Live updates: Notre Dame coach Marcus Freeman fall camp press conference

Notre Dame began fall camp Wednesday, exactly one month before Aug. 26’s season opener vs. Navy at Aviva Stadium in Dublin, Ireland. Live video of head coach Marcus Freeman‘s post-practice press conference is below followed by written updates.

WATCH: Notre Dame coach Marcus Freeman fall camp press conference

LIVE UPDATES

• Freeman says today “went really well” for it being the first day of camp. He could tell this is a veteran group.

• Freeman sends condolences to Johnny Lujack‘s family and friends. Lujack passed away Tuesday.

• Freeman says former Notre Dame strength and conditioning coach Matt Balis called him Sunday about resigning. Freeman was caught off guard by it. The two met Monday. Freeman tried to talk him out of it. “Ultimately it was a personal decision,” Freeman said. Balis said he was not in a position to properly serve the student-athletes, so he resigned.

• Freeman gave a rather impassioned pre-practice speech. He said he usually doesn’t have the players take a knee like they did today, but he said he wanted to get the message across that mistakes are OK. They are going to happen. Just do everything as hard as you can, and you get live with them.

• Freeman says Notre Dame does not have to reinvent the wheel from a strength and conditioning standpoint. It’s about building off the foundation left behind by Balis.

• Freeman on Balis’ resignation: “Change is inevitable. I was as hurt as anybody losing somebody I work with and respect.”

• Freeman says of course Balis leaving is going to affect the players, but he harps on the fact that time does not stop for anybody. Things change. There will be more change at Notre Dame. He’s trying to keep everybody focused on the end goal.

• Freeman says Sam Hartman‘s leadership has excelled since Tyler Buchner transferred to Alabama. There is a difference between being in a quarterback battle and being the unquestioned starter, Freeman says.

• Freeman says this is the closest group of players he’s been around since he got to Notre Dame. “When you have that emotional bond, that is when great things are achieved.”

• Freeman: “Jeremiyah Love can fly. I mean, he can fly. He’s impressive.”

• Freeman says he’s trying to get it through the new players’ heads that speed in offseason workouts is different from football speed. The latter is more important. This is the time to prove yourself as a player.

• Freeman says he spoke to Jaden Mickey and Mickey’s father this summer. He wanted to get it through to them that he thought Mickey was terrific as a freshman. He can’t compare his Notre Dame journey to say, Benjamin Morrison‘s. “He won’t lack confidence. He doesn’t. And that’s huge.”

• Freeman says he’s challenging Al Golden to give the younger linebackers reps with the ones during fall camp. “We have to develop that group.”

• Freeman says the challenge with Morrison is making him realize there is no finish line. He wants Morrison to choose hard and challenge everything, two of the pillars of this Notre Dame program.

• Freshman wide receiver KK Smith had shoulder surgery over the summer. He was the one injured player we saw today.

• Freeman says he didn’t see any hints Balis was going to step down. Freeman also says Balis did not tell Freeman the full extent of his personal situation.

• Freeman says he believes quarterbacks Steve Angeli and Kenny Minchey can both be the future of Notre Dame football.

• Freeman says Chris Tyree is way ahead of where he was as a wide receiver now than in the spring. There is way more trust with Tyree Hartman and the other QBs.