Marcus Freeman: Notre Dame wants competitors to compete for positions

Judging by the way head coach Marcus Freeman has spoke, it’s been a successful spring practice period for Notre Dame. With the first-year head man now leading the way in South Bend, the Fighting Irish have been putting in the necessary work during spring practices in preparation for the upcoming 2022 season – but Freeman still wants to see more improvement moving forward.

Meeting with the media after a Saturday spring practice, Freeman said that Notre Dame must continue to compete at a high level with competition at every position – on both sides of the ball – because that’s the only way the Fighting Irish will continue to make strides.

“It’s the only way to get better,” Freeman told reporters. “If there isn’t competition, we’ve gotta create competition. We have to find ways to push these kids. They’re all competitors, so if they’re not competing, they’re really not going to push theirselves to their ultimate limit. I want to see that. I want to see offense, defense within your own position pushing each other – but then the ability to get everybody to become a team.

“You have to be a team. You have to compete – offense and defense, but we’ve gotta be a team. I’ve been happy with it. … I’ve been happy with the competition, I’ve been happy with us continuing to progress as a team, but we still have a ways to go.”

Notre Dame still has two weeks of spring practice remaining before wrapping up the period with its annual Blue vs. Gold spring game on Saturday, April 23 at Notre Dame Stadium. From now until then, Freeman – who is tasked with filling the void that now-LSU head coach Brian Kelly left – has made it clear that he wants to see his players continuing to put in work as they progress.