Live updates: Notre Dame coach Marcus Freeman Sept. 7 press conference
Notre Dame head coach Marcus Freeman speaks to the media on an exclusive Zoom call at 12 p.m. every Thursday. This week, he’s previewing the Fighting Irish’s trip to Raleigh, N.C., for a noon date with the NC State Wolfpack (1-0) at Carter-Finley Stadium.
Notre Dame quarterback Sam Hartman will be facing the Wolfpack for the fourth time. He’s 1-2 in his career against them with 6 touchdown passes and 6 interceptions. Freeman was asked about Hartman’s play against NC State in his Monday press conference.
“I don’t know what happened when he was at Wake Forest,” Freeman said. “But I bet you he’ll probably look at it. I don’t know how much we’ll study that as much as we’ll study what they did versus UConn, and what they’ve done in the past year or so.”
Freeman has said his piece on Hartman vs. NC State. Follow along below for everything else he says about the Irish and the Pack in his final media availability before the matchup.
What Notre Dame head coach Marcus Freeman is saying about Fighting Irish vs. NC State
Keep refreshing this page for real-time, written updates during Freeman’s press conference.
• Freeman says Thomas Harper has done a great job of transitioning from Oklahoma State to Notre Dame. Didn’t see much of him against Navy because the Irish weren’t in nickel defense a lot, but he played well vs. Tennessee State.
• Devyn Ford will not play vs. NC State. He’s in concussion protocol.
• Nolan Ziegler is away from the team because of a “mental health issue,” Freeman says.
• Freeman says the Irish cornerbacks have been doing a “great job.” He says they did a great job taking advantage of limited opportunities in the first two weeks. He says this week, they’ll be called upon much more often against NC State.
• Freeman is asked about simulating how an opposing offense creates confusion in practice. “We do a lot of good on good situations which means our offense is going against our defense, and it’s not game-plan specific.” Freeman says that helps the guys just play football and be more reactive. “Everything can’t just be game-plan specific.”
• Freeman says to prepare the Notre Dame freshmen for their first true road environment, you explain what it’s going to be like. You show them videos. But he says nothing can replicate what it’s actually like. “You try to give them a visual of what it’s going to be like… But until you’re actually in that element, you can’t simulate it.”
• Freeman says NC State’s defense is “an attacking, aggressive group.” Freeman says you don’t see a group as downhill as the Wolfpack every week. That’s defensive coordinator Tony Gibson’s calling card. Freeman says the Pack are clear on their assignments, too. Freeman says Gibson was on his list of defensive coordinators to consider before he ultimately hired Al Golden.
• Freeman is asked about the forecast of wet weather. Freeman says Notre Dame had some wet ball practices in fall camp. “No matter what the elements are, we have to go out there and perform.”
