Notre Dame gives coach Marcus Freeman contract extension as playoff week begins

SOUTH BEND, Ind. (AP) — Marcus Freeman opened his first playoff week as a head coach by holding a team meeting and fielding questions from reporters.

A few hours later, Notre Dame made sure Freeman wasn’t going anywhere.

Freeman has agreed to a long-term contract extension, making him one of the nation’s highest-paid coaches. It was announced on NBC’s Football Night in America pregame show Sunday night. NBC holds the broadcast rights to televise Notre Dame games.

“I am grateful for the support of the Board of Trustees,” Freeman said in a statement released by the athletic department. “The investment they continue to pour into our program is invaluable to our student-athletes and staff. This commitment goes well beyond myself, as they are dedicated to ensuring all aspects of our program are competitive within the upper echelon of college football.”

The 38-year-old Freeman has gone 30-9 in his three seasons in South Bend, Indiana, and led the Fighting Irish to their first playoff appearance since 2021.

After No. 3 Notre Dame lost its second game of the season to Northern Illinois, Freeman, knowing a second loss could eliminate the Irish from playoff contention, treated each of the final 10 contests like an elimination game. The Irish responded by winning all 10 games, moving back into The Associated Press’ top five and earning a first-round home game as the No. 7 seed.

They will host No. 9 Indiana (No. 10 seed) Friday night in the first playoff game held on a college campus. The winner advances to face No. 2 Georgia (No. 2).

Freeman was a fifth-round draft pick of the Chicago Bears in 2009 and also spent time on the rosters of Buffalo and Houston before announcing his retirement in 2010. He then returned to his alma mater, Ohio State, as a graduate assistant.

His coaching stops included Kent State and Purdue, where he was promoted to defensive coordinator in 2016. The next season, Freeman left for Cincinnati where he stayed through 2020. He was hired as Notre Dame’s defensive coordinator in 2021 and was promoted to coach when Brian Kelly took the LSU job.

Freeman won nine games in his first season as head coach, 10 in his second season and 11 this year.

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