What Jerome Bettis being around Notre Dame football has meant to Marcus Freeman
It seemed there were two permanent public figures at Notre Dame basketball games this winter: Fighting Irish football head coach Marcus Freeman and legendary blue and gold running back Jerome Bettis.
Freeman and Bettis both showed up at Purcell Pavilion time and time again because they love the university they represent. Every aspect of it. Freeman started his press conference Thursday by telling reporters happy St. Patrick’s Day and congratulating men’s basketball coach Mike Brey on a thrilling NCAA Tournament First Four victory that wrapped up in Dayton, Ohio, barely 10 hours prior to Freeman taking the podium in South Bend.
He didn’t have to mention those things. But he did anyway. He bleeds blue and gold.
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Naturally, Freeman and Bettis have struck up a relationship. They have too much in common not to. Freeman, obviously, is dedicated to making Notre Dame as elite as possible on and off the football field. So is Bettis — even though it’s been three decades since he suited up in an Irish uniform. Since Bettis returned to school, he has joined forces with Freeman to enhance the Notre Dame brand.
“Since he’s gotten to campus, we meet once a week to talk,” Freeman said. “It could be a 20- to 30-minute chat or a two-hour chat. I run things by him in terms of former players, I run things by him regarding helping our current players. He has this credibility because of who he is, and so the ability to have that guy talk to your team and not telling him what to say but him saying the same things that you’re preaching as a head coach [is valuable].”
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Bettis’ friendship means a lot to Freeman. The two genuinely enjoy each other’s company. But Bettis’ status as a Pro Football Hall of Fame inductee has immense value too. Recruits see a guy of his stature and his reverence for Notre Dame and can’t help but think that could be them down the line if they choose to play for the Irish.
Current players strive to work harder when Bettis walks through the door touting a Super Bowl ring, too. Bettis’ path to superstardom swung straight through South Bend. He lived it. He ran in their shoes. His advice doesn’t resonate with just running backs, either. Everything he says sticks with players of all position groups. When Bettis speaks on the way things should be, he isn’t directing his message solely to Chris Tyree, Logan Diggs, Audric Estime and Jadarian Price.
His memos are meant for the masses. Freeman believes they have been absorbed that way.
“The players have upheld standards,” he said. “The players held each other accountable because the players want each teammate to be the best. [Bettis] emphasized team. ‘This is a team and my job is to make you better.’ When you hear him say those things, it’s just affirmation that we’re saying the right things. He’s been great. Everybody knows who he is in terms of recruits, current players, former players — so he’s been awesome for us.”
