ATLANTA – Before a young Marcus Freeman revealed his college commitment, he laid the hats of the finalists on a table, in classic fashion. Among those hats: Notre Dame.
When Freeman chose Ohio State, he gave the Notre Dame hat to the biggest Fighting Irish fan he knew – his defensive coordinator, Pat Wood, at Wayne High School in Huber Heights, Ohio. Wood told USA TODAY last week that he still wears the hat. He undoubtedly wore it with pride Monday night while Freeman coached Notre Dame in the College Football Playoff national championship game.
“I try to make him proud,” Freeman said of Wood at Saturday’s CFP Media Day. “He’s had a huge impact on my life.”
On Monday, Freeman came up short of winning a title — the Fighting Irish fell to the Buckeyes, 34-23 — but still made history. When he stepped onto the field at Mercedes-Benz Stadium, Freeman became the first African American and Asian American head coach at a CFP national championship game.
The underlying irony of Monday’s matchup was that Freeman is an Ohio boy at heart. He grew up just an hour drive via I-70 from Columbus. It all seemed like fate when Freeman, a top linebacker prospect, committed to Ohio State. After all, blood does run scarlet. Freeman played inside linebacker for the Buckeyes and took two trips to the BCS national title game during his career, falling short both times.
When Freeman got the head coaching gig at Notre Dame 2021, all Wood could do was smile.
“It just seemed like things had come full circle,” said Wood.
In high school, Wood said, Freeman’s football IQ made him stand out. He had instincts that couldn’t be taught. That sixth sense has carried over into his coaching career.
“There are some coaches that are so caught up in the X’s and O’s, offensive schemes, defensive schemes,” Wood said, “that they overlook the people that have to implement that, and that’s the kids. (Freeman) makes every kid feel special.”
After the Fighting Irish’s early season loss to an unranked Northern Illinois at home, Freeman never wavered. He “plotted a course that everybody could have a piece of,” a journey that led to the national championship game.
“(Marcus Freeman) deserves every credit, every accolade,” defensive coordinator Al Golden said. “It’s really – it’s one of the best examples of human spirit that I’ve witnessed.”
Mia Fishman is a student in the University of Georgia’s undergraduate Sports Media Certificate program.