Live updates: Notre Dame coach Marcus Freeman Ohio State, Duke press conference

The Ohio State game is behind Notre Dame. It won’t be looked back on as fondly as the No. 11 Fighting Irish (4-1) would have liked, but head coach Marcus Freeman still has to put some final thoughts out there on what happened in his team’s 17-14 loss. Plus, it’s time to look ahead to a road game at No. 17 Duke (4-0).

You can watch Freeman’s press conference live at 12 p.m. ET by clicking the YouTube video player below. Below that, Blue & Gold will have real-time written updates of everything Freeman is saying.

WATCH: Notre Dame head coach Marcus Freeman post-Ohio State, pre-Duke press conference

What Freeman is saying

**Keep refreshing this page for real-time, written updates of Freeman’s press conference**

• Freeman starts by thanking the fans and everyone at Notre Dame who made Saturday’s atmosphere as great as it was.

• Freeman says the Ohio State game did not come down to just one play. He says Notre Dame needed to be better in multiple plays earlier on.

• Freeman says Notre Dame’s lack of execution on both sides of the ball with less than five minutes left “really finalized that game.”

• Freeman says by the time he realized there were only 10 players on the field for Ohio State’s last two plays, “it was too late.” That’s inexcusable considering the Irish called a timeout before those two plays, and there was time to sub before the last one.

• Freeman says it’s time to prepare for another tough challenge against No. 17 Duke with College GameDay once again being in town for a Notre Dame game.

• Freeman says Duke quarterback Riley Leonard is a tough challenge, particularly with what he does in the running game. “And he’s accurate in the pass game with what they ask him to do.”

• Marcus Freeman says he’s not going to play the blame game for what happened in the final moments against Ohio State. “Ultimately, it falls on me.”

• Freeman says it’s a credit to the coaching staff that one Notre Dame’s go-ahead touchdown drive in the fourth quarter was brought forth by three freshmen making plays.

• Freeman says Notre Dame kicker Spencer Shrader feels more comfortable with Bryce McFerson as the holder than he does with Dylan Devezin. A change on the depth chart has reflected that.

• Freeman says freshman wide receiver Rico Flores Jr. continues to take strides. Look for his usage to continue to rise.

• Freeman says he hasn’t met with Notre Dame as a group yet. That’s normal. Team usually has Sundays off. They’re going to meet today before practice. He says he’s going to tell them you can put everything you’ve got into a week and still lose, and that brings a sick to the stomach type of feeling. “In the midst of that pain you have to own it. You have to face it. You have to attack it… You can’t feel sorry for yourself.”

• Freeman says he noticed during Gator Bowl prep that Notre Dame tight end Mitchell Evans “can be the guy.”

• Notre Dame junior wide receiver Deion Colzie is going to have a knee scope this week. He’ll be out a couple weeks. Fellow junior wideout Jayden Thomas is nursing a hamstring strain, and he is questionable.A thin wide receiver group is thinning even further.

• Blue & Gold asked asked Freeman to clarify exactly when he knew there were only 10 players on the field at the end of the game. He did not know until moments before the final play was snapped. Meaning, he did not know when the ref was standing over the ball asking the sideline for subs.

• Freeman says Marist Liufau was dealing with a stinger in the neck area all week. That might have had something to do with not registering a tackle on 61 snaps.

• Freeman: “I’m not second guessing Coach [Gerad] Parker’s play calling at all. We need to execute.”

• Freeman on the Notre Dame pass rush vs. Ohio State: “We got there, we just didn’t get there enough. It’s never enough.”

• Freeman says the Ohio State wide receiver contingent is probably the best in the country. He says he feels confident with Notre Dame’s top two corners Cam Hart and Benjamin Morrison for faring fairly well against tough matchups.

• Freeman says he respects Duke’s defense led by head coach Mike Elko for how hard the Blue Devils play. Freeman says he has followed Elko’s career.

• Freeman on facing No. 17 Duke this weekend: “We game plan for an opponent, but Notre Dame has to execute at a level that we need Notre Dame to.”