Frank Commentary
All week I have been stressing how important this win was to the future of Notre Dame football, and the Marcus Freeman era. There is no question there are have been some ups and downs this season, but this “up” was as high as anything I’ve seen from a Notre Dame team in quite some time. Maybe since the Holtz years?
I don’t think Clemson was the No. 4 team in the country, but I’m also not sure who is. I think anyone from 4-5 all the way down to about 30 could beat anyone on any given day, so that means to win these games you have to play smart, disciplined football.
Notre Dame didn’t do that against Marshall or Stanford, and that’s why they lost. They definitely did that on Saturday, and it’s why they won.
That was about as complete, clean (despite the ACC refs doing their best late in the game) and disciplined a big game as I can remember ND playing for quite some time.
Was it great team leadership who got this group so ready to play this game, or was it the coaching staff? Who cares? It was obvious both did an outstanding job in this game.
Most important, Notre Dame’s coaching staff did a tremendous job in this game…all across the board. Every unit played a big factor in this win, and every unit played well. And, the Clemson staff had two weeks to prepare and the ND staff still out-coached the Tiger staff.
That’s two weeks in a row that has happened, and it’s happened a lot this season. However, there have been a few clunkers as well.
While the game didn’t have the amazing climax of the LSU home win over Alabama, what it did have was more important, in my mind.
Notre Dame’s win was more meaningful, in my mind. Sure, ESPN won’t see that point, and they won’t publicize it as such, but that doesn’t make my comment untrue.
ND’s win was more meaningful because of how Notre Dame won. It wasn’t a last minute victory. It was a kick their butt all up and down the field all game long type of win, and there is nothing more gratifying than that. This victory will build great confidence and enhance Notre Dame’s culture moving forward.
It used to drive me nuts to hear the NFL commentators talk about John Elway and how many “4th quarter comebacks” he had and they would compare him to Joe Montana and his “comebacks.”
I used to chuckle because what a dumb statement I always felt that was. Suddenly Montana wasn’t as good as Elway because he did his job well in the first three quarters and didn’t need a heroic “4th quarter comeback” to win the game?
Nope. Notre Dame did the job in the first quarter, and the second, and the third, and the fourth. And this truly wasn’t even a game. It likely could’ve been a much bigger blowout had a few things happened that were clearly there—like a missed field goal and Pyne missing a wide open Mayer for a TD.
ND flat whipped Clemson in the first quarter, the second quarter, the third quarter, and the fourth.
And Clemson absolutely knew what Notre Dame was going to do, prepared to stop it, and it didn’t matter. They couldn’t stop it. They just flat got whipped up front on both sides of the ball.
This Notre Dame win was as dominant as any elite team has hung on Notre Dame over the past 25 years….be it Alabama in the 2012 National Championship game, or OSU in the Fiesta Bowl. Whatever game you can think of, the Irish did to Clemson what many teams have done to them in the past in big games.
And that’s important for a number of reasons.
One, it says that Notre Dame’s culture is what we had hoped it is. It also says that this team had some bumps in the road, but a very young and inexperienced coaching staff figured out a way to stop the bleeding, steady the waters, and build up the confidence of this team again after some disappointing losses to get them to finally play to their potential. Saturday was almost the pinnacle of their peak potential if you think about it. That says a lot about this team, their leadership and the coaching in this game.
While some Irish fans have been in the “in over his head” camp in regards to Freeman, Marcus Freeman has just shown many people why he just might be the right guy for the job.
Did you see the many videos of Freeman celebrating with the fans after a big win? Did you see how much the fans wanted to celebrate with him? Did that ever happen under Brian Kelly? Or any recent coach?
I’ve had this mantra for about the last 15 years…the “it guy.” Notre Dame hasn’t found an “it guy” since Holtz. Hardly any team does find that guy. I’ve suggested for 15 years that this is the type of coach they should try to find. Why? Nick Saban wasn’t leaving ‘Bama to come to Notre Dame—no matter how much money you threw at him, neither was Urban Meyer. The Irish faithful needed an “it guy.” Is Marcus Freeman that guy?
I don’t know, but Saturday’s performance certainly makes me feel warm and fuzzy about that possibility.
There is just something genuine about Marcus Freeman. There is something very likable about him. There is also something very inspiring about him. Three things I never felt about Brian Kelly, and why I think Irish fans are embracing him as much as they are. You just want this guy to win because he’s in this for all the right reasons, and he understands, embraces and values everything that Notre Dame football is, should be, and is about…and the University and their mission as well. He’s an easy guy to cheer for.
I’ve always believed that the mark of a good team and good coaching is to see a team get better as the year unfolds. Have you watched these tight ends block? None of these tight ends have played much at all, other than Mayer, and they are outstanding blockers. Truly elite blockers in the run game. Mike Denbrock was a great tight end coach, the best I’ve seen at Notre Dame, but Gerad Parker has elevated this inexperienced unit beyond any reasonable expectation. Harry Hiestand took some early heat (myself included), but I’d say this is Harry’s best coaching job and O-line at Notre Dame. Notre Dame has never had special teams performances like they have under Brian Mason. Frank Beamer has to be in awe of Mason’s job in his first year at Notre Dame.
Notre Dame’s corners played their best game of the year. The Irish run defense had their best outing considering the opponent, and the pass rush as impressive as well. While Notre Dame’s receivers didn’t play a huge role, they did an outstanding job blocking. And, finally, the Irish running backs have improved leaps and bounds under Deland McCullough. This isn’t an elite group of running backs, athletic-wise, but they are the exact running backs Notre Dame needs for this team right now. Audric Estime and Logan Diggs won’t wow anyone with explosiveness or top-end speed, but they are two of the toughest SOB’s I’ve seen at ND in a very long time. These two bleed and earn their yards, and it’s a sight to behold watching them.
We’ve seen peaks and valleys before with former Irish coaches. Man, there were so many times where I felt, “this might be the turning point that sends this all in the right direction.” I certainly felt that way after the 2005 Irish loss to USC in the best game I’ve ever watched, period. I’m sure I felt that way with other games as well.
But this one seems different and I will tell you why.
Who Marcus Freeman is, and what he stands for, his work ethic, and his understanding of what Notre Dame is, and his ability to sell that idea to players, I think that is why this is different this time.
I just really want the guy to be successful, because he gets it. He understands what you need to do here to win big. He believes in what Notre Dame is as an institution, and he truly values that. And I believe a lot of other ND fans feel just like I do, including many Irish fans who have always said that you should hire a coach with experience instead of hiring one with none. Even those fans have to be jumping on board by now.
They know that an “it guy” can take Notre Dame much further than decades of coaching experience ever could. We all know that. We’ve seen it happen countless times at other places.
But the burning question right now is: Is Marcus Freeman Notre Dame’s “it guy?”
I don’t know, but Saturday’s win over Clemson gives me a truckload more faith than I’ve had in awhile.
Reflecting on this game, there are so many things that have me excited about this team and their future. The first being that the ND coaching staff has done such an amazing job since the Stanford loss. This is such a young staff full of coaches who have never coached together. They are really starting to come together as a coaching staff.
Two: seeing how so many of Notre Dame’s players getting and playing better as the season goes along. That is just so critical if you’re going to get better as a team and as a program. We just didn’t see that often in years past.
Three: seeing the team leadership step up and turn this season around—this is such an important part of the culture piece.
Four: witnessing a truly dominating rushing performance against some vastly talented defensive players. Clemson absolutely knew what ND was going to try to do, and frankly, had to do, and they couldn’t stop it. If the Irish can play like that up front (and pass protection was great again), they can do that against anyone if they set their mind to it.
Five: Just seeing the Notre Dame fans embrace this situation. There were reasons for many Irish fans to lose faith in Marcus Freeman, and his vision for the program. I am not even sure Irish fans loved Holtz or any ND coach as much as they do Freeman this early in his career.
Do you know why? It’s because they believe, like I believe, that he just might be the “it guy” we’ve all been hoping for.
They believe, and I believe, because he’s a genuine, inspiring person, and that is going to come across to all the important prospects he’s trying to attract.
And more important, he has the ND fandom behind him, and that can take him a long way.
Bring on Navy, BC and the Trojans!
Final Thoughts
To my good friend Todd “Eddie Mush.” You finally did it. You got the monkey off your back. Now be a good ND fan and don’t tempt fate and go to another game again—you Mush.