Notre Dame coach Marcus Freeman Week 2 press conference live updates

Fresh off what might be the best win of his tenure, Notre Dame head coach Marcus Freeman speaks to the media Monday at 12:30 p.m. ET to go over the Fighting Irish’s 23-13 win at Texas A&M and to preview Saturday’s home opener in South Bend against Northern Illinois.

Watch Freeman speak live to the media at 12:30 p.m. ET via the YouTube video player below and/or follow along with real-time, written updates of what Freeman is saying at the bottom of this page.

WACTH: Notre Dame head coach Marcus Freeman Sept. 2 press conference

What Freeman is saying

Keep refreshing this page for live, written updates of what Freeman is saying.

• Freeman starts by saying it was a great team win in a great environment. He’s most proud of the way the Irish played complementary football.

• Riley Leonard, Xavier Watts and Mitch Jeter were the Notre Dame players of the game at Texas A&M.

• Notable: freshman wide receiver Cam Williams was the scout team special teams player of the week. He’s giving it his all.

• Jordan Faison will be out 1-2 weeks per Notre Dame head coach Marcus Freeman. Ankle sprain.

• Freeman: “We have to believe that our preparation is the key to us having success on Saturdays.”

• Freeman says he was really proud of the way the young Notre Dame offensive line performed. “They really battled.” He says there were some things that reflected poorly on the o-line to the naked, untrained eye, but those could have been things where the checks needed to be better and the schemes from coaches needed to be better.

• Freeman says Notre Dame tight end Mitchell Evans just was not ready for a full workload in Week 1 coming back from his knee surgery. Freeman says Evans is fine and will increase his reps every week. “It’s a long season.”

• Freeman says Notre Dame played well enough to win at A&M, but “it’s a constant chase for improvement.”

• Freeman: “Micah Gilbert is a guy I think we’ll see this week.”

• Freeman says Notre Dame did not ask Riley Leonard to make many explosive plays at A&M. Take care of the football and do just enough. That’s what Leonard did.

• Freeman says he was not pleased with the “lack of focus” penalties Notre Dame had at A&M. He says if you’re on defense, you have to see the ball get snapped. You can’t jump offsides. If you’re on offense, same thing. Can’t false start. It’s a point of emphasis moving forward.

• Freeman: “Taking shots down the field was not always the first thought.” He emphasizes again that the game plan was to take care of the ball and move it methodically.

• Freeman is asked about what issues at A&M can be fixed, without question, and he mentions the pre-snap penalties. “That can be addressed immediately.”

• Freeman: “Shoutout to our fans that did go to College Station. We felt them. They were loud. We felt their energy.”

• Freeman says you cannot take any game at Notre Dame Stadium for granted no matter the opponent. He says the crowd in South Bend has to be an advantage, too, no matter the opponent.

• Freeman says there was a debate between Xavier Watts and Jordan Botelho amongst coaches for who was Notre Dame’s defensive player of the game at Texas A&M. Freeman lauds the way Botelho has grown as a player since the two first worked together in 2021.

• Freeman says Adon Shuler’s mom texted him after the A&M game and said thanks for believing in her son. Freeman responded that he’s believed in him since day one. Shuler got his first career interception in his first career start on Saturday.

• Freeman says he feels great about the way Notre Dame used iPads in-game as a teaching tool. There was a sophisticated logistical plan to employ them. “The feedback was great from coaches and players.

• Freeman says the toughest thing about the introduction of in-game communication between coaches and a player on the field was getting a feel for when the devices turn back on. There were times when the Irish wanted to go tempo and it didn’t happen as quickly as they wanted because the communication wasn’t up yet.

• Freeman says his pregame juice that has gone viral on social media was intentional. “Sometimes as a parent or a coach you have to say, ‘I’m with you. No fear.'” He added, “It was what was needed at the time, I felt.”

• Freeman praises Christian Gray for his pass breakup that all but sealed Notre Dame’s win. He says it was recognition of formation and confidence to get after the football.

• Freeman on Howard Cross III: “56 is a problem on the inside.” He says it’s nice to have him back from his hamstring injury and to have him full-go.

• Freeman says he thought all of Notre Dame’s linebackers played really well at A&M. They were under a microscope taking over for JD Bertrand and Marist Liufau and they were up to the task.