Tag: Marcus Freeman

Marcus Freeman chooses Notre Dame over LSU

The LSU Tigers fell short of getting their guy at defensive coordinator on Friday evening.

The LSU Tigers fell short of getting their guy at defensive coordinator on Friday evening when Marcus Freeman chose Notre Dame over the Tigers.

Freeman interviewed with LSU in Baton Rouge on Thursday, and LSU reportedly felt things went well with Freeman. However, Freeman flew home to Cincinnati to mull things over with his family.

Remaining at Cincinnati, going to LSU or Notre Dame were all in play for the up-and-coming Freeman. He interviewed with the Fighting Irish earlier in the week.

LSU head coach Ed Orgeron must now turn to his next pool of candidates at defensive coordinator. With Freeman and Derek Mason off the board, Orgeron could look at Barry Odom of Arkansas or former South Carolina coach Will Muschamp, among others.

Former Auburn defensive coordinator Kevin Steele is also available. Steele was the defensive coordinator at LSU in 2015, when Orgeron was in his first season as the defensive line coach.

Orgeron left no doubt earlier in the week that Freeman was his preferred candidate. Fortunately for the Tigers, there are plenty of solid choices remaining, and Orgeron should take his time to avoid the same mistake he made one year ago.

New Notre Dame defensive coordinator Marcus Freeman: 10 fast facts

Who is Notre Dame’s new defensive coordinator and why are so many calling it such a great hire? Here are 10 facts about Marcus Freeman

Notre Dame football made a slam dunk hire of a defensive coordinator on Friday night when they announced the hiring of Marcus Freeman.

Freeman brings an impressive resume to the table, having already accomplished more than most ever do, all of which has happened before his 35th birthday (that comes Sunday).

So who did Notre Dame just hire as their new defensive coordinator?

Here are 10 fast facts about Marcus Freeman:

 

Former Ohio State linebacker Marcus Freeman to become Notre Dame defensive coordinator

Marcus Freeman is leaving Luke Fickell and the University of Cincinnati to become the next Notre Dame defensive coordinator.

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.

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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BREAKING: Notre Dame hires Marcus Freeman as defensive coordinator

Notre Dame has its new defensive coordinator and the hiring couldn’t have been better.

Notre Dame has landed their man as highly sought after defensive coordinator Marcus Freeman is headed to South Bend.

Earlier tonight there were reports that Freeman was on his way, but word has now been made official by the University of Notre Dame.

In addition to calling the defense, Freeman will also coach the linebackers, exactly like Clark Lea did for the last three seasons before taking the Vanderbilt head coaching job in December.

Freeman comes from Cincinnati where he was the defensive coordinator since January of 2017.  This past season Freeman’s defense was one of the nation’s very best, ranking 13th in all of college football in terms of yards allowed.

Freeman was a key cog for a Cincinnati football program that has gone 31-6 over the last three seasons combined.  The Bearcats were within seconds of upsetting Georgia in this year’s Peach Bowl as well, a feat that would have landed them a perfect season.

Freeman, a former Ohio State linebacker, began his coaching career as a graduate assistant at his alma mater in 2010 before coaching the linebackers at Kent State in 2011 and 2012.

He then spent four years as Purdue’s linebackers coach before taking the coordinator job at Cincinnati in January of 2017.

Brian Kelly and Notre Dame knocked it out of the park with this hiring.

Replacing Clark Lea is a grand task as he’s been seen as one of the nation’s best assistant coaches for a couple of years now and the Irish were able to reel in the biggest available name on the market to replace him.

Freeman rejoins Notre Dame cornerbacks coach Mike Mickens as Mickens coached the same position at Cincinnati from 2018-2019 before joining Kelly’s staff last off-season.

Notre Dame beat out LSU who were also in hot pursuit of Freeman.

Source: Marcus Freeman Will Be Notre Dame’s New Defensive Coordinator

When you’re a top college football program battling with another for a certain coach, the nerves can rise.

When you’re a top college football program battling with another for a certain coach, the nerves can rise. It certainly looked like Cincinnati defensive coordinator Marcus Freeman, Notre Dame’s top choice for the same role, was headed to LSU, according to a report from FootballScoop. Heck, this story was going to be about just that. But that’s all out the window because multiple outlets say sources have good news for Irish fans instead:

The Irish, of course, are coming off a season in which Clark Lea made the defense as strong as its ever been. But like Lea, several names will not be back, so it will be up to Freeman to get the most out of players who have not gotten the chance to shine yet. At the same time, he’ll have a nice group of returnees, including Kyle Hamilton, Isaiah Foskey, Clarence Lewis, Bo Bauer and Jack Kiser.

Welcome to South Bend, Marcus. You have a tough act to follow, but Brian Kelly obviously has faith in you. Go get ’em.

 

LSU DC contender Derek Mason, hired at Auburn

One of LSU’s finalists for defensive coordinator is off the board.

One of LSU’s finalists for defensive coordinator is off the board as former Vanderbilt head coach Derek Mason was announced as the new defensive coordinator for Auburn on Thursday.

LSU head coach Ed Orgeron had expressed an interest in Mason, and he was interested in the job at one point. However, it is not known if Mason ever participated in an actual interview with LSU.

Orgeron made it clear this week that Cincinnati defensive coordinator Marcus Freeman was his top choice for defensive coordinator. Freeman was in Baton Rouge on Thursday with his wife for a formal interview.

The Tigers aren’t the only team competing for Freeman, though, as Notre Dame and Texas have also spoken with him. And, there is no guarantee he leaves his current position.

Mason spent seven seasons as Vanderbilt’s head coach before he was fired late in the 2020 season. Before that, he was the defensive coordinator at Stanford.

There is still no timetable on when Orgeron expects to have a new defensive coordinator in place. LSU officially hired Jake Peetz as offensive coordinator on Wednesday.

 

Notre Dame Battling With LSU for Marcus Freeman’s Services

Notre Dame appears to have found a target in replacing Clark Lea as defensive coordinator.

Notre Dame appears to have found a target in replacing Clark Lea as defensive coordinator. Earlier this week, Cincinnati defensive coordinator Marcus Freeman interviewed for the job. It appears that LSU is the top competition in luring Freeman. The Tigers are looking for someone to fill the vacancy left by Bo Pelini.

Zach Ragan of the Death Valley Voice believes that between these schools, Notre Dame is the more likely landing spot for Freeman. As a recruit, Freeman made Notre Dame one of his final four schools before deciding on Ohio State. His first coaching gig also was there, and he’s also made stops at Kent State and Purdue. All of that, along with being an Ohio native, suggests he won’t be taking his talents south.

All we know for certain is that Freeman likely will get a shot at a major coaching gig at a top program. Let’s hope the Irish pony up enough dough that he’ll simply have to come to South Bend. We could know the answer in the coming days.

Top three replacement options for LSU defensive coordinator Bo Pelini

The LSU Tigers are on the hunt for a new defensive coordinator after parting ways with Bo Pelini.

One year after winning the national championship with a 15-0 record, the LSU Tigers finished the 2020 season with a disappointing 5-5 record.

Those results led LSU head coach Ed Orgeron to make sweeping changes on his coaching staff, including at defensive coordinator.

Last offseason, Orgeron went for Bo Pelini, who had spent the previous 12 seasons as head coach for Nebraska and Youngstown State after Dave Aranda left Baton Rouge to take over as head coach at Baylor.

Before becoming the head coach at Nebraska in 2008, Pelini had spent three seasons as defensive coordinator at LSU.

Things didn’t quite go so well in his return.

The Tigers set numerous school records for defensive futility in Pelini’s long year in charge of the defense, and rumors of his tenuous job security began back in October.

Sure, many things played a part in LSU’s struggles this season. A lack of offseason for a new coach to install his defense played a part, as well as the Tigers losing several talented defenders to the NFL and opt-outs.

Regardless, it was apparent that Pelini wasn’t going to turn things around, and Orgeron is now searching for a new defensive coordinator for the second straight season.

Where does Orgeron turn to now?

Does he look for the next up-and-comer, or does he look for a veteran with a proven track record?

Here are the top three options Orgeron should consider for his new defensive coordinator.

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Notre Dame’s next defensive coordinator: 5 candidates

Who replaces Clark Lea as Notre Dame defensive coordinator? Here are five names to keep an eye on.

With Clark Lea officially taking the Vanderbilt head coaching job there is a vacancy on the Notre Dame coaching staff as Brian Kelly will begin looking for his next defensive coordinator.

Will it end like the offensive side the last off-season and will we see a promotion from within the staff?

Or will Kelly go outside his current Notre Dame staff and find Lea’s replacement.

It’s a job that should bring out some of the very best names in the country based off recent success both on the field and in the recruiting game.

With that preface, here are five names to keep an eye on to fill the sudden void.

UC Bearcats DC Marcus Freeman reportedly turned down offer from Titans

MMQB’s Albert Breer reported the news first via Twitter on Tuesday afternoon.

The Tennessee Titans’ search for a new linebackers coach continues after the team’s offer to Cincinnati Bearcats defensive coordinator Marcus Freeman was turned down.

Freeman would have been the replacement for Tyrone McKenzie, who came to the mutual decision to part ways with the team earlier this month to join Matt Patricia and the Detroit Lions.

MMQB’s Albert Breer reported the news first via Twitter on Tuesday afternoon.

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The 34-year-old has been with the Bearcats since 2016, joining the staff just days after Luke Fickell was named to the head-coaching position.

Freeman also coached at Purdue, Kent State and Ohio State, where he too the field for then-Buckeyes assistant Fickell from 2004-08.

The Titans certainly have some voids to fill as the offseason continues, but have already addressed some.

Former Houston Texans secondary coach Anthony Midget replaced Kerry Coombs last month, leaving Tennessee potentially on the hunt for a new defensive coordinator and someone to take McKenzie’s place.

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The former may come from within, as multiple reports of coach Mike Vrabel having a heavier hand in the defense this year have emerged since Dean Pees’ departure.

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