Marcus Freeman on how Notre Dame staff will operate for bowl game, plans to hire defensive coordinator

Marcus Freeman took over as Notre Dame’s head coach without having to do much rebuilding at all.

Formerly Notre Dame’s defensive coordinator, Freeman was recently promoted to head coach after the departure of Brian Kelly, who left Notre Dame to take the LSU job. Luckily for Freeman, a number of assistant coaches — including offensive coordinator Tommy Rees — opted to stay in South Bend and continue to build the Fighting Irish towards a national championship.

Still, Freeman is left in difficult position, picking up his duties as head coach in the middle of the season. Not only must he find a new defensive coordinator heading into next season, but for the time being, he has to figure out how the coaching staff will operate for Notre Dame’s bowl game, as the Fighting Irish are set to face a stiff Oklahoma State team in the Fiesta Bowl.

“All the coaches, we all plan to go as we’ve gotten here,” Freeman said. “We’ll go to work. We’re not making changes. We’re going to coach.”

So, in other words, Freeman will not name Notre Dame’s next defensive coordinator until after the Fiesta Bowl. The entire coaching staff, presumably, will contribute as they have this season, but the rest will be decided in the postseason.

“No, I have not,” Freeman said, when asked if he’s considered the direction Notre Dame will look for its defensive coordinator. “My focus right now is just for this upcoming bowl game. We will not name a defensive coordinator for next year until after the bowl game.”

Notre Dame, which finished the regular season with a No. 5 ranking, has allowed 338 yards of total offense per game under Freeman, while forcing nearly two turnovers a game. Notre Dame’s defense ranks 30th in the country, a number that Freeman will look to improve with his next defensive coordinator.

Though he didn’t tip his hand as to who the Fighting Irish might pursue as their next defensive coordinator, Freeman did explain what he looks for in assistant coaches.

“Number one, you have to be a leader of young men,” Freeman said. “You have to treat these guys the way I believe you have to treat young people. Number two, you’ve got to be a relentless recruiter. If you can’t recruit, you probably aren’t going to be the best for our university and our team.

“The goal is to win. The goal is to win it all. The goal is to win the National Championship. That’s the ultimate goal. But how you get there, it’s going to take a process. It’s going to take enhancing whatever we’ve done to get to this point.”