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Notre Dame head coach Marcus Freeman, center, slaps hands with running back Jeremiyah Love (4) after a Love touchdown in the first half of a NCAA football game against NC State at Notre Dame Stadium on Saturday, Oct. 11, 2025, in South Bend. MICHAEL CLUBB/SOUTH BEND TRIBUNE / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images

Marcus Freeman Is a True Notre Dame Man — He’s Not Leaving Until the Job’s Done

Originally posted on Notre Dame Fighting Irish on SI
By John Kennedy | Last updated Oct 30, 2025 12:32 PM ET

Marcus Freeman has been approached about some high-profile jobs. You know them by now: Florida, Penn State, and perhaps others.

Coaching chaos has erupted in the world of college football in 2025. By the time firing season ends, it's very possible that upwards of 12-15 Power Four jobs may become available. While these programs range in profile status, each of these helmets is easily recognizable by any mainstream college football fan. Sitting atop this list currently in terms of prestige are openings at Penn State, LSU, and Florida.

Notre Dame currently has one of the hottest young coaches in America. How much is he liked? Even people who hate Notre Dame want to see Freeman succeed. I don't ever recall that being the case with previous modern Irish coaches. People like Marcus Freeman. He's personable, always respectful, and genuine. He recruits with true unending effort and demands the same of his staff. The players love playing for him, the entire media contingent respects him, and oh yeah, he wins some big games too.

Notre Dame is in a fantastic place as a program right now. The Irish are closer to a title now than they have been in 30 years, recruiting is going great, and the fans and content media are fully engaged. This is all awesome. And the exact reasons why schools like Florida and Penn State have reached out to Marcus' camp about their openings, and Freeman also appears on many lists emerging from some LSU outlets, as ironic as that feels.

No Irish fans feel comfortable seeing AI-generated pictures of Marcus Freeman with a Gator on his chest at the 50-yard line of The Swamp on social media, but these are the problems that come with having a good coach. I'd much rather have a coach I worried about other top programs stealing than a coach that no top programs want.

So should Irish fans worry?

Marcus Freeman dropped some life advice when asked about the chaos around college football coaches

“If you’re not grateful for what you have, you’ll find a way to lose it”

A class act pic.twitter.com/0d87OwGLTk
— Talia Baia (@talia_baia) October 27, 2025

Marcus Freeman Is About That Notre Dame Life

I could always be proven wrong, but I believe Marcus Freeman is dead set on winning a championship at Notre Dame before pursuing any other career path. I think he believes in what he's spent four years building, and he knows the program is close to where it needs to be. He's getting terrific support from the Notre Dame powers that be, recruiting is strong, and the future looks bright.

With Notre Dame on the verge of breaking through after four years of nonstop hard work to get the team to this point, why go to Florida or Penn State and have to start the process over? It just makes no sense to me logically. Notre Dame is closer to winning a title right now than any of the current available openings. Why take a step back?

Money may be the best response to this question, but Marcus has plenty of money, his large family has roots in South Bend now, and I think he genuinely loves being the coach at Notre Dame. He gets Notre Dame. He wants a title for everyone, not just himself. Something I couldn't say I believed about the last head man. Marcus Freeman even converted to Catholicism at Notre Dame, and I'm supposed to think a couple of million more a year to go on a rebuild project is the move? Not a chance.

Predicting Marcus' near future

I think Marcus Freeman wants to win Notre Dame's next championship. I think this is what is in his heart and his mind. I think he obsesses over it in a way that reminds me of my all-time favorite Notre Dame person, the one and only, Frank Leahy himself. He wants to be in South Bend to get this done.

The reality is, Notre Dame operates like a big boy program now. There are very few jobs that could be considered "upgrades", and those coaches aren't going anywhere. Eventually, Irish title in tow, I could see Freeman returning to Ohio State. This was his home, and it's an elite program in every way. I think this could definitely be in Marcus' future, but only after he wins a title for Notre Dame or grows old trying.

Marcus is built differently. He's got classy old-school values with a modern flair. It's the perfect fit for a place like Notre Dame. People like this historically win and win big at Notre Dame. It may just be a matter of time.

This article first appeared on Notre Dame Fighting Irish on SI and was syndicated with permission.

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