Marcus Freeman probably doesn’t need to do much to win the crowd over at Notre Dame, but he’s doing it anyway.
The new Notre Dame football coach ended his first official day on the job by attending the school’s hockey game Friday night in South Bend. Freeman was introduced to the crowd at the game, and the response was a standing ovation that lasted more than a minute.
Freeman also stopped for a TV interview during the first intermission. The hockey game was between the Fighting Irish and Ohio State, where Freeman played college football. When asked which of the two schools he was rooting for, Freeman offered an answer that will thrill Notre Dame fans.
“I’m all in on Notre Dame,” Freeman said, via Tyler Horka of Blue And Gold. “I’ve been all in on Notre Dame from the minute I stepped on this campus. You can’t help but embrace this special place. Notre Dame will change you if you let it. That’s why I’m thrilled to be the head coach here.”
Things could have gone awry for Notre Dame very quickly after Brian Kelly’s abrupt departure. The way the former coach did it seems to have galvanized the football team instead, and Freeman is taking advantage. He was quite obviously the players’ preferred choice, and it certainly looks like he’s been fully embraced by fans as well. Just contrast that with how one former LSU player feels about the Kelly hire.
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