Marcus Freeman had no association with Notre Dame before he began coaching here. But he quickly assimilated himself into the Fighting Irish and also had the opportunity to share a bond with the late Lou Holtz. Now that the veteran coach has passed on, Freeman lamented the end of a ritual that he looked forward to during the season.

“During the toughest of times, every Sunday after a loss, I knew his call was coming,” Freeman said. “It wasn’t a magical message. He’d just always say, ‘I’ll give you my opinion, never any advice.’ But whatever he said in that moment is what I needed to hear.

Marcus Freeman also said on Good Morning Football that these calls were “intentional.” It is remarkable how deep a bond Freeman and Holtz shared, despite there being a 15-year gap between their tenures. Holtz had long retired, and this was Freeman’s first stint as head coach. However, even in those initial days, Holtz publicly called him the “right choice” to lead. Freeman frequently recalled that Holtz reached out “without hesitation” as soon as he got the job to offer his support and mentorship.

His support was there when Freeman failed. In 2023, Ohio State defeated Notre Dame, and head coach Ryan Day defended his team against Lou Holtz claim of the Buckeyes being the lesser physical team. He then called Freeman privately to apologize for putting him in a weird spot. Now, as Notre Dame enters the 2026 season with a chip on its shoulder, the head coach will have to rely on these past conversations for support. Freeman has been competing for the National Championship since 2023, coming close to winning it twice.

It won’t be easy for Freeman to carry the Holtz legacy on his shoulders without the coach who has done it all by his side. However, he still hopes that one day, he can create an impact as far-reaching as Holtz’s.

Freeman wants to be as relevant as Lou Holtz was to football

Marcus Freeman is only in his sixth year of leading Notre Dame. But in this while, the dynamic head coach has skyrocketed to success, and has seated himself as one of the winningest head coaches (.769 winning percentage) in program history. He won’t ever match up to Holtz’s level of success, but he aims to become a figure as beloved as his senior predecessor.

“Everybody loved Coach Holtz,” Freeman said on Good Morning Football. “Everybody talks about him in a way that, as a current head coach, you say, ‘You know what? When I’m done coaching or my time is up, I hope I can make an impact the way Coach Holtz did.'”

Lou Holtz was known to be hard on his players. Freeman recalled from his interactions with former players that when Coach told them to do something, they had to do it. But they also did it with no further thoughts, having complete trust in Holtz. He helped make heroes out of players who otherwise would have been ignored by others. It was tough to be a Fighting Irish in the Holtz era, but all those players and the coaches who worked with him respect him for that hard-nosed attitude.

Holtz earned only one National Championship at Notre Dame. But the best indicator of his success is the way he changed Notre Dame forever, turning it into a relentless competitor in the country. And for that reason alone, not many coaches are able to be in the same league as Lou Holtz. But Marcus Freeman will continue to embody him until his chapter at Notre Dame comes to an end.