Marcus Freeman Interview
- Tyler Mordarski
- Mar 10, 2022
- 8 min read
Updated: Mar 22, 2022
I have witnessed some pretty cool things in my life.
I attended the 2016 World Series as an Indians fan (I’m not going to comment about the Indians/Guardians name change, the outcome of that game, or the outcome of the series. But can someone explain how there can be a rain delay with no rain?). I also attended the 2016 OSU vs. Michigan game when Curtis Samuel scored in overtime to give the Buckeyes the win. I was even on the 16th green at Muirfield Village Golf Club when Tiger Woods dug the ball out of an impossible lie and holed out for birdie and then charged on to win the 2012 Memorial Tournament.
I can add another life-changing sports moment to this list. While in Professor Frazier Smith’s CMM 334 Sports Writing class at 10:15 a.m., a face appeared in a Zoom box projected onto a slightly faded projector screen. The man, in his mid-30s, was wearing a grey crew neck sweatshirt with the Notre Dame logo on his right chest. Behind him was a framed picture of his family on the field of a snow-covered Notre Dame Stadium. After an authentic Duchenne smile, the 30th head coach in Notre Dame football history (and two-time All-Big Ten linebacker at The Ohio State University) introduced himself as Marcus Freeman.
If there was one word to describe Coach Freeman, what would it be? This was the question I kept in the back of my mind throughout this interview.
If you were on Twitter in December 2021, you likely were one of the 4.6 million people who saw the video of Coach Freeman greeting his team for the first time as the Fighting Irish head football coach. If you have not seen it, check out this tweet.
If that doesn't give you chills, you don't have a pulse. As Coach Freeman talked to our class, I knew I had to ask him about that moment. The story behind that moment is probably better than the video itself.
“What a great experience,” Freeman started. He explained what happened during the week leading up to Friday, Dec. 3, 2022. “So Monday, I’m in Michigan seeing a high school recruit that we had signed, and I had six missed phone calls from Coach [Brian] Kelly. And I knew that’s important.”
I could not help but think about when my mom calls me six times and I don’t answer. Thankfully for Coach Freeman, it was only Coach Kelly and not my mom trying to reach him. Trust me, he would not want to call my mom after missing six of her calls.
“So I go outside of the high school,” Freeman continues, “I call Coach Kelly and he tells me he’s taking the [head coaching] job at LSU and he wants me to come down there and be the Defensive Coordinator.”
Freeman was caught off guard and quite flustered. Moving from South Bend, Indiana to Baton Rouge, Louisiana would be a big change. Although the weather would be a lot nicer, with a wife and kids, Freeman couldn’t just say yes, drop everything and go.
“When I started driving home, I got a couple of calls from people within our own athletic department that are trying to say, ‘Hey, do you have an interest in being the next head coach?’ Obviously, that answer was yes, but I didn’t think it was a reality. I thought: ’Come on man, this is Notre Dame.’”
He continued his drive home, thinking – but not quite believing – that he might be in the running to be the next head coach at one of the most storied college football programs in the country.
“I actually didn’t even interview for the job until Wednesday morning. Wednesday morning, I had a four-hour interview with our athletic director.”
I thought my 30-minute summer lifeguard interview was intense when I was 15 years old. For a four-hour interview, I would hope there was at least a plate of crackers for the man.
Coach Freeman explained what happened next. “He [Athletic Director Jack Swarbrick] called me Wednesday night and said, ‘I found my next Head Coach. I know who is going to lead us to our next National Championship.’ What a surreal feeling.”
Being named the next head football coach at the University of Notre Dame was amazing, but there was a catch. Coach Freeman was not allowed to tell anybody for 48 hours.
Swarbrick instructed Coach Freeman, “You’re allowed to tell your wife. I don’t want you to tell your kids. I don’t want you to leave your house. You’re not allowed on your phone.”
He had two days to disconnect from society, knowing he was sitting on news that would blow up Twitter and SportsCenter. His only job was to hang out in his man cave, open that expensive bottle of wine (or Diet 7-Up), and soak it in before his life changed forever. (I'm not gonna lie. When I was a 15-year-old and got the lifeguarding job, I called my mom right away.)
Coach Freeman finally was able to address the team on Friday morning. “That was the first time I was allowed out of my house. First, I spoke with the football staff and told them how excited I was. Then they walked me over there and I knew my players would be there. For me, it was just like -- finally at last. I get to embrace my players as the head coach. I didn’t want to give them some speech. I just wanted to hug them. Because that’s who I am. I’m a teammate. It was such a surreal feeling. My family is in the background. There are a lot of people in that room. But it was a surreal feeling, one that I will never forget.”
Now that you know the story and a little bit about this man, you should watch the video again. I just watched it again, over and over. It feels different. Knowing the story and the emotions leading up to it, you can appreciate it even more knowing how much this means to him, and how much he means to the team.
As I listened to Coach Freeman tell his story and answer questions from the class, I could not help to think about his journey. For any Ohio State football fan, the name Marcus Freeman has to be in every conversation about the amazing 2006 Buckeye football season. That amazing season was tarnished by the 2007 National Championship loss to the University of Florida Gators, coached by Urban Meyer and led by quarterback Tim Tebow. (Where are those two guys now?). One of my greatest and earliest sports memories was watching Ted Ginn Jr. run back the opening kickoff for a touchdown and thinking we would pulverize the Gators. Unfortunately (or maybe fortunately for my sanity) that is the only thing I remember from that game.
Coach Freeman’s teammates on that amazing roaster included Heisman Trophy-winning quarterback Troy Smith, linebacker James Laurinaitis (now currently on the coaching staff for Freeman at Notre Dame), and wide receiver (now U.S. Congressman) Anthony Gonzalez. Regardless of the result in the final game, that team was arguably one of the most talented college football teams assembled. I asked Coach Freeman what he took away from that National Championship game and being a part of that Buckeye team.
“You’re judged off what you do today,” Freeman answered. “Going into that game, we had the thought process: This could be one of the best teams in college football history. We went undefeated, we got the Heisman Trophy winner, we beat Michigan in the game of one versus two. We came into that game and thought, ’Hey, we’re invincible. Nobody is going to beat us.’ Teddy ran the opening kickoff back and I’m like, here we go.”
Ohio State lost that game 41-14. Freeman led the game with 15 tackles.
Talk about a wake-up call. When Coach Freeman discussed that game, the saltiness in his voice was unmistakable. But Freeman shared the important lesson he learned from that game and from that team. It appears this lesson proved to be more beneficial for him than if the Buckeyes would have won the game. (Although I’m sure he would have liked to have that ring sitting next to the gold pants he earned that season).
“Nobody cares what you did yesterday. Nobody -- good or bad. What are you doing today to make sure you have success today? That’s a mantra I live by every day. It’s just one day, one life. What are we doing today to make sure we have success?”
He is right. Who cares what happened yesterday? I could have gone skydiving, swimming with sharks, or snowboarding in Alaska yesterday. But that was yesterday. Today is what matters. I will definitely have that quote – in Coach Freeman’s voice -- in my brain for a while.
As the questions from my classmates began to dwindle, I saw an opportunity and took it. I had to throw out a more specific question to the Coach. My older brother Max is fresh out of college and starting his second year on the football coaching staff of our high school alma mater, Hillard Bradley High School. I asked Coach Freeman what advice he would give to a young coach just starting his career. (I assume the nominations for the Brother Of The Year Award will be coming soon. You’re welcome, Max.)
“If you can’t help the players get better at the endeavors they want in football, they’re not going to trust you. They’re not going to give you their hearts. Take the time that it takes to make sure they are successful men.” Coach Freeman continued, “I, as the head coach, want to make sure they’re successful men, husbands, [and] fathers, right? But if I can’t make them successful football players, then they are not going to give me their heart. They are not going to give me the time that it takes to make them successful men, husbands, and fathers.”
His advice for Max, and other high school coaches, was: “Spend as much time as you can making sure that you learn this game, and that you learn the details of what it takes to make those high school players successful football players. Because, while you’re doing that, you can also help them grow as a successful man. I think it’s really, really important that while your brother is coaching these young people, he still understands that they want to know what he can do to make them a better football player before they truly trust him with all their heart.”
After a couple of days of reflecting on this interview, I realized the authenticity that Coach Freeman exudes is contagious. I also realized what the one word is that describes Coach Freeman.
Authentic.
Coach Freeman was unbelievably candid, yet professional. He spoke with a sense of approachability that was not expected. He seemed to really enjoy talking with us and he gave us the impression that we were worth his time. As a life-long Buckeye football fan, I am not sure I could ever say that I will be a Notre Dame fan, but I can absolutely say I am a Marcus Freeman fan. I cannot wait to see him succeed and grow as a head coach. And, whenever Ryan Day is ready to hang up the coaching whistle, the Buckeyes will be looking for a head coach. I really hope Coach Freeman considers coming back to wear scarlet and gray.
Notre Dame opens the 2022 season on Sept. 3, 2022, at (get this) Ohio State. I cannot wait to watch Coach Freeman start his first season as a head coach back at the Horseshoe, but this time on the away sideline, and with a headset, not a helmet.
A ginormous thank you to Coach Freeman for taking the time to talk to us as well as Professor Smith and the Notre Dame athletic department for providing this opportunity. This is one of those great sports moments I will never forget.
Comments