Marcus Freeman addresses 'full circle moment' facing Ohio State for national championship

Notre Dame vs. Ohio State for the national championship is not quite the full circle moment for Marcus Freeman that people think it is.

Yes, Freeman was a solid linebacker for Ohio State during his playing days, played for a national title and has coached against his alma mater before. But Freeman kept his focus on the task at hand: beating the Buckeyes.

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Having not lost a game since the second game of the year, Freeman and Notre Dame have no plan on slowing down now.

“In terms of this season, yes, from where we started,” Freeman said of the game being a full circle moment. “You know, the start (with Texas A&M) and you know, the loss to Northern Illinois to now … we’re getting ready to play for the national championship, it’s full circle. This has nothing to do with the past and where I went to school. This is about this opportunity that lies right ahead of us.”

Freeman played for Ohio State from 2004-08, being a two-time Second-Team All-Big Ten linebacker. After a brief NFL career and having to retire due to an enlarged heart condition, he turned to coaching.

Funny enough, Freeman started at Ohio State as a grad assistant before climbing the coaching ladder at Kent State, Purdue, Cincinnati and Notre Dame.

The development has been evident in Freeman’s third full year as head coach. Other than his debut in 2021 where he lost the Fiesta Bowl following Brian Kelly’s departure, Freeman hasn’t lost a postseason game.

If anything, Freeman and Notre Dame go hand in hand with the way he’s handled success with the Fighting Irish in 2024.

Freeman and Notre Dame have shown resiliency throughout the season and College Football Playoff. They’ll need it against Ohio State.

“You think about now, you’re into game … 15 or 16, and you’re going to have to have depth,” Freeman said on ESPN College GameDay Friday. “You’re going to have to have guys that might not have been starting at the start of the year, but you’re going to count on them to make big plays and meaningful games. And that’s what you saw with Steve Angeli, and you saw with Jagusah and you saw with Tosh Baker and those guys. Those guys got to be ready.

“You don’t know when your number’s going to be called. But you have to earn your trust from the coaches and players in practice. And when it is called in the game, you’ve got to go out there and produce. But you earn that trust in practice every single day.”