Notre Dame fans react to Marcus Freeman’s inauspicious coaching debut in Fiesta Bowl loss
Notre Dame fans were in heaven watching the Irish in the first half of the Fiesta Bowl. Then Marcus Freeman’s debut was spoiled by a second-half collapse.
Life comes at you fast. Marcus Freeman can attest to that.
One day, you’re an up-and-coming defensive coordinator. The next day you’re the head coach of one of the blue blood programs in college football.
One quarter, you have a 21-point lead in the Fiesta Bowl. The next, you’ve blown it and fall to Oklahoma State 37-35.
Freeman was taught a harsh lesson to start 2022, but Notre Dame fans seemed willing to let him work through some growing pains.
Notre Dame football fans react to Marcus Freeman’s debut
FINAL
— Pete Sampson (@PeteSampson_) January 1, 2022
Oklahoma State 37
Notre Dame 35
The head coaching debut of Marcus Freeman ends with a second half collapse and New Year’s Six bowl loss. Irish have not won a major bowl since the 1993 season.
Hiring a first-time head coach means letting him learn on the job as he goes. Very good bet that Marcus Freeman will. But a first-time head coach is a first-time head coach.
— Pete Sampson (@PeteSampson_) January 1, 2022
While there’s a ton for Notre Dame to build with Freeman, but it will be a process.
How can people blame Marcus Freeman for having bad WR and CB depth?
— Notre Dame Recruiting (@NDrecruiting01) January 1, 2022
He’s been here for one year and is using talent that he didn’t recruit.
Still can’t believe the Irish didn’t win this one though.
Lou Holtz lost his first game as the Notre Dame Head Coach…
— Notre Dame Prime | 𝕏 (@NotreDame_Prime) January 1, 2022
Do not let this game define the entire career of Marcus Freeman.
Mind you Notre Dame dominated the entire first half and sh%t the bed in the 2nd.
Refs also made a LOT of missed calls in the 2nd half, terrible!
Looks like all of the people who jumped on the ND bandwagon last month have officially jumped off but I am willing to give Marcus Freeman a chance! This is the first game he’s ever coached!!!
— Jessica Smetana (@jessica_smetana) January 1, 2022
love that marcus freeman is at the helm, but nd got 100% outcoached after a 28-7 lead in first half. giving up 30 unanswered points is wild.
— mike taddow 🆓 (@MikeTaddow) January 1, 2022
it can only get better moving forward, yanno?
I believe Marcus Freeman will lead this program to a higher level of performance than we've seen previously
— Notre Dame Football Stats & Analytics (@ND_FB_Analytics) January 1, 2022
But he has a lot of work to do with in-game decision making and overall game management
They could have survived the defensive collapse with more offensive aggression
The most concerning thing about Notre Dame’s performance was giving up 605 yards including 234 yards on the ground. Since Freeman was the defensive coordinator, he has to own that performance.
Still, bowl games are never a perfect gauge of the direction of a program, especially after a coaching change.
Irish fans will have a better idea about the coach tapped to lead their team once he has an offseason to sort out his approach.
He won’t have to wait long for the next big test. Notre Dame will open the 2022 season on the road against Ohio State.
Fans should extend him patience in his first season but the clock is going to have to start ticking sooner than later.
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