It’s hard to not feel incredibly positive about the trajectory, and future of Notre Dame football. There is a lot to be grateful for, both now and for the long-term. The Fighting Irish currently sit with a 10-1 overall record, are ranked No. 5 in the most recent College Football Playoff ranking, and are just a win over USC away to cement their berth into the 12-team playoff.

We live in a world where short-term gratification is prioritized over those future goals. Everyone wants the quick payoff, and they want it right now. The inclusion of NIL and the Transfer Portal has done nothing to change that mindset, seemingly leveling the playing field and providing hope for unusual contenders.

There has been an evolving mindset around the Notre Dame program under head coach Marcus Freeman, and that’s what Irish fans should be most thankful for this holiday season. Under the previous regime, the standard had been set. Winning ten plus games was the expectation, and from there, it was about hoping things could fall your way.

A PROGRESSIVE MINDSET

Under Coach Freeman, a progressive mindset has been adopted by the Notre Dame program. Before he got to South Bend, there was a feeling of stagnation around this program. The floor had been raised, but it stopped feeling like growth was being made. A self-imposed ceiling had been created.

The biggest early returns for Coach Freeman were on the recruiting trail. For several years, key areas of the country were ignored under the Brian Kelly regime. This program had largely ignored the state of Texas, and had begun to stop even trying in Florida.

Both those things have changed in a big way the last couple of years. Add in that Coach Freeman is also open to finding proper fits in public schools rather than the traditional Catholic schools, and the demographic of potential fits at Notre Dame has completely shifted.

After the Andy Ludwig hiring fiasco before the 2023 season, we have also seen another shift. This time from an administration support perspective. That Ludwig situation put a little bit of a black eye on the program from a hiring process perspective, something that was remedied this past offseason in a big way.

We saw Notre Dame open up the checkbook for offensive coordinator Mike Denbrock to lure him away from LSU, and that wasn’t cheap. The program also gave defensive coordinator Al Golden an extension, which was another huge payday. You would also be greatly mistaken if you think assistant coaches such as Mike Mickens and Deland McCullough haven’t been taken care of recently either.

That progressiveness has also spilled over to the NIL space. When the landscape began altering, Notre Dame was very hesitant to throw their hat into the ring. Now that there is a more defined understanding of the space, the Irish are incredibly competitive in that realm.

WHERE IT MATTERS MOST

Lastly, but most importantly, we have seen growth from Coach Freeman and this staff on the field. After the week two loss to Northern Illinois, this felt like a team that could fold very quickly. In those types of situations, we see college players pack it in almost instantly. This team didn’t fold, instead, they evolved.

For the first time in a very long time, this Notre Dame program feels like one that can compete with any team in the country. While there are no guarantees that they would beat every program, there’s none that they feel like they shouldn’t be on the field with. This Notre Dame team could compete with anyone.

A big reason for that is the growth we have seen personally from Coach Freeman. This Notre Dame head coaching position was his first, and that’s a daunting thing, especially for a first time head coach. Coach Freeman has been open to growth, and we’ve seen that, even taking the time to talk to other coaches and continue to self assess, and evolve.

Whether this Notre Dame program wins a National Championship or not over the next couple of years, one thing is certain, it won’t be from lack of effort. Coach Freeman and his progressive mindset is what to be most grateful for this holiday season for Irish fans. This isn’t the best version of Notre Dame we will see under Coach Freeman, and that fact tells you that things are trending in a great direction.