Our Lady is on track to make history after defeating 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 win, head coach Marcus Freeman was asked by ESPN reporter Molly McGrath how much the win meant as it related to him becoming the first black head coach to reach a point. title game.
Notre Dame Fighting Irish head coach Marcus Freeman celebrates his victory over the Penn State Nittany Lions in the Orange Bowl at Hard Rock Stadium on January 9, 2025. (Sam Navarro-Imagn Images)
Freeman, who asked similar questions leading up to this match, refocused the conversation on his team and the meaning of their win.
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“You know, I’ve said this before, I never want to distract from the team. It’s an honor, and I hope that all coaches – minorities, black, Asian, white, it doesn’t matter – great people still get opportunities to lead young men in this way.”
He continued, “But this isn’t about me, this is 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 to fans after winning the Orange Bowl College Football Playoff semifinal against Penn State on Thursday, January 9, 2025 in Miami Gardens, Florida. (AP Photo/Rebecca Blackwell)
Some on social media took issue with the question. Among those critics was NFL Hall of Famer Brett Favre, who praised Freeman for his response.
“Terrible question, but great response from Notre Dame’s head coach,” Favre wrote in a post on X. “Sports should bring people together, not separate them.”
Freeman has raised similar questions about his race and the meaning of his achievements since then Beat Georgia last week at the Sugar Bowl. Each time he has placed the focus on the performance of the program.
“You’re grateful to be a part of this opportunity, and every time your name is called for being the first, you’re grateful to be the first, but you don’t want to take away from how we got to this point, and I talk about your team and everyone who has put in the work to get your program to this point, and those who have gone before you,” he said during a press conference early this week.
“Again, this isn’t about me. This isn’t about one person. It takes a team, it takes a program, and it takes a lot of people committed to something bigger than themselves to make your team in a position I understand that and I am very grateful for it,” he continued.
Notre Dame head coach Marcus Freeman, left, greets a player before the Orange Bowl NCAA College Football Playoff semifinal against Penn State on Thursday, Jan. 9, 2025, in Miami Gardens, Florida. (AP Photo/Rebecca Blackwell)
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Freeman added that his achievements in creating more opportunities for the future generation of coaches are “great,” but he added that “the focus on one person takes away from what really gives your program a chance to get here.”
The focus for Notre Dame now is on Friday night’s Cotton Bowl Classic. Ohio State will take on Texas and the winner will advance to the College Football Playoff national championship game where they will face Notre Dame on January 20.
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