When Brian Kelly sprinted from South Bend down to Baton Rouge to become the LSU Tigers’ new head coach, a head coaching vacancy opened up at one of the most elite programs in college football history.
Immediately, names begin to swirl around the media rumor mill with coaches such as Cincinnati head coach Luke Fickell and Clemson defensive coordinator Brent Venables rising to the top.
But one name quietly began to gain steam in South Bend and today that name was officially added to the nameplate on the head coach’s desk for the Irish.
Marcus Freeman.
Freeman, 35, has been Notre Dame’s defensive coordinator for basically one season after arriving from Cincinnati, but his impact is obvious as evidenced by the groundswell of support he received from the team. That included a public #FreemanEra hashtag campaign on Twitter.
On Monday, December 6th, Freeman will officially be introduced as the 30th head football coach and second Black head coach (behind Tyronne Willingham), in Notre Dame history.
“It is an honor to be named the head coach of Notre Dame Football,” said Freeman in a release. “I am eternally grateful to both Father John Jenkins and Jack Swarbrick for giving me the opportunity to lead the exceptional men who make this program what it is. Notre Dame is a very special place and I look forward to pursuing a national championship with the most outstanding student-athletes, coaches and staff in college football.”
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