Year three tends to tell the story for coaches at Notre Dame. How will Freeman’s third year go?
Time flies doesn’t it folks? It feels like just yesterday we were discussing Marcus Freeman getting the head job at Notre Dame and now we are already discussing what year three will look like. A lot has happened. A lot has changed. There have been a lot of ups and downs in play as Freeman has tried to find his footing under the bright lights of Notre Dame Stadium.
For multiple reasons, justified ones, there will be a ramped-up level of pressure on the Irish to perform very well in 2024. It just feels like the time has come to start delivering. The fans and media are ready for it and it feels like the program is at a turning point. Let’s discuss this incoming pressure and why Marcus Freeman welcomes it.
Nine teams remain but unfortunately a few of these will never get crossed off the list.
Notre Dame has been playing football since 1887 and ranks in the top five for all-time victories. Only Michigan, Ohio State and Alabama have more wins than the 948 Notre Dame has compiled (same as Texas).
Despite all of those wins, the Fighting Irish have never beaten some teams.
One of those teams used to be Oregon State, which Notre Dame beat in the 2023 Sun Bowl. Before that game, Notre Dame was 0-2 against the Beavers.
With Oregon State scratched off the list, eight programs remain. Before you scroll down, test yourself and see how many you can guess.
And you if you can name all of them (courtesy of Winsipedia), your knowledge in the world of Notre Dame football trivia is truly second to none.
There is certainly hype – is it more real this time around?
2023 ended strongly for the Notre Dame football program.
A blowout bowl game win, a great offensive coordinator hire and successful runs in the portal and the early signing period have brightened Irish moods. The program really does feel like they are trending up.
The issue is Notre Dame fans feel like they’ve been here before. Living on hope and future promises never kept. Many are asking why they should consider this time will end any differently. The answer to me is simple. The program is being built differently than at any other time in the last 30 years.
Let’s examine the different ways this is the case in more detail.
Notre Dame football is ushering in the new year riding a wave of momentum. They had a very successful early signing day, hired Mike Denbrock away from LSU, and blew out Oregon St. to close out the season. Notre Dame is trending up for 2024.
With the turn of the calendar top of mind and progress for the football program always there as well, let’s have some fun and go over 5 New Year Resolutions for Notre Dame Football to make for 2024. It feels like the program is close to “turning a corner”.
Are they?
What else needs to change before the Irish can be considered “elite”?
In an odd twist of football fate, Notre Dame’s last few weeks have had more excitement than the last couple of weeks that featured actual games. All of the transfers, all of the opt-outs, and of course, the Mike Denbrock news. It’s been a lot to take in and process. But one thing is for sure, Irish fans are excited about the future.
But the Sun Bowl isn’t in the future, it’s in the present. Notre Dame and Marcus Freeman really want to notch win number 10 heading into what seems to be an ultra-bright future with the roster turning over to the plus side and a staff that breeds confidence on not one, but both sides of the ball. In a way, this game is the end of the beginning of the Marcus Freeman era. And Irish fans feel like they are really going to like what comes next.
Another wide receiver for Notre Dame fans to keep an eye on…
Is Notre Dame done adding wide receivers via the transfer portal for the 2024 season?
According to Tom Loy of 247Sports there is another recent entry to the portal that Marcus Freeman and his staff will pursue. Cal wide receiver Jeremiah Hunter officially entered the transfer portal this week and Loy states that Notre Dame will be in pursuit.
Despite Cal struggling in recent years, Hunter has shined in three seasons. He has totaled 144 receptions for 2,056 yards and 13 touchdowns with the Bears.
Hunter was rated as a three-star prospect out of Central East High School in Fresno, California in the 2021 recruiting cycle.
Notre Dame has already added former Florida International receiver Kris Mitchell and former Clemson receiver Beaux Collins via the portal since the regular season’s conclusion.
It is Christmas Eve so first and foremost – a very Merry Christmas to you and your family.
It’s not a day that you usually think too long or hard about football but 15 years ago today Notre Dame was putting a bow on the 2008 season with an appearance in the Hawaii Bowl.
The game came after a disappointing season for Notre Dame. After starting 2-0 and at one point being 4-1, the Irish stumbled down the stretch and finished the regular season just 6-6.
Often times that would have meant Notre Dame turning down a bowl game. Well, it just so happened that a trip to Hawai’i for a bowl game meant another chance to try and recruit then mega-prospect [autotag]Manti Te’o[/autotag].
Was it the only reason Notre Dame accepted the invitation? Certainly not, but it clearly helped their chances with the star linebacker, too.
Anyway, back to the game. Notre Dame hadn’t won a bowl game since New Year’s Day 1994 at this time, having lost nine-straight. Notre Dame came out on Christmas Eve with their names on their jerseys for the first time in decades, and proceeded to roll Hawai’i, 49-21.
Check out some of the highlights below:
It would set the table for what many thought would be a big 2009 season for Notre Dame but unfortunately the Irish would again finish just 6-6, Charlie Weis would be fired, and a bowl game wouldn’t be in the cards.
Regardless, for roughly three-and-a-half hours that Christmas Eve, seemingly everything regarding Notre Dame football was right during an era that it almost always certainly wasn’t.
Notre Dame football and Marcus Freeman decided to swing for the fences with their new offensive coordinator search and it appears they connected, launching the pitch out of the ballpark.
Although it hasn’t been made official yet, reports from multiple outlets are out that Notre Dame is set to hire Mike Denbrock from LSU for the same role.
For Denbrock, its a return to his Midwest roots but also Notre Dame where he has had two previous stops.
Notre Dame fans were thrilled upon hearing the news, taking to social media and celebrating in the same way they would following a big win on Saturday.
So why are they so excited?
Here are 7 reasons to love Notre Dame’s hire of Mike Denbrock.
Notre Dame was handed a gift when Gerad Parker was named head coach at Troy. Find out more about what that means now!
There’s never a dull moment in Notre Dame land. Just when you feel like things have leveled off for the Irish after a chaotic last couple of weeks, boom, more breaking news. This week the news is that Notre Dame offensive coordinator Gerad Parker will soon be named Troy’s head coach.
Around and around we go.
As for the fan base, there are certainly some folks who were excited to see what Parker could do in year 2 at the offensive helm, noting that his offense did average over 39 points-per-game. But the larger majority felt as though the offensive numbers were padded against poor defenses and then the offense struggled to accomplish much against the top-tier defenses faced. So here we sit. For now, quarterbacks coach Gino Guidugli will assume play-calling duties for the bowl game while the search for a replacement ensues.
Let’s examine some things to keep in mind regarding this dynamic.
As the dog days of summer begin to die down, the Irish faithful are ramping up in terms of both anxiety and excitement. The schedule is challenging and all eyes locally and notionally are focused on Marcus Freeman in his second year at the helm. Can …
As the dog days of summer begin to die down, the Irish faithful are ramping up in terms of both anxiety and excitement. The schedule is challenging and all eyes locally and notionally are focused on Marcus Freeman in his second year at the helm.
Can the Irish improve on their 4-loss regular season? What happens in the marquee 3? Can Notre Dame avoid having losses to teams such as Marshall & Stanford this year? How might recruiting shift in the season based on the game results? How much better is Notre Dame with Sam Hartman under center? In 5 more weeks, some answers to these questions will start to unveil themselves.
Irish fans are in a tough spot right now. Anxious to be elite after decades of not being so but yet trying to also be understanding of Freeman’s learning curve and be patient with him. Let’s explore just how tough walking this tightrope will be.
