Marcus Freeman values honesty with players, discusses Drew Pyne’s departure

Notre Dame head coach Marcus Freeman opened up this week about how much he values honesty with his players in light of quarterback Drew Pyne‘s decision to transfer out of the program.

“You’re very honest and very clear with your expectations,” Freeman said. “If there are questions about ‘What’s my role in a bowl game?’ I don’t know if I can give you a specific answer and we’re not going to make any promises. That’s what we can’t do.

“When you make promises that you don’t know you can fulfill, you lose that trust factor.”

Drew Pyne opts to transfer as Irish seek new talent

Pyne started 10 games for Notre Dame this season and led them to an 8-2 record. He completed 66.1% of his passes in those starts for 2,001 passing yards and 21 touchdowns.

If he stayed at Notre Dame, he would still be the incumbent starter, however, Freeman made it clear that the Fighting Irish are looking to add a transfer quarterback this offseason.

The Irish are now in a tough position with the upcoming Gator Bowl versus South Carolina, but the first-year head coach doesn’t regret being upfront with the quarterback.

“We had to be honest, I love Drew Pyne but part of that love is to tell him that we’re looking at the transfer portal and possibly taking a quarterback. I could have not told him, could have lied and waited until after the game… but that’s not what we’re built on. We’re built on really authentic relationships and having those honest conversations.

“You know what? Drew made the best decision for Drew. And I say that because he made it. I love him and we’re so grateful for what he did for the program this year. I wish him all the best but I’ll never go back and regret the conversation we had about our plans moving forward. You know? I can’t wait to see him thrive and do great things in college football this year.”

Pyne played high school football at New Canaan (CT), where he was a four-star prospect. He was the No. 238 overall recruit in the 2020 cycle, according to the On3 Consensus, a complete and equally weighted industry-generated average that utilizes all four major recruiting media companies.

To keep up with the latest players on the move, check out On3’s Transfer Portalwire.