Quick-hitters: Marcus Freeman on first spring practice, staff cohesion

Marcus Freeman spoke with reporters after Notre Dame’s first spring practice Wednesday. Here are some highlights and topics he addressed.

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Coaching additions, title changes

Running backs coach Deland McCullough added run-game coordinator to his title. Cornerbacks coach Mike Mickens is the defensive passing-game coordinator. Former Notre Dame receiver Amir Carlisle was announced as the director of player development, replacing former teammate Hunter Bivin. Freeman said he has conducted interviews with multiple candidates for the director of player personnel opening – vacated by Dave Peloquin – and hopes to have a decision by the end of the week. Bivin and Peloquin are in different roles within the athletic department.

On what he wanted to see in the first practice

“You obviously don’t want to see any injuries. That takes preparation from our strength staff. They have done an unbelievable job throughout the winter and spring of getting our guys to a level where they can practice for 18 or 19 periods a day, a lot of team reps. We did not have any injuries. That’s a credit to our strength staff and what they’ve done, and also our medical staff.

“We have to find ways to continue to practice at a high level, but also develop our depth and be able to roll guys in there and get them good reps. That’s what I wanted to see today. I wanted to see good reps and guys staying off the ground. It’s a process to get to where we want to go. It’s not going to be perfect in Practice 1. We have to continue to find ways to watch the film and evaluate.”

On the cohesion between new assistants

“Most of them were on offensive side of the ball, so I try to stay out of the way and let those guys meet and give them time to be together. They’ve been together a lot and met a lot. You have to meet to get everybody on the same page, but a lot of that is that cohesion and ability to view those guys as teammates.

“I’ve been in there a little bit and in staff meetings to make sure everybody understands our culture and expectations. It’s not where it’s a finished product, but it’s progressing to where we want it to be.”

On changes to the spring practice structure from last year

“It’s more looking at ways to enhance the practice structure is really what I spent time doing. Last year was more take things I’ve done, take the different spring practice structures I’ve been part of and said, ‘OK, this is what we’ll do Day 1.’

“This year, I said, ‘Let’s look back at last year’s Practice 1 and look at the progression, how the first week went, how the second week went. Do we need to have more time here and less time here? Can we add a period where it’s a high-running period here and a period that’s not as intense right behind it? I’m looking at the structure of how we practice and really looking for ways to enhance so we can perform better on Saturdays.”

On grad transfer DE Javontae Jean-Baptiste’s position

“Right now, we have him at field end. We ask our vyper to do some different things in terms of almost being an outside linebacker at times. Right now, he’s best suited after watching his film from Ohio State to be our field end. But we have 14 more practices to evaluate. Could he be a vyper? Could he be a different position?”

On freshman linebacker Drayk Bowen juggling football and baseball

“You just add that onto the plate. He’s a mature kid. He has been able to do a good job being at all his requirements and not being behind because he’s playing baseball. It’s a credit to him and his work ethic, the ability to say, ‘I have less free time than people in my class, and I’m OK with that.’”

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On his second spring practice

“It’s a lot more comfortable than it was Day 1 of last year, but it’s not going to be as comfortable as it will be in Practice 15. There were times today I was like, ‘Where are we going?’ or ‘What’s the next period?’ That’s Day 1. That’s what I want our kids to understand. It’s the same for me, and I’m the head coach. This isn’t my first spring practice, but you still have some rust in terms of exactly the flow of practice, where your eyes are going to be, where you’re going to be this period. I’m a lot more comfortable in my position, but at the same time, I have a tremendous amount of work to do like everybody else in this program.”

On his role in the quarterback race and juggling reps

“That’s a great challenge for Gino (Guidugli). We have four quarterbacks in that room that all need to be developed. They all need to improve. That’s your job as a coach, to continue to find ways to get guys reps and to help them improve, but also be able to have an evaluation and make a decision with who goes out first.

My role is going to be the same as it was last year. It’s going to be myself, Coach (Gerad) Parker, Coach Guidugli. We’ll talk and look at some of the statistics of the competition. But there’s another side of it who makes the best decisions, who takes care of the football best, who ultimately makes plays. It’ll be collective effort between all three of us.”

On former safety signee Brandyn Hillman being released from his letter of intent

“It was his own personal reasons. I’ll let Brandyn tell his story. I’m sure at some point he will. It was his own personal reasons. I don’t see it being the new normal. It’s unfortunate for us he didn’t come here. It was a personal decision he made.”

“We have to look at our safeties room and say, ‘After spring, do we need to get a transfer for the depth of the room?’ That’s what 15 practices is going to be able to tell us. That’s the beauty of this thing. You’re not preparing to win a game on April 22, but really, you’re saying where can you look at your roster and positions and say, ‘Do we need an addition here?’”