Is Notre Dame entering a golden era with their 39-year-old head coach? Marcus Freeman has launched Notre Dame on an upward trajectory, and it shows no signs of slowing down. Whether they’re officially titled contenders or not, the Irish consistently prove their place at the top each year. Freeman didn’t just coach; he reshaped the narrative, turning underdogs into powerhouses and skeptics into believers. Now, that playoff run isn’t just a trophy case boast—it’s a recruiting game-changer. J.D. PicKell notes this shift: Notre Dame can now truly compete with the big dogs on the recruiting front.

Time will tell if Marcus Freeman surpasses Brian Kelly, who racked up 113 wins (54 since 2017) and ensured a stable transition for Notre Dame’s coaching staff. However, Freeman’s debut as head coach was, unfortunately, historic. The Irish squandered a 21-point lead in the second quarter of the Fiesta Bowl against Oklahoma State, resulting in a 37-35 defeat and marking their eighth loss in BCS/New Year’s Six bowls. No such collapse had occurred in South Bend since the 1991 game against Tennessee.

But fast forward to last season, and Freeman flipped the script. He took Notre Dame to the CFP finals. That run didn’t happen by chance. It’s proof Freeman’s building something substantial behind the scenes. Despite some roster gaps compared to opponents, J.D. PicKell recalls listing the top 10 players before the Penn State vs. Notre Dame matchup, where 7 of the 10 names were Nittany Lions. Yet, Notre Dame still won. PicKell, speaking on On3, believes in what Freeman has created, saying, “What this playoff run did—I think we’ve said this many times, but let’s say it one more time—I think it legitimized a lot of what Marcus Freeman has done behind closed doors in South Bend.” That’s evident; their playoff run proved what ND and Freeman are capable of.

PicKell also adds, “And I think it legitimized, again, what they are on the recruiting trail for some of these guys. Because when they beat Georgia, to be able to have that pitch you can make now when you walk into a living room in the Southeastern part of the United States, there’s no way to overstate the importance of that.” Marcus Freeman just turned the tables on roster building.

Unlike Alabama, Georgia, and Ohio State, who boast numerous five-star recruits, Notre Dame secured a spot in the CFP National Championship with only one five-star player, linebacker Jaylen Sneed. Instead of chasing a few top recruits, Freeman bolstered his team with 57 four-star recruits, exceeding the numbers of Alabama (50), Georgia (53), and Ohio State (53). This significant depth, combined with exceptional player development, propelled the Irish past teams with abundant talent like Penn State (5 five-star recruits) and secured a shot at the championship.

Freeman’s strategy in the transfer portal mirrors his underdog approach. While Ohio State secured a strong class, Notre Dame’s portal acquisitions ranked 75th (2022), 38th (2023), and 40th (2024). 1 However, instead of prioritizing quantity, Freeman focused on impact players like QB Riley Leonard (from Duke) with impressive stats and WR Beaux Collins (from Clemson), who emerged as the team’s second top receiver. This is exactly what J.D. PicKell is trying to point out.

Now, there’s one area of concern, as PicKell highlights, “And we’ve seen now, too, for Notre Dame, when they historically had a lot of success recruiting in the summer and got some big-time commitments sometimes out of the southern part of the United States, but what was the issue? They weren’t able to really sustain that.” Last year, Notre Dame had 23 commits, but they lost 28 players to the transfer portal. This season, Marcus Freeman welcomed 13 commits but lost 19 players in the transfer portal. But it’s not the end of the world.

As J.D. PicKell suggests, “What I think that win over Georgia will do, what I think this playoff run ultimately will do, is give them a better opportunity to have some more stamina on the recruiting trail.”And let’s not forget it’s not just behind-the-scenes hard work that brought stability to the program, but also Marcus Freeman’s firm determination to stick with ND.

Marcus Freeman’s ‘love’ for Notre Dame

The NFL’s been shaking things up, with Doug Pederson out in Jacksonville and Jerod Mayo parting ways with New England. These shifts always ripple through college football, where those big-money contracts can tempt even the most loyal head coaches. Yet, Marcus Freeman remains unmoved by the NFL’s moves.

“About a week or two ago, they announced another long contract here at Notre Dame. So I don’t think we have anything to worry about,” Freeman stated. ND locked Freeman down with a six-year deal, stretching to 2030, and the paycheck? Let’s just say it puts him near the top tier, especially for coaches still chasing that national championship ring. He’ll earn around $9M annually! The league might be poaching elsewhere, but Freeman? He’s planted firmly in South Bend.

Even J.D. PicKell underscores this, saying, “And he’s a dude that seems like he wants to stay at Notre Dame. I mean, the only job I think you could maybe talk yourself into being a concern if you’re a Notre Dame fan is if Ohio State were to open up because that’s almost more. But, like, he probably could have had a chance to go for some NFL jobs this past season. That didn’t happen.” There’s no way Freeman’s leaving Notre Dame anytime soon. “He seems like he’s invested in Notre Dame; he loves Notre Dame, he gets Notre Dame, and again he’s only going to get better at this head coaching thing.”

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Despite the tempting offers, Freeman’s commitment to Notre Dame is rock solid. He even mentioned being “humbled” by the Chicago Bears’ interest, but firmly stated, “I have put zero interest into coaching in the NFL. All my attention has just been on getting this team prepared for every opportunity we have in front of us.” Look, the coaching carousel never stops, and teams don’t wait around. The Jaguars and Patriots have already made changes, the Bears, after lining up interviews with Thomas Brown, Drew Petzing, and others, ultimately snagged Ben Johnson as their new head coach. And the Saints have already replaced Darren Rizzi with Kellen Moore.

So, while the coaching world’s a whirlwind, Freeman’s building something solid at Notre Dame. And his legacy at Notre Dame? It’s just getting started, and he’s writing the playbook.