Report: Top candidate emerges to replace Brian Kelly at Notre Dame

With the news breaking that Brian Kelly will leave Notre Dame for LSU, the Fighting Irish are wasting little time in finding his replacement. According to Notre Dame beat writer Pete Sampson, sources around the program believe that there will be some momentum among the decision-makers at the university to elevate Marcus Freeman. And if he were to take over, he would be a first-time head coach, which is a rarity at Notre Dame.

Freeman is Notre Dame’s defensive coordinator. He’s a graduate of Ohio State University, where he played linebacker for the Buckeyes. After being drafted in the fifth round of the 2009 NFL Draft by the Chicago Bears, Freeman failed to make an NFL roster. He then elected to return to Ohio State the following year and began his coaching career. From 2011 to now, Freeman has been primarily a linebackers coach. But with Notre Dame and in his previous stop at Cincinnati, he has been the defensive coordinator as well.

But the Fighting Irish would likely have to make a decision on him soon. It is very possible that he could join Brian Kelly in Baton Rouge, LA as the Tiger’s defensive coordinator. The year before, Freeman was reported to be on his way to LSU before Kelly swooped in and convinced him to join him in South Bend, IN.

Brian Kelly keeping key LSU personnel

“New LSU head coach Brian Kelly expected to retain Corey Raymond and Kevin Faulk … per a parent of a top 2023 recruit that already had a conversation with,” reported Hamilton.

The news comes as a relief to recruits and current players both who are making sense of the huge head coaching hire that began turning heads on Monday. While Kelly has not commented or made any official announcement, reports have continued to come in that Kelly will be the next head coach of the Tigers.

Raymond has been with the Tigers for ten years and is a large part of the reason the school claims to be “DBU.” Raymond is the longest standing on-field coach at LSU and a major point of consistency. LSU’s secondary has been one of the best in the nation under Raymond, and 14 secondary players have been drafted having played for him.

While Faulk has only been in charge of running backs since 2020, his pedigree makes him an invaluable part of LSU’s program. Faulk remains the all-time leading rusher in school history, as well as being a three-time Super Bowl Champion.