Ed Orgeron Notebook | Notre Dame Visit

Former college football head coach Ed Orgeron and his sons took in Notre Dame's practice on Tuesday morning as they spend the week on campus to observe the inner workings of the Fighting Irish program. 

Orgeron spoke briefly following Tuesday's practice with the Notre Dame media.

On why he made the trip to Notre Dame:
"I really, really respect it. I wanted to come up here and I have three sons coaching. I wanted to show them what Notre Dame was and be around. It was the first time I got to come in and enjoy being around campus. 

"I tell you what, going into that stadium going to battle and having great memories - yesterday when we drove up to the stadium to see the locker room, we went right, I'm used to going to the left. 

"I enjoy being here. I wanted to see Marcus and his staff and bring my sons up here. We're here all week and we're going to have a good time. It's fun to be up here." 

On impressions of practice:
"Outstanding practice. I walked down the hall and I heard an offensive line coach getting after it early in the morning. I like that. 

"To be able to see the physicality they have here, I think that Marcus is going to bring a tremendous program here. They already have great players and he's a tremendous recruiter. I think the sky is the limit for him." 

On if he got the itch to coach while watching practice:
"Yes, I did. When they were doing drills, I kept myself back. I'm enjoying the year off. I needed to do it." 

On when he would like to get back into coaching:
"I don't know. It all depends. I'm not going to coach this year, for sure. I'm keeping my options open. Right now, I'm enjoying what I'm doing." 

On what he saw in Marcus Freeman when he wanted him at LSU:
"First of all, I watched his defenses play at Cincinnati, phenomenal; energy, the way they got after it, the way he had energy on the sideline. That's just the way I liked to coach it.

"When I met him, he just had something about him, character, class, you can tell that he's going to be a championship coach. I think he has all the makings of being a great coach."

On his expectations for Notre Dame in 2022:
"I don't know them that well. I know the expectation is one goal and one goal only, I'd imagine. I can't speak for them, but that's what I talked to the team about - the standard of performance has to be very high. What I saw out there, I saw a very good football team." 

On advice he'd give Marcus Freeman as a first-time head coach:
"Don't try to do everything. I tried to do everything at Ole Miss, you can't do it. Hire you a good staff, believe in them and let them do it, let the players know that you really care about them. Offense, defense, special teams be close to all of them and I see them doing that." 

On the call when Marcus turned LSU down:
"I think it was tough. I think he liked LSU. I think it was a family decision to stay up here. He has six kids and a beautiful wife and it's hard to move them to the South. 

"Notre Dame is a great school. It looks like he made the right decision to me." 

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