NOTRE DAME, Indiana The head football coach, Brian Kelly, of Dick Corbett, University of Notre Dame, announced on Friday that Marcus Freeman will be added to his coaching staff. Freeman will serve as the Bob Hinton defense coordinator and will work directly with the Irish line-up players. The appointment will be effective after the standard procedure of the University.
“While we were looking to find someone to defend us, it was important to find the right fit for our program, and Marcus and his family are exactly that,” Kelly said. ‘He has achieved great success on the field, both defensively and in his direct work with his lineouts. In addition, he is considered one of the elite recruiters in the coaching ranks.
‘The work that Marcus has done to increase the programs in which he has been a part speaks for itself, but just as important is the exceptional work he has done to build relationships with his staff and players. Marcus was our best choice to become our next defense coordinator, and we’re glad he and his family will join Notre Dame. ”
Freeman joins South Bend from his former position as defense coordinator and coach at the University of Cincinnati, a position he will hold in January 2017.
The Bearcats (9-1) made a national noise in 2020-21 and named the bowling season as the number 8 team in the country and won the U.S. Athletics Championships, the first live title of the program since 2009, when Kelly as Cincinnati’s head coach. Cincinnati made an appearance in the Chik-Fil-A Peach Bowl, which dropped by a narrow margin to No. 9 Georgia, after an unbeaten regular season.
Cincinnati’s defense ranked nationally in the top 20 in several categories for 2020-21, including 13th place in the overall defense (324.6 yards per game) and eighth place in the defense (16.8 points per game). match) among all FBS teams. In addition, the Bearcats were third in the team that overtook the efficiency defense (101.25), 14th in the rushing defense (111.1 meters per game), the 15th in the red zone defense (0.735 rate), the 17th in the fourth defense (0.375 rate), the 16th in the team pockets (3.0 per game) and 10th in turnover (21).
Bearcat’s striking cornerback Ahmad Gardner has made several All-America picks, and was named to the first teams of FWAA and USA TODAY, in addition to Associated Press, AFCA and The Athletic second teams. He was also named the All-AAC of the first team.
Prior to his 2020 success, Freeman was part of a UC staff that coached the Bearcats to 11 winning seasons in 2018 and 2019, the U.S. American Athletics Conference champion in the Eastern Division and consecutive victories in the game in the 2018 series. Military Bowl and 2019 TicketSmarter Birmingham Bowl.
The Bearcats finish above the 2019 AAC rankings in defense for the second consecutive season and rank among the top three in the league in fast and overall defense. In 2018, Cincinnati led the Americans in a rushing defense, scoring defense and total defense and ranking in all three categories among the Top-15 in the NCAA FBS.
Before Cincinnati, Freeman spent four years in Purdue, where he coached all four seasons as linebackers and in 2015 served as the co-coordinator of Boilermakers. He is credited with transforming the Purdue rugby corps into a strength with several notable disciples, including: Markus Bailey, 2016 Honorable Mention All-Big Ten selection and leader of the 97-stroke Boilermaker defense; Jimmy Herman, winner of the Purdue Guy “Red” Mackey Award and the Noble E. Kizer Award, for the overall success of the University’s inter-athletics program and the highest GPA among footballers during the 2016 calendar year; and Ja’Whaun Bentley, a USA Today Freshman All-American in 2014 and elected captain by his teammates before the 2015 season.
Freeman coached linebackers in Kent State from 2011-’12, where he accompanied infield Luke Batton to the All-Mid American Conference in the second team in 2012, after finishing with 143 total tackles, including 80 solo tackles. stop. CJ Malauulu, who was outside the lineout ball, was a third team at the conference in 2012, scoring 72 total tackles.
Freeman began his coaching career as a graduate assistant coach at his alma mater, Ohio State, in 2010 as the Buckeyes won 12-1 with a win in the Sugar Bowl.
A four-year-old letter winner for the 2004-08 Buckeyes, Freeman earned the All-Big Ten honor in 2008 while leading his conference career in Ohio to four conference titles, three BCS bowls and two outings to the national title game. He played in the 2009 Senior Bowl and was a fifth-round pick of the Chicago Bears’ NFL draft, and spent time with the Bears, Buffalo Bills and Houston Texans before a medical condition ended his playing career.
Freeman, a 2007 graduate of Ohio, earned Academic All-Big Ten and academic honors in all districts. In 2011, he earned a master’s degree in sports management from the state of Ohio. He attended Wayne High School in Huber Heights, Ohio, and was an All-American Parade.
Freeman has a daughter, Bria, and he and his wife, Joanna, have six children: Vinny, Siena, Gino, Nico, Capri and Rocco.
PERSONAL INFORMATION
Born: January 10, 1986
Hometown: Huber Hts., Ohio
Wife: Joanna
Children: Bria, Vinny, Siena, Gino, Nico, Capri, Rocco
Education: Ohio State (2007, BS; 2011, MS)
Year in coaching: 10th
PLAYGROUND
2004-08: Ohio State (Linebacker)
2009: Chicago Bears (Linebacker); Buffalo Bills (Linebacker); Houston Texans (Linebacker)
COACHING COURSE
YEAR: SCHOOL – POSITION
2010: State of Ohio – Graduate Assistant
2011-12: Kent State – Linebackers
2013-15: Purdue – Linebackers
2016: Purdue – co-defensive coordinator / lineouts
2017-: Cincinnati – Defense Coordinator / Line Stations
BOWLS FINISHED
YEAR: SCHOOL – COME
2010: State of Ohio – Sugar
2012: Kent State – GoDaddy.com
2018: Cincinnati – Military
2019: Cincinnati – Birmingham
2020: Cincinnati – Peach
COME RECORDED
YEAR: SCHOOL – COME
2005: State of Ohio – Fiesta
2006: State of Ohio – BCS National Championship
2007: State of Ohio – BCS National Championship
2008: Ohio State – Fiesta