![]() "If you don't set intentional time, these tasks will never get done. ![]() "The ability to reach out to people, to call people back, to text guys, there's only a certain amount of hours in a day, but you still can make time to do those things," Freeman said. If Kelly operated as a CEO coach, Freeman might be more like the head of human resources, someone who prioritizes building meaningful relationships throughout the organization. Kelly's team-record 113 wins at Notre Dame is unequivocal, but he often operated at a distance from players and others, according to sources in and around the program. His effect on Notre Dame assistants has been significant, as several, including Rees and defensive line coach Mike Elston, opted to remain with Freeman rather than join Kelly at LSU. He vows to be extremely accessible to both current players and future recruits, saying on national signing day that he intends to be "the lead recruiter"on every prospect. What Notre Dame can count on with Freeman is a coach who prioritizes relationship-building in every element of the program. This coming fall, Freeman will lead the Irish into a schedule that begins with Ohio State, where Freeman was an All-Big Ten linebacker, and features Clemson, BYUand others. Notre Dame hadn't squandered such a big lead since losing a 24-point edge against Tennessee in 1991. Freeman's head-coaching debut in last week's PlayStation Fiesta Bowl became historic for the wrong reasons, as the Irish blew a 21-point second-quarter lead to Oklahoma Stateand fell 37-35, dropping to 0-8 in BCS or New Year's Six bowls. Time will tell whether Freeman is more successful than Kelly, who won 113 games (54 since the start of the 2017 season) and brought stability to Notre Dame, which in turn, allowed the school to seek continuity with his replacement. But his ability to impact others helped him land one of college football's top jobs at age 35. Freeman shaped both defense and recruiting during his first year on campus. Human connections aren't as easy to quantify as defensive statistics or star ratings of a recruiting class. Freeman had been officially with Notre Dame's program for only 330 days, but his effect on players, colleagues and others he came across could be felt immediately. 3, Notre Dame players cheered when Freeman was reintroduced as their new head coach. "Notre Dame football was turned upside down for about three days," offensive coordinator Tommy Rees said. The next morning, Kelly informed the team of his departure during a brief meeting. That night, news broke that Fighting Irish head coach Brian Kelly would be leaving Notre Dame for LSUafter 12 seasons. 29 recruiting in Michigan as Notre Dame's defensive coordinator. Six weeks ago, Freeman's life forever changed. Every day, Marcus Freeman takes a moment to reflect on the opportunity he has to be Notre Dame's head coach.
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