BREAKING | Marcus Freeman Named Notre Dame Defensive Coordinator

Notre Dame has its man according to the University. 

Marcus Freeman will be the next defensive coordinator at Notre Dame after spending the last four seasons at Cincinnati in the same role. 

It was a battle Brian Kelly needed to win and he won over LSU, who came very hard at Freeman and his family. 

“As we looked into finding someone to run our defense, it was important to find the right fit for our program and Marcus and his family are just that,” said Kelly. “He has had great success on the field, both running a defense and in his direct work with his linebackers. Additionally, he is considered among the elite recruiters in the coaching ranks. 

“The work Marcus has done elevating the programs he has been a part of speaks for itself, but equally as important is the exceptional work he has done in building relationships with his staff and players. Marcus was our top choice to become our next defensive coordinator, and we are pleased he and his family will be joining us at Notre Dame.” 

Freeman, a graduate of Ohio State, played in the NFL for one season before going to the Buckeyes as a graduate assistant in 2010. 

A year later, Freeman moved to Kent State to coach linebackers before heading to Purdue in 2013 for this same position. Purdue then promoted him to Co-defensive coordinator in 2017. 

In 2020, Cincinnati finished with a 9-1 record and Freeman was a finalist for the Broyles Award. 

2020 Cincinnati Defense
Points per Game: 16.8
Yards Per Game: 324.6
Yards per Play: 4.57
Passing Yards Per Game: 213.5
Rushing Yards Per Game: 111.1 
Team Sacks: 30 (3.0 per game)
Touchdowns Given Up: 17
Third-Down %: 34.7% (52/150)
Turnovers Forced: 21 (16 interceptions, 5 fumble recoveries)

Coaching Career
2010: Ohio State - Graduate Assistant
2011-12: Kent State - Linebackers
2013-15: Purdue - Linebackers
2016: Purdue - Co-Defensive Coordinator/Linebackers
2017-2020: Cincinnati - Defensive Coordinator/Linebackers