Marcus Freeman describes scouting process in College Football Playoff

This season is the first of the 12-team College Football Playoff. It’s also the first year that head coach Marcus Freeman has led Notre Dame to the Playoff, regardless of what size it is.

With that situation, Freeman has had to adapt to the situation. One of the unique problems is scouting ahead for opponents, which as Freeman explained is something that Notre Dame does plan for while trying to stay focused on the task at hand.

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“We have a group that looks at all the possible opponents we may have,” Marcus Freeman said. “Obviously, we didn’t know who we were going to play in round one. But once you have an opponent, your intention is specifically on the upcoming task at hand. We obviously have to plan forward in terms of logistically, but all of our focus is for the task at hand.”

Freeman and Notre Dame went into conference championship week without a game but the expectation that they would make it to the College Football Playoff. So, for a week, the Irish were preparing for multiple possible opponents. Since the final rankings came out, however, Notre Dame has known that their opponent is going to be Indiana and they’ll need to be ready for the Hoosiers first and foremost.

Thanks to the new format, Freeman knows that with a win against Indiana, the Irish are going to move on to play Georgia. That’s a major test that they’ll have less time to be prepared for than Georgia will with the bye week in the first round of the Playoff.

Marcus Freeman shares why he thinks Riley Leonard is ready for College Football Playoff

Ahead of what the Irish hope to be a deep run in the College Football Playoff, Freeman knows he needs to trust his quarterback Riley Leonard.

“I think Riley is a reflection of our entire program,” Freeman said. “We all believe there’s room to get better. You talk about reaching full potential, every person in that program, including me, has room to elevate, to get better. And that’s what I hope that statement means. He’s played really well in a lot of games and a lot of big games, but he knows he has room to improve, as do I, and so what we have to do is now put the work in that it takes to take that next step in elevation, you know? And that’s what he’s focused on. That’s what we’re all focused on.”

Notre Dame and Indiana are set to kickoff the College Football Playoff at Notre Dame Stadium at 8:00 p.m. EST on Friday night.