Blue & Gold Illustrated: America's Foremost Authority on Notre Dame Football
Issue link: https://comanpub.uberflip.com/i/1483505
6 NOV. 12, 2022 BLUE & GOLD ILLUSTRATED FAN FORUM NOT A POPULARITY CONTEST The players lobbied director of ath- letics Jack Swarbrick for Marcus Free- man to be the head coach because they liked the way he pampered them. Some- one like Lou Holtz needs to tell Coach Freeman he is not their nanny, he is their drill sergeant. Holtz's players feared him, and some hated him, but they loved him after their time at ND. Coach Freeman needs to show his players his nasty side that he used as a player at OSU. Almost all successful coaches have a sadistic/masochistic gene that comes out in the heat of coaching. Coaching is not a popularity contest. John McGrath St. Charles, Ill. BE HEARD! Send your letters to: Letters Blue & Gold Illustrated P. O. Box 1007, Notre Dame, IN 46556 or e-mail to: sdowney@comanpub.com There is not a better offensive lineman in the country across all positions per Pro Football Focus than Notre Dame sophomore left tackle Joe Alt. His season-long PFF grade of 91.4 was the No. 1 mark in the country among tackles, guards and centers through Week 9. Not surprisingly, Fighting Irish fans were singing his praises on our message board at BlueandGold.com. Mark Fidrych: He will be a top-10 overall draft pick in 2024 and will join Quenton Nelson and Zack Martin as dominant NFL offensive linemen. Charlie T: Mike Singer approves of this message. Tim Hyde: Hey now … I talk about him much more than Singer (ha, ha, ha). Alt has been a solid player this year and the experience he gained last year is the reason why. He has much to improve on, which is very exciting for Coach Hiestand to work on in the bowl practices and spring ball. I bet Alt comes back for the 2024 season to compete for a playoff spot. Karsten44: I was thinking the same thing. Something tells me he might just be a 4-year starter before moving on. Tim Hyde: I think next season is a 9-3 type of season and 2024 is Year 3 for Freeman and that is the one they should make the 12-team playoffs. Some- thing tells me Alt's dad has him stay. Unless of course Heistand is fired since he was Rees' pick to be OL coach. TylerHorka: I don't know about that. If he's a surefire first-rounder or a solid bet to be a top-10 pick in the 2024 draft, he's got to go. Take the money and run. Charlie T: To compete for a playoff spot you need at least a good QB. Tim, do you know something that we don't. Tim Hyde: By 2024, Year 3 of the Freeman Era … someone better be behind center or Freeman's second contract will be in very light, easily erased pencil, not that classic feather pen ink. I'm not talking about 2023 now. Long, long, long history of ND guys coming back and booming up the draft boards. Martin, Stanley, Nelson, McGlinchey and many more used that extra year to shoot up draft boards. Remember his dad was in the league for a long time and knows the ins and outs. I would expect him to go after starting 30 games for ND, but there is something different about being No. 18 in the Draft or No. 3, which left tackles can be in the draft. Lots and lots of time before this needs to be talked about. I would use the 2024 playoff team they should have as a reason as well. Ndpham: Is this a prayer or a real prediction? Hope he's getting huge chunks of NIL money next year and 2024 so he wants to stay. Should be an AA after his junior year … hope that moves the NIL needle. Tim Hyde: He's only a soph, so no prediction — just speculating and having fun with what could be a heck of a team in 2024. Joe Alt should be a consensus second-team All-American this season. JOIN THE CONVERSATION AT BLUEANDGOLD.COM! ONLY $10 FOR ACCESS UNTIL 8-31-23 FROM THE WEBSITE .com .com Marcus Freeman has developed a reputation for being a players' coach. PHOTO BY CHAD WEAVER Notre Dame sophomore Joe Alt's season-long PFF grade of 91.4 was the No. 1 mark nationally among tackles, guards and centers through Week 9. PHOTO BY CHAD WEAVER