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Marcus Freeman Weekly Press Conference (9.8.25)

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Marcus Freeman Weekly Press Conference (9.8.25)By Connor Regan

Marcus Freeman addressed the media following the loss to Miami as the Irish prepare to welcome Texas A&M to South Bend.


Marcus Freeman press conference podium microphone

Notre Dame is coming off a rare early-season bye week and the sting of a season-opening road loss at Miami. Marcus Freeman stepped up to the podium on Monday, knowing he’d need to answer for both. His message to the team, and to the fans: the Irish have to grow from it.


Learning From Miami

Freeman didn’t sugarcoat the opener. When asked what stood out on film, he ran through a laundry list: takeaways, ball security, tackling, third-down execution, short yardage, two-minute situations, and even how the team started each half.

“The team that plays harder, longer is usually the one that’s successful. Look at the last drive of the game, defensively and offensively. Not a lack of effort, but a lack of execution.”


That failure to finish is what still gnaws at him. Freeman admitted the locker room was “disappointed, frustrated,” but his emphasis all week was turning that emotion into work.

“First thing you want to do after you lose is to go play again,” he said, but the bye week forced delayed gratification. Instead, the focus shifted to “evaluating all three phases of the game” and attacking weaknesses in practice.


“We worked on the things we didn’t do so well and worked on enhancing the things we did do well,” Freeman said. He returned to the theme again and again: improving, elevating, and moving the program closer to its full potential.


Quarterback Development

All eyes are on CJ Carr after his debut as a first-time starter. Freeman made it clear that the staff was intentional about protecting him early in his first career start.

“I was vocal about giving him easy reads, easy throws. Let’s not just tell him to bomb the ball down the field every play.”


Still, Freeman believes Carr is ready to run the whole offense. “CJ can execute the entire game plan, the entire playbook. He’s a special player.”


How that balance looks going forward depends in large part on getting the ball into the hands of star running back Jeremiyah Love and when to air it out. “We want to focalize our offense around J-Love, he’s a special player, but at the same point we’ve got to make sure that we’re taking advantage of what each defense is trying to do to us.”



Defensive Adjustments

New coordinator Chris Ash is still settling in, and Freeman admitted the execution was lacking.

“We gotta be able to get four-man pass rush pressure on the QB, and we all know we didn’t get enough of that last week.”


There were also moments, he conceded, when defenders seemed “paralyzed” by Miami’s looks. His bottom line: it’s not a schematic issue, it’s an execution issue. And that, he stressed, falls on the coaching staff to fix.


Offensive Line and Captains

Freeman called the offensive line solid, but not up to standard: “Overall, they played well, but the standard is to play higher.” He was quick to say he’s as confident in that group “as anybody on our team.”


He also praised the leadership in the locker room. “I couldn’t be more proud of the way our captains lead. I don’t want the title of captain to be associated with production at all; I want the title of captain to be associated with leadership.”


Drayk Bowen and the Linebackers

One of the defense’s most visible struggles came at linebacker, where Drayk Bowen admitted he didn’t meet his own standard against Miami. Freeman backed him up but emphasized Bowen’s growth: “He’s been a guy that’s constantly improved from the minute he stepped on campus till now.”



Looking Ahead to Texas A&M

Now the challenge is immediate: Texas A&M rolls into South Bend this weekend. Freeman didn’t hesitate to praise their roster.

“On offense, they’re a veteran group led by their O-line. Really good QB that can hurt you with both his legs and his arm. Deep, deep running back room. Fast and talented skill on their offense.”

“Defensively, it starts with their D-line. They got guys on all three levels that are talented and productive.”


Freeman remembers last year’s matchup under Mike Elko and Collin Klein, but stressed this is a different Aggies team. “Some similarities, some core principles that we know we’ll see, but there’s some adjustments that we’re gonna have to be able to make.”


The bye week gave Notre Dame the chance to regroup and heal, but also put the pressure squarely on execution. Freeman wants aggression to replace hesitation: “We have to have that mentality of not just trying to be perfect, but being aggressive and playing the game with the velocity that overcomes any mistakes.”


A Lighter Moment

The press conference closed on a lighter note, as Freeman was asked about comedian Shane Gillis, who’s been a vocal supporter and even filmed a skit with the team before the season.


“Shane’s an awesome human. We appreciate the support. It’s always good to have someone like Shane Gillis support you guys, helps you in recruiting, makes us kind of cool, I guess,” closing with a chuckle and a classic Freeman grin. 



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