Former Ohio State linebacker Marcus Freeman has reportedly agreed to become the next defensive coordinator at Notre Dame. Fighting Irish Wire reported the news.
Freeman has spend the past four years in Cincinnati with Luke Fickell as the Bearcats defensive coordinator. He helped lead UC to an undefeated regular season and was seconds from upsetting the Georgia Bulldogs in the Chick-fil-A Peach Bowl.
Freeman had become a hot commodity being linked to last year’s National Champion LSU Tigers to possibly become their next D-coordinator. Ed Orgeron had recently let Bo Pelini go — another OSU grad — after just one year after his defense underperformed. Ultimately, Freeman chose to join Brian Kelly in South Bend.
Former Buckeye LB Marcus Freeman is a rising star in coaching. He leaves Luke Fickell at UC to join Notre Dame as defensive coordinator. https://t.co/t4GEaYcCOL
— Bill Rabinowitz (@brdispatch) January 8, 2021
This is a home run hire for Kelly and the Irish. Freeman has been a key piece in Cincinnati’s rebuild with the Bearcats going 31-6 combined in the past three seasons.
Freeman is taking over for Clark Lea who left Notre Dame to become the head coach at his alma mater, Vanderbilt.
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