University of Notre Dame’s football head coach Marcus Freeman made history by becoming the first African and Asian American to lead a team in the College Football Playoff National Championship game.
“It is an honor, and I hope all coaches – minorities, Black, Asian, white, it doesn’t matter, great people – continue to get opportunities to lead young men like this,” Freeman told ESPN. “But this ain’t about me. This is about us. We’re going to celebrate what we’ve done because it’s so special.”
Freeman, who became Notre Dame’s 30th head coach in 2021 after serving as the school’s defensive coordinator, is the second African American head coach in the university’s history. Tyrone Willingham was the first, coaching the team from 2002 to 2004.
Notre Dame football coaching legend Lou Holtz shares his support for Freeman’s coaching style.
“He’s going in the right direction. But I want Notre Dame to always be successful, particularly with somebody who understands what Notre Dame is all about,” Holtz said.
Holtz coached Notre Dame to its most recent national championship victory in 1988, cementing his legacy at the school.
Freeman has aligned himself with Notre Dame’s values by bringing back gameday Mass. Mass for Notre Dame had been held the day before a game for the past 11 years. The team walks together from Basilica of the Sacred Heart, Notre Dame’s on campus basilica, to the stadium.
“To me, what better time is there to go have Mass?” Freeman said.
Before his coaching career, Freeman was drafted by the Chicago Bears but retired early due to a heart condition. His ties to Ohio State extend beyond the championship game, as he played linebacker for the Buckeyes during his college years.
“I’ve always said this: I don’t want this to be about me. I want this to be about others, and others getting opportunities and our team,” Freeman said.
Freeman has implemented changes in the team’s mentality. “I do not take for granted that I am a representation for many guys on this team that look like me,” Freeman said.
Notre Dame had a strong season, finishing 14-2 with three wins in the College Football Playoffs despite the Fighting Irish’s 34-23 loss to Ohio State University.
