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(EDITORS NOTE: caption correction) Jan 9, 2025; Miami, FL, USA; Notre Dame Fighting Irish head coach Marcus Freeman celebrates defeating the Penn State Nittany Lions in the Orange Bowl at Hard Rock Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Sam Navarro-Imagn Images Sam Navarro-Imagn Images

Marcus Freeman Is Doing What Brian Kelly Couldn't at Notre Dame: Building a True Power

Originally posted on Notre Dame Fighting Irish on SI
By John Kennedy | Last updated Jun 3, 2025 9:22 PM ET

Brian Kelly did a lot of really good things at Notre Dame, but not what matters most

Brian Kelly accomplished plenty of good things during his 12-year tenure in South Bend, and he won a whole lot of games.

When he inherited the program, it was in very poor condition, and a significant amount of work was needed to bring it back into the national spotlight. Kelly took on this task and did indeed eventually return the Irish to a competitive level, and deserves credit for this.

That being said, just being competitive isn't good enough at Notre Dame. This brand made its name by winning big games on the big stage. This is where Kelly's tenure in South Bend, despite all of the double-digit win seasons logged, fell woefully short.

Against top ten opponents, Kelly carded a 3-8 record with five of the eight games being losses of more than two touchdowns. This 27% success rate against the best teams in the biggest games left Irish fans in a constant state of frustration.

Just when the team would play well enough to get fan buy-in, the next big game humiliation would hit, undoing any previous credibility gained.

Eventually, this cycle wore thin. Notre Dame was ready for a new voice, and Kelly was ready for a new home. Enter Marcus Freeman.

Here are the three traits Marcus Freeman looks for when building his staff at Notre Dame.

⬇️⬇️ pic.twitter.com/YfFTeQY4Pd
— Adam Breneman (@AdamBreneman81) May 31, 2025

There's more than just different vibes in South Bend, there are different results

When Marcus Freeman took the reins from Kelly, the vibe around the program flipped instantly. Notre Dame became more welcoming, open, modern, and dare I say, cool. This being noted, Freeman certainly endured a very public growing pain period that included some inexplicable losses, such as those to Marshall, Stanford, and NIU, for example.

Despite these setbacks, Freeman has been able to do what Kelly never did: win big games. In just three seasons, Freeman already has more top ten wins under his belt at Notre Dame than Kelly had in a dozen.

Freeman is 4-2 in said games, good for a 66% win rate. Whether it be better players, better preparation, better messaging, or a blend of all the above, Freeman is solving this riddle in a way nobody has since Lou Holtz was in his prime.

Marcus Freeman has positioned Notre Dame for a true return to ultimate glory. In just three seasons, he had the Irish on the brink of their next title. As Coach Freeman transitions from rookie coach to a coach entering his prime, is it a question of when, not if, he secures Notre Dame's next national title?

For more Irish news & notes, follow John on Twitter @alwaysirishINC, Always Irish on Youtube and on your preferred audio podcast provider.

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

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