SOUTH BEND, Indiana — UPDATE @ 8:25 a.m. (Dec. 3):
After a few days of speculation and rumors, Notre Dame has made it official and named Marcus Freeman their new head football coach.
Freeman replaces former head coach Brian Kelly who bolted from South Bend earlier this week to accept the head coaching job at Louisiana State University. Freeman was in his first season as the defensive coordinator for the Irish before being promoted to head coach Friday.
Freeman has several local ties to the Miami Valley. He is from Huber Heights and graduated from Wayne High School. He went on to play college football for Ohio State, graduating in 2007 but playing through the 2008 season.
Before coaching the Irish this season, Freeman served as the defensive coordinator for the Cincinnati Bearcats from 2017-2020.
“It is an honor to be named the head coach of Notre Dame Football,” Freeman said in the announcement from Notre Dame.
“I am eternally grateful to both (University President) Father John Jenkins and (Athletic Director) Jack Swarbrick for giving me the opportunity to lead the exceptional men who make this program what it is. Notre Dame is a very special place and I look forward to pursuing a national championship with the most outstanding student-athletes, coaches and staff in college football.”
Freeman will coach Notre Dame during the team’s bowl game. The Irish still have an outside chance to make the College Football Playoff, pending results from this weekend. The Irish are current ranked sixth.
To begin Freeman’s first full season in charge, the Irish will travel to Columbus to take on the Buckeyes at Ohio Stadium Sept. 3, 2022.
Freeman will be formally introduced during a press conference at 2 p.m.
We’ll update this story as we learn more.
FIRST REPORT (Dec. 2):
Notre Dame’s new head coach candidate, Marcus Freeman, has some local ties to our area.
CBS Sports says Freeman is expected to be promoted from defensive coordinator to head coach, replacing the departed Brian Kelly. The deal is not yet official.
Huber Heights is Freeman’s hometown and is where he attended Wayne High School.
According to Freeman’s bio on Notre Dame’s athletics website, he went on to play linebacker at The Ohio State University from 2004 to 2008.
He played in the 2005 Alamo Bowl, 2006 Fiesta Bowl, and the 2007 and 2008 BCS National Championships.
>>Five Dayton Flyers named First Team All-Pioneer Football League
Freeman also played in the 2009 Senior Bowl and was a fifth-round draft pick of the Chicago Bears.
After graduating from OSU with his bachelor’s degree, he went on to join the Chicago Bears as a linebacker.
He then returned to his alma mater to earn his master’s degree in sports management from OSU.