Notre Dame adds a former Ohio State star to its coaching staff

Marcus Freeman continues to assemble an impressive coaching staff as he moves forward as the new head coach of the Notre Dame Fighting Irish. Former Ohio State linebacker and NFL star James Laurinaitis is set to join the Notre Dame football staff. 

The official Twitter account for the Bishop and Laurinaitis radio show shared the news on Monday:

You heard it here officially first: @JLaurinaitis55 is joining the staff at Notre Dame! But he will finish out the week on our show.

Congrats James!

— Bishop and Laurinaitis (@971BLS) January 3, 2022

The 2007 Butkus Award winner played for St. Louis Rams and the New Orleans Saints before retiring in 2017. 

Freeman and Laurinaitis were teammates at Ohio State and continued their professional paths together. Both went in the 2009 NFL Draft. The two will be back in Columbus to open the 2022 season against Ohio State on Sept. 3.

While at Ohio State, Laurinaitis averaged 52 solo tackles a season for three years. He also had 13 total sacks over those three seasons and nine interceptions.

College football reporter Bruce Feldman shared his thoughts on the wow hire.

“James Laurinaitis is one of those guys that everyone he meets comes away impressed,” Feldman wrote. “He was also very well-thought-of as a TV analyst with a bright future in media. For him to go to ND and join his old teammate’s staff at Notre Dame, says a lot about Marcus Freeman.”

Freeman discusses process for Notre Dame coaching hires

Newly anointed Notre Dame head coach Marcus Freeman is fresh off an excruciating 37-35 loss in the Fiesta Bowl. After the game, reporters asked him if he’s ready to take a deep breath or to dive right into offseason business.

“As far as taking a deep breath, I’m more motivated now to go, go, go; right? And everything we do, from staff to personnel to recruiting to whatever it is that this organization needs to improve, that’s all my mindset,” Freeman said.

Freeman has been of the hottest commodities in the college football coaching ranks the past few years. In 2020, he was a finalist for the Broyles Award as Cincinnati’s defensive coordinator.

Fans hope that he can bring better success in bowl games in the future.