smith. He also had multiple late rounders and like a half dozen+ other players that were at least sophomores and would be NFL players. So soph-to-senior he had something like a dozen+ NFL players his first year (including at least 6 top picks) and he went 7-5 in the regular season.

Kelly lost to Navy, Tulsa, South Florida, etc. in his first two years. It's just insane revisionist history to act like Freeman got handed the keys to a Ferrari when the truth is that he was given the worst collection of skill talent on offense in probably a decade AND holes on defense. It's been remarkable to see what Freeman has done upgrading through the transfer portal and playing young guys early to have such a competitive team in only his second year.

Partially true… freeman was practically any portal qb away from 10-2 last year… if they announced the day he was hired we are looking portal maybe you get a stud to come and have a chance at better than 10-2. Not going to the portal when he knew how bad pyne and Buchner were was a huge mistake. Freeman couldn’t get Kevin Austin to stay as well, huge loss.

Kelly did inherit really good offensive skill talent but he also inherited an oline and defense that had absolutely no clue how to play power 5 college football.

We all know you can’t win consistently without being good in the trenches. That was built up and established well with Kelly. Kelly was definitely lacking the ability to assess and develop the qb position plus relating to skill players and landing them. But the trenches were established with good talent and depth.

 

[Irish#1]

It
Must be a miserable life you live if everything that comes to mind is negative.

 

[Free Manera]

Can anyone on campus shed light on the tweets from today saying Freeman sent the whole team and staff into the stadium to watch the last 4:00 of the game with the sound on full blast?

Seems like bullshit but just curious.

 

[PutuporShutup]

Can anyone on campus shed light on the tweets from today saying Freeman sent the whole team and staff into the stadium to watch the last 4:00 of the game with the sound on full blast?

Seems like bullshit but just curious.

Sounds like BS, freeman said he only met with a few players before his PC, and the tweet came out before his PC

 

[notredomer23]

Sounds like BS, freeman said he only met with a few players before his PC, and the tweet came out before his PC

Not BS, my friend who didn’t leave until today confirmed it was being played at an insane sound level yesterday. I agree that it sounds contradictory to what Freeman said today but maybe he didn’t wanna open up a new narrative.

Edit: let me clarify. Friend didn’t know what was going on but there was insanely loud noise coming from the stadium. He saw the tweet and it all clicked

 

[PutuporShutup]

Not BS, my friend who didn’t leave until today confirmed it was being played at an insane sound level yesterday. I agree that it sounds contradictory to what Freeman said today but maybe he didn’t wanna open up a new narrative.

Edit: let me clarify. Friend didn’t know what was going on but there was insanely loud noise coming from the stadium. He saw the tweet and it all clicked

Hearing loud noise vs having entire team in the stadium watching last 4 minutes are very different

Either freeman lied or the tweet is false, someone even asked how he saw the couple players, said a few at his office and a few phone calls. Only other explanation would be freeman didn’t go watch with them

 

[notredomer23]

Hearing loud noise bs having emote tram in the stadium watching last 4 minutes are very different

Either freeman lied or the tweet is false, someone even asked how he saw the couple players, said a few at his office and a few phone calls. Only other explanation would be freeman didn’t go watch with them

What else would be going on at the stadium on a Sunday? They don’t use it for anything other than like one event around orientation and graduation as far as I know. I can’t imagine them showing the recruits visiting the stadium on Sunday would cause that alarm from people outside the stadium, but I have no clue what they do on a visit so maybe that?

 

[PutuporShutup]

What else would be going on at the stadium on a Sunday? They don’t use it for anything other than like one event around orientation and graduation as far as I know. I can’t imagine them showing the recruits visiting the stadium on Sunday would cause that alarm from people outside the stadium, but I have no clue what they do on a visit so maybe that?

Something for recruits would make sense, but I don’t know.

 

[IrishSpartan]

I’m happy with a NY6 bowl win this year. Baby steps I don’t know when our season became a Natty or a failure. Even if we win out getting into this playoff will be a matter or luck

 

[irishff1014]

Sounds like BS, freeman said he only met with a few players before his PC, and the tweet came out before his PC

I saw on a tweet that another student saw it and said the same thing. So who knows.

 

[stlnd01]

I don’t entirely understand the logistics of how (or why) they would have had the whole team watch the last four minutes IN the stadium at very loud decibels.. Like on the Jumbotron?

 

[Te'o4Heisman]

A very talented ND team is going into Durham as a wounded animal. My guess they come out and curb stomp Duke.
I think the difference between MF year one and MF year two is last year he might have had a vision for the team, but he spent a lot of time figuring out how to ebe a head coach. This year he has spent the year developing that vision and understands how to manage his team and responsibilities. There will be more growing pains to come, but he is a smart guy and a smart football coach. I believe in year 2 he understands his role in making sure his team is prepared for the upcoming week and will go above and beyond to make sure he has their attention and there is no let down. This is where they will benefit from some of that fire that was allowed to occur in camp this year. Now come out and send a f*cking message.

 

[NDFAN2008]

Do people not actually realize how bad of a team Freeman inherited? I thought it was accepted that last year's team blew. It had 1 great OL, 1 late round OL, and 1 OL who was still developing but will probably be an NFL player. Elite TE. Failure level QB. No WRs of note. A good RB in Estime. Defense had one good pass rusher who would get drafted in the second round and then no one else in the front seven that was an NFL caliber player. They relied on true freshman corners and a grab bag at safety because they had zero developed talent there except for Cam Hart who is a 5th round pick at best. 3 total players got drafted and there were maybe three/four other guys soph-to-senior that played significant minutes and have an NFL future.

Kelly inherited upperclassmen versions of Rudolph, Floyd, and Harrison Smith. He also had multiple late rounders and like a half dozen+ other players that were at least sophomores and would be NFL players. So soph-to-senior he had something like a dozen+ NFL players his first year (including at least 6 top picks) and he went 7-5 in the regular season.

Kelly lost to Navy, Tulsa, South Florida, etc. in his first two years. It's just insane revisionist history to act like Freeman got handed the keys to a Ferrari when the truth is that he was given the worst collection of skill talent on offense in probably a decade AND holes on defense. It's been remarkable to see what Freeman has done upgrading through the transfer portal and playing young guys early to have such a competitive team in only his second year.

This is where I'm at he shoulda went 11-1 with a D-2 QB last year. People tend to forget the freshman class now is tech his first recruiting class at ND. We had 3 freshman Saturday contribute and most of the reason why we were even competing with Ohio State. Greathouse, Love and Flores are going to be studs here. There is a lot of talent in this freshman class. I'm expecting guys like Jaguash to be a stud, Christian Grey is going to be good, I love James and Minchey, Flanagan is gonna be a stud TE, Ausberry is gonna finally bring speed to LB where we don't have to look over during a game and see why a slow LB is covering a RB one on one. I'm predicting a lot of these Freshman who are redshirting to break out and have big impacts next year. I also love what hes doing with redshirting guys which should pay dividends in 3-4 years. The entire DL is redshirting I believe and you got two WR's that will add depth later on. People also tend to forget this schedule this year might be tougher than anything Kelly ever faced. Ohio State, Duke, Lousiville, Clemson, USC are all top 25 teams and dangerous. I'll be happy with 9-3 and a good bowl game. I'm giving Freeman 4 years mininium that is when this Freshman class will be Juniors. I'm not saying we will be winning titles but I'd expect us in the 12 team playoff just about every year.

 

[Free Manera]

Partially true… freeman was practically any portal qb away from 10-2 last year… if they announced the day he was hired we are looking portal maybe you get a stud to come and have a chance at better than 10-2. Not going to the portal when he knew how bad pyne and Buchner were was a huge mistake. Freeman couldn’t get Kevin Austin to stay as well, huge loss.

Well Kelly couldn't get Kevin Austin on the field even when he was enrolled so...

 

[CANONIZEFATHERSORIN]

This is where I'm at he shoulda went 11-1 with a D-2 QB last year. People tend to forget the freshman class now is tech his first recruiting class at ND. We had 3 freshman Saturday contribute and most of the reason why we were even competing with Ohio State. Greathouse, Love and Flores are going to be studs here. There is a lot of talent in this freshman class. I'm expecting guys like Jaguash to be a stud, Christian Grey is going to be good, I love James and Minchey, Flanagan is gonna be a stud TE, Ausberry is gonna finally bring speed to LB where we don't have to look over during a game and see why a slow LB is covering a RB one on one. I'm predicting a lot of these Freshman who are redshirting to break out and have big impacts next year. I also love what hes doing with redshirting guys which should pay dividends in 3-4 years. The entire DL is redshirting I believe and you got two WR's that will add depth later on. People also tend to forget this schedule this year might be tougher than anything Kelly ever faced. Ohio State, Duke, Lousiville, Clemson, USC are all top 25 teams and dangerous. I'll be happy with 9-3 and a good bowl game. I'm giving Freeman 4 years mininium that is when this Freshman class will be Juniors. I'm not saying we will be winning titles but I'd expect us in the 12 team playoff just about every year.

i would not be happy with 9-3 lol

 

[Me2SouthBend]

Partially true… freeman was practically any portal qb away from 10-2 last year… if they announced the day he was hired we are looking portal maybe you get a stud to come and have a chance at better than 10-2. Not going to the portal when he knew how bad pyne and Buchner were was a huge mistake. Freeman couldn’t get Kevin Austin to stay as well, huge loss.

Kelly did inherit really good offensive skill talent but he also inherited an oline and defense that had absolutely no clue how to play power 5 college football.

We all know you can’t win consistently without being good in the trenches. That was built up and established well with Kelly. Kelly was definitely lacking the ability to assess and develop the qb position plus relating to skill players and landing them. But the trenches were established with good talent and depth.

But Lax was talking about the team he inherited. Yes the rules were different at the beginning of the 2 tenures but that point remains.

 

[NDFAN2008]

i would not be happy with 9-3 lol

I would because you gotta figure any bowl game we make Hartman, OLt and Audric are all sitting out most likely so you are gonna roll out a QB whose never played and a brand new LT?

 

[Giddyup]

Why is Hartman and Audric sitting out?

 

[Domina Nostra]

But Lax was talking about the team he inherited. Yes the rules were different at the beginning of the 2 tenures but that point remains.

In fact, if you blaming MF for not getting a high level transfer, you could argue that had Kelly jumped on recruiting and kept who he had in the class (Gio Bernard) AND convinced Jimmy and Tate to stay, he would have had an elite team.

 

[PutuporShutup]

But Lax was talking about the team he inherited. Yes the rules were different at the beginning of the 2 tenures but that point remains.

understood, but the 2022 team wasn't completed yet when freeman took over end of 2021. He made the decision to not go to the portal, not kelly.

I get both sides of it on this (what he inherited vs didn't), but I don't think there's a debate on not going portal and how poor of a decision that was. Not even monday morning quarterbacking on that decision, many thought it was a bad move before 2022 season.

 

[PutuporShutup]

Why is Hartman and Audric sitting out?

what are you talking about?

 

[NDPhilly]

Do people not actually realize how bad of a team Freeman inherited? I thought it was accepted that last year's team blew. It had 1 great OL, 1 late round OL, and 1 OL who was still developing but will probably be an NFL player. Elite TE. Failure level QB. No WRs of note. A good RB in Estime. Defense had one good pass rusher who would get drafted in the second round and then no one else in the front seven that was an NFL caliber player. They relied on true freshman corners and a grab bag at safety because they had zero developed talent there except for Cam Hart who is a 5th round pick at best. 3 total players got drafted and there were maybe three/four other guys soph-to-senior that played significant minutes and have an NFL future.

Kelly inherited upperclassmen versions of Rudolph, Floyd, and Harrison Smith. He also had multiple late rounders and like a half dozen+ other players that were at least sophomores and would be NFL players. So soph-to-senior he had something like a dozen+ NFL players his first year (including at least 6 top picks) and he went 7-5 in the regular season.

Kelly lost to Navy, Tulsa, South Florida, etc. in his first two years. It's just insane revisionist history to act like Freeman got handed the keys to a Ferrari when the truth is that he was given the worst collection of skill talent on offense in probably a decade AND holes on defense. It's been remarkable to see what Freeman has done upgrading through the transfer portal and playing young guys early to have such a competitive team in only his second year.

In retrospect, ND's schedules from 2017-2021 were set up for ND to hit 10+ wins every year. Even in 2018 and 2020, the two playoff years, the only top 10 team ND beat was Clemson with DJ U...who blew them out once TLaw was back in the Conference Championship. At no point anywhere during that stretch was I confident that ND was a true top 5 team in CFB. We beat who we were supposed to beat, and lost, usually badly, to more talented teams.

 

[PutuporShutup]

In retrospect, ND's schedules from 2017-2021 were set up for ND to hit 10+ wins every year. Even in 2018 and 2020, the two playoff years, the only top 10 team ND beat was Clemson with DJ U...who blew them out once TLaw was back in the Conference Championship. At no point anywhere during that stretch was I confident that ND was a true top 5 team in CFB. We beat who we were supposed to beat, and lost, usually badly, to more talented teams.

Yep, and that would have been 10-2 with an average power 5 QB last year.

The Defense was almost good enough to carry us to 10-2 as well. But as we've talked about, the D couldn't step up in ANY big moments.