SOUTH BEND, Ind. — Marcus Freeman, the Dick Corbett Head Football Coach at Notre Dame, has been honored as the National Coalition of Minority Football Coaches (NCMFC) College Coach of the Year. The award recognizes a minority coach who has excelled on the field, championed diversity in college football, and upheld the highest standards of integrity and character.
Freeman adds this honor to an already impressive list of accolades, including the 2024 Paul "Bear" Bryant Coach of the Year Award, the Dodd Trophy, and the George Munger College Coach of the Year Award. He was also named honorary head coach for the 2024 AFCA Allstate Good Works Team.
In his third season leading the Fighting Irish, Freeman guided Notre Dame to a 14-2 record, a College Football Playoff (CFP) National Championship appearance, and a No. 2 finish in the final AP Top 25 poll. With the Irish’s historic run, Freeman became the first Black or Asian American head coach to reach the CFP National Championship.
Over three seasons, Freeman has compiled a 33-10 overall record, including five postseason victories and three CFP wins in 2024. His team dominated ranked competition, securing seven victories over AP Top 25 teams, including:
- No. 20 Texas A&M
- No. 15 Louisville
- No. 24 Navy
- No. 18 Army
- No. 9 Indiana
- No. 2 Georgia
- No. 5 Penn State
The win over Penn State marked Freeman’s 14th victory against a ranked opponent, the most by any Notre Dame head coach in their first three seasons and tied for the most in FBS over that span (Georgia, 14). The Irish led the nation in wins over ranked opponents in 2024 (7-1), facing more Top 25 teams (8) than any other program.
Notre Dame’s success extended beyond wins. The Irish finished the season No. 1 nationally in pass efficiency defense (104.4), turnovers gained (33), defensive touchdowns (6), and blocked kicks (6), while ranking in the top 10 in multiple key statistical categories, including scoring defense (15.5 ppg, 4th), total defense (307.4 ypg, 11th), and scoring offense (36.1 ppg, 10th).
Freeman’s leadership has cemented Notre Dame as a premier program, blending on-field excellence with a steadfast commitment to diversity and integrity.