‘He’s certainly the right person to be at the helm’ – former Notre Dame standout Jack Kiser reminisces about the rise of HC Marcus Freeman
The Marcus Freeman era has been trending upward for the Notre Dame Fighting Irish, and very, very quickly. Coach Freeman went from one of college football's hottest defensive coordinators to one of the most stressful positions in all of sports. The tenure did not start out ideally for Freeman, who had a couple of puzzling […]
The Marcus Freeman era has been trending upward for the Notre Dame Fighting Irish, and very, very quickly. Coach Freeman went from one of college football's hottest defensive coordinators to one of the most stressful positions in all of sports. The tenure did not start out ideally for Freeman, who had a couple of puzzling losses early in his tenure.
Over time, that hire, which was admittedly probably somewhat premature, has proven to pay huge dividends. Coach Freeman has just led the Irish to a 14-win season and National Title appearance in just year three. Things are only going to get better based on the recruiting uptick, and consistent roster development.
Former Notre Dame linebacker Jack Kiser has seen the full scope of Coach Freeman's evolution as a head coach. Kiser was available for the media at the 2025 NFL Scouting Combine. He spoke high praises of his former head coach, defensive coordinator, and position coach.
There’s a lot of talent at Notre Dame. I think that just shows Coach Freeman, the type of coach he is, and able to attract guys to come play elite football but also want to come to South Bend, Indiana where there can be a lot of snow. It’s something more than just football. It’s about being a better person, growing as a holistic person, and yet you get the opportunity to compete for a national championship. I think that’s pretty special. He’s certainly the right person to be at the helm.
I was really fortunate to be one of the only guys who had him as a linebackers coach and defensive coordinator. See him to go from that to the head coach, and even the last three years as he’s evolved as the head coach and the way he takes on different perspectives and is able to adapt. He's able to learn but also has the confidence to know what he’s doing. I have a lot of respect for him and everything he’s done for the program and what he’s done to help this program progress to this stage.
Kiser ended his Notre Dame career playing in a program record 69 career games. Talk about a player who has seen the full maturation of Coach Freeman. His perspective matters a ton in this instance, and is a great endorsement for his future success.
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