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Notre Dame Football: Marcus Freeman named most intriguing newcomer

By Brad Weiss

Cincinnati Bearcats defensive coordinator Marcus Freeman high fives Cincinnati Bearcats wide receiver Tyler Scott (21) as he comes off the field following a special teams play in the fourth quarter during an NCAA college football game against the Army Black Knights, Saturday, Sept. 26, 2020, at Nippert Stadium in Cincinnati. The Cincinnati Bearcats won 24-10.Army Black Knights At Cincinnati Bearcats Sept 26
Cincinnati Bearcats defensive coordinator Marcus Freeman high fives Cincinnati Bearcats wide receiver Tyler Scott (21) as he comes off the field following a special teams play in the fourth quarter during an NCAA college football game against the Army Black Knights, Saturday, Sept. 26, 2020, at Nippert Stadium in Cincinnati. The Cincinnati Bearcats won 24-10.Army Black Knights At Cincinnati Bearcats Sept 26 /
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There is a lot to like about the 2021 Notre Dame football team, from star players coming back, to some incoming freshmen that are going to get an opportunity to play right away. Last season, Notre Dame ran through the regular season undefeated, and while they lost their last two games, one in the ACC title game, and the other in the CFP, the team produced multiple potential 2021 NFL Draft picks.

As we turn the page to the 2021 college football season, Notre Dame will go back to their Independent schedule, as the slate is loaded with must-watch games. The Irish will be looking to win ten or more games for the fifth straight season and will have to do so with new faces up and down the starting lineup.

Notre Dame football has a most intriguing newcomer in 2021

Recently, ESPN put out an article singling out the most intriguing newcomer for each of the way-too-early top-25 schools in their rankings. For the Notre Dame football program, this newcomer was not someone who is going to be putting on a helmet on Saturdays this fall, but rather, an assistant coach who could one day supplant Brian Kelly as the head coach in South Bend.

That person is, of course, Marcus Freeman, Kelly’s No. 1 choice to replace Clark Lea as defensive coordinator, this after Lea left to be the head coach at Vanderbilt. The choice of Freeman is a simple one, as he will be tasked with not only keeping the Irish defense afloat, a group that lost players on all three levels this offseason but also to be the key to a recruiting process that looks to bridge the gap between Notre Dame football and the elite.

Next. Notre Dame football: 5 returning players who’ll lead Irish reload in 2021. dark

During his time at Cincinnati, Freeman was able to recruit elite players despite the fact it was a G5 school, so the allure of Notre Dame football should be a bonus for him. Also, the Irish defense will have a lot of young faces on it this season, so he has his work cut out for him there, especially after the program losing the likes of Jeremiah Owusu-Koramoah, Ade Ogundeji, and Daelin Hayes to name a few.

Freeman is certainly the right guy to accomplish both, as both the defense, and the recruiting process is in good hands with him leading the way.

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