Marcus Freeman Revisited

[GoldenToTheGrave]

Why wouldn't he? It's not like Northern Illinois is on our schedule going forward and if we improve they look better.

 

[dublinirish]

If you have humility, someone pointing out your blind spots is a great help.

pretty sure a lot of coaches in OOC games will pass on what they saw in game prep to their opponents afterwards. Just the optics of a MAC coach with a losing record saying that publicly makes MF look like a chump

 

[Jiggafini19Deux]

Coaches talk all the time.

This idea seems completely lost on a lot of posters here. Not that I'm terribly surprised by that, but still.

There's an obvious kinship between the two men if you really stop and think about it.

Straight up, I'd rather Marcus talk ball with Hammock than Holtz and Tressel.

 

[GrangerIrish24]

This idea seems completely lost on a lot of posters here. Not that I'm terribly surprised by that, but still.

There's an obvious kinship between the two men if you really stop and think about it.

Straight up, I'd rather Marcus talk ball with Hammock than Holtz and Tressel.

Just makes for a better story for those that are out for blood

 

[JoeyGetherall]

This idea seems completely lost on a lot of posters here. Not that I'm terribly surprised by that, but still.

There's an obvious kinship between the two men if you really stop and think about it.

Straight up, I'd rather Marcus talk ball with Hammock than Holtz and Tressel.

Agreed, coaches talk all the time. This is not a big deal. Just fans processing the trauma lol

 

[NDpendent]

Yeah I also don't think it's a big deal. It's actually good Freeman is talking to him and learning what went wrong.

I don't like that the NIU coach is running around telling everyone that he is doing it though.

 

[IrishLax]

On the postgame show, one caller mentioned that ND players were not locked in and were conversing with fans.

After being told told to pay attention, certain ND players gave the finger with FUs.

Can anyone confirm that? I wasn’t there, thankfully, and my seats are not nearly that good.

Go to 1:07:40 if you’d like to hear it.

Post game show

Gave the finger to who?

 

[IrishLax]

Yeah I also don't think it's a big deal. It's actually good Freeman is talking to him and learning what went wrong.

I don't like that the NIU coach is running around telling everyone that he is doing it though.

Coaches talk shop after virtually every game. This is a total non-story, but phrased to make Freeman look bad/clueless.

 

[Rockin’Irish]

“So you’re telling me there’s a chance!?”

I actually think this is very smart on MF’s part. Another example…..your firm makes a business proposal to a potential client and you are competing against another firm for the contract. Your firm does not get the account. If I’m able to see the other firm’s proposal, it will surely help me to compete in the future. I see the situation with the NIU coach and MF as essentially the same scenario.

 

[T-Boone]

This idea seems completely lost on a lot of posters here. Not that I'm terribly surprised by that, but still.

There's an obvious kinship between the two men if you really stop and think about it.

Straight up, I'd rather Marcus talk ball with Hammock than Holtz and Tressel.

I would rather that he spend a few hours going over the Irish envy game day thread getting advice.

 

[GrangerIrish24]

I would rather that he spend a few hours going over the Irish envy Dante Moore thread to pick up new recipes.

FIFY

 

[T-Boone]

FIFY

That thread will just give him fast food tips and I don’t think Marcus does fast food.

 

[GrangerIrish24]

That thread will just give him fast food tips and I don’t think Marcus does fast food.

If that’s true, then I’m on bored with getting rid of him.

 

[Terry Jillery]

I actually think this is very smart on MF’s part. Another example…..your firm makes a business proposal to a potential client and you are competing against another firm for the contract. Your firm does not get the account. If I’m able to see the other firm’s proposal, it will surely help me to compete in the future. I see the situation with the NIU coach and MF as essentially the same scenario.

I don’t think you are wrong on that. I just think losing to NIU is so unacceptable regardless it be another thing if he was learning from Louisville‘s coach or something. He’s learning from a guy who as a head coach made less than $700,000 last year according to what it says online

 

[Terry Jillery]

That thread will just give him fast food tips and I don’t think Marcus does fast food.

Is the Freeman thread turning into a food thread? Uh-oh.

 

[thekid33]

I've been on plenty of message boards and if you can count on one thing it's that every thread eventually becomes a good thread.

 

[Rockin’Irish]

I don’t think you are wrong on that. I just think losing to NIU is so unacceptable regardless it be another thing if he was learning from Louisville‘s coach or something. He’s learning from a guy who as a head coach made less than $700,000 last year according to what it says online

I agree, ND shouldn’t have lost the NIU game……unacceptable. However, I’d rather see the loser try to address their failings in any way possible to increase the likelihood of success with the next opportunity. Sometimes perspective comes from unlikely sources.

 

[KMac151993]

I agree, ND shouldn’t have lost the NIU game……unacceptable. However, I’d rather see the loser try to address their failings in any way possible to increase the likelihood of success with the next opportunity. Sometimes perspective comes from unlikely sources.

Problem is this had already happened before....and he didn't learn. Fool me once, shame on you; fool me twice, shame on me.

 

[SoIll]

John Brice was asked what other head coaches think of Marcus Freeman. Pretty much said ACC coaches and others feel they have an advantage over ND with MF at the helm. Games the other coaches know they should lose, but believe MF gives them a chance. Especially in the 4th quarter. Could tell he wanted to elaborate more, but chose not to.

Also, I was told extensions were about to ramp up after A&M. Those have now halted.

 

[WildMan1]

Watch these videos & tell me we don’t blow them out with a remotely competent passer.

 

[FWIrish4]

John Brice was asked what other head coaches think of Marcus Freeman. Pretty much said ACC coaches and others feel they have an advantage over ND with MF at the helm. Games the other coaches know they should lose, but believe MF gives them a chance. Especially in the 4th quarter. Could tell he wanted to elaborate more, but chose not to.

Also, I was told extensions were about to ramp up after A&M. Those have now halted.

As bad as the Marshall,Stanford, NIU games are - the mediocre ACC teams are not a problem. It’s not like Louisiville/Clemson teams were bad last year so idk who has actually played freeman that thinks this. I know damn well it can’t be Narduzzi lol.

 

[MKEagle]

Watch these videos & tell me we don’t blow them out with a remotely competent passer.

We would have blown them out with Joe Milton for crying out loud

 

[CANONIZEFATHERSORIN]

We would have blown them out with Joe Milton for crying out loud

Or Ian Book, for that matter

 

[SoIll]

Or Ian Book, for that matter

This team is in the final 4 with Ian Book. The hate for him is incredible.

 

[WildMan1]

We would have blown them out with Joe Milton for crying out loud

Or maybe even with one of Angeli, Minchey or Carr in the 2nd half.

I say this while completely understanding how absurd it is for an arm chair coach such as myself to be questioning this staff but holy hell these guys were WIIIIDE OPEN.

And not scrambling open.. like you’re scheme worked open.. the read was there.. safety creeps in you throw right over his head as the WR breaks on the route..

It’s mind blowing.

 

[IRISHDODGER]

TL;DR : yes MF has inexcusable losses to inferior teams but IF he fixes that, he’s still had ND competitive or even winning in the marquee matchups vs blue bloods that usually beat or annihilated BK-coached teams in his 2nd act of 2017-2021.






We knew MF would be “learning on the job” when Swarbrick named him to replace BK. To those who were truly against his hiring…maybe you’ll get to say “I told you so”…that’s fair.

We all agree the inexplicable losses to vastly inferior lower level schools in year three is inexcusable. Tomorrow may be the biggest game of his young HC career.

BK inherited a broken program, so as embarrassing as it was to lose to Tulsa, Navy, AF, USF, etc MF inherited a program that BK had rebuilt into a contender.

2016 was inexcusable, however; for any tenured HC like BK yet he kept his job under the proviso he made staff changes. He did & it paid off from 2017-2021 where he had ND in the conversation as one of the top ten programs in the nation. He did what we were all wanting the previous three HC to do: beat the teams you’re supposed to beat. That’s where MF is struggling mightily (see Marshall, Stanford, UL & now NIU).

Here’s where I try to find a silver lining (I know it’s a stretch). MF hasn’t had his team get absolutely blown out (yet) in marquee games like BK did in his second act of 2017-2021.

2017 #3 ND gets annihilated by #7 Miami 41-8 and ND is a laughing stock again. To doom them to a mid-tier bowl, they then proceed to lose to #21 ranked Stanford by three TDs.

2018 undefeated regular season only to, once again; be emasculated in the CFP by Clemson. The Tigers were clearly head & shoulders above everyone that year (ask Bama) but ND couldn’t even put up a fight.

2019 After a competitive loss to UGA, ND takes care of business & looks to still have high postseason aspirations until they travel to #19 scUM and again shit the bed w/ a 45-14 blowout loss on national TV

2020 ND runs the table again w/ an all ACC schedule. After an epic contest vs #1 Clemson where ND wins in 2OT, they cruise to the CFP. And then they shit the bed again as they are non-competitive in both the ACC CG & the CFP semi-final

2021 Much like this year, ND had a very manageable schedule. Their biggest challenge is from a G5 team but they have to come to ND stadium. Yet they play down to their competition & while avoiding the blowout, lost at home in a game that harkened back to the pre-2017 BK days effectively ruining their chance for the CFP

I thought MF would get us over that hump that BK couldn’t quite get ND. Maybe he still will but it’s trending the other way in just one short week after the euphoric season opening win over aTm.

 

[KMac151993]

Watch these videos & tell me we don’t blow them out with a remotely competent passer.

This destroys the narrative that we don't have WR's getting open. The play designs are there...and guys are WIDE open. These are basic reads that is either just totally blowing due to lack of football smarts or he doesn't trust his arm knowing he can't throw a ball more than 10 yards in the air...which goes back to the guys that brought him in.

 

[KMac151993]

TL;DR : yes MF has inexcusable losses to inferior teams but IF he fixes that, he’s still had ND competitive or even winning in the marquee matchups vs blue bloods that usually beat or annihilated BK-coached teams in his 2nd act of 2017-2021.






We knew MF would be “learning on the job” when Swarbrick named him to replace BK. To those who were truly against his hiring…maybe you’ll get to say “I told you so”…that’s fair.

We all agree the inexplicable losses to vastly inferior lower level schools in year three is inexcusable. Tomorrow may be the biggest game of his young HC career.

BK inherited a broken program, so as embarrassing as it was to lose to Tulsa, Navy, AF, USF, etc MF inherited a program that BK had rebuilt into a contender.

2016 was inexcusable, however; for any tenured HC like BK yet he kept his job under the proviso he made staff changes. He did & it paid off from 2017-2021 where he had ND in the conversation as one of the top ten programs in the nation. He did what we were all wanting the previous three HC to do: beat the teams you’re supposed to beat. That’s where MF is struggling mightily (see Marshall, Stanford, UL & now NIU).

Here’s where I try to find a silver lining (I know it’s a stretch). MF hasn’t had his team get absolutely blown out (yet) in marquee games like BK did in his second act of 2017-2021.

2017 #3 ND gets annihilated by #7 Miami 41-8 and ND is a laughing stock again. To doom them to a mid-tier bowl, they then proceed to lose to #21 ranked Stanford by three TDs.

2018 undefeated regular season only to, once again; be emasculated in the CFP by Clemson. The Tigers were clearly head & shoulders above everyone that year (ask Bama) but ND couldn’t even put up a fight.

2019 After a competitive loss to UGA, ND takes care of business & looks to still have high postseason aspirations until they travel to #19 scUM and again shit the bed w/ a 45-14 blowout loss on national TV

2020 ND runs the table again w/ an all ACC schedule. After an epic contest vs #1 Clemson where ND wins in 2OT, they cruise to the CFP. And then they shit the bed again as they are non-competitive in both the ACC CG & the CFP semi-final

2021 Much like this year, ND had a very manageable schedule. Their biggest challenge is from a G5 team but they have to come to ND stadium. Yet they play down to their competition & while avoiding the blowout, lost at home in a game that harkened back to the pre-2017 BK days effectively ruining their chance for the CFP

I thought MF would get us over that hump that BK couldn’t quite get ND. Maybe he still will but it’s trending the other way in just one short week after the euphoric season opening win over aTm.

Not saying there is a right answer but just curious:

Would you rather get blown out and embarrassed in the CFP or lose to a team like Marshall/NIU and not sniff the CFP?

 

[IRISHDODGER]

Not saying there is a right answer but just curious:

Would you rather get blown out and embarrassed in the CFP or lose to a team like Marshall/NIU and not sniff the CFP?

You’re right…I don’t know the right answer. As someone tweeted after the NIU loss: BK can’t win the big games & MF can’t win the small games.

It was really just a way to consciously stream some hope since there’s not a lot of ND fans down here in Arkansas to vent with…LOL! I guess it’s cathartic to find a silver lining. It’s all moot if they struggle again this weekend against another inferior team they have no business struggling against.

 

[CANONIZEFATHERSORIN]

This team is in the final 4 with Ian Book. The hate for him is incredible.

I mean dude im gonna come clean and admit i talked sooooo much shit about the very physically limited ian book. In my defense i was at the 2017 miami game. God knows I miss him now.

But he just shows how fucking good these notre dame rosters are. All we need is a quarterback competent to MANAGE A GAME - you don’t need to be able to start in the NFL! And we can go 12-0