Marcus Freeman becomes second Black head coach at Notre Dame
Fred Jeter | 12/9/2021, 6 p.m.
Marcus Freeman has become the second Black head coach in the University of Notre Dame’s rich football tradition.
The 35-year-old native of Dayton, Ohio, was named last week to replace Brian Kelly, who left the South Bend, Ind., campus to become the coach at Louisiana State University.
Coach Freeman is the 30th head coach in Notre Dame history dating to 1887.
Notre Dame’s first Black coach was Tyrone Willingham, who coached from 2002 to 2004, posting a 21-15 record.
The powerful 6-foot-1, 240-pound Coach Freeman was a standout linebacker at Ohio State University and went on to play in the NFL with the Chicago Bears, the Buffalo Bills and the Houston Texans.
He was an assistant coach at Ohio State, Kent State and Purdue universi- ties and the University of Cincinnati before becoming Notre Dame’s defensive coordinator earlier this season under Coach Kelly.
Notre Dame is 11-1 this season and certain to play at least one more game in either the College Football Playoff or a high-profile bowl. Coach Freeman will make his head coaching debut in that contest.
Coach Kelly will not be an easy act to follow. The Fighting Irish went 92-39 under Coach Kelly since 2010.
