Marcus Freeman unloaded on NIL during Notre Dame Signing Day presser

Marcus Freeman held nothing back on his thoughts regarding NIL on Notre Dame’s Signing Day.

Consider Marcus Freeman’s Notre Dame Fighting Irish to be among the biggest losers on Early National Signing Day this past Wednesday.

While Notre Dame still had a top-10 class in the 2023 cycle (No. 8, according to the 247Sports Composite), the Irish lost a pair of recruits on National Signing Day. Four-star running back Jayden Lamar flipped to Oregon, while five-star safety Peyton Bowen briefly flipped to the Ducks before ultimately signing with Oklahoma. Let’s just say Freeman was not the least bit thrilled about this.

Freeman did not name Bowen and Lamar specifically, but it was implied over his Signing Day rant.

"“If that’s the only reason they want to come to Notre Dame, we’re not going to be the right place for them … We don’t get into ‘acquisition fees.’ Some we have to say, ‘It wasn’t the right fit. It’s OK,'” said Freeman about name, image and likeness when it comes to Notre Dame football."

Notre Dame tends to attract a certain type of football player, so blaming NIL is a bit of a stretch.

Marcus Freeman was not having it with rampant NIL shenanigans during NSD

While Freeman has been the Notre Dame head coach for about a year now, recruitment is going to be what his program is inevitably defined by. He may have been an up-and-coming defensive coordinator for the Irish and the Cincinnati Bearcats before that, but it was a bold decision to name him Brian Kelly’s successor once he bolted for LSU. Freeman was supposed to be an ace recruiter.

And again, he still might be, but blaming NIL is not a great look for a coach whose greatest attribute up to this point is how well he has done in recruitment. Admittedly, Notre Dame is not for everyone, and that is most certainly okay. However, Freeman was promoted from within to bridge the gap Kelly was unable to get to in recruitment. Well, Kelly is crushing it in Baton Rouge already…

Ultimately, players flip all the time. This is not anything new, and not particularly a bad look on Notre Dame by any means. However, Early National Signing Day is all about protecting one’s assets. Notre Dame got poached in a pretty embarrassing fashion. The dollars may not have made sense for Lamar and Bowen to go to South Bend, but Notre Dame has to maintain a solid identity.

Freeman needs to build off a strong finish to Year 1 and not let this NIL discord ruin this for him.

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