Marcus Freeman named Dick Corbett Head Football Coach

[IAIrish]

Chris Klieman would be my choice. Midwestern guy who has won everywhere he's been.

 

[pumpdog20]

This is crazy talk... give MFMF an offer he can't refuse and be done with it. He's not looking to leave unless you let someone else in his ear.

 

[NorthDakota]

Chris Klieman would be my choice. Midwestern guy who has won everywhere he's been.

Would be interesting to see how he'd make the transition from coaching at a flyover land-grant to one of the premier national brands. He's an empty nester too I think.

 

[Pete]

Vrabel will most likely have his pick of NFL jobs this offseason. There's no chance he goes back to the college game.

I think the Browns will fire KS this year, might be a good spot for Vrabel.

 

[Katzenboyer]

I think the Browns will fire KS this year, might be a good spot for Vrabel.

Definitely. Dallas may also be open (and would seem the most ready-made for a turnaround). If he wants to rebuild, he would certainly be a candidate for the NYG, and if he believes in Trevor Lawrence the Jags would almost assuredly be interested.

The one to keep an eye on? Cincinnati. Gotta think it would be hugely attractive to step in with your franchise QB already set in place, and Zac Taylor's seat is getting warm.

 

[Jiggafini19Deux]

I'm not sure Freeman leaves for OSU or anywhere else. I have a very hard time seeing how he's a fit for an NFL job, not to mention you have Belichick and Vrabel both on the market.

As for an extension, he's finishing up year three and has 30 wins. I think you extend him but do so at your own peril. At least he's won 30 games across three full seasons as opposed to Kevin White extending Charlie for almost beating Poodle.

A lot of this is about stability right now more than anything, so IU is going to give Cignetti big money and years. ND could do the same for Freeman. I get it.

 

[ThePiombino]

I might be completely naive and was talking about this over the weekend, but I'm not convinced that Freeman would leave ND for OSU. He seems to genuinely love it here, and if he thinks the pressures of the ND job are too much, how's it going to look heading to Columbus with a 4 game losing streak to the skunkbears immediately on his shoulders? That aside, he just seems to enjoy the ND RKG players and as long as they pay him, he's got a great thing going here after a bumpy start. Great coordinators. He took a solid product from BK and made it his own quickly and polished it.

His job isn't finished here. I truly believe that.

No one thought Kelly would bolt for LSU until he did, and that makes a lot less sense than Freeman to OSU.

 

[IrishSpartan]

Is there a press conference today

 

[ulukinatme]

Is there a press conference today

Cancelled, Freeman is busy talking to OSU...

 

[Some Irish Bloke]

No one thought Kelly would bolt for LSU until he did, and that makes a lot less sense than Freeman to OSU.

100%. I think it made more sense in hindsight (the money he got and the reasons he was looking in the first place) but the vibes with Freeman are much different, IMO.

But this isn't based in facts or sources, just "vibes." I get why some are worried.

 

[NDRock]

No one thought Kelly would bolt for LSU until he did, and that makes a lot less sense than Freeman to OSU.

I don’t know, Kelly was trying to bolt since the end of his 3rd year.

 

[Giddyup]

I doubt he was really trying to leave for six years straight. He was trying to get a raise. His agent was doing his job.

 

[PolishDomer]

Sure but then you risk starting the program over again. Freeman has improved each season, he’s a remarkable fit for what the university stands for and he’s young (and very handsome).
The only reason you don’t extend him now is because you already have Saban signed to a 5 year deal.

Plus he has 5 boys, and they will all be 5 stars since they are coach's sons...easy recruiting pipeline...

 

[JadedDomer]

Replacing MF would be really tough because he's universally loved whereas BK wasn't. That rules out people like Lane Kiffen or Urban Meyer even though they'd be great and I'd accept them with open arms.

So I bet it's most likely a deal gets done and MF gets ~$8M/year. If the admin makes him the 2nd highest paid HC in Indiana I hope MF leaves.

 

[pumpdog20]

Plus he has 5 boys, and they will all be 5 stars since they are coach's sons...easy recruiting pipeline...

And NFL bloodlines... regardless how short that stint was.

 

[calvegas04]

No one thought Kelly would bolt for LSU until he did, and that makes a lot less sense than Freeman to OSU.

Opening press conference at OSU "I'm home"

 

[Jiggafini19Deux]

$8M a year is what Cignetti just got and what Cristobal makes at Miami.

Venables is at $8.2 at OU. Then comes Franklin at $8.5M.

 

[NDPhilly]

Hopefully Freeman uses his leverage right now to strong arm ND Into upping their NIL game/transfer policy. It’s tough for me to believe that we’d whiff on all of our top recruits down the stretch unless there was Structurally something wrong with our NIL game.

MF knows It’s near impossible to win a title without consistent top 10 classes. I’d expect him to dip just like Kelly if he realizes that’s not possible here.

 

[NDFAN2008]

I’d pay Freeman more than Kelly is paying LSU just to tell Kelly FU

 

[ShamrockOnHelmet]

I’ve been a Freeman doubter in the past, and I’m still struggling with the consistent Marshall/NIU type losses, but you really have to pony up at this point and lock the guy in now, IMO.

That said, if he left, why not give Golden a crack at it? Why are we looking outward?

 

[SDIrishFan]

I’ve been a Freeman doubter in the past, and I’m still struggling with the consistent Marshall/NIU type losses, but you really have to pony up at this point and lock the guy in now, IMO.

That said, if he left, why not give Golden a 3?crack at it? Why are we looking outward?

Need I remind you of Geraldo Porker?!?

 

[FightingIrishLover7]

I’d pay Freeman more than Kelly is paying LSU just to tell Kelly FU

this is petty
and I like it

 

[Some Irish Bloke]

Need I remind you of Geraldo Porker?!?

and Boob Davie

I hate this hypothetical convo we are having, but Golden would certainly be on the short list. However, it's pretty well known he's not a big fan of the recruiting side of things so hard to hire a guy with that outlook on crootin'.

 

[sixstar]

i can't think of anyone who would be an upgrade, but Clark Lea would be a worthy replacement.

 

[Hautian Domer]

i can't think of anyone who would be an upgrade, but Clark Lea would be a worthy replacement.

I love Lea and the way his team plays, but would he leave?

- Nashville native
- Vandy alum
- No state income tax
- Nashville >>>>>>>>>>>>>>>> Michiana

 

[Katzenboyer]

$8M a year is what Cignetti just got and what Cristobal makes at Miami.

Venables is at $8.2 at OU. Then comes Franklin at $8.5M.

I'd give him Franklin's deal, with the added private "bonuses" that are always included in the NDHFC's contract, to get Freeman's compensation to $10M per year.

 

[Jiggafini19Deux]

I love Lea and the way his team plays, but would he leave?

- Nashville native
- Vandy alum
- No state income tax
- Nashville >>>>>>>>>>>>>>>> Michiana

Is this really a thing? I get what you're saying, but if coaches and athletes are picking and choosing based on this, your options are down to Alaska, Florida, Nevada, South Dakota, Tennessee, Texas, Washington and Wyoming.

You go where you think you can win, where they have resources and infrastructure to get you there. That being said, I don't know that Clark Lea would leave Vanderbilt if he can keep winning there as long as they'll have him, but if he does well enough, a bigger program where it is easier to win could come calling to see if he's interested.

Probably not anything we will ever need to concern ourselves with, but if he could win at Vanderbilt and ND ever needed a coach again soon, that's absolutely a phone call they should make and a call that Lea would have to take. It's Notre Dame.

 

[stlnd01]

I love Lea and the way his team plays, but would he leave?

- Nashville native
- Vandy alum
- No state income tax
- Nashville >>>>>>>>>>>>>>>> Michiana

Pretty sure the bump in pay would outweigh the burden of Indiana’s state income tax.
Does Lea aspire to coach in the playoffs? Win more than eight games ever? If so, it’s a pretty easy call.

All this conversation ends pretty quick though if they do the right thing and extend Freeman.

 

[ShamrockOnHelmet]

Does Lea aspire to coach in the playoffs? Win more than eight games ever?

To be fair, I, and every living human on earth would have said the exact same thing about IU 4 months ago. Yet here we are, with IU having 11 wins and about to host a playoff game…. 🤷‍♂️. If IU can, who is to say Vandy Can’t?

 

[Irish#1]

100%. I think it made more sense in hindsight (the money he got and the reasons he was looking in the first place) but the vibes with Freeman are much different, IMO.

But this isn't based in facts or sources, just "vibes." I get why some are worried.

This...............In hindsight, it always seemed that Kelly was trying to remake ND into his own instead of assimilating himself into ND like MF has.