Notre Dame recruits lobbying for Marcus Freeman to be the next head coach
When Notre Dame offered Hilton Head (S.C.) High class of 2022 linebacker Jaylen Sneed on Jan. 18, 2021, it seemed like a long shot that the Fighting Irish would be able to land the top-100 recruit who already held dozens of scholarship offers.
Enter Marcus Freeman.
It helped get Notre Dame in the door considering the just-hired Irish defensive coordinator had a longstanding connection with Sneed’s head coach, BJ Payne, but Freeman had to convince the elite prospect why he should leave the South for Notre Dame.
Freeman was one of the main reasons Sneed picked the Irish. If Freeman doesn’t remain on staff at Notre Dame as athletic director Jack Swarbrick looks to replace Brian Kelly, who has taken the head coach position at LSU, then the chances of the Fighting Irish holding on to Sneed, the No. 31 player and No. 3 outside linebacker in America, would be nil.
“If Coach Freeman is not named the head coach at Notre Dame, I will reopen my recruiting process,” Sneed told BlueandGold.com.
Freeman and Sneed have a relationship that goes back a few years, and Freeman gave Sneed his first scholarship offer while on staff at Cincinnati.
“The bond I have built with him is truly amazing,” Sneed continued. “I want to play for Coach Freeman, and I want to play for him at Notre Dame.”
If Freeman is no longer on Notre Dame’s staff, it will be hard for the Fighting Irish to hold on to most of its 2022 recruiting class, especially on the defensive side of the ball. Other Notre Dame commits have been vocal in their support of Freeman on social media and in messages with BlueandGold.com.
“I’d be ecstatic,” Pittsburgh Central Catholic defensive tackle Donovan Hinish said. “Coach Freeman is the best kind of coach you can ask for. He’s a hardworking, blue collar mentality kind of guy, and he is a great leader who would carry Notre Dame to a national championship.”
“I would absolutely love for him to get the job,” Traverse City (Mich.) Central linebacker Joshua Burnham added. “I think he is the right guy and will help the future of ND.”
“That’s who I hope gets it,” Chantilly (Va.) High defensive end Aiden Gobaira said. “Coach Freeman has proven he’s ready.”
Even on the offensive side of the ball, Atlanta Westminster tight end Holden Staes is pulling for Freeman.
“I have all the confidence in the world that Coach Freeman could take this program to where everyone wants it to be – and that’s a national championship contender every year,” Staes said. “We want him as the next head coach because we see something special in him and would love to play for him.”
Notre Dame’s commitments are in a holding pattern currently, waiting to see who the Fighting Irish hire at head coach. If it’s not Freeman, the Irish’s 2022 and 2023 commitment lists will be ripe for picking.
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