We already think he’s the best, but okay
There was plenty of doubt cast on Notre Dame’s Marcus Freeman after the Irish lost to NIU last season in South Bend. Fans started to really wonder if Freeman was “the man” for the top job at Notre Dame. After the Irish emphatically won their next 10 regular season games, and then three playoff games (Indiana Hoosiers, Georgia Bulldogs — Sugar Bowl, and Penn State Nittany Lions — Orange Bowl) it’s safe to say that any detractors left are in the minority.
So yeah… Marcus Freeman should be on the Dodd Trophy watch list.
From the ND press release:
Freeman Named to Dodd Trophy Watch List
SOUTH BEND, Ind. – Dick Corbett Head Football Coach Marcus Freeman, the winner of the 2024 Dodd Trophy, has earned selection to the award’s 2025 watch list. The Dodd Trophy celebrates the head coach of a team who enjoys success on the gridiron, while also stressing the importance of scholarship, leadership and integrity – the three pillars of legendary coach Bobby Dodd’s coaching philosophy.
Now celebrating its 50th anniversary this season, the award was established to honor the NCAA Football Bowl Subdivision (formerly Division 1A) head football coach whose program represents the highest ideals on and off the field. Freeman is one of three Dodd Trophy winners on the watch list, joining Dabo Swinney (2011) and Brian Kelly (2018).
Freeman enters the 2025 season after leading Notre Dame to a National Championship appearance and a 14-2 record in 2024, with a final Associated Press ranking of No. 2. He was honored with several coaching awards during the 2024 season, including: the Dodd Trophy; the Paul “Bear” Bryant Coach of the Year Award; the George Munger College Coach of the Year Award; the National Coalition of Minority Football Coaches College Coach of the Year honor; the Ted Ginn Sr. Coach of the Year Award from the National Alliance of African American Athletes; and the honorary head coach for the 2024 AFCA Allstate Good Works Team.
Entering his fourth season as the head coach of the Fighting Irish, Freeman has an all-time record of 33-10, with a postseason record of 5-2, including three CFP wins in 2024. He led Notre Dame to seven victories over opponents ranked in the AP Poll at the time of the game last season: No. 20 Texas A&M, No. 15 Louisville, No. 24 Navy, No. 18 Army, No. 9 Indiana, No. 2 Georgia and No. 5 Penn State. The CFP victory over Penn State was the 14th ranked win of the Freeman era at Notre Dame, more than any other Irish head coach in the first three years of his tenure, and tied for the most of any FBS program over the last three years (Georgia, 14).
Notre Dame owned the most wins against AP ranked teams in 2024, with a 7-1 record. No other team faced more AP-ranked teams in 2024 than Notre Dame’s eight.
Among teams ranked in the final AP Top 25, Notre Dame notched four wins, the most for Notre Dame since 2002 (four). Notre Dame’s three wins over teams ranked in the final Top 10 is the most for the program since 1990 (three).
With the conclusion of the 2024 season, Notre Dame was first in pass efficiency defense (104.4), first in turnovers gained (33), first in defensive touchdowns (6), first in blocked kicks (6), second in fumbles recovered (14), second in blocked punts (3), fourth in passing yards allowed (169.4), fourth in scoring defense (15.5), fifth in passes intercepted (19), fifth in turnover margin (1.13), seventh in kickoff return defense (15.61), ninth in first downs (326), 10th in scoring offense (36.1) and 11th in total defense (307.4).