When[autotag] Marcus Freeman[/autotag] was named the new Notre Dame head coach, spirits were high amongst most of the Fighting Irish fan base. The idea, in theory, was that what Freeman lacked in coaching experience when compared to his predecessor, he would quickly make up for with instant and consistent elite recruiting and off to the races we go. In practicality, Irish fans are confronting the harsh reality that it’s going to be much harder for Freeman to land said elite classes and win at an elite level than anyone had hoped.
This realization has Irish fans feeling vulnerable at the moment. They now have a coach learning on the job under a giant microscope at Notre Dame that is known as an elite recruiter but that isn’t getting commensurate practical results in this area combined with a four-loss record his first year at the helm. But why is this the case? Let’s examine some reasons.