First off there was the question about facing Ohio State, where he was a second-team All-Big Ten linebacker in 2007 and ’08 and played in two BCS National Championship Games.
“This has nothing to do with the past and where I went to school,” he said when asked if it feels like his life has come full circle. This is about this opportunity that lies right ahead of us.”
Freeman made his debut as head coach of the Fighting Irish two years ago against Ohio State.
They led the Buckeyes until late in the third quarter but gave up 14 unanswered points to lose 21-10 in the season-opener.
Last season, Notre Dame led Ohio State 14-10 in the waning seconds but could not keep Chip Trayanum out of the end zone from the 1-yard line (in no small part because they only had 10 defenders on the field) and lost 17-14.
That led Fighting Irish running back Jeremiyah Love to tell On3.com the team was anxious for a shot at redemption, something Freeman sounded unenthusiastic about getting out.
“If you need that to motivate you to get ready for this game, then you’re not the right person,” Freeman said. “That’s the reality of it. We don’t need motivation to be prepared for this game. We’ve got a chance to play in the National Championship game. This isn’t about the past. This is about this opportunity we have right in front of us, and we’ll continue to focus on this opportunity right in front of us.
“If there’s learning opportunities from other games or previous games, absolutely we’re going to use them. If that’s going to help us be more prepared for what could happen in this game, we’re definitely going to use it, but it isn’t for motivation at all.”
There were a couple of historical aspects Freeman was willing to acknowledge, though.
Is he hoping to his being the first Black and first coach of Asian decent to be the head coach in a National Championship Game will lead to more opportunities for minorities?
Absolutely.
“What I continue to hope is that people get opportunities based off their actions and not the color of their skin,” he said. “That doesn’t point to just one group of people, but we want to make sure we continue to give the right people opportunities to lead our young people, and I believe in that.
“If me being a Black and Asian head coach in the college football National Championship gives others that opportunity, that’s awesome. I’ve always said this: I don’t want this to be about me. I want this to be about others, and about others getting an opportunity and our team.”
Then there was the chance to do something no coach has since Lou Holtz in 1988: Lead Notre Dame to a national championship.
The title drought is the longest for the school since they started being handed out in the 1920s and ‘30s, and Freeman is happy to have the chance to do something about it.
“Oh, it would be something special,” said Freeman, who was born at Wright-Patterson Air Force Base two years before that championship season. “Obviously this place hasn’t won a national championship since 1988, and every year the aspirations are to win a national championship. That’s why all these players choose to come to Notre Dame.”
CFP National Championship Game
Monday, Jan. 20
Notre Dame vs. Ohio State, 7:30 p.m., ESPN, 1410
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