Marcus Freeman has gone a long way to prove that he’s one of the best coaches in the game thanks to a heck of a season for the Notre Dame football team. Fans are certainly quite happy with that he’s doing. There’s even supposedly some NFL teams that are giving him a long look.
And now, Freeman is the winner of one of the mot prestigious coaching awards of the entire year.
On Tuesday morning, Freeman was named the winner of the Dodd Trophy. That award comes to the Notre Dame football head coach for what he’s done on the field, but also because he’s shown real leadership while racking up wins.
Notre Dame’s Marcus Freeman wins Dodd Trophy Coach of Year, honoring the coach whose program embodies scholarship, leadership & integrity, while also having success on the field. Winners of the award from previous 2 years & 1st-year coaches at an institution are not eligible
— Brett McMurphy (@Brett_McMurphy) December 31, 2024
Notre Dame football head coach wins Dodd Award
“The Dodd Trophy, college football’s most coveted coaching award, honors the head football coach whose program embodies the award’s three pillars of scholarship, leadership and integrity, while also having success on the playing field throughout the season.”
The organization that hands out the award explained in a release.
Freeman has led the Notre Dame football team to an 12-1 record so far this season and a No. 5 College Football Playoff ranking, along with a No. 3 ranking in the Associated Press and Coaches Polls. Under Freeman’s leadership, the Irish secured five victories over opponents ranked in the AP Poll at the time of the game this season, including No. 20 Texas A&M, No. 15 Louisville, No. 24 Navy, No. 18 Army and No. 9 Indiana.
Now that he’s got the award in hand, the Notre Dame football head coach will look to keep the winning going in the Sugar Bowl against the Georgia Bulldogs. Should the Irish win, they’ll move on in the College Football Playoffs.