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Marcus Freeman wins national Coach of the Year award
By Andrew Olson
Published:
Marcus Freeman is being recognized as college football’s Coach of the Year.
The Dodd Trophy, named after the legendary Bobby Dodd, announced Freeman as the winner of the prestigious honor on Tuesday. Freeman won over fellow finalists Shane Beamer, Kenny Dillingham, Dan Lanning and Jeff Monken.
“Being named The Dodd Trophy Coach of the Year is very humbling as Coach Dodd is such a legend in our sport,” Freeman said in a released statement. “I am accepting this award on behalf of our entire program as it is a reflection of the hard work and dedication of our players, coaches and support staff. At Notre Dame, we emphasize some of the same pillars that Coach Dodd did: Scholarship, Leadership and Integrity. I am proud of the way the men and women in our program embody those values.”
In the third full season of his Notre Dame tenure, Freeman has guided the Irish to a 12-1 ranking and No. 5 College Football Playoff ranking. Notre Dame finished the regular season at No. 3 in the Coaches Poll and AP Top 25. During the 2024 campaign, Notre Dame picked up wins over multiple ranked opponents, including No. 20 Texas A&M, No. 15 Louisville, No. 24 Navy, No. 18 Army and No. 9 Indiana.
“Coach Freeman has been on our radar all season, as he was on our preseason and midseason watch lists,” Chairman of the Bobby Dodd Coach of the Year Foundation Jim Terry said in a release. “It’s evident both on and off the field that he has an unwavering commitment to Notre Dame and his student-athletes. Coach Freeman embodies everything that this award stands for with his dedication to scholarship, leadership and integrity, so it’s truly an honor to name him as this year’s recipient of the Dodd Trophy Coach of the Year.”
Freeman’s Irish are set to face Georgia in the Sugar Bowl, a CFP quarterfinal matchup.
Andrew writes about sports to fund his love of live music and collection of concert posters. He strongly endorses the Hall of Fame campaigns of Fred Taylor and Andruw Jones.
