Marcus Freeman joins ESPN’s College GameDay, talks Notre Dame-Ohio State, NFL Draft
Notre Dame head coach Marcus Freeman is a busy man. Just five days ago, he wrapped up his first spring as the Irish head coach, but he made it out to Las Vegas ahead of the NFL Draft on Thursday. Freeman joined ESPN’s College GameDay, along with Ohio State head coach Ryan Day, ahead of the event.
They talked Notre Dame’s visit to Ohio State on Sept. 3 and their probable first-round selections.
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“What a great opportunity for our football program,” Freeman said of the scheduled meeting with the Buckeyes. “Really it’s going to be an opportunity to see how good you really are, playing an extremely talented opponent, one of the best in the country. There’s nothing better. A competitor wants to go play against the best.”
ESPN host Rece Davis asked Freeman, an Ohio State gradate, if he knows his way to the visitor locker room at The Shoe.
“Fortunately for me, two years ago I got the chance to do it at Cincinnati,” Freeman said. “I know where the visitor locker room is, I know the visitor sideline. I know exactly where to go.”
Ohio State is a 13.5-point favorite for what is expected to be one of the biggest games of the year, and certainly the biggest of opening weekend.
“I think they should widen it a little bit more,” Freeman joked. “Make it 14.”
Freeman explains why Hamilton is special
Returning to the reason for why Freeman is out in Las Vegas, the group discussed safety Kyle Hamilton.
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“He’s a competitor,” Freeman said. “I call him the freak. His length, his ability and his athleticism. I apologized to him at times for using him at too many positions.”
As Notre Dame’s defensive coordinator last season, Freeman relied heavily on Hamilton in the six games he played, placing him all over the field. He put him at nickel, linebacker, safety and pretty much every position possible.
“I think when he gets to the next level and has the opportunity to truly play safety, he’s going to thrive,” Freeman added.
Hamilton was a projected top-five pick for many weeks this offseason before recently falling to the middle of the first round. Regardless, he is poised to become the first Notre Dame defensive back taken in the first round of the NFL Draft since Harrison Smith, who was selected No. 29 overall by the Minnesota Vikings in 2012.
The NFL Draft begins at 8 p.m. ET on ABC, ESPN and NFL Network.
