Notre Dame is poised to make history after beating Penn State in the Orange Bowl on Thursday night to advance to its first national championship game since the 2012 season, with hopes of winning its first title in nearly 40 years.
However, after the Fighting Irish’s victory, ESPN reporter Molly McGrath asked head coach Marcus Freeman how much the victory meant he became the first black head coach to achieve a record. title game.
Marcus Freeman, head coach of the Notre Dame Fighting Irish, celebrates defeating the Penn State Nittany Lions in the Orange Bowl at Hard Rock Stadium on January 9, 2025. (Sam Navarro-Imagn Images)
Freeman, who answered similar questions before this game, refocused the conversation on his team and the importance of their victory.
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“You know, I’ve said it before, I never want to take the focus away from the team. It’s an honor, and I hope that all the coaches – minorities, black, Asian, white, whatever – great people continue to have the opportunity to lead young men like this.”
He continued: “But it’s not about me, it’s about us. And we’re going to celebrate what we’ve done because it’s something special.”
Notre Dame head coach Marcus Freeman and the team sing in front of fans after winning the Orange Bowl College Football Playoff semifinal game against Penn State on Thursday, Jan. 9, 2025 in Miami Gardens, Fla. . (AP Photo/Rebecca Blackwell)
Some on social media took issue with the issue. Among these critics was NFL Hall of Famer Brett Favre who praised Freeman for his response.
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“Terrible question but great answer from Notre Dame head coach,” Favre wrote in an article on X. “Sports should bring people together, not drive them apart.”
Freeman answered similar questions about his race and the significance of his accomplishments since defeat Georgia at the Sugar Bowl last week. Each time, he refocused attention on the program’s achievements.
“You’re grateful to be a part of this opportunity, and you’re grateful every time your name is mentioned to be the first, but you don’t want to take away from how we got to this point, and I’m talking about your team and everyone who has worked to get your program to this point and those who came before you,” he said during a press conference earlier this week.
“Again, it’s not about me. It’s not about one person. It takes a team, it takes a program, and it takes a lot of people to commit to something bigger than themselves to put your team in a position to be here, I understand that and I’m very grateful for that,” he continued.
Notre Dame head coach Marcus Freeman, left, greets a player before the Orange Bowl NCAA College football Playoff semifinal game against Penn State on Thursday, Jan. 9, 2025 in Miami Gardens, Florida. (AP Photo/Rebecca Blackwell)
Freeman added that his accomplishments creating more opportunities for the future generation of coaches are “tremendous,” but he added that “the focus on one person takes away from what really gives your program a chance to succeed.” here “.
The focus for Notre Dame will now be on Friday night’s Cotton Bowl Classic. Ohio State will face Texas and the winner will advance to the College Football Playoff national championship game where they will face Notre Dame on January 20.
