Marcus Freeman New DC

[NDdomer2]

Ulu?!!

 

[NDRock]

Defense has outscored their opponents 16-3 the last three games. Eye test during those same games? Meh.

 

[Cackalacky2.0]

Love pitching shutouts

 

[Armyirish47]

That’s pretty impressive for any DC.

Just wait until he gets his players to fit his system.

 

[ulukinatme]

Ulu?!!

Pfft! Got lucky against the mighty Yellowjackets today!

Maybe we've turned a corner. I'm not expecting Stanford to put up a fight either frankly, I'm still saying the bowl game will likely determine where we're really at.

Today was really fun though, it was nice to see so many seniors get their Rudy moments.

 

[calvegas04]

Read players were asking Lea tips during the summer

 

[IrishLion]

I think we’re seeing one of those rare instances where missing a star player has actually forced the entire unit to get better to account for the absence.

Freeman’s pressure packages this weekend were insanely effective, and would have been even if GT’s offense were halfway competent. Even if the OL and QB were playing well, that wouldn’t have stopped Bracy from screaming through the line like a bat out of hell, and it wouldn’t have kept our DL from stunting GT into fits.

Also, the biggest thing to me, as a dude who saw how effective UC’s defense was/is on a regular basis, was seeing the LB’s, particularly Bertrand, in the proper position to disrupt passing lanes so often. That means these dudes are really starting to get “it” when it comes to what Freeman wants…

I can’t wait to see what this unit plays like when they’ve got two or three extra weeks to prep for a bowl game, and I definitely can’t wait to see what they look like with another offseason in the system.

 

[Trait Expectations]

Pfft! Got lucky against the mighty Yellowjackets today!

Maybe we've turned a corner. I'm not expecting Stanford to put up a fight either frankly, I'm still saying the bowl game will likely determine where we're really at.

Today was really fun though, it was nice to see so many seniors get their Rudy moments.

It's fun seeing this team grow and look better late in the season but we have no idea how we'll handle another powerful team. We're probably a top-10 team which is nothing to scoff at in a rebuilding year. Beating a top 5 team will take everyone's A game, coaches, analysts and players included

 

[phillyirish]

38 sacks on defense. I’m not sure what the ND team record is, but that’s the highest of the Kelly or Weiss eras, with still 2 games to go (at least). Previous high was 34 in both 19 and 18. We are also winning the turnover battle 21-13. Another key stat is opponents are held to a 35% red zone Td percentage.

The defense sure has been fun to watch.

 

[IrishRazor82]

Marcus Freeman is exactly what I was hoping for thus far. A- year and that's only for the beginning. 2nd half, A+ and I fully trust him to go against anyone in the country. The offense on the other hand, no, and it's unfortunate because we have skill position for days.

 

[Luckylucci]

Shout to Elston here as well. He’s got the DL coming in waves. One week it’s Lacey, the next it’s Mills, and this week it’s Cross. There is always another player ready to seize his opportunity.

As a position group, I’m sure they’d say that didn’t play their best against UNC and Sam Howell. But, they’ve bounced back in a big way.

 

[Irish#1]

Marcus Freeman is exactly what I was hoping for thus far. A- year and that's only for the beginning. 2nd half, A+ and I fully trust him to go against anyone in the country. The offense on the other hand, no, and it's unfortunate because we have skill position for days.

Earlier in the year I would have given a B-, but the D has been much better the second half. While the last three games have been against inferior opponents, what we’ve seen in those games is exactly what we should have seen.

 

[Riddickulous]

Shout to Elston here as well. He’s got the DL coming in waves. One week it’s Lacey, the next it’s Mills, and this week it’s Cross. There is always another player ready to seize his opportunity.

As a position group, I’m sure they’d say that didn’t play their best against UNC and Sam Howell. But, they’ve bounced back in a big way.

Elston is the best position coach on the staff. Rarely do we bring in a DL that doesn't end up a contributor in some way.

 

[N_D_Fighting_Irish]

Yesterday's defensive performance is well done. Players and coaches. Still not fan of the scheme. Fool's gold.

Next year is the rebuilding year...especially the DL. We have taken for granted the caliber of players we have had recently on the DL.

 

[irishandy]

No disrespect to the guys that we have now, but I cannot wait to see what our defense can become when the guys that Freeman recruited comes in.

This defense is getting better and better each game.

 

[SBirishlawyer]

Shout to Elston here as well. He’s got the DL coming in waves. One week it’s Lacey, the next it’s Mills, and this week it’s Cross. There is always another player ready to seize his opportunity.

As a position group, I’m sure they’d say that didn’t play their best against UNC and Sam Howell. But, they’ve bounced back in a big way.

his three star “project” recruits hit at a rate way above average. Hinish and MTA play like 4 star or better recruits but weren’t. Howard Cross has been contributing since he was a freshman. Justin A is good was not a blue chip recruit. Ade was an all time diamond in the rough. Ehrensberger even looks like a player who will take meaningful snaps by the end of his career.

 

[dankgesang]

Micah Dew Treadway, Brandon Tiassum, Jamion Franklin, Kofi Wardlow, Jonathan MacCollister...

I think our 3* linemen hit at about the usual rate. We've had some four stars wash out completely too. The point isn't that Elston isn't a good coach, he is. It's that at the end of the day you get what you recruit.

 

[T-Boone]

Micah Dew Treadway, Brandon Tiassum, Jamion Franklin, Kofi Wardlow, Jonathan MacCollister...

I think our 3* linemen hit at about the usual rate. We've had some four stars wash out completely too. The point isn't that Elston isn't a good coach, he is. It's that at the end of the day you get what you recruit.

Franklin got an injury and then just got caught behind everyone else. Where is he now by the way?
Wardlow was a real project behind great talent, so wasn't able to get a look....

Elston is way above the ordinary in developing players.

 

[NDRock]

He’s constantly brought in numbers on the DL, which has been important. Gone are the days of one man DL classes.

 

[MacIrish75]

Franklin got an injury and then just got caught behind everyone else. Where is he now by the way?
Wardlow was a real project behind great talent, so wasn't able to get a look....

Elston is way above the ordinary in developing players.

Duke. Not sure he’s played more than a handful of snaps this year, though. He’s 3rd on their DT Depth Chart.

 

[arrowryan]

Micah Dew Treadway, Brandon Tiassum, Jamion Franklin, Kofi Wardlow, Jonathan MacCollister...

I think our 3* linemen hit at about the usual rate. We've had some four stars wash out completely too. The point isn't that Elston isn't a good coach, he is. It's that at the end of the day you get what you recruit.

Wardlow and MacCollister were probably recruited by Keith Gilmore. I can’t guarantee that, but the timeline would matchup.

I think Elston’s best development story is Ade Ogunedji. Ade was a 3 star, MAC level recruit and developed into a day 2 pick. Playing a lot for the Falcons.

 

[Rogue219]

ND should finish out 11-1 and regardless of who they play after Stanford, athletic directors are seeing these results and are surely going to want to at least interview Freeman. I still think he's going to be back at ND in 2022, but this is already shaping up to be a coaching carousel unlike any we've seen before. Fingers crossed he stays. These recent results are surely not going unnoticed.

 

[ulukinatme]

ND should finish out 11-1 and regardless of who they play after Stanford, athletic directors are seeing these results and are surely going to want to at least interview Freeman. I still think he's going to be back at ND in 2022, but this is already shaping up to be a coaching carousel unlike any we've seen before. Fingers crossed he stays. These recent results are surely not going unnoticed.

In all seriousness, Freeman probably is gone after year 2 at this point, if not after this year given all the turnover. If we've truly turned a corner he's going to have a lot of eyes on him from here on out.

When the inevitable happens...and by that I mean that Freeman is out and Lea gets bought out at Vanderbilt cause it's Vanderbilt...do we bring Lea back or do we hire whoever Luke Fickell's current DC is at the time?

 

[NDIrish88]

Is there an open job currently that Freeman would want? He strikes me as being someone who will be selective.

 

[Irish#1]

In all seriousness, Freeman probably is gone after year 2 at this point, if not after this year given all the turnover. If we've truly turned a corner he's going to have a lot of eyes on him from here on out.

When the inevitable happens...and by that I mean that Freeman is out and Lea gets bought out at Vanderbilt cause it's Vanderbilt...do we bring Lea back or do we hire whoever Luke Fickell's current DC is at the time?

Yeah, I don't see him leaving after this year. The value of coaching a couple of years in an elite program far outweighs one year IMO. Learning under a couple of HC's that have winning programs just makes him that much more attractive.

 

[Rogue219]

Is there an open job currently that Freeman would want? He strikes me as being someone who will be selective.

Doesn't matter what he wants. It has to be offered to him.

The current openings are going to be filled and some of those fillings will open up other jobs. That's where the domino effect can lead to moves down the line where he gets interviews, offers, etc. If Fickell goes somewhere, UC opens. If Campbell goes somewhere, Iowa State opens. It goes on and on. Everything is speculation at this point.

I don't think Freeman is ready for Virginia Tech, and I don't think he'd go to a place like Akron. Suppose Campbell takes another job and Iowa State wants to interview Freeman. I think that's a tremendous fit. What if Ryan Day decides to make a chance at DC and they throw a blank check in front of Freeman? Does that not get his attention? I think he has been selective, yes, but you can only select what is actually put in front of you. Freeman has to have actual offers before anyone starts worrying.

 

[rtrn2glory]

I can really only see him leaving for Cincy if Fickell takes a different job elsewhere

 

[Rogue219]

I can really only see him leaving for Cincy if Fickell takes a different job elsewhere

What are you basing this on?

I don't know enough about him to know what his ambitions are and what jobs he fancies. I would say that picking ND over LSU in hindsight was a no brainer. I'm sure he saw the cloud of shit surrounding that program with everything they had going on off the field. It wasn't as hard of a choice as most people thought.

I still contend that he will be back in 2022 but it would not surprise me at all if more dominoes fall in the weeks ahead and he is somewhere else. It's the nomadic nature of the profession. Guys move around.

I also trust that Brian Kelly is going to find a talented person to replace him if and when he does leave, so I'm not terribly worried about it in the end.

 

[pumpdog20]

Doesn't matter what he wants. It has to be offered to him.

The current openings are going to be filled and some of those fillings will open up other jobs. That's where the domino effect can lead to moves down the line where he gets interviews, offers, etc. If Fickell goes somewhere, UC opens. If Campbell goes somewhere, Iowa State opens. It goes on and on. Everything is speculation at this point.

I don't think Freeman is ready for Virginia Tech, and I don't think he'd go to a place like Akron. Suppose Campbell takes another job and Iowa State wants to interview Freeman. I think that's a tremendous fit. What if Ryan Day decides to make a chance at DC and they throw a blank check in front of Freeman? Does that not get his attention? I think he has been selective, yes, but you can only select what is actually put in front of you. Freeman has to have actual offers before anyone starts worrying.

I wouldn't think ISU would be a good fit for Freeman on what he wants to do. It's hard as hell to recruit to Iowa, let alone Iowa State. At cincy, you can recruit from a big pool of Ohio HS kids. Iowa HS is trending up, but not at a rate Freeman needs to remain the hot commodity. My opinion of course.

 

[rtrn2glory]

What are you basing this on?

I don't know enough about him to know what his ambitions are and what jobs he fancies. I would say that picking ND over LSU in hindsight was a no brainer. I'm sure he saw the cloud of shit surrounding that program with everything they had going on off the field. It wasn't as hard of a choice as most people thought.

I still contend that he will be back in 2022 but it would not surprise me at all if more dominoes fall in the weeks ahead and he is somewhere else. It's the nomadic nature of the profession. Guys move around.

I also trust that Brian Kelly is going to find a talented person to replace him if and when he does leave, so I'm not terribly worried about it in the end.

Not really basing it off of anything other than I think it sets him up for success best long term. Too many first time assistants take the first job that's offered to them rather than ensuring they are in a spot where they don't have to really build or re-build. Kirby Smart hit a HR and was patient. Same may be said for Tucker who was smart enough to get out of Colorado when he did. On the other hand you have guys like Lea who will never win at Vandy. I'm just saying if Cincy opened it would be the perfect spot for a first job for Freeman.