Marcus Freeman was all grins, the type you flash when you know something the rest of the world doesn’t. The man’s 4th spring running the show at Notre Dame, and he’s walking around like he’s holding pocket aces. The Irish might’ve come up just short against Ohio State in the national championship game 2 months back, but Freeman’s energy? Purely undefeated. But this wasn’t about a title game hangover. No. It was about something cooking behind the scenes at South Bend. Something big.
After losing some key pieces post-2024 season—especially defensive guru Al Golden to the NFL—Freeman had to make moves. And boy, did he make a move. Enter Chris Ash. The defensive mastermind who co-piloted Ohio State’s 2014 championship defense and left his fingerprints on elite defenses across the Power Five. After some head coaching woes at Rutgers, the man’s back in his natural habitat—calling defenses and scheming destruction.
Marcus Freeman finally broke the silence on the Chris Ash hire during a press conference after spring practice. “I’ve known Coach Ash for quite a while. You know, he was the defensive coordinator at Ohio State with Luke Fickell. Got to know him, and we spent some time together after his tenure as head coach at Rutgers. And so I got to know him personally before we hired him as the defensive coordinator. I’ve been extremely pleased—probably more than anything—with the leadership, the ability to get three position coaches that have been here to be teammates, and I’ve been really pleased with that. Our coaching staff is close. You know, our defensive coaching staff has spent a lot of time together. You know, we’re going to do similar things that we’ve done in the past and maybe some things that are different. In order to…page, you have to spend time together, and I’m really pleased with the leadership.”
Marcus Freeman and Chris Ash go way back. And let’s be real: getting Chris Ash is a power move. The man’s a defensive savant. Sure, the Rutgers head coaching gig didn’t exactly scream success, but as a DC? Different beast. He’s a straight-up mastermind when it comes to shutting down offenses. His bread and butter? Locking up secondaries and crafting defenses that hit hard, play smart, and don’t give up big plays. He is all about fundamentals—wrapping up tackles, sticking to assignments, and making sure his DBs turn into straight-up ballhawks.
Back at Ohio State, Ash helped build a no-fly zone, leading the Buckeyes to a natty in 2014. His style? Press coverage, single-high safety looks, and a whole lotta aggression—basically, making QBs think twice before letting it rip. And with stints in both college and the NFL, he’s got a killer blend of pro-level schemes and classic smash-mouth college defense.
Now he’s at Notre Dame, and best believe he’s about to bring that same energy. Expect a defense that’s disciplined, physical, and locked in on every snap. He is a team-builder. He’s meshing with three position coaches already entrenched at Notre Dame, and by the sound of it, they’re getting along like old college roommates. That’s gold right there.
Marcus Freeman clears the stance on the QB race at South Bend
But when you thought Freeman was done making headlines, he threw another curveball. The QB room. With Riley Leonard off to chase NFL glory. The Irish are low-key left with a three-man dogfight between Steve Angeli, CJ Carr, and Kenny Minchey. And it’s safe to say Freeman’s letting them know the gloves are off.
“They’re all going to get reps with the 1s. They’re all going to get reps that we split. I’m talking Kenny (Minchey), Steve (Angeli), and CJ (Carr). They’re going to split reps, and each day could be different, but it’s important for us to communicate with them beforehand. And no matter if they like what group they’re going with or not—it shouldn’t matter—that we’re upfront and honest with them, and then we give them feedback after each practice, and we’ll name a starter when a starter clearly shows that he’s the best quarterback,” Freeman laid it out simple.
Freeman isn’t giving them a timeline. No handouts. Just cold, hard competition. And he’s loving every second of it. “I don’t want to put a timetable on, and I refuse to do that. To me, if you don’t have a decision made by then, it’s going to frustrate you. And there’s no need to put a timetable on it. You let those guys compete, and when a starter is determined, we’re going to announce it. But again, I’m excited. I truly love competition. I think it’s going to make all three of those guys better.”
There’s a storm brewing in South Bend. Freeman’s got his defensive wizard. He’s got three hungry QBs clawing for the top spot. And he’s not shying away from the pressure. If anything, he’s cranking it up. Welcome to Marcus Freeman’s world.
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