Marcus Freeman sends clear message after Notre Dame bowl loss

Notre Dame coach Marcus Freeman will not want to remember his first game as head coach. Despite what happened, he’s absolutely not shying away from the challenge.

The Fighting Irish lost the Fiesta Bowl on Saturday 37-35 to Oklahoma State after blowing a 21-point first half lead. The collapse ensured that Freeman started his Notre Dame head coaching career with a loss, and was a key setback for the new coach after all the positivity that followed his appointment.

Freeman knows this and is not hiding from it. He offered a hugely encouraging quote following Saturday’s loss, proclaiming his honeymoon over.

"The honeymoon stage is over.” – Marcus Freeman

— Pete Sampson (@PeteSampson_) January 1, 2022

Freeman is right about that. Most Notre Dame fans were happy with his appointment, and few will turn on him now. However, expectations will remain high, and this loss will lurk in the back of everyone’s mind heading into next season.

The good news is Notre Dame showed what it can be capable of in the first half. The key for Freeman and his staff going forward will be figuring out how to keep that going and being able to adjust on the fly better than they did Saturday.

Photo: Dec 6, 2021; Notre Dame, IN, USA; Notre Dame Fighting Irish head football coach Marcus Freeman speaks during his formal introduction on the campus of the University of Notre Dame. Mandatory Credit: Matt Cashore-USA TODAY Sports