Freeman attended Wayne High School in Huber Heights, Ohio.[6] He totaled 152 tackles, including 29 behind the line of scrimmage, and eight sacks as a junior. As a senior, he was rated as one of the top three overall prospects in Ohio and was named to the Parade All-American Team after being credited with 127 tackles, four sacks, three forced fumbles, and three fumble recoveries as a senior. Freeman was a four-year starter and a two-time first-team All-Ohio selection. He was also part of the track and field team, competing in the 4 × 100 metres relay and throwing the shot and discus. As a freshman, Freeman was part of the team that won the OHSAA track and field championship.
During the 2006 season, Freeman made 71 tackles while playing in 13 games, 11 of which he started, and was second on the team with six pass break-ups and two interceptions.
In 2007, Freeman was a second-year starting linebacker and a part of three special units. He was later named second-team All-Big Ten after he totaled 109 tackles, 9.5 tackles for loss, and five pass deflections.
In 2008, Freeman started all 13 games for the Buckeyes, tallying 84 tackles (39 solo), 9.5 tackles for loss, four pass breakups, a fumble recovery, and 3.5 sacks. For his efforts, he was named to the All-Big Ten second team for a second straight year and was an Academic All-Big Ten selection. Following the season, Freeman declared for the 2009 NFL draft.
Freeman appeared in 51 games (37 starts) throughout his career. He started 26 games at weak-side linebacker and 11 games at strong-side linebacker and was a two-time Second-team All-Big Ten selection. He finished his career 19th on the school's all-time tackle list with 268 stops (140 solo) and was credited with 21.5 TFLs, 6.0 sacks, 15 PBUs, 2 forced fumbles and 1 fumble recovery.
In January 2011, Freeman was hired as the linebackers coach for Kent State, a position he would hold until 2012.[12]
Purdue (2013–2016)
On January 18, 2013, Freeman was hired as the linebackers coach for the Purdue Boilermakers.[13] In 2016, Freeman was promoted to co-defensive coordinator.[14] Freeman helped transform the linebackers group into a strength for the Boilermakers, coaching future NFL players Danny Ezechukwu and Ja'Whaun Bentley.
Cincinnati (2017–2020)
On December 13, 2016, Freeman joined the Cincinnati Bearcats football staff as defensive coordinator and linebackers coach.[15] After being one of the first hires by Luke Fickell, Freeman transformed the Bearcats into one of the best defenses of the American Athletic Conference (AAC). In 2018, Freeman's defense led the AAC in rushing defense, scoring defense and total defense and ranked among the Top-15 in the NCAA FBS in all three categories. The next season, the Bearcats finished atop the 2019 AAC ranks in scoring defense for the second-straight season and ranked among the league's top three in rushing and total defense.[16]
Prior to the end of the 2020 season, Freeman had declined a handful of positions to remain at Cincinnati including offers of returning to Ohio State as linebackers coach,[17] linebackers coach for the Tennessee Titans,[18] and defensive coordinator at Michigan State,[19] among other offers. Freeman had been considered by a number of national outlets as one of the rising stars of the college coaching ranks.[20]
Freeman was a finalist for the Broyles Award and named the 247Sports Defensive Coordinator of the Year during the 2020 season.[21][22]
Notre Dame (2021–)
On January 8, 2021, Freeman was hired as defensive coordinator and linebackers coach for the Notre Dame Fighting Irish. Freeman was the top choice for the position of head coach Brian Kelly.[23] Prior to this hiring, it was rumored that Freeman would join LSU in the same role.[24]
Following the 2021 regular season, Brian Kelly left Notre Dame to become the head coach for LSU.[25] On December 3, 2021, Freeman was selected to replace him, becoming the 32nd head coach in program history.[26] Freeman took control immediately, coaching the Irish in their Fiesta Bowl loss to No. 9 Oklahoma State.[27]
Freeman opened the 2022 season with losses to No. 2 Ohio State and Marshall, thus becoming first head coach in Notre Dame history to start his career with three losses.[28]
He gained his first win the following week against the CaliforniaGolden Bears. Freeman's Irish would go on to finish the regular season ranked 19th with a record of 8-4, including a win over No. 5 Clemson. They were awarded a berth in the Gator Bowl, where they defeated South Carolina 45–38.
Analysts anticipated the 2023 season would be a step forward for Freeman’s Fighting Irish. During the offseason, they secured the top-ranked quarterback in the transfer portal, Wake Forest’s Sam Hartman, and they entered the season ranked 13th. After beginning the season 4–0 with comfortable wins over Navy, Tennessee State, North Carolina State, and Central Michigan, the Irish rose to 9th in the rankings. They fell at home the next week to Ohio State, 17–14, in a heartbreaking loss that saw Notre Dame with only 10 players on the field, instead of the usual 11, twice on Ohio State’s game winning drive. They rebounded the next week with a thrilling win over No. 17 Duke, but then lost the following game to No. 25 Louisville. One week later, Irish enjoyed a season-defining 48-20 victory over No. 10 USC and Heisman Trophy-winning quarterback Caleb Williams. Following a bye week, Freeman’s Irish defeated Pittsburgh and fell to unranked Clemson before winning against Wake Forest and Stanford to finish the regular season 9–3. They faced No. 19 Oregon State in the Sun Bowl, winning 40–8 to conclude the season 10–3 and ranked 14th. The 2023 campaign was defined by strong performances from star running back Audric Estime, quarterback Sam Hartman, tight end Mitchell Evans, and safety Xavier Watts, but it was also marred by poor play at the wide receiver position, especially following early injuries to veteran receivers Jayden Thomas and Deion Colzie. Evans’ injury against Pittsburgh left the Irish without any reliable pass catchers, and the team struggled when unable to run the ball at will.
Following the season, Freeman fired wide receivers coach Chansi Stuckey, prompting the departure of starting wide receivers Chris Tyree, Tobias Meriweather, and Rico Flores Jr. Freeman hired Mike Brown as the new receivers coach on December 10. He then got quarterback Riley Leonard in the transfer portal from Duke.
Freeman’s 2024 squad started their campaign successfully on the road against No. 20 Texas A&M in College Station, Texas with a 23–13 win, but followed that victory up with a 16–14 loss to Northern Illinois as a 29.5-point betting favorite, becoming the first AP Top 5 team to ever suffer a loss to a football team from the Mid-American Conference (MAC). The Irish finished the regular season with a 10-game winning streak with wins over No. 15 Louisville, No. 24 Navy, No. 19 Army, and a 49–35 win against USC in the renewed rivalry game.
The Irish were granted the 7th seed in the College Football Playoff, hosting their first-ever home playoff game at Notre Dame Stadium. Freeman would win his first playoff game with a 27–17 win over 10th-seeded Indiana. Originally Notre Dame was set to play the 2nd-seeded Georgia Bulldogs in the Sugar Bowl on January 1, 2025, but due to the 2025 New Orleans truck attack that happened near the Caesars Superdome the game was rescheduled to the following day. Notre Dame beat Georgia by a score of 23–10, marking the first time in program history that Notre Dame had a 13-win season. Notre Dame would then proceed to beat the 6th-seeded Penn State Nittany Lions in the Orange Bowl, advancing to the national title game for the first time in 12 years. They will play the Ohio State Buckeyes, the winner of the Cotton Bowl Classic. With this win, Freeman also became the first African American, as well as the first Asian, head coach to reach a Division I national college football championship.[29]
^Head coach Brian Kelly resigned after the regular season to become the head coach at LSU. Freeman coached the 2022 Fiesta Bowl in Kelly’s place. Notre Dame credits the regular season to Kelly and the Fiesta Bowl to Freeman.
Personal life
In 2010, Freeman married Joanna (née Herncane), whom he dated since college. The couple have six children.[30][31] In 2022, Freeman became a Catholic.[32]
References
^"Picture Perfect". Ohio State Buckeyes. September 2, 2006. Retrieved December 2, 2021.
^"Marcus Freeman". Notre Dame Fighting Irish - Official Athletics Website. January 8, 2021. Retrieved December 2, 2021.
^"Twenty-Fourth Sunday in Ordinary Time", St. Pius Bulletin, Granger, Indiana: St. Pius X Catholic Church, p. 9, September 11, 2022, archived from the original on September 14, 2022, Fr. Bill recently concelebrated in a Mass where Marcus Freeman was received into the Catholic Church. After preparing with Fr. Nate Wills, C.S.C., chaplain of the Notre Dame football team, Marcus made a profession of faith, was confirmed, and received his First Holy Communion.
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