There was a time, albeit plenty brief, when Notre Dame football fans were worried about Marcus Freeman leaving for LSU. However, any rumors that he might lead the Bayou Bengals ended quickly.
If Freeman was indeed thinking about taking over for another fired former Notre Dame coach in Brian Kelly, he has to be glad he's stayed out of the mess that's brewing in Baton Rouge. He has to be thrilled, in fact, that any flirtations that occurred are long over as LSU looks like a program that very few coaches will be interested in when all is said and done.
Marcus Freeman should be glad he stayed with Notre Dame football and never listened to LSU
The latest episode of "As the Tigers Turn" sparked up on Tuesday morning when the school alleged the former Notre Dame head coach was never actually fired by LSU. In fact, the school is claiming that Brian Kelly's boss, Athletic Director Scott Woodward, didn't have the authority to fire the coach.
No school has ever won a “termination for cause” lawsuit - even when they could allege grounds with a straight face. Thus, it seems unlikely that LSU could set a new precedent when everyone in college sports is laughing at them for taking a position that’s absolutely absurd. https://t.co/YMyeDoYuZn
— Tom Mars (@TomMarsLaw) November 11, 2025
To be clear, there isn't a single thinking person on the face of the planet who knows how college athletics works, who believes that's a good argument. LSU is, in essence, claiming that Kelly should have known he wasn't fired because Woodward couldn't fire him and just stopped showing up to work. It's quite possibly the worst "for cause" argument in the history of "for cause" arguments.
It's not hard to see where this strategy is coming from. Louisiana Governor Jeff Landry has his fingerprints all over this mess from the beginning. That a politician who is not particularly popular among LSU fans already has stuck his neck out in this and taken the lead (before claiming he's not taking the lead) is yet another reason why Marcus Freeman staying far away from the SEC program was a great idea.
Landry tore into Woodward in his first public comments after Kelly was fired. The governor is mad that LSU is paying Brian Kelly's massive buyout and is now trying to get out of it. But arguing the AD didn't have the authority to fire the head coach isn't something anyone believes is practical. And it seems like something Landry and his people have cooked up.
As this saga continues to make the Tigers one of the least attractive jobs in all of college football, Notre Dame fans can thank Marcus Freeman for sticking around, and the Irish head coach can thank his lucky stars he didn't listen to whatever overtures were made.