Notre Dame coach Marcus Freeman Nov. 20 press conference live updates

It’s the final week of the regular season. No. 17 Notre Dame (8-3) finishes the year with a road game at Stanford (3-8) this Saturday. Fighting Irish head coach Marcus Freeman will recap his team’s 45-7 win over Wake Forest and look ahead to the matchup with the Cardinal in a press conference at 12 p.m. ET today.

Watch the press conference live by clicking play on the YouTube video player below. Get real-time, written updates from Blue & Gold under the video player.

WATCH: Notre Dame coach Marcus Freeman Nov. 20 press conference

What Freeman is saying

**Keep refreshing this page for real-time, written updates of what Freeman is saying.**

• Freeman says Saturday was a great way to finish off the home slate. “I was really pleased with the performance in all three phases.”

• Freeman says he was impressed by the Notre Dame’s tempo and RPOs against Wake Forest. He was also pleased by going 5-for-5 in the red zone.

• Freeman liked the way sophomore offensive linemen Ashton Craig and Billy Schrauth played in their first career starts.

• Freeman says the Notre Dame pass defense has been lights out in 2023.

• Players of the game for Notre Dame vs. Wake Forest: Sam Hartman, JD Bertrand and Javontae Jean-Baptiste.

• Freeman says the Fighting Irish are motivated to get the Legends Trophy back from Stanford. The Cardinal upset the Irish 16-14 last year in South Bend. “There won’t be a lack of motivation to go compete.”

• Freeman says he doesn’t want to look at the Irish’s issues away from home as solely a “road issue,” but he does admit Notre Dame has not been as good away from South Bend. Some things have to change.

• Freeman says play action has to continue to be a part of the Notre Dame offense for that side of the ball to be successful.

• Freeman says Notre Dame quarterback Steve Angeli is “ready whenever his number is called.”

• Notre Dame is 14-4 since losing to Stanford last year. When that record is brought up to Marcus Freeman, he says, “When I look at that, I think about the four losses.”

• Freeman says the next step for Notre Dame is winning close games. When he thinks of those four losses post-Stanford, the Ohio State game comes to mind. The Irish also lost a one-score game to Clemson this season.

• Freeman says he walked into Al Golden’s office Sunday and it looked like a “mad scientist” had been at work on the white board. Notre Dame is preparing for all kinds of gimmicks and gadgets from the Stanford offense in a game in which the Cardinal have nothing to lose.

• Freeman says the new NBC deal for Notre Dame athletics can be used as a recruiting tool. “You’re the only college football program with this exclusive network.”

• Freeman is asked about Xavier Watts not being recognized on Senior Day. He said that was Watts’ decision. Freeman doesn’t say anything about Watts’ future.

• Freeman says Zeke Correll was not close to playing Saturday. He did not clear concussion protocol. Sounds like Ashton Craig might get another game vs. Stanford.

• Deion Colzie will not play against Stanford.

• Freeman says he spent some time during the bye week talking about big-picture goals and what Notre Dame still had to play for. The Irish were 7-3 at that point. He said they turned the page a week ago and the mindset went solely to reaching the team’s full potential regardless of bowl game scenarios and things like that.

• Freeman says Notre Dame offensive line coach Joe Rudolph is “an excellent teacher.” He says when you see two first-time starters playing at a high level right away, that’s a testament to Rudolph.

• Freeman says Notre Dame director of athletics to-be Pete Bevacqua has been great around the program this year. He says Bevacqua almost reminds him of himself when he was learning the ropes as a first-time head coach last year.

• Freeman says the thing that sticks out about Stanford is that the Cardinal play hard in all three phases. “They’re going to give you more looks as you break them down that you can prepare for.” He says in-game adjustments will be a key to victory.

• Notre Dame will leave for the West Coast on Friday instead of Thursday. It’s been Thursday in the past. This is a performance-based, well-researched decision.