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Well, weeks after Penn State let go of James Franklin after losing back-to-back games to an unranked team, possible contenders keep popping up. And that’s Marcus Freeman, whose championship pedigree might push Penn State’s fate. But can Notre Dame let him go that easily? His impressive 37-12 win-loss record, a testament to his recruiting prowess since the Lou Holtz era, speaks for itself. Even Colin Cowherd agrees to that so much that he confirmed it all through Freeman’s agent and urged them to keep him locked in.

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Look, Marcus Freeman’s Big Ten background while working as an assistant at Ohio State and Purdue sure makes him a perfect fit. But if ND loses him, they are in a conundrum. Colin Cowherd knows it well, as he discussed his word with Freeman’s agent about the entire Penn State move on his podcast.

He said, “I was watching Marcus Freeman, and his agent texted me because I said, ‘You have to pay Marcus Freeman whatever the market bears. You can’t let him go. Notre Dame’s a better job to me than Penn State. But Marcus Freeman is what a college coach should be today. Young, handsome, and energetic recruiter, smart, just like a player. He’s tough. Like his team.” 

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Well, this urge makes sense looking at Penn State’s condition. Looking at what Marcus Freeman’s buyout might be, they could offer them a substantial amount. For now, his contract and buyout details are under wraps. But as per reports, he had a buyout set at just $4 million. Yet, after last year’s success, it might have gone up, as he even signed a contract extension with the team. Let’s not forget Penn State does have a lot of money though, as last year they made $240 million, and they are also renovating the Beaver Stadium with $700 million.

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So, paying Freeman a hefty amount and getting him out of his bayou is no big deal for them. That’s exactly why Cowherd is urging Notre Dame to pay whatever it takes for them to keep him on the team. It’s not like he didn’t see a rough start after losing to Miami and Texas A&M. Freeman stood his ground firm against USC last week. As they outgained USC with 306-68 yards, and now this win even pushed their playoff chances to 67%, as per The Athletic, with a favorable schedule remaining.

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With Penn State, even Florida State might have an eye on Freeman, as Andy Staples, too, made a bold statement regarding it. “If you have a premium job opening like Florida or Penn State, you’re not doing your job as an athletic director if you don’t at least inquire as to whether Freeman might be interested,” Staples said. “He’s going to say no, but you need to ask.” 

Well, can we blame them? Marcus Freeman is developing stars like Jeremiayah Love and Jadarian Price, who are making NFL first-round buzz. Even CJ Carr’s name is popping up in the Heisman Trophy list. The talent is so great that even Freeman can’t stop himself from praising them.

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Marcus Freeman praises Love-Jadarian’s duo

No one needed this victory more than Freeman against USC. It was all because of his two talented players, Jeremiyah Love and Jadarian Price. Love racked up 228 rushing yards, which is the most by any Irish player in the 512-game history of Notre Dame Stadium. Plus, it was also the most in their rivalry game against USC. Then even Price added 87 rushing yards and a 100-yard kick return touchdown.

Both running backs’ chemistry is doing wonders for the team, and Marcus Freeman is right there to point it out. “It’s not very common in college, not very common in life, to see two guys that are so talented, that deserve the ball in their hands every snap, put the team above themselves, and then make the most of their opportunities,” Freeman said. “They’re not pouting. They’re each other’s biggest supporter.”

After getting 20 receptions combined against Miami in their season opener, both needed a big push. Thus, their game against USC gave them a perfect opportunity. Now, with teams eyeing Freeman, let’s wait and see how he holds up on his success with Notre Dame.

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