"We can't go back to square one": Marcus Freeman highlights his evolution as head coach at Notre Dame
Marcus Freeman didn't have a smooth ride at Notre Dame when he took over the top job in the 2021 season. He led the program to a national championship game four years later.
Speaking about the ups and downs of his coaching career at ND to Adam Breneman on his podcast this week, Freeman mentioned that it has always been a constant learning experience. Each season, each game and each day is a different battle. With experience, you learn to deal with it.
One of the most prominent factors during this period that Feeman mentioned was being focused and trusting the process. He claimed that consistency is the key and willingness to learn is crucial.
“I think I started off by just understanding that you need to focus on the things that matter," Freeman said [Timestamp - 21:26]. "Losses happen, and I’m not just talking about losing a game—I’m talking about staff changes, things that go wrong in practice, and moments where we have to ask, “How do we improve?” These challenges happen throughout a career.
“The reality is that if you can understand that past experiences become the foundation for your future, it gives you a real chance to improve. What we did before can't be undone. Our process starts over, but as a program, we can’t go back to square one."
"Instead, we have to use the experience of the 2024 season as our foundation. This is our starting point, and from here, we aim to reach the goals we’ve set for the future,” he added.
Marcus Freeman likes to focus on the pros after 2024 season
It had been a terrific run for Marcus Freeman & Co. in the last year where they managed to win almost all the games and only a single loss to NIU in Week 2. Heading into 2025, the head coach mentioned that he likes to focus on the pros from last year.
When asked about playing so late in January and getting into spring practice with almost no time to rest, Freeman mentioned that it has given a tremendous opportunity for players to get exposure to what it's like to be part of the championship game.
He explained that a bitter loss aided the team in staying motivated and dedicating more time on the field.