History of Marcus Freeman in Timeline

Marcus Freeman is the head football coach at the University of Notre Dame, a position he has held since 2022. Prior to this, he served as the defensive coordinator and linebackers coach for the Fighting Irish in 2021. Freeman's coaching career also includes assistant roles at the University of Cincinnati, Purdue University, Kent State University, and Ohio State University. He is a former linebacker himself, bringing both playing and extensive coaching experience to his current role at Notre Dame.

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Full Timeline Career & Achievements

1932: Team Scored 70 Points

In 1932, it marked the last time the team scored 70 points before the 2024 season.

1976: Freeman's Parents Move to Ohio

In 1976, Marcus Freeman's mother, Chong Freeman, moved to Ohio with his father, Michael Freeman, after he served in the U.S. Air Force.

January 10, 1986: Marcus Freeman Born

On January 10, 1986, Marcus Louis Freeman was born. He is an American football coach and former linebacker.

2004: Freshman Season at Ohio State

In 2004, Marcus Freeman finished his freshman season with four tackles while playing in 13 games.

2005: Redshirted due to Injury

In 2005, Marcus Freeman was redshirted after injuring his knee in the Buckeyes' first game against Miami (OH).

2006: Key Player for Buckeyes

During the 2006 season, Marcus Freeman made 71 tackles while playing in 13 games, starting 11 of them. He was second on the team with six pass break-ups and two interceptions.

2007: All-Big Ten Selection

In 2007, Marcus Freeman was a second-year starting linebacker and part of three special units. He was named second-team All-Big Ten after totaling 109 tackles, 9.5 tackles for loss, and five pass deflections.

2008: Another All-Big Ten Season

In 2008, Marcus Freeman started all 13 games for the Buckeyes, tallying 84 tackles. He was named to the All-Big Ten second team for a second straight year and was an Academic All-Big Ten selection.

2009: Declared for NFL Draft

Following the 2008 season, Marcus Freeman declared for the 2009 NFL draft.

2009: NFL Draft and Retirement

In 2009, Marcus Freeman was drafted by the Chicago Bears in the fifth round of the NFL draft, later he was released and served on practice squads for the Buffalo Bills and Houston Texans. Following the 2009 season, he retired from his playing career due to a heart condition.

2009: Drafted by Chicago Bears and Waived

In 2009, Marcus Freeman was drafted in the fifth round of the NFL draft by the Chicago Bears. He appeared in all four preseason games but was waived on September 4.

2009: Signed with Houston Texans Practice Squad

On November 4, 2009, Marcus Freeman signed with the Houston Texans practice squad, where he finished the 2009 season.

February 2010: Diagnosed with Enlarged Heart Condition

In February 2010, before signing with the Indianapolis Colts, Marcus Freeman was diagnosed with an enlarged heart condition by a team physician.

2010: Marriage to Joanna

In 2010, Marcus Freeman married Joanna (née Herncane), whom he had dated since college.

2010: Graduate Assistant at Ohio State

In 2010, Marcus Freeman served as a graduate assistant at Ohio State.

January 2011: Hired as Linebackers Coach for Kent State

In January 2011, Marcus Freeman was hired as the linebackers coach for Kent State, a position he would hold until 2012.

2012: End of Tenure at Kent State

In 2012, Marcus Freeman's tenure as linebackers coach at Kent State came to an end.

January 18, 2013: Hired as Linebackers Coach for Purdue

On January 18, 2013, Marcus Freeman was hired as the linebackers coach for the Purdue Boilermakers.

December 13, 2016: Joins Cincinnati Bearcats Football Staff

On December 13, 2016, Marcus Freeman joined the Cincinnati Bearcats football staff as defensive coordinator and linebackers coach.

2016: Promoted to Co-Defensive Coordinator at Purdue

In 2016, Marcus Freeman was promoted to co-defensive coordinator at Purdue University.

2018: Bearcats Defense Leads AAC

In 2018, under Marcus Freeman, the Cincinnati Bearcats' defense led the American Athletic Conference (AAC) in rushing defense, scoring defense, and total defense.

2019: Bearcats Top AAC in Scoring Defense

In 2019, the Cincinnati Bearcats finished atop the AAC ranks in scoring defense for the second-straight season under Marcus Freeman.

2020: Broyles Award Finalist

During the 2020 season, Marcus Freeman was a finalist for the Broyles Award and named the 247Sports Defensive Coordinator of the Year.

2020: Declined Coaching Positions

Prior to the end of the 2020 season, Marcus Freeman had declined a number of positions to remain at Cincinnati, including offers from Ohio State, Tennessee Titans, and Michigan State.

January 8, 2021: Hired as Defensive Coordinator for Notre Dame

On January 8, 2021, Marcus Freeman was hired as defensive coordinator and linebackers coach for the Notre Dame Fighting Irish.

December 3, 2021: Selected as Head Coach for Notre Dame

On December 3, 2021, Marcus Freeman was selected to replace Brian Kelly as the head coach of Notre Dame, becoming the 32nd head coach in program history.

2021: Defensive Coordinator at Notre Dame

In 2021, Marcus Freeman served as the defensive coordinator and linebackers coach at the University of Notre Dame.

2022: Conversion to Catholicism

In 2022, Marcus Freeman became a Catholic.

2022: Starts Career with Three Losses

Marcus Freeman opened the 2022 season with losses to No. 2 Ohio State and Marshall, becoming the first head coach in Notre Dame history to start his career with three losses.

2023: Solid season for Freeman's Fighting Irish

The 2023 season saw Marcus Freeman's Fighting Irish finish 10-3 with a Sun Bowl victory. Key players included Audric Estime, Sam Hartman, Mitchell Evans, and Xavier Watts. The team ended the season ranked 14th.

2024: Irish Start Campaign

Marcus Freeman's 2024 squad started their campaign successfully on the road against No. 20 Texas A&M in College Station, Texas with a 23–13 win, but followed that victory up with a 16–14 loss to Northern Illinois. The Irish finished the regular season with a 10-game winning streak

January 1, 2025: Rescheduled Sugar Bowl

Originally Notre Dame was set to play the 2nd-seeded Georgia Bulldogs in the Sugar Bowl on January 1, 2025, but due to the 2025 New Orleans truck attack that happened near the Caesars Superdome the game was rescheduled to the following day.