Notre Dame coach Marcus Freeman Sun Bowl press conference live updates
EL PASO, Texas — It’s Sun Bowl eve. Notre Dame finishes the 2023 season against Oregon State in the Tony The Tiger Sun Bowl on Friday afternoon. Fighting Irish head coach Marcus Freeman is meeting with the media Thursday for final updates on his team before the matchup.
Keep refreshing this page to follow along below with real-time written updates of what Freeman is saying.
• Freeman starts by saying it’s great to be in El Paso. He says it’s been a great week of hospitality and experiencing a new place.
• Freeman says Notre Dame has had a great week of practice. He says the guys are motivated to get a chance to go get one more win.
• Freeman says growing up as a kid, he’d hear about the Sun Bowl and what it means in the context of college football. This is the 90th edition of the game.
• Freeman says his message to Notre Dame quarterback Steve Angeli making his first career start is “be Steve Angeli. Don’t be Sam Hartman. Be Steve Angeli.” Freeman says Angeli has earned this opportunity.
• Freeman says the Notre Dame offense won’t change much going from Hartman to Angeli. He says there is more tinkering going from Audric Estimé to his backups than there is from Hartman to Angeli.
• Freeman admits guys like Javontae Jean-Baptiste and JD Bertrand did not have to play in this game in the era of opt outs. But they chose to, and Notre Dame is better for it.
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• Freeman says veterans like Jayden Thomas, Deion Colzie and Matt Salerno will serve as lifelines for Angeli in his first start. He says those guys have gotten healthy after battling their respective injuries this season.
• Freeman on Notre Dame freshman running back Jeremiyah Love: “His speed is elite.” He says a big emphasis in this game is getting Love the ball in space.
• Freeman says he’s really pleased with how quickly Notre Dame was able to hire Mike Denbrock as its offensive coordinator.
• Freeman says Denbrock flew into El Paso to be with the Fighting Irish ahead of Friday’s Sun Bowl. He met with coaches and players.
• Freeman is excited for the addition of Denbrock for multiple reasons. Obviously, there is the football aspect. But then there’s the fact that Denbrock has coached here before and he can tell him and his family enjoy being a part of the South Bend community.
