Notre Dame football: Possible scapegoats if the Irish disappoint in 2022

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GLENDALE, ARIZONA – JANUARY 01: Head coach Marcus Freeman of the Notre Dame Fighting Irish prepares for the Play Station Fiesta Bowl against the Oklahoma State University Cowboys at State Farm Stadium on January 01, 2022, in Glendale, Arizona. (Photo by Norm Hall/Getty Images) /

Notre Dame football: Possible scapegoats if the Irish disappoint in 2022

First-year head coach

The Notre Dame football team got a shock after beating Stanford to close out the 2021 regular season, as Brian Kelly bolted from the program for LSU. From there, it was a scramble to get ready for the bowl game, but the Irish promoted defensive coordinator Marcus Freeman to interim head coach, and would eventually name him the permanent head coach a little while later.

Now, at the helm of the program, Freeman has a lot of work to do, as the Irish have had a reputation of coming up small on the larger stage. He has done an outstanding job recruiting, building up one of the strongest classes for both the 2023 and 2024 cycles, and it is clear the team loves playing for him.

Oct 23, 2021; South Bend, Indiana, USA; Notre Dame Fighting Irish wide receiver Lorenzo Styles Jr. (21) runs the ball as USC Trojans safety Xavion Alford (29) attempts to tackle in the second quarter at Notre Dame Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Matt Cashore-USA TODAY Sports

Notre Dame football: Can the Irish hang with Ohio State offensively?

The Notre Dame football team has a tall task in Week 1, battling Ohio State on the road, and will need a big game from their offense to pull off the upset.

However, this is his first time being the head coach at any level, and to make your debut as head coach of a program like Notre Dame football could bring some ups and downs. If the Irish struggle, it could be because a first-year head coach is still getting used to sitting in the big chair, but in the end, the Irish are going to be much better off with Freeman at the wheel.

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