Notre Dame Leads With Faith, Football, Freeman

© Matt Cashore-Imagn Images

There are countless hills and valleys that make for a successful football season. These change weekly due to the upcoming opponent, such as the Georgia Bulldogs, for Notre Dame. Others are tried and true at the moment one commits to life on the gridiron. The No. 7 Fighting Irish (12-1) have navigated them by leaning on their program traditions and head coach Marcus Freeman’s leadership. Notre Dame plays the No. 2 Bulldogs (11-2, 6-2 Southeastern Conference) in a College Football Playoff game at 8:45 p.m. Eastern in the Sugar Bowl at Caesars Superdome in New Orleans, La. So, will those Notre Dame-centric values be enough to carry them to a CFP national championship?

Notre Dame: Faith in One Another

Football is the ultimate test of faith. Eleven players are asked to be on the same page while an opposing 11 players push them off their mark. All of this effort involves athleticism and critical thinking skills. But it all starts with faith. Notre Dame’s faith was tested early this season when it was hounded by key injuries. The Irish lost top offensive linemen Charles Jagusah and Styles Prescod at practices. A few weeks later, they lost All-American cornerback Benjamin Morrison and defensive lineman Boubacar Traore.

Instead of feeling sorry for themselves, the Irish put their faith in each other. Offensive line coach Joe Moore prepared the backups and they dominated, making running lanes for running backs Jeremiyah Love and Jadarian Price. The secondary seamlessly transitioned to cornerback Christian Gray, who added 8 pass breakups and 2 interceptions. Linebacker Jack Kiser and safety Xavier Watts kept one of the nation’s top defenses afloat all season. 

It's Just Irish Football

Few things can reset a season like an untimely loss. Notre Dame’s defeat at the hands of Northern Illinois was the hard reset that the Fighting Irish needed. The team challenged each other to “keep the pain” of that loss and make that one of the only lessons learned this season. So far, the Irish have kept that promise. The primary reason revolves around the team’s commitment to fixing their processes. That began by responding to the team’s mantra, “Choose Hard."

© Matt Cashore—Imagn Images

The Irish coaching staff challenges the team to commit themselves to the hard things in life in order to reap the reward. The team did that and recommitted to hard work during its practice week. Notre Dame players prepared well for every opponent and never just went through the motions. Since that Northern Illinois loss, Notre Dame has one of the best scoring differentials in the nation. The defense has been a top unit all year by committing to Irish football.

Following Freeman

In an interview with the CEO Series, Freeman said that he was going to be a firefighter if not a football coach. He complimented a firefighter’s usage of teamwork, problem-solving skills and camaraderie. Unsurprisingly, a man willing to run into a fire has been an ideal leader at Notre Dame. The brain behind “Choose Hard” is also known for his other “Freemanisms” around the locker room. Freeman always tells his team to “prepare for anything.” This season, the Irish seem to have been prepared for everything.

This season has provided many moments to test Notre Dame’s mettle. It turns out that Notre Dame was not only prepared, but they were inspired. Typically a team finds out most about itself when being tested and at its lowest point. Those moments showed the Irish that they were tough and resilient. It also proved they would continue to battle and always find ways to elevate themselves on and off the field.