Notre Dame arrives in Arizona with challenges beyond Fiesta Bowl prep
With the travel parties from both Notre Dame and Oklahoma State on-site and settled into their temporary homes in Scottsdale, Ariz. — No. 9 OSU (11-2) arrived Sunday, No. 5 ND (11-1) on Monday — the head coaches of both programs now face their own unique game-day challenges before Saturday’s Fiesta Bowl, while at the same time, they’ll both battle a common and invisible opponent neither has much control over.
With COVID-19 back — and seemingly back with a vengeance — balancing game prep, player enjoyment, and viral safety remains paramount for both teams if this game will played as scheduled.
From Dec. 24-29, three bowl games were already cancelled because of individual program outbreaks, with more presumably to come.
During their first meeting with the media Monday in Arizona before Saturday’s game, the two head coaches outlined the balancing act they face during the next four days.
For Irish head coach Marcus Freeman, he’s tasked with situating his staff before game-day for an opponent that ranks in the top 10 nationally in total defense (3rd), rushing defense (5th) and scoring defense (8th).
All, while at the same, allowing his kids to be kids, and to enjoy the Fiesta festivities and Arizona atmosphere, within reason.
“You cannot come down here and just go out, and hang out, and treat it just like a normal bowl trip,” Freeman explained. “We have to be really smart and I think our team is definitely understanding the case and understanding what we have to do.”
And for Oklahoma State head coach Mike Gundy, he’ll be prepping for an opponent that has won seven straight games, allowed only 23 points in its four November outings, and seems to have a renewed enthusiasm and mission to make good on Freeman’s first career game as a head coach.
As part of Gundy’s COVID balance, his players took in Monday night’s Phoenix Suns NBA game against the Memphis Grizzlies, with a warning to be smart and a promise to stay on task.
“We’re going to play this game unless we can’t find 11 players,” Gundy emphatically explained when asked about the COVID cloud. “We are 100 percent fully committed to playing this game, but we also want the opportunity to enjoy Scottsdale and enjoy the Playstation Fiesta Bowl.”
Freeman explained that Notre Dame’s COVID testing protocols — immediate testing for the symptomatic, weekly for the asymptomatic — will remain the same in Arizona as they did in South Bend.
Beyond that …
“We have to be smart in terms of what we’re doing out here in Arizona,” Freeman added, “wearing our masks when we are supposed to, being really, really smart about the people we are around.”
Fingers crossed, and in anticipation of the Fiesta Bowl staying on schedule, blueandgold.com had a chance Monday to ask Freeman about his three-week coaching whirlwind.
“Day by day, task by task,” he said. “When you think about it in terms of how many things you have to do as the head coach at the University of Notre Dame, it starts to get overwhelming. But when you attack things day by day, minute by minute, task by task, just knock it out. Don’t put things off. … To have this time management to where you can prepare, you can prepare yourself, you can prepare your team to have success this upcoming Saturday.”
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