Notre Dame head football coach Marcus Freeman met with the media on Saturday after the ninth Irish practice of the spring, which included a roughly 60-play intrasquad scrimmage. Here's everything the fourth-year head coach had to say.
Answers are largely verbatim. Questions may have been edited for brevity and clarity.
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OPENING STATEMENT
“We had a pretty good practice. Had 60, 60-plus plays that were live [in a scrimmage format], which is encouraging. We wanted to go up a little bit from what we did last week, 40 plays. And so, guys competed. A lot of good things, just being out there, seeing guys being put in tough situations, and we're getting better. And that's ultimately what we're trying to do — as an individual, as teams — is trying to improve. And so, I love what I saw. There are a lot of things we'll be able to go in and work on, attacking, fixing when you go back and watch the film. But it's been a good start to the spring, just seeing a lot of young guys having to step up, and even a young offensive line having to go against some challenging defensive lineman.
“It's been good to see the growth of the young offensive line, some young wide receivers that are stepping up and doing great things. Feel like the quarterbacks are all improving and the running backs are doing a good job. I'm really pleased with the offense. And defensively, we probably have more guys practicing on defense that have played. And so, I think for those guys, just continue to learn the different details that [defensive coordinator Chris] Ash is emphasizing and how he wants schematically those guys to play. And so, I've seen a lot of growth in them over these first nine practices.
“I think you guys [know about] the injury of Micah [Gilbert], right? You know about that. He had surgery. I think he addressed that last week. And then Guerby Lambert had shoulder surgery to repair a labrum. He's expected back in the fall. So, I'll get an injury report today. [Jeremiyah] Love had a hamstring today in practice, and we took him out of practice just to be smart. I don't think it's serious, but we'll get a full report after he sees the docs and go from there. So, I'll open it up for questions.”
Q: You mentioned the young offensive line. How does that affect what you're able to see from your quarterbacks and how you can evaluate them when there's some extra pressure there?
Marcus Freeman: “They control what they control, right? And there's different ways to evaluate the quarterbacks without an offensive line, with an offensive line. I think the thought is that just because they're young, they can't protect, but I think they've done a good job at protecting the quarterback at times. But that's the reality. You're going to get pressure as a quarterback, and you’ve got to find ways to maneuver through it, extend plays, make plays, but also be able to take care of the football. And if there’s nothing open and you’re getting pressure, at times you're going to take a sack or throw the ball away. I think they've been put in really good situations. But I don't know if that's had an impact on the evaluation of the quarterbacks. I don't think at all.”
Q: Tae Johnson was someone who stood out to me. It seems like he's moving around quite a bit. What have you liked about the way he's progressed this spring?
MF: “Tae is extremely athletic. He missed part of last season with an injury and had surgery, and so it's been good to see him out there playing at the safety position, but he's also played some corner. Could possibly play nickel. Really, an athletic young man that is really grasping the scheme of what he's asked to do, too, and playing at a high level. So, he's had a really good spring, and I hope he continues on this projection that he’s on.”
Q: Of the transfer guys that have come in, what have been your overall impressions of them? And have any of them stood out to you?
MF: “All of them. I mean, they've all improved. They've all done some good things. Will Pauling is a little bit later, just because he had surgery, and so he missed probably the first couple practices. But he's been great in his return to play. Both D-linemen, Elijah [Hughes] and Jared [Dawson], have done a really good job understanding what is asked of them and practicing at a high level. Noah [Burnette], the kicker, has done a good job. Again, they're all improving. I know that Jalen [Stroman] is the one that hasn't been practicing because he had surgery, but you can see him putting in the work mentally to be ready to play. And Smitty [Devonta Smith] has been great. He's played almost every snap at nickel. We held him out today. He didn't do a whole bunch of the competitive reps, just out of precaution. His abductor or something was a little bit tight from yesterday's practice. So, we want to see him really compete in a spring game.
“And I didn't say this [earlier], but the spring game format will be similar to what you saw today. It will be offense versus defense. We won't do a draft like we have in the past, because of numbers. We don't have the ability to truly have two complete offenses and defenses. And [I] feel like it's going to be what's best for our program. So, we will go offense versus defense for the spring game, and score it in a way, kind of like we scored it today, something that our guys are familiar with. But we'll find a way to make it competitive. It'll be great to see those guys.”
Q: In the quarterback competition, where do you feel like CJ Carr is today compared to where he was even just at the start of spring practice, a couple weeks ago?
MF: “He's much improved. He's done a good job, as all three of them have. {The fourth QB], Blake [Hebert], has done a good job. They've all improved, and that's all you [can] ask of them — each of them to improve. And they really are. And so, he's improved from where he was in practice 1. But all of them are. Credit to their coach [QBs coach Gino Guidugli] and credit to them. But they’re just really constantly improving.”
Q: A couple of freshmen we keep hearing about so far this spring are Elijah Burress and Cree Thomas. What have you seen from those two guys?
MF: “They've done a good job. They’ve really done a good job. Elijah's a hard worker. Runs routes hard, has made some tough catches. I really like what he's done. Cree Thomas has done a great job in terms of, again, a guy that practices hard and a guy that is pretty detail-oriented. And he’s done a good job of competing.”
Q: What have you seen from some of the new and returning defensive tackles in spring?
MF: “[Gabe] Rubio has done a really good job. He got to play for us a lot last year. Jason Onye. I'm really pleased. Again, I think I said this the last time I was up here, just the journey he's been on and the way he's been practicing. Donnie Hinish, he's been a stud. He's done a good job. And then, Elijah and Jared have done a good job — and on down. Like, they've all done a good job versus the guys they’re going against. They're improving and glad we have them.”
Q: Nine practices in, do you get a sense of the voices of leadership that are starting to emerge a little bit? And how have you tried to push those guys forward?
MF: “Coaches provided a lot of the leadership, but those guys all at different times — I wish I could say it's just one guy. I think it's just kind of by committee right now, and probably more so within the room, with each position, more than anything. I think all three quarterbacks, that are competing, have all done a good job of rallying the offense. You know, [Charles] Jagusah is probably one of the few returning starters on the offensive line that's in there constantly with the 1s that has done a good job of rallying the troops. And defensively, you'll hear Leonard Moore. You hear Adon Shuler, guys that have been out there and played. Drayk Bowen's been great, [Jaylen] Sneed, I mean all those guys, who have played, all at moments you'll hear their voice. And so, you want to continue to empower those guys, because at the end of the day, those are guys who are going to be on the field. And those are guys that have to provide the leadership to our team.”
Q: How do you think the linebacker position will be different or similar to what it was last year in terms of depth, rotation, the ability to get guys in and out of different roles?
MF: “I foresee it being similar. You're fortunate you have five, six guys that can be in the game and help you. And so, although I'm sure every individual wants to play every snap of the game, I think they view it as a positive, understanding that, ‘Hey, I might get this series and be out a series. And so, focus on this series that I get, focus on this opportunity I get.’ And you don't control how much you rotate, because we want to get guys in there. We want to keep fresh guys in there that can be productive and not keep guys, who can play for you and help you win, on the sideline. And sometimes that's more than 11, right? You can play 11 guys on the field at once, and so if there's guys that can help you, you've got to find ways to get in the game. And I think the linebacker room is a reflection of that. It's a reflection of a room that, at times, we play two linebackers. If you’ve got five or six guys that can help you win games, how do you find ways to get them in the game and help you either through packages or rotate them?”
Q: You mentioned Jason Onye and the journey that he's been on. How much does it speak to his leadership and just who he is to get in there and look like he did today, like one of the best defensive tackles that you guys have?
MF: “It's a credit to him for the work he's put in. It's been a lot of hard work. A credit to the people around him — his family, team doctors, the team, his teammates — for supporting him and helping him as he has climbed through this difficult journey to be in the position he's in. Let alone to be back on the team, but to be playing at a high level. And so, obviously all credit goes to him, but I want to make sure you give credit to the people that are around him that have helped him.”
Q: You talked a little bit about Tae Johnson, but there were some other safeties today who made some plays — JaDon Blair, Kennedy Urlacher, just where are you guys at without Xavier Watts? And what does the future look like there, considering all the young talent, including Luke Talich as well?
MF: “I mean, it's hard to replace Xavier Watts. I think there was just a level of comfort just knowing with X, that he built that trust over time. Because he's so consistent, you just knew Xavier Watts was going to make the play or find a way to make a play. I am extremely confident in the safeties room. Adon is the returning starter. Those other guys haven't played much meaningful football for our program yet, but we think they're definitely talented. They just got to get the opportunity. So, right now, they're all competing and just improving. You're competing with yourself right now and to be the best version of you. And how do you constantly improve? At some point, we'll name a starter — in August, or whatever, if we need to. But trust is built through consistency. Trust is built through you doing your job over and over and over. And so, you can build trust in practice, but you're also going to build trust in a game, when it matters the most.
“That's what I'm saying, the comfort you have with Xavier is built because of what he's done over time, like over and over and over. Adon, you’ve got a lot of comfort and trust in him, because he's done it, whereas the other guys are extremely talented but haven't done it on the field for Notre Dame. Jalen has done it for a different school, but hasn't done it for us yet. And so, they're all competing. They're doing a really good job, and I’ve got a lot of confidence in whoever would be on the field.”
Q: Your son, Vinny, made some news this week with his college commitment for wrestling to Cornell. What are the emotions for you as a father to see that your son is going to a great institution like Cornell?
MF: “Yeah, proud of him. I am. I'm proud of him. And it was unique being on the other side [of the recruiting process], being a father trying to guide your son when a lot of times I wasn't on a lot of visits. It was his mom. And, at the end of the day, I said the greatest thing in sales is to figure out who's the champion. Mom liked Cornell, and somehow Vinny chose Cornell. So, I'm proud of him. He's earned that through some hard work, and I look forward to seeing what's in the future for him.”
Q: Do you learn anything going through the recruiting process as a father? Like, do you pick up any insights that maybe help you with your job?
MF: “Yeah, you know, I was intentional about making sure I kept the staff updated through what I was seeing as a father that could relate to our staff as recruiters. And I think, more importantly, when Vinny was saying he was ready to commit, I just want to know why. You know, tell me the reasons why. And I kind of shared with the staff some of the things that he said. We know these things, but it's a great reminder of what's important to young people, and what's important to their families and what they hear. And everybody's different, but one of the most important things is to figure out who's helping that person with the decision and what's important to them. One of the things that was important to Vinny was the people. He really viewed the people — the wrestlers, the recruits, the coaches — as he said to me, ‘I feel like they’re family.’ And that's a great reminder for us, as coaches, we can sell Notre Dame. We can sell our football program. We can sell this university, but at the end of the day, the young people want relationships too. And that's a great reminder for us all.”
Q: Looking at Drayk Bowen, what do you need from him, as far as leadership, and where has he grown in his position?
MF: “I think he's been a great leader for our program, for our linebackers room. [Jack] Kiser gets a lot of credit, because he was the elder statesman and captain. But I think Drayk was a vocal leader when he needed to be last year and continues to be this year. So, what do I need from Drayk? Continuing to lead when it's necessary, because people respect him, because he's played high-level defense for us, but also continuing just to be the best version of Drayk. Continue to improve as a player, help guys get lined up, correct guys when they're wrong. And so, my expectations of Drayk are really high, but his expectations of himself are probably higher.”
Q: I wanted to see if you could give a little more insight and description now that the new hires in the recruiting department are settled in, as to what their duties are. Like Myron Tagovailoa-Amosa, the director of recruiting advancement, and Jourdan Blake, now that he's director of player personnel. What do those positions look like and how do they work, hand in hand, with Mike Martin?
MF: “I think, more importantly, Mike's going to oversee everything, and it's really job responsibilities under each title. Right now, everybody's wearing a recruiting hat, everybody from me to Mike Martin to Jourdan to Myron — everybody. All hands are on deck, because there's a lot of kids on campus, a lot of families on campus. I think as we get through this spring cycle, that we'll be able to kind of decipher, ‘Hey, what exactly is Myron's only role when we talk about outside of recruiting?’ I think all of them are responsible for talent acquisition, evaluation and helping coaches prepare. Everybody does a lot of different things, and so I don't always think a title reflects exactly what a person does. All those guys encompass a lot of different things. So, I can't be super specific, like, this is the only thing that Myron does. This is the only thing that Jourdan does. They all do a lot of different things, but it's all about talent acquisition, evaluation and getting the right guys here to help us win.”
Q: North Carolina has been a big part of your recruiting efforts. Is there something different you're seeing in that area that's been attractive to you, or is it just kind of happenstance that North Carolina is where some of the top guys are coming from?
MF: “I think more than anything, we look for the best players in the country that fit this place and what this place offers you. It just happened to be that some of those right individuals were from North Carolina. And it isn't like we're just attacking North Carolina. We're trying to attack the entire country to find the right guys that fit this place. And fortunately for us, the guys that we've gotten from North Carolina have done a really, really good job and are going to be really great players for us. We're going to try to recruit the right guys, no matter where they're at.”
Q: How have the three QBs handled the three men splitting reps the way they are? And, as a coaching staff, have there been any challenges that have come with it, just the fact that you have three guys doing that?
MF: “I think as a coaching staff, you just want to get them more [reps]. But they've handled it, handled it perfectly. They focus on the reps they get. They do the best job they can. If they're not in there, they're getting mental reps. They're helping each other out, and really focus on being the best version of them. And that's all you can ask. If you're worried about anything else, then you're not really helping yourself at all. If you're worried about counting the other person's reps and how many completions he has, that's not helping you be the best version of you. And so, they've been amazing. They've been great. They've been just exactly what I thought they would be — mature and guys that take care of their business and take advantage of their opportunities that they're getting.
“For us, how do we find ways to continuously get them more, but understand that we have a team that maybe isn't as deep in those positions right now in the spring, and so we can't hurt the greater good of the team. We have to be able to evaluate those guys, but we feel like we have done in the first nine practices, a really good job being able to at least evaluate those guys in a fair way. And again, that's what we'll continue to do as we go throughout spring.”
Q: You said at the start of spring that you didn't want to put a timeline on a decision. Where you are right now, do you envision this going past the spring?
MF: “I don't know when it's going to be. I mean, it will be when they kind of determine decisions need to be made. I've always said I don't truly believe that coaches put a timeline [on position competitions]. I think the players kind of decide when decisions need to be made. And as soon as there's a clear starter, we'll name a clear starter.”
Q: Jaylen Sneed said he's up to 235 pounds, which has made a huge difference. How significant is that to his game?
MF: “I'll say this, that this is the best spring in my four years being here with Jalen that he’s had. When he decided to come back and said I want to have my last year here at Notre Dame, he's been committed to doing the little things that it takes to be a great player. And that's kind of what I talk to him about, is that he's got every option in the world. He could go somewhere else. He could try to go to the NFL. If you're going to come back here to get your degree and to be the best football player you can be, there's things that you’ve got to be committed to. And his weight is a part of that.
“But he's practicing at a level — in terms of the fundamentals, the details, the energy — that it takes to be a great player. He's got great talent. Now he's starting to become a great player and put it all together, and it's just credit to him for putting in the work that it takes to be that. Now he's got to continuously do that every day. Nobody cares tomorrow what you did today, right? And so, he's shown, since the winter semester/spring semester, he's really shown to be committed to that. And so, I'm really pleased, and I look forward to the next couple practices, the next couple of weeks, on what he continues to do.”
Q: We saw Eli Raridon flash today. He's a couple years removed now from the knee injuries. Do you see a difference there? And secondly, he's got a clear path now to the starting job. Do you see some changes in how he's approaching everything?
MF: “I'm not with Eli every day to see the work he’s put in, but what you see on the field is a guy that has put in the work necessary to perform probably better than he has in the past. You know, he's an older guy in the room, a guy that probably has more production or more plays than anyone — [Cooper Flanagan] is out right now. And I think he's done a really, really good job. I expect a lot out of him. We have, obviously, a big hole to fill with Mitch [Evans moving on]. And you think about Michael Mayer before that. And Eli has done a good job. I think his role will be bigger this year, and he's committed to it. And he's doing a really good job.”
Q: The idea of playing some zone on defense. How much of that comes from Chris Ash and what he's been able to do at other places?
MF: “It was probably a thought from Chris Ash more than anything. And I confirmed that we’ve got to continue to enhance the way we play [pass defense]. We can't play man every play. We know that. And we're pretty good at playing man, and so let's be intentional about continuing to find ways to get better at playing zone. And it's been a great challenge for our defense. I think if we ask them just to go out and play man and do the things we've done in the past consistently, they — without hesitation — would be able to do it. And so, we're challenging them in ways to do things. And again, there's playing cover 3, cover 4, cover 2. There's only so many coverages you could play. But the details and how you play them, how you match things, how you — are you playing zone? Are you playing the match? And all those different details of zone defense can be different.
“And so, it's been a really good challenge for our guys, especially the returning starters or guys that have played a lot, to learn, ‘Hey, what is coach Ash emphasizing in this zone coverage? And so, it's going to help us as we get into the fall. We'll decide after spring and in the summer and fall camp what we'll hang our hats on. But I think it's been a commitment from coach Ash and the whole defensive staff and myself on down to say, ‘OK, let's continue to find ways to enhance the way we play zone.’”
Q: There are so many unknowns about the roster limits and the future of the walk-ons in general, how much are you dreading some of those conversations whenever they have to happen?
MF: “I think we have a plan, depending on how the [House vs. NCAA] settlement is determined here next week or whenever it happens. I'm not spending much time thinking about it until they make a decision, like we spend enough time thinking about, ‘OK, what would we do? Here's our plan.’ It's going to be difficult, obviously, if you have to make some difficult decisions in terms of cutting your roster to 105. It's going to be difficult, because you care about every person in that room who has given everything they’ve got to Notre Dame. But we also know that could be a possibility. We'll wait until the settlement is finalized until I spend any more time thinking about it. I'm good with our plan. I've moved it kind of back behind me. And if they say the settlement is approved, now we'll move forward with that plan.”
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