College Football has always adapted and changed over time. It has never done so as quickly and in as many ways as it has in the last handful of years. Many “old school” fans do not like the way the sport has begun to feel much more like some version of professional football rather than collegiate.
Too bad as the proverbial “horse has left the barn”.
With these changes, such as pro-NIL court rulings, no sit-out transfers, expanding the CFP, and major conference reshuffling, the Marcus Freeman era started at Notre Dame with me asking a simple question:
Can and will Notre Dame adapt in enough ways and do so quickly enough to stay competitive with other “football factories” that do not prioritize school in any way?
I believe they are genuinely trying to. Let’s examine 10 ways the Irish program has changed since Freeman has been at the helm.