Notre Dame football coach Marcus Freeman is taking responsibility for the team’s 34-23 defeat to Ohio State in Monday night’s College Football Playoff National Championship. The Irish found themselves down by 24 points midway through the third quarter, which Freeman attributes to unusual communication errors for which he accepts full responsibility.
“You always make mistakes, but those kinds of costly mistakes against a really strong football team lead to lost points,” Freeman stated. “The communication issues are something that stood out to me, even during the series. We can’t afford to make mistakes, and it’s on me. As the head coach, it’s my duty to ensure we are better prepared for moments like this. The players gave it their all.”
You can find his complete press conference after the game below.
In their quest for their first National Championship since 1988, Notre Dame made some questionable choices while trailing significantly. On a fourth-and-2 at their own 33-yard line, the Irish opted to try a fake punt rather than either punting or attempting to convert. Steve Angeli’s pass was incomplete, handing the Buckeyes great field position while already leading by 21 points.
Later, when Notre Dame was down by 16 and faced with a fourth-and-goal from the Ohio State nine-yard line, they decided to send out the field goal unit in an attempt to cut the deficit to 13 points. However, the kick hit the left upright and missed.
Notre Dame tried to make a two-score game a two-score game and got a two-score game!
— Bill Barnwell (@billbarnwell) January 21, 2025
Despite the puzzling decisions made during the game, the Irish have reason to feel optimistic about their future with Freeman as head coach. Notre Dame secured their first win in the College Football Playoff this season and holds a perfect 4-0 record in bowl games under Freeman. They are expected to be in the running for another playoff spot next year. While they face tough matchups against Miami and Texas A&M to kick off the season, the remainder of their schedule looks fairly manageable after Week 2.
This season, Freeman demonstrated that he is the right fit for leading Notre Dame and expressed his commitment to improvement for the upcoming year.
“We just need to be better,” he stated. “I have to ensure we’re better prepared for the next opportunity we have in the future.”
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