Notre Dame came very close to the elusive natty trophy in the 2024 season only to see it slip away from their grasp. They lost their only game in their stadium against NIU in a thriller by 16-14 that could have gone either way. Still, Marcus Freeman and the Irish took it as a warning sign and fixed their roof before it leaked. The rest of the season not only saw them winning all the games prior to their loss but also saw the Notre Dame Fighting Irish stadium becoming an impenetrable fortress.

But what was the secret sauce behind their redemption at home? What actually produced those results that enabled Notre Dame to build on to their championship run? Well, it was definitely the coaches and the players. But their home atmosphere also played its part to such an extent that many underestimate its effect. Here’s how.

Notre Dame sold out its stadium in every game it played. The average attendance for their home games was 77,622, filling it to the brim in every game. Notre Dame fans will still remember the atmosphere that the FSU game had in the floodlights as the stadium looked like it was painted green. No wonder FSU was utterly dismantled by the Irish 52-3 as Riley Leonard and Jeremiah Love ran riot on the field. But do you know there’s news that will make Notre Dame supporters beam with pride?

Well, according to the latest reports, Notre Dame Stadium currently ranks second in terms of money spent on construction. The ‘House that Rockne Built’ has hosted a crowd of 77,662 strong since 2017 and cost almost $527.4 Million. That is only behind the Kyle Field Stadium of Texas A&M which took almost $650.4 Million in its total cost. But which one is most intimidating? Well, you know that answer right? However, you don’t know something else…

The stadium initially faced quite a reluctance in its renovation which was started around 2014. This was because of the storied history and cultural aspects associated with the stadium. However, after $400 million was set aside by the program for the stadium, it added three new buildings on a 750,000 square feet area. After its further renovations has become the second most expensive stadium in college football. Surely, Marcus Freeman will devise some strategy to make the stadium more intimidating, right? Speaking of Marcus Freeman, he has added another accolade to his resume.

Another feather in Marcus Freeman’s hat

Well, Marcus Freeman has been named the National Coalition Minority Football Coaches College Coach of the Year. The feat is surely remarkable for Marcus Freeman who had led the Irish to beat Georgia by 23-10 and became the first coach in Notre Dame’s history to finish with a 13-win season. But the most defining moment for him in 2024 was not the 13-win season.

It was his bagging of the much-celebrated Paul ‘Bear’ Bryant Award that awards the outstanding coach of the year in college football. Notably, Freeman is the first Black or Asian American coach to reach the national championship in college football history. That is the reason he has won the NCMFC award that honors a minority coach who has shown excellence in the playing arena. Or has advanced his voice to promote diversity and inlcusivity in football.