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Is Freeman safe the entire year

wow! think how the narrative for this team has changed in just, what 10 days or so?
 
I agree 100% with your post that he's going to get longer than he should, but I also feel like he'll get the hook well before his contract is up if this is the trajectory of the program through EOY.

I'm merely predicting what will happen here. I'd give him til mid terms next season to make a final decision.

If he were at LSU, Ohio State, Clemson, Oklahoma, Texas etc he'd probably get the hook at EOY if performance went from playoff contender to 2-10 / 3-9 record. (will reserve final record predictions after seeing Pyne play.. I think they might be a 5-6 win team if he can play the rest of the way with Angeli as his backup)
Yup. My concern is he effectively destroyed a top 5 program with NFL talent all over on both sides of the ball. It took Kelly 8 years to get this program to perennial relevance and it was torn down in the matter of months. If he were rebuilding a bad program it would be a different story. Multiple AA's getting leveled by Marshall. He has 5th year senior captains running off the field throwing fits during the Alma Matter. He has broken several records in the first 3 games (largest lead ever given up, only coach to ever start 0-3). He looks scared on the sidelines and anyone that cannot sense his nervous inexperience is not paying attention. Also, Marshall might be the biggest upset in ND history. Tulsa was much better than Marshall when we lost that game. He gave up the home win streak. If he's doing this poorly with AA's and a top pre season team, I cannot imagine how he will do with a bad team.
 
Freeman is safe for at least three years. The admin is not going through the Willingham fiasco again.
 
Yup. My concern is he effectively destroyed a top 5 program with NFL talent all over on both sides of the ball. It took Kelly 8 years to get this program to perennial relevance and it was torn down in the matter of months. If he were rebuilding a bad program it would be a different story. Multiple AA's getting leveled by Marshall. He has 5th year senior captains running off the field throwing fits during the Alma Matter. He has broken several records in the first 3 games (largest lead ever given up, only coach to ever start 0-3). He looks scared on the sidelines and anyone that cannot sense his nervous inexperience is not paying attention. Also, Marshall might be the biggest upset in ND history. Tulsa was much better than Marshall when we lost that game. He gave up the home win streak. If he's doing this poorly with AA's and a top pre season team, I cannot imagine how he will do with a bad team.
I think you have to take a few things into consideration.

1. The last three years, Kelly benefitted from some of the easiest schedules at Notre Dame in history.
2. The "NFL talent" is not as great as you think. The last two years of Kelly recruiting were particularly poor and the development of the oline and wide receivers tanked under Kelly Quinn and del.

The team needs a new offensive identity. It's becoming clear Tommy rees' is keeping the offense from before and that's not going to cut it. If he can't adapt to 8 in the box and press coverage he's gonna have to be replaced at year end (you keep him through at LEAST early signing period).
 
Obviously no one here really thinks we're going to go winless, or even necessarily have a losing record. It's way premature for that, at least as of today, and I watched the Cal/UNLV highlights and neither of them look that tough. So there's two very winnable games at the least.

But this is a terrible start, and it's obvious that our precious playoff contender status, that we labored long and hard to achieve, is completely dashed. So that much at least is out the window, and is just gone and over with, just like that. And I will say that so far this team does have an '07 deja vu feeling to it, which would be really bad.....

My guess is if MF really is bad, and unsustainably bad enough that it might jeopardize our actual clout as a program, like with back-to-back losing seasons and no end in sight, that he would be fired after as little as two years, and ND would just deal with the woke backlash, which I don't even think would be that bad.

But we'll probably beat Cal next week, and hopefully be back on track to at least a winning season....
 
Obviously no one here really thinks we're going to go winless, or even necessarily have a losing record. It's way premature for that, at least as of today, and I watched the Cal/UNLV highlights and neither of them look that tough. So there's two very winnable games at the least.

But this is a terrible start, and it's obvious that our precious playoff contender status, that we labored long and hard to achieve, is completely dashed. So that much at least is out the window, and is just gone and over with, just like that. And I will say that so far this team does have an '07 deja vu feeling to it, which would be really bad.....

My guess is if MF really is bad, and unsustainably bad enough that it might jeopardize our actual clout as a program, like with back-to-back losing seasons and no end in sight, that he would be fired after as little as two years, and ND would just deal with the woke backlash, which I don't even think would be that bad.

But we'll probably beat Cal next week, and hopefully be back on track to at least a winning season....
ND will be a matchup nightmare for USC ND can control the clock running the ball. ND might get 300+ on the ground if thegame plan is right! SC hasno defense vs the run. SC has talent and speed but DL is a group of undersized skinny kids; they try hard-but vs ND giants on OL they are in for a very long game!
 
Ok but are you saying Freeman has absolutely zero power to dismiss Rees?
No, but it puts Freeman in a very awkward position. His boss, Jack hired Rees, before hiring Freeman as HC.

I don't know what happened during the coaching search, but if i'm a successful HC and Jack reaches out about the HC job at ND, and tells me that we locked Tommy Rees in as OC, so you can't bring in your own guy to run the offense, I'm declining that offer, and again I don't know what happened with the search, but if they reached out to Fickell, I could see why that never materialized.

I'm not blaming Jack for this, Rees was leveraging his offer from Kelly to come to LSU as the OC, so Jack had pressure to make these decisions fairly quickly. It's unfortunate it played out that way.

Freeman needs to have a serious conversation with Jack regarding Rees, if the Offense continues to sputter, he needs to know that he (Freeman) is the n control of the staff and can hire and fire as he sees fit, and Jacks going to have his back.
 
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I really like Marcus and his energy, intelligence, and passion. He’s been thrust into a tough spot being head coach at ND. If ND loses 3/4 more straight games will he be fired? He’d be 0-6 or 0-7
I'm thinking Marcus is good for, at least, three years.
 
Stop looking for a scapegoat. All of those mentioned did well under BK. Balis was known as the best S&C coach in the nation. TR was the hottest up and coming OC in the country. Freeman was best best DC in America. HH was the best OL coach in ND history.

Now they all stink. It starts at the top!! No coach in ND history has ever gone 0-3. No coach in ND history ever gave up such a big lead. No coach in ND history has ever looked as confused and scared on the sidelines. This doesn't end well.

Who are we blaming besides the head coach after Cal?

Blame is not the issue here, its discussing and examining what are ND's issues.

IMO, you have the same line from last year, one year more in experience and the weight room. Your worse than last year. Now granted, Kyren was one of the best backs ND has ever had. He could make you miss him in a phone book. We have no RB even close to him.

Take out the QB. You had 60 yards against OSU and 86 against Marshall. That is pathetic.

I know, Harry is a third rail like I said. What ever he is doing, it aint working and the talent at OL and RB is all 4/5 stars.

We have a frosh QB, we have an experienced line, we have RB's with experience. We should be able to run.

If your trying to fix this team, you have to look at where the problem is. It doesn't take long to look at 5-6 plays and go wow, our line sucks.

If I were looking at places to fix first, the OL would be problem numero uno.....
 
Blame is not the issue here, its discussing and examining what are ND's issues.

IMO, you have the same line from last year, one year more in experience and the weight room. Your worse than last year. Now granted, Kyren was one of the best backs ND has ever had. He could make you miss him in a phone book. We have no RB even close to him.

Take out the QB. You had 60 yards against OSU and 86 against Marshall. That is pathetic.

I know, Harry is a third rail like I said. What ever he is doing, it aint working and the talent at OL and RB is all 4/5 stars.

We have a frosh QB, we have an experienced line, we have RB's with experience. We should be able to run.

If your trying to fix this team, you have to look at where the problem is. It doesn't take long to look at 5-6 plays and go wow, our line sucks.

If I were looking at places to fix first, the OL would be problem numero uno.....

changing coordinators works with experienced head coaches.
 
Losing your starting QB means that 2022 is a mulligan season for Freeman. If the Irish have a winning season (7-6), all will be forgiven.
 
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Freeman is safe for at least three years. The admin is not going through the Willingham fiasco again.
I agree it’s better to take the team down the toilet before ND ever allows ESPN to use the racism bit. Freeman can win three games the next two seasons and we all know he’s not being fired.
 
I am still on the MF wagon.
However, M.Freeman needs to get tough about who is on his staff and who picks his staff!
He needs to bend like reed but be strong like iron. Nice agreeable guy but only to an extent.

Probably, at this point, MF can help himself by bringing in an experienced offensive mind as a ‘consultant, and put TR up in the booth. He can’t demote or fire TR, but he can do an end around. Plus is HH really a MF hire? He seems to bounce around so much; ND had some great OL under HH, but did they make HH look good or vice versa? Tough work ahead for MF. I think he gets it done.
 
Freeman might have earned a pass with Buch going down. We all saw Pyne at the BG game. Belly shirt. Looked like his spent more time at the bar than the Gym. Could not move the ball.

I’m guessing we will see Angeli lots. Maybe DP will rise to the occasion. You still need Angeli to get some experience immediately.

The 20 and 21 classes are coming home to roost. The desire to not use the portal is causing parity issues. ND will have to modernize. You have to have both a great class and an portal strategy. Ratings get it wrong, people leave programs or you have injuries.

ND under Rockne set trends. We seem to want to be a follower these days.

To be competitive, it’s going to require a mix of recruits and transfers. You don’t need 24 like Marshall but 1 safety was not enough. 25 recruiters and 4-8 transfers.
 
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Not a chance ND fires MF mid season. The howling & usual racial arsonists ( msnbc , cnn, ny times espn , & pick any local chucifritto nyc news station) would pick ND apart. Christ, the feds may even get involved. MF is here 3 years @ least. He’s in over his head.
Absolutely ridiculous comments about the media.
 
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Absolutely ridiculous comments about the media.
ok, may sound crazy, but reading that ND will not or cannot is why I am think that is a possible plan from the beginning.
It will sound crazy to the sheeple but not to the believer. Cheneyesque..
 
Nobody is getting canned. This is a club of trainees having on the job training fun at one of the most prestigious football programs in the history of college football. Everyone is having fun, except Jack of course. Jack is watching over his training ground saying what did I do?
 
Jack letting a frichan Ohio state grad ruin ND football is pretty pathetic
 
I really like Marcus and his energy, intelligence, and passion. He’s been thrust into a tough spot being head coach at ND. If ND loses 3/4 more straight games will he be fired? He’d be 0-6 or 0-7
No.
 
He will get more time than he should.
That's ALWAYS been ND's policy with bad coaches.

Thankfully, they shortened the stay of execution period for Ty.

If Freeman's the virtuous, standup guy he appears to be, I would hope that if it wasn't working out after two years, HE'D HAVE THE DECENCY TO RESIGN.

Kuharich resigned in year 4.

There's precedent.
 
That's ALWAYS been ND's policy with bad coaches.

Thankfully, they shortened the stay of execution period for Ty.

If Freeman's the virtuous, standup guy he appears to be, I would hope that if it wasn't working out after two years, HE'D HAVE THE DECENCY TO RESIGN.

Kuharich resigned in year 4.

There's precedent.
They cut Ty short because not only was the on-field performance poor, but recruiting was taking a major hit.
The one thing that will buy MF and additional year or two is his recruiting.
 
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Absolutely ridiculous comments about the media.
I don’t think so. You have a head racial arsonist Al Sharpton on msnbc. ( Charlie’s Clothing Harlem store fire & Tawanna Brawley). ND was raked for rightfully terminating TWs employment. The media & society as a whole is even more divided on political, racial , and sexual identity. ND is not firing MF
 
They cut Ty short because not only was the infield performance poor, but recruiting was taking a major hit.
The one thing that will buy MF and additional year or two is his recruiting.
Ty had the program as close to feeling dead without actually killing it as someone could.

Im not sure it can ever get that bad again?
 
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They cut Ty short because not only was the on-field performance poor, but recruiting was taking a major hit.
The one thing that will buy MF and additional year or two is his recruiting.
Ty and Freeman have only two things in common.
 
With as shocking as this start is for the MF regime.... it will get better and he will succeed! Not so sure about TR....Keeping CJ Carr is VERY IMPORTANT! I hope he does reclassify ....
 
The coach that needs fired to date is Harry. I know that is the third rail for here but his line looks Aweful. These are all top recruits. They look slow and soft. Maybe bayless needs fired. Even our TE’s look slow.

When you can’t leak a back out as a safety valve, you can’t get a 4th and 1 and your running game needs most yards to come from your QB I’m not sure TR is my first target. TR missed a few easy screen options to call but he has a limited QB, limited WR’s and a line that waves at people as they fly by.

Fix the line and you fix most of what we are seeing.
He's absolutely atrocious.


For the umpteenth time he should get 5-10 for every pay check he cashes.
 
With as shocking as this start is for the MF regime.... it will get better and he will succeed! Not so sure about TR....Keeping CJ Carr is VERY IMPORTANT! I hope he does reclassify ....
Why?

I still say play Angeli and either way you can reschedule the QB cycle back to it's proper rotation.

If Angeli sucks then perhaps whisper to the Carr kid...hurry up please.

If Angeli is good you can say take your time to Carr and he can learn for two years and step in and keep rolling.

This mess was brought to us by BK playimg Wimbush one season too long. It got everything out of sync and will remain until ND plays a true freshman ajd the cycle will be correct again.

Everytime you play an experiment too long you have to correct it by playing someone a tad too soon.

It needs done. Pyne doesn't help anything. Not the team nor the cycle.
 
Freeman is safe this year regardless of the Ws and Ls....However, he will be responsible for ensuring that assistant coaches are functioning at a very high level, whether they are current or new staff; and top level recruiting must be maintained. He needs a well-functioning wagon with quality replacement parts...and thats a tall order.

ND is at a critical point, imo, in relation to independence vs. conference affiliation and all that that entails. Having a successful product in place ensures bargaining and position power. The opposite ensures nothing.
 
Freeman is safe this year regardless of the Ws and Ls....However, he will be responsible for ensuring that assistant coaches are functioning at a very high level, whether they are current or new staff; and top level recruiting must be maintained. He needs a well-functioning wagon with quality replacement parts...and thats a tall order.

ND is at a critical point, imo, in relation to independence vs. conference affiliation and all that that entails. Having a successful product in place ensures bargaining and position power. The opposite ensures nothing.
This timing of the news of his conversion, is weird. I am on the MF wagon, but the events in the world and this nation, have me wondering about his hire. I hope he wins the next 11 in 2022; but if he is fired in 2022 then something was afloat!
 
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