University of Cincinnati defensive coordinator Marcus Freeman is leaving the Bearcats and heading to Notre Dame.The Fighting Irish announced the hire Friday night.Freeman, who will be 35 on Sunday, joins Notre Dame head coach Brian Kelly in South Bend, Indiana. Kelly served as UC head coach from 2007-09.“As we looked into finding someone to run our defense, it was important to find the right fit for our program and Marcus and his family are just that,” Kelly said. “He has had great success on the field, both running a defense and in his direct work with his linebackers. Additionally, he is considered among the elite recruiters in the coaching ranks.“The work Marcus has done elevating the programs he has been a part of speaks for itself, but equally as important is the exceptional work he has done in building relationships with his staff and players. Marcus was our top choice to become our next defensive coordinator, and we are pleased he and his family will be joining us at Notre Dame.” Freeman was the orchestrator of a Cincinnati defense that was fourth in the country in fewest yards per play allowed, third in pass efficiency and had the top touchdown-interception ratio (7-16) in the nation this season.Freeman agreed to a new two-year contract with Cincinnati in September that paid him $600,000 in the first year.The new deal was a $75,000 privately-funded raise for Freeman, who also coached the UC linebackers.The contract came a couple of weeks after the university announced an extension for Cincinnati head coach Luke Fickell that keeps him at the helm of the Bearcats football program through 2026.Freeman joined Fickell, who coached him at Ohio State, at Cincinnati when Fickell was hired in December 2016.Michigan State also made an attempt to hire Freeman away from Cincinnati after Mel Tucker agreed to be the Spartans head coach after Fickell declined last February. Tucker was interested in making Freeman his defensive coordinator. Tucker was Ohio State's co-defensive coordinator when Freeman was a freshman linebacker for the Buckeyes.Freeman also has garnered interest from other programs like LSU, Ohio State and the NFL's Tennessee Titans since joining Fickell at Cincinnati after a four-year stint at Purdue (2013-16).Prior to serving as the linebackers coach and co-defensive coordinator for the Boilermakers, Freeman was Kent State's linebackers coach from 2011-12.Freeman started his coaching career with the Buckeyes as a graduate assistant in 2010, under former head coach Jim Tressel.Cincinnati has had one of the most stingiest defenses in the country under Freeman. The Bearcats led the AAC in rushing, scoring and total defense this season.Freeman also has been a star recruiter for Cincinnati, helping the Bearcats land the No. 1 recruiting class in program history last month.Freeman starred at linebacker for OSU before becoming a fifth-round pick of the Chicago Bears in the 2009 NFL Draft.Freeman played high school football at Huber Heights (Ohio) Wayne. Source link
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