Blue & Gold Illustrated: America's Foremost Authority on Notre Dame Football
Issue link: https://comanpub.uberflip.com/i/1479280
4 SEPT. 24, 2022 BLUE & GOLD ILLUSTRATED B ased on the flood of feedback that landed in my email inbox during Notre Dame's 0-2 start — not al- ways friendly, admittedly — folks are growing weary of Brian Kelly stories and the inevitable comparisons between the former Irish coach and his successor, Marcus Freeman. But given the success, streaks and stability that Kelly provided to the foot- ball program during his final five years on the job, it's impossible not to refer- ence the former boss while the new guy struggles to find his footing. Remember, along with the keys to the corner office, Freeman was also handed a straightforward mission to build on Kelly's half decade of sustained success, and not to demolish or rebuild a flatlined program. Spoiler alert, FBS athletics directors typically make coaching changes when the only way to go is up, see Brian Kelly in 2010. But that wasn't the case for Freeman, who was promoted to the top job at a program that was closer to winning a national championship than it was to becoming an annual Sun Bowl invitee. Freeman's heavy and immediate ex- pectations understandably brought the rookie coach more pressure from the outside, and presumably less patience inside of the Irish football bubble than what Kelly was granted when he took over a 6-6 program 12 years ago. Ready or not, that's the microscope Freeman finds himself under only three games into his head coaching journey. "It forces you to continue to always evaluate," Freeman explained of his in- auspicious career launch, "and to really take a deep dive into what we're doing and why we're doing it." Here's hoping that introspection and self-scouting brings both quick and long-term solutions. "We have to be honest," Freeman said, "and take an unbiased look and say, 'OK, are we doing what's best for this team?'" It's a point well made after preseason goals dipped from national champion- ship to bowl eligibility. NOTHING IS EASY Still searching for an identity at the quarter post of the 2022 season, the fragile Irish now get the toughest one- two opponent punch on the schedule. Freeman and the Irish on Saturday play at undefeated North Carolina (3-0) where Hall of Fame head coach Mack Brown and his high-powered Tar Heels await. A perennially bad road team, North Carolina has won 14 of its last 16 games at home, dating back to late 2019. Then, after its bye week, Notre Dame heads to Las Vegas Oct. 8, for its Sham- rock Series tilt against a talented BYU team that ranked No. 12 last week. The feisty Cougars under seventh- year head coach Kalani Sitake quietly went a combined 21-4 in 2020 and 2021, and finished both seasons ranked in the top-20 of the final Associated Press poll. It's understood that Kelly didn't of- ten perform well on the big stage while coaching at Notre Dame. But he was a master at avoiding upsets, beating the teams he was supposed to beat, and winning in these types of settings, so the coaching comparisons will continue. Let's not forget that Freeman inher- ited Kelly's 42-game winning streak against unranked opponents, a streak snapped Sept. 10 by Marshall in Free- man's debut at Notre Dame Stadium. Next up on the list of streaks that Freeman is tasked with protecting and extending comes Saturday at Kenan Memorial Stadium in Chapel Hill, N.C. Under Kelly, Notre Dame won 11 straight road games against ACC opponents. It's a streak that dates back to November 2017 when the No. 3 Irish were dumped 41-8 at No. 7 Miami. The matchup against North Carolina obviously won't carry the playoff impli- cations the Miami game did five years ago. But Freeman is aware that just to become bowl eligible this season, these are the type of games he'll need to win, even as he tries to tune out the noise. "If you continue to listen to all the voices out there that have opinions about what you're doing or what we're doing as a football program," Freeman said, "you will feel the weight of the world." After North Carolina, Freeman will be asked to keep intact the unblemished 10-0 record in Shamrock Series games. Kelly went 9-0 in those. There's plenty of season left, and Free- man's rocky start may someday become a distant memory. And remember, Kelly be- gan his coaching career at Notre Dame 4-5 in 2010, and went on to become the win- ningest skipper in Fighting Irish history. It's just one final coaching compari- son to consider as Freeman leads his team into two difficult and season-de- fining games. ✦ With the Fighting Irish facing a tough stretch on the schedule, Freeman must quickly help his team regroup and reset its goals. PHOTO BY CHAD WEAVER Nothing Gets Easier For Marcus Freeman Or Irish UPON FURTHER REVIEW TODD D. BURLAGE Todd D. Burlage has been a writer for Blue & Gold Illustrated since July 2005. He can be reached at tburlage@blueandgold.com