There might have been some ups and downs, but Notre Dame head coach Marcus Freeman has found his coaching style.
One might describe it as controlled aggression.
Notre Dame isn’t a team that is going to take 10 deep shots a game or blitz without a purpose.
But Freeman will go for it on fourth down more than most coaches, and that includes calling a fake punt on 4th-and-13.
The Irish rarely come up short when using fake punts, and special teams coordinator Marty Biagi appreciates the creative freedom Freeman gives him.
“We thought it was something we really had conviction in,” Biagi said of Freeman calling a fake on 4th-and-13. “That’s my job, to have a game plan for Coach Free and a mindset and a conviction that if we feel like it’s the right look and the right call and the right time, we want to run it. We’re always thinking what is best for the team, and so when I asked the head coach, he said run it so we ran it.”
Brayden Robinson came up a few yards short, but the play provided a moment of growth for both Biagi and the freshman receiver.
“How can I make sure that the smallest of details and really emphasize what we want to do in terms of the execution,” Biagi explained. “Brayden made a great decision that he thought he could at that moment get the first down. We got to go back and reassess and say, ‘OK, what is something that we could do to only give him more confidence that whatever decision he makes on the field.’”
Notre Dame being hit with a penalty and losing five yards makes the call even more intriguing.
It shows Freeman’s trust in his staff and players, but it also creates a headache for opposing coaches because nothing appears to be off-limits.
That said, the decision to run the fake in that specific situation probably came earlier in the week.
“Again, we look at all kinds of situations and scenarios in terms of just trying to be aggressive,” said Biagi. “It’s something that we talk about. We spend a lot of time during the week, not just Xs and Os, but understanding the situation. We just felt like it was an opportunity.”
When it comes to field goals, Spencer Porath has been very efficient to start the season. The Indiana native is 5-of-6 on field goals and 15-of-15 on extra points.
Porath missed from 39 yards last weekend, but Biagi isn’t concerned about his kicker.
“He was mad at himself,” Biagi said of Porath’s mindset after the missed field goal. “He knows he had kind of done a cut swing or a slice swing, and the best part is I had the tablet and I walked over. He goes, I don't need to see it.
“That's what's great is he already knew how to fix it. He knew what he had done wrong. He really just wanted another shot and that's what you love. There was no finger-pointing, no excuse. When he could tell me what he already did before he even saw the tablet.”
Biagi and Porath will have a unique experience this weekend along with Freeman, as all three will return to Purdue.
Freeman and Biagi previously coached in West Lafayette and returned in 2024 when the Irish blew the doors off the Boilermakers.
Porath was on Purdue’s roster last fall, so his return will be much fresher.
Still, Biagi isn’t worried about his kicker getting caught up in the emotions of the weekend.
“We try and take it as a faceless opponent and we try and do a really good job with our sports psych,” said Biagi. “Coach (Joey) Ramaeker does a good job of trying to find similarities of those kind of things. So just having a true approach in the game plan. Spencer's so locked in when he crosses over onto the field -- he's really dialed.”
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