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Freeman to the Irish
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Billy_Bearcat Offline
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Freeman to the Irish
 
01-08-2021 06:01 PM
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Cataclysmo Offline
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Post: #2
Freeman to the Irish
Storyline writes itself. Damn.

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01-08-2021 06:04 PM
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BearcatMan Online
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Post: #3
RE: Freeman to the Irish
****...part of me wonders if we'd be able to drag Mickens back now. They're friends from way back.

He knows our personnel and offensive schemes so well that I'm thinking that ND game just went from potentially winnable to a loss.
 
(This post was last modified: 01-08-2021 06:07 PM by BearcatMan.)
01-08-2021 06:06 PM
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rath v2.0 Offline
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RE: Freeman to the Irish
I’d have rather he went anywhere but there.

Thank you Marcus...but I hope they give up 40 a game next year. Lol

Now who takes his place is really important.
 
(This post was last modified: 01-08-2021 06:09 PM by rath v2.0.)
01-08-2021 06:07 PM
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UCGrad1992 Offline
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Post: #5
RE: Freeman to the Irish
If true, LSU and Notre Dame were rolling out the red carpet for him. Not too shabby to have to choose between those two programs along with a nice pay raise. Good for Marcus. Well deserved. Hate it for us though but next man in.
 
01-08-2021 06:07 PM
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Billy_Bearcat Offline
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RE: Freeman to the Irish
More reason to hate ND. They just take whatever they want from us whenever we’re on the cusp of great things.
 
01-08-2021 06:08 PM
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RuckleSt Online
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Post: #7
RE: Freeman to the Irish
Bummer, I hope he does great there, minus the day they play us.
 
01-08-2021 06:08 PM
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Billy_Bearcat Offline
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RE: Freeman to the Irish
(01-08-2021 06:08 PM)RuckleSt Wrote:  Bummer, I hope he does great there, minus the day they play us.

I don’t. Sorry, but I hate Notre Dame.
 
01-08-2021 06:09 PM
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UCGrad1992 Offline
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Post: #9
RE: Freeman to the Irish
Quote:According to sources, Irish Illustrated and 247Sports have learned that Cincinnati defensive coordinator Marcus Freeman is expected to accept the defensive coordinator position job at the University of Notre Dame. The Fighting Irish were battling the likes of the Bearcats and LSU, but we believe he will land under head coach Brian Kelly in South Bend.

Freeman has done a great job leading the Bearcats defense over the years, and especially this season. He was named a Broyles Award finalist, which goes to the nation’s top assistant coach, and was 247Sports’ Defensive Coordinator of the Year this season.

Irish Illustrated has said from day one that Freeman is the No. 1 target for Kelly and it looks as though that effort paid off in a big way. As noted in our story over the weekend, Notre Dame landing arguably the hottest name among coordinators this offseason is a huge win for the Fighting Irish.

To learn more about that, Irish Illustrated touched base with Bearcat Journal's Chad Brendel, the owner of 247Sports' Cincinnati site, to get his take on Freeman.

"As an Xs and Os guy, Marcus Freeman is as good as anyone I’ve ever covered on the defensive side of the ball. Over the past 4 years at Cincinnati he’s shown a 4-3 base that has morphed into more of a 3-3-5 as an adjustment to the pass happy schemes in the AAC," said Brendel. "He’s also broken out a 4-4 to slow down Navy and then a Bear 5 man front this year against Army when they were expecting the 4-4 he showed Navy. He isn’t married to any specific system, and he recruits in kind with versatile players than can slide up and down a position or two as they develop and find a role.

"His leadership and recruiting skills go hand in hand," Brendel continued. "At only 34 years old, it wasn’t long ago that he was a star LB at Ohio State, and more than anything on both fronts he is completely honest with players, recruits and parents. Guys always know exactly where they stand, and exactly what they need to do to fit what he’s looking for on game day and as a recruiter. That allows him to be a guy that can finish, both on the field on game day and delivering commitments for prospects he has a clear plan for from the day they arrive on campus.

"I’m sure a lot of this comes off as over the top, but you have to consider this is a guy that took over one of the worst defensive units in the country four years ago and turned them into one of the elite units in the nation at all three levels," Brendel added. "And did so with mostly under the radar 3 star prospects that he helped turn into not only All Conference guys, but several into All Americans and NFL Draft prospects. It’s almost impossible to have his resume at 34 years old, but he’s done it at Cincinnati with ease."

Freeman is a graduate of Wayne high school in Huber Heights, Ohio. He went on to play at Ohio State and graduated in 2007. He was a four-year letter winner for the Buckeyes from 2004-08. He was a graduate assistant at Ohio State in 2010 before coaching linebackers at Kent State from 2011-12. He left to become the linebackers coach for four years at Purdue. He was also the co-defensive coordinator in 2015-16. In 2017, Freeman became the defensive coordinator and linebackers coach at Cincinnati and has been there ever since.

Stay locked to Irish Illustrated for more on this developing situation.

First Brian Kelly, now Marcus Freeman
 
01-08-2021 06:11 PM
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BearcatMan Online
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Post: #10
RE: Freeman to the Irish
This could really screw up all of the recruiting headway we've been making in the Midwest too.

Absolute worst case scenario for a landing spot for him IMO.
 
01-08-2021 06:11 PM
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Racinejake Offline
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Post: #11
RE: Freeman to the Irish
*** damn it!
 
01-08-2021 06:15 PM
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BearcatMan Online
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Post: #12
RE: Freeman to the Irish
**** it...drop the bag and bring in Larry Johnson. Fickell can coach D and LJ gets the players 03-lmfao
 
01-08-2021 06:19 PM
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dbernie41 Offline
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Post: #13
RE: Freeman to the Irish
(01-08-2021 06:11 PM)BearcatMan Wrote:  This could really screw up all of the recruiting headway we've been making in the Midwest too.

Absolute worst case scenario for a landing spot for him IMO.

Definitely a bummer. We really need to get into a P5 conference to stop or at least slow the exodus.
 
01-08-2021 06:20 PM
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rath v2.0 Offline
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RE: Freeman to the Irish
(01-08-2021 06:11 PM)BearcatMan Wrote:  This could really screw up all of the recruiting headway we've been making in the Midwest too.

Absolute worst case scenario for a landing spot for him IMO.

ND recruits nationally...and we don’t seem to go after the same kids. This might be worse news for Michigan and Ohio State than UC in terms of recruiting. Of course that could trickle down.
 
01-08-2021 06:23 PM
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BearcatJerry Offline
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Post: #15
RE: Freeman to the Irish
Freeman going to Notre F***ing Dame is about as close to him going to a rival/conference mate.

Notre Dame already recruits the Cincinnati area over us. We play them next season.

I hope he's paid well.
 
(This post was last modified: 01-08-2021 06:25 PM by BearcatJerry.)
01-08-2021 06:24 PM
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UCGrad1992 Offline
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Post: #16
RE: Freeman to the Irish
Remember this from last week? Kelly upgraded on dee in a big, big, way today.





Quote:University of Notre Dame Dick Corbett Head Football Coach Brian Kelly announced the addition of Marcus Freeman to his coaching staff Friday. Freeman will serve as the Bob Hinton Defensive Coordinator, and will work directly with the Irish linebackers. The hiring will be effective at the conclusion of the University’s standard employment process.

“As we looked into finding someone to run our defense, it was important to find the right fit for our program and Marcus and his family are just that,” said Kelly. “He has had great success on the field, both running a defense and in his direct work with his linebackers. Additionally, he is considered among the elite recruiters in the coaching ranks.

“The work Marcus has done elevating the programs he has been a part of speaks for itself, but equally as important is the exceptional work he has done in building relationships with his staff and players. Marcus was our top choice to become our next defensive coordinator, and we are pleased he and his family will be joining us at Notre Dame.”

Freeman comes to South Bend from his former post as defensive coordinator and linebackers coach at the University of Cincinnati, a position he held beginning in January 2017.

The Bearcats (9-1) made national noise in 2020-21, entering bowl season as the No. 8-ranked team in the nation and winning the American Athletic Conference Championship, the program’s first outright league title since 2009, when Kelly served as Cincinnati’s head coach. Cincinnati made an appearance in the Chik-Fil-A Peach Bowl, falling by a narrow margin to No. 9 Georgia, after an undefeated regular season.

Cincinnati’s defense ranked in the Top 20 nationally in several categories for 2020-21, including being ranked 13th in total defense (324.6 yards per game) and eighth in scoring defense (16.8 points per game) among all FBS teams. In addition, the Bearcats were third in team passing efficiency defense (101.25), 14th in rushing defense (111.1 yards per game), 15th in red zone defense (0.735 rate), 17th in fourth down defense (0.375 rate), 16th in team sacks (3.0 per game) and 10th in turnovers gained (21).

Standout Bearcat cornerback Ahmad Gardner garnered multiple All-America selections, being named to the FWAA and USA TODAY first teams, in addition to the Associated Press, AFCA and The Athletic second teams. He was also named first-team All-AAC.

Prior to his 2020 success, Freeman has been part of a UC staff which coached the Bearcats to back-to-back 11-win seasons in 2018 and 2019, the 2019 American Athletic Conference East Division Championship and consecutive bowl-game wins in the 2018 Military Bowl and 2019 TicketSmarter Birmingham Bowl.

The Bearcats finished atop the 2019 AAC ranks in scoring defense for the second-straight season and ranked among the league’s top three in rushing and total defense. In 2018, Cincinnati led the American in rushing defense, scoring defense and total defense and ranked among the Top-15 in the NCAA FBS in all three categories.

Prior to Cincinnati, Freeman spent four years at Purdue, where he coached linebackers all four seasons and served as the Boilermakers co-defensive coordinator in 2015. He is credited with transforming the Purdue linebacking corps into a strength with multiple notable disciples, including: Markus Bailey, 2016 Honorable Mention All-Big Ten selection and leader of the Boilermaker defense with 97 tackles; Jimmy Herman, winner of Purdue’s Guy “Red” Mackey Award and the Noble E. Kizer Award, for exemplifying the overall success of the University’s intercollegiate athletics program and earning the highest GPA among football players over the 2016 calendar year; and Ja’Whaun Bentley, a USA Today Freshman All-American in 2014 and voted a captain by his teammates prior to the 2015 season.

Freeman coached linebackers at Kent State from 2011-12, where he guided inside linebacker Luke Batton to second team All-Mid-American Conference honors in 2012 after finishing with 143 total tackles, including 80 solo stops. Outside linebacker C.J. Malauulu was a third team all-conference selection in 2012, recording 72 total tackles.

Freeman started his coaching career as a graduate assistant coach at his alma mater, Ohio State, in 2010, as the Buckeyes went 12-1 with a victory in the Sugar Bowl.

A four-year letterwinner for the Buckeyes from 2004-08, Freeman earned second team All-Big Ten honors in 2008, while helping lead Ohio State to four conference titles, three BCS bowls and two trips to the national title game during his career. He played in the 2009 Senior Bowl and was a fifth-round NFL Draft pick of the Chicago Bears, spending time with the Bears, Buffalo Bills and Houston Texans before a medical condition ended his playing career.

A 2007 Ohio State graduate, Freeman earned Academic All-Big Ten and academic all-district honors. In 2011, he earned a master’s degree in sports management from Ohio State. He graduated from Wayne High School in Huber Heights, Ohio, and was a Parade All-American.

Freeman has a daughter, Bria, and he and his wife, Joanna, have six children: Vinny, Siena, Gino, Nico, Capri and Rocco.

PERSONAL INFORMATION
Born: January 10, 1986

Hometown: Huber Hts., Ohio

Wife: Joanna

Children: Bria, Vinny, Siena, Gino, Nico, Capri, Rocco

Education: Ohio State (2007, B.S.; 2011, M.S.)

Year in Coaching: 10th

PLAYING CAREER
2004-08: Ohio State (Linebacker)

2009: Chicago Bears (Linebacker); Buffalo Bills (Linebacker); Houston Texans (Linebacker)

COACHING CAREER
YEAR: SCHOOL – POSITION

2010: Ohio State – Graduate Assistant

2011-12: Kent State – Linebackers

2013-15: Purdue – Linebackers

2016: Purdue – Co-Defensive Coordinator/Linebackers

2017-: Cincinnati – Defensive Coordinator/Linebackers

BOWLS COACHED IN
YEAR: SCHOOL – BOWL

2010: Ohio State – Sugar

2012: Kent State – GoDaddy.com

2018: Cincinnati – Military

2019: Cincinnati – Birmingham

2020: Cincinnati – Peach

BOWLS PLAYED IN
YEAR: SCHOOL – BOWL

2005: Ohio State – Fiesta

2006: Ohio State – BCS National Championship

2007: Ohio State – BCS National Championship

2008: Ohio State – Fiesta

A Chapter is Closed But Another to Open for Cincinnati
 
01-08-2021 06:27 PM
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Bearcatbdub Offline
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RE: Freeman to the Irish
****
 
01-08-2021 06:27 PM
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BomberMan Online
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RE: Freeman to the Irish
(01-08-2021 06:27 PM)Bearcatbdub Wrote:  ****

You can say that again
 
01-08-2021 06:30 PM
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Cataclysmo Offline
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RE: Freeman to the Irish
(01-08-2021 06:06 PM)BearcatMan Wrote:  ****...part of me wonders if we'd be able to drag Mickens back now. They're friends from way back.

He knows our personnel and offensive schemes so well that I'm thinking that ND game just went from potentially winnable to a loss.
Yeah...Mentor/Mentee coaching matchups are always a wild card though. Fick knows Marcus' scheme better than anyone too.

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01-08-2021 06:35 PM
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BearcatMan Online
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RE: Freeman to the Irish
(01-08-2021 06:35 PM)Cataclysmo Wrote:  
(01-08-2021 06:06 PM)BearcatMan Wrote:  ****...part of me wonders if we'd be able to drag Mickens back now. They're friends from way back.

He knows our personnel and offensive schemes so well that I'm thinking that ND game just went from potentially winnable to a loss.
Yeah...Mentor/Mentee coaching matchups are always a wild card though. Fick knows Marcus' scheme better than anyone too.

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True...but that one unit, not both.
 
01-08-2021 06:37 PM
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