Week 2 was a disaster for No. 18 Notre Dame! Imagine being the only highly-ranked program losing to a 28-point underdog! This sort of scenario draws attention but not in the right light after the Fighting Irish’s shocking loss to Northern Illinois. But the person in hot water behind the mess is their LB coach Marcus Freeman. 

In their last sold-out game in South Bend, Notre Dame fell 16-14 to NIU. This loss not only minimized their hopes of reaching the CFP, but it also gave the Fighting Irish a financial blow. Following the game, Marcus Freeman told the press, “We’ve been here before. Now it’s time to get it fixed.” But among diverse opinions, there’s one person who feels that Freeman isn’t the person to right the wrongs. 

CBS Sports uploaded a video of former NFL LB Brian Jones on IG on September 12 delivering a raw opinion on Marcus Freeman after their unexpected loss to NIU. Recounting the losses against Stanford and Marshall in 2022, Jones spiced up the issue with the latest loss saying, “This guy cannot fix the problem… I don’t think he’s capable or up to the task.” 

Marcus Freeman said, “It’s our job as coaches to make sure these guys are ready to go. I’ve always said performance is a reflection of preparation.” But their performance against NIU clearly didn’t indicate preparedness. The 38-year-old is in his third season at Notre Dame so inexperience is no longer an excuse. And the financial loss this upset has brought upon Notre Dame isn’t making anything easier for Freeman.  

Notre Dame owes North Illinois $1.4 million

How? Because reportedly, this game was a “guaranteed game” where Notre Dame is set to pay Northern Illinois $1.4 million as part of the “buy-game contract” that they previously signed. As Front Office Sports described, “For decades, bigger schools have paid smaller institutions large sums to come play on their home turf. The host typically gets an easy victory, the visitor gets a nice payday, and everyone leaves happy.” But it isn’t a happy day for Notre Dame. 

Nobody expected that Notre Dame would see a defeat at home after their stellar first 23-13 win against Texas A&M. From here on, Marcus Freeman needs to tread more carefully if he wants to shake off the negativity hurled at him. Their next “buy game” will be played on September 21 against Ohio’s Miami University with a $1.25 million contract. Will they able to change their fate?