Marcus Freeman stars at Ohio State. Now Notre Dame's coach is its biggest enemy

Not long ago, Marcus Freeman's blood was scarlet and gray.

Freeman played linebacker at Ohio State from 2004-08, appearing in 51 games with 37 starts. He helped the Buckeyes reach the national championship game twice and win four consecutive Big Ten titles. When he declared for the NFL Draft in 2009, he ranked 19th in program history with 268 tackles (140 solo).

So as Freeman stood on the sideline before Monday night's national championship game, Notre Dame's coach might have felt a little conflicted. After all, he's trying to win the biggest trophy in college sports and prevent his beloved alma mater from doing the same.

Freeman was quick to dismiss the idea that his heart wasn't anywhere other than South Bend when asked about facing the Buckeyes this week.

“This has nothing to do with the past and where I went to school,” he said. “This is the opportunity before us.”

Freeman, 39, is widely considered one of the fastest-rising coaches in college football. In only his fourth season, he's already building a historic program on the way to his first championship since 1988, and now NFL teams are calling.

But his success at Notre Dame came as no surprise to his former Buckeye teammates, who knew from the moment he stepped on campus that his work ethic and IQ would take him far.

Ohio State cornerback Antonio Smith, who played from 2003-06, called Freeman “a great competitor” and a “team player.”

“At the linebacker position, he's a guy that you can count on, a guy that you can trust to do their job and obviously you want to be with him every week,” Smith said. “He's not only going to do that The energy and attitude he brings to the game and the way he goes into training every day is one of those guys you want to play alongside.”

Freeman grew up about an hour outside of Columbus and starred at Wayne High School. He played sparingly as a freshman at Ohio State and redshirted his sophomore season with a knee injury in the first game of the regular season before truly establishing himself as a member of the 2006 team. ’s presence was well-known and led to a national championship under coach Jim Tressel.

That season, he totaled 71 tackles in 13 games (11 starts), with six pass breakups and two interceptions. He also helped fill the leadership void left by senior linebackers AJ Hawk, Bobby Carpenter and Anthony Schlegal, who all left for the NFL the previous year.

Freeman's style isn't about big pregame speeches or public accusations. He chose to show it on the court.

“He did express his opinions, but I don't remember him being an overly vocal guy,” said Anderson Russell, an Ohio State safety from 2005-09. “He's just one of those guys you can count on, and when bullets are flying on the field, that's what you need the most. I know he's a guy I can count on to get the job done, be where he's supposed to be, make the The right decision.”

Brandon Mitchell, a defensive back at Ohio State from 2002-06, echoed Russell's sentiments. He said Freeman prefers to help teammates on the sidelines or in the locker room after practice.

“He would sit one-on-one in your locker, sit next to you and say, 'What can we do to fix this?'” Mitchell recalled. “'We seem to have this problem' or 'I saw this on film' or 'We can't seem to get this blitz right. How can we do it? It's more like one-on-one personable versus Not the “cheerleader who stands in front of the group.”

Ohio State began the 2006 season as the No. 1 team in the country and trailed star quarterback Troy Smith through the first 12 games. That season, he threw for 2,542 yards and 30 touchdowns on his way to winning the Heisman Trophy.

Freeman and Mitchell are the leaders on the defensive side of the ball, making decisions at the line of scrimmage based on the offense.

“He's one of the youngest players on the team, but the moment never gets too big,” Mitchell said. “He's always ready to play. It's a lot of responsibility as a first-year starter to go through those checks and do all those things.”

The Buckeyes ended their undefeated streak against Florida in the national championship game and faced the same result a year later: losing in the finals, this time to LSU. Although Freeman fell short of winning the BCS title as a junior and senior, he solidified himself as a key contributor to one of the best finishes in program history.

Although Freeman was selected by the Chicago Bears in the fifth round of the 2009 draft, he was waived by the team on the eve of the season. He then joined the Houston Texans' practice squad, but failed to get consistent playing time and never played in the regular season.

In May 2010, he was forced to retire due to an enlarged heart condition.

But just because he can't play doesn't mean he's giving up on the game he loves. Freeman accepted a graduate assistant position at Ohio State and transitioned from there to Kent State's linebackers coach. According to USA Today, he played for the Golden Flashes in 2011 and 2012, earning an annual salary of $42,000.

Mitchell visited Freeman at Kent State and recalled being impressed by his work ethic despite the low salary.

“I remember saying, 'Man, you're literally one of the worst-paid coaches in the country, and you give it your all.'”

This determination has helped him steadily rise through the coaching ranks. He served as Purdue's linebackers coach, Cincinnati's defensive coordinator and Notre Dame's defensive coordinator before being promoted to head coach when Brian Kelly left LSU in 2021.

Just a few years later, the Fighting Irish were in the national championship game.

Russell wasn't surprised at all. When asked what factors contributed to this success, he pointed to Freeman's ability to maintain a calm demeanor no matter the situation.

“I've never seen him lose his cool on the field or even on the sidelines,” he said. “Sometimes you do a great job on the field, but when we come off the sideline, guys get angry, throw helmets, or get frustrated. He's never been one to get into it. He's always stayed cool and kept his cool. That's one of the best things about him as a coach.”

Notre Dame’s task won’t be easy. Ohio State is the favorite in the College Football Playoff, outscoring opponents 111-52 in three games. The Buckeyes, led by veteran quarterback Will Howard, have some of the most dangerous weapons in college football in receivers Jeremiah Smith, Emeka Egbuka and running back Trevyan Hen. Dessen. They also have the No. 1 defense in the country, allowing just 12.2 points per game.

The Fighting Irish aren't too bad on the defensive end either, allowing 14.3 points per game, ranking second in the country. Their offense is averaging 37 points per game and ranks third in overall offense.

Mitchell said the makeup of Notre Dame reminded him of the Tressel-led teams he played with Freeman on.

“The way he built the team had Jim Tressel's fingerprints all over it. That team looked just like the team he played on,” he said. “A great defensive line, great special teams, a quarterback who can create with his legs. That team looks familiar to me. It's like the Ohio State football team of the early 2000s, you don't Take too many shots on the perimeter, but you're going to have one or two situations that break the game.”

Russell doesn’t think Freeman facing his alma mater will have a major impact in the national title game. If past experience as a player is any indication. He will have Notre Dame ready no matter who the opponent is.

“It's always been a part of you and made you who you are and brought you to this point as part of your journey. But right now, they're concerned about this game in front of them,” Russell said. “They're going to be ready to go to war and that's because he's a great coach and takes out all the distractions.”

Smith added: “He's done a tremendous job, so we're very proud of him. We're excited to see one of our own climb those rankings and represent a great historic program like Notre Dame in a great way. I Wish him all the best – except Monday.”