Notre Dame's Marcus Freeman Sets Tone for Training Camp with New Message

Leave No Doubt has been Notre Dame's mantra for the last eight months.

That message won't change when training camp opens on Aug. 6, but head coach Marcus Freeman has another emphasis for the next three weeks: Practice with relentless intensity while taking care of each other.

“We have to be a team that practices hard, extremely hard, but smart,” Freeman stated on Tuesday. “That's going to be my message to the team tomorrow. The standard of the way we practice can't, it can't be lowered.

“We have to practice really, really hard. The effort has to be really intentional, but how do we practice hard and smart?”

As expected, Freeman has already mapped out how he'll deliver that message. 

“It's my job to show them examples of what I mean, not just say it, but show them and teach them,” said Freeman. “We're going to need everybody. We want, we have to keep each other safe, but that doesn't mean we practice slowly or soft. We got to practice hard.” 

The "Leave No Doubt" mindset isn't going anywhere inside the walls of the Shields Family Hall.

But as Freeman explained earlier this summer, the slogan isn't about reaching the College Football Playoff. It's about dominating the task directly in front of each player every single day.

“Stop worrying about the playoffs,” explained Freeman. “Stop talking about it. Focus on what we have. You tell everybody, leave no doubt. Leave no doubt with what you're guaranteed, and that's this meeting, that's this moment because that's how you grow. 

“If you are so locked in on the moment and what you have right in front of you, that's when you don't create bad habits. When your mind is thinking about something that isn't right in front of you, you create bad habits, you create complacency. It's important that every time we think about last year, 2024, the future, it's a trigger to remind us to take care of what we have right in front of us, and that's this moment.” 

Notre Dame went from the shortest offseason in program history after its national championship appearance to one of the longest following last season's playoff disappointment.

Freeman believes the program has taken advantage of the extra time.

“They're physically ahead of probably, as an entire team, where we were last year,” Freeman explained. “I think schematically, with returning all three coordinators, with returning a starting quarterback, with so much experience in production, returning, you're farther ahead schematically. That gives you a chance, right? That gives you a chance, and we have to continue to have that sense of urgency to get farther.” 

Still, Freeman made it clear that being ahead doesn't eliminate the work required before the Sept. 6 opener against Wisconsin.

“To really get as close as we can to that level of full potential as we can and so the foundation is higher,” stated Freeman. “I've said that before. The foundation is higher, but we've got a tremendous amount of work and not a lot of time to get that foundation to where we need it for September 6th.” 

While much of Notre Dame's roster is established, Freeman is eager to watch several key competitions unfold during camp.

“We got to figure out who's the backup quarterback,” Freeman said. “We got to figure out who are those five guys on the offensive line, who's going to be the top six, seven wideouts that we count on.

“Defensively, who's going to be the next D-end? I think we have a group of tackles that we feel good about. Who's going to be the next couple of D-ends to help us? How do we figure out this DB room where you have a lot of depth and how many different ways can you get those guys on the field? I think we'll be creative in doing that.”

It’s clear Freeman believes Notre Dame has raised its foundation. Now the challenge is making sure three weeks of training camp build on it, leaving no doubt when the Irish leave Lambeau Field in September.

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