Notre Dame HC Marcus Freeman Name To Watch For Bears?

Expanding upon some previous reporting, Peter Schrager reiterates Notre Dame HC Marcus Freeman is a legitimate candidate to watch for the Bears’ head coaching vacancy. 

Schrager, citing knowledge of the situation, points out Bears president Kevin Warren is well-versed with the college football landscape as the former commissioner of the Big 10, and Freeman has been a rising star in college football the past few years. 

Schrager notes the Bears are looking for a “leader of men” and Freeman fits that archetype. He’s also young which could differentiate him from other candidates the Bears might be interested in like former Titans HC Mike Vrabel. 

Schrager adds he’s not so sure Vrabel would pick the Bears if he has options. Commanders OC Kliff Kingsbury has come up in connection with the Chicago job because of his history with QB Caleb Williams, but Schrager points out the Bears interviewed Kingsbury for their offensive coordinator job and passed over him for since-fired OC Shane Waldron.

Freeman has gotten some buzz in a couple different coaching cycle reports but Schrager says he would make sense for the Bears’ vacancy moreso than others. Notre Dame is poised to make the playoff this season with an 11-1 record. 

Freeman, 38, played linebacker at Ohio State and was drafted by the Bears in the fifth round of the 2009 NFL Draft. However, he was cut as a rookie and never appeared in an NFL game. 

He transitioned into coaching and had stops at Ohio State, Kent State and Purdue before landing at Cincinnati as the defensive coordinator. From there, he joined Notre Dame as the defensive coordinator in 2021 and was promoted to head coach the following season. 

In three years at Notre Dame, Freeman has a record of 30-8 with two bowl appearances and an imminent berth in the College Football Playoff. 

We’ll have more on the Bears’ coaching search as the news is available.