Notre Dame head coach Marcus Freeman is officially in the clear after a wild legal scare earlier this month. The drama started on January 3, 2026, at a high school wrestling tournament. Freeman was there to cheer on his son, Vinny. After the match, a local wrestling coach from New Prairie High School named Chris Fleeger, filed a police report. He claimed Freeman hit him with a “two-handed push,” but the story didn’t hold up for long. Now there is further investigation initiated against Fleeger.

Regarding Marcus Freeman, on January 12, 2026, the St. Joseph County Prosecutor’s Office announced they weren’t filing any charges against him. The surveillance footage showed that Freeman actually had his hand in his pocket during the interaction and never did the aggressive “shove” that Fleeger described. Prosecutors basically said the accusations were “totally unfounded” and that the video fully exonerated him.

It turns out there was some personal history involved that might have fueled the complaint. Reports later surfaced that Fleeger had tried to recruit Vinny Freeman to his own wrestling club in the past, but the family turned him down.

Some witnesses even claimed Fleeger had a bit of a grudge, allegedly telling other wrestlers to try and hurt Vinny during matches. Now, the tables have turned, and the Indiana High School Athletic Association (IHSAA) is investigating Fleeger for his behavior. The news media outlet WSBT 22 has been keeping tabs on the case to disclose unknown details of the investigation. According to Bennett Wise of WSBT 22, New Prairie declined to comment on the matter, apart from confirming that there is an active investigation involving the volunteer wrestling coach.

WSBT 22 emailed the IHSAA on Wednesday to ask if it had received complaints about Christopher Fleeger and whether there was an investigation. They doubled down and sent another email on Thursday asking if Fleeger is allowed to be around the New Prairie wrestling program while all of this is going on.

IHSAA Sports Information Director Jason Wille confirmed said, “I can confirm the IHSAA is aware of complaints against Chris Fleeger as it relates to the New Prairie wrestling program. And yes, there is an ongoing investigation. Because of this ongoing investigation, the IHSAA cannot provide additional comment at this time.”

Mind you, the investigation revolves around New Prairie Wrestling and coach Fleeger, not the school. However, there’s more development set to come to light in the next couple of days. The way things are going, Marcus Freeman looks to be free from harm’s way and a clear victim of a grudge.

However, Freeman eventually broke his silence at a press conference on January 14, 2026, calling the whole thing “sensationalized” and “click-bait.” He was pretty upset that his family got dragged into the headlines but thanked Notre Dame for having his back through the whole process. He made it clear that while he understands he’s a public figure, he draws the line at people targeting his kids.

With the legal headache behind him, it’s back to business for the Irish after getting snubbed (according to Irish fans).

Marcus Freeman’s big plans for 2026

Coach Marcus Freeman has a massive goal for the 2026 season: he wants Notre Dame to “leave no doubt.” After the team narrowly missed out on the playoffs last year, Freeman is determined to make sure the Irish are undeniable contenders this time around. His main expectation is to move past just being a “good” team and finally secure a spot in the national championship conversation.

And the fascinating thing is, they might even win it all. A big reason for that is the stability in the locker room. For the first time in a while, the Irish are bringing back both their star quarterback, C.J. Carr, and their offensive coordinator. Mind you, Carr is also favorite to win the Heisman along with the likes of Arch Manning and Julian Sayin. Freeman expects this consistency to pay off with an explosive offense. Plus, his 2026 recruiting class is currently ranked in the top three nationally.

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The schedule also looks pretty favorable for a deep run. While the traditional USC game is off the books for 2026, the Irish have some big matchups against teams like BYU and North Carolina. There’s no way they shouldn’t be going 11-1.

Fans and betting experts are already taking notice, with many placing Notre Dame among the top three favorites to win the whole thing. Freeman’s plan is to win so convincingly that the playoff committee has no choice but to rank them at the top.

Most importantly, Freeman is fully committed to South Bend for the long haul. Even though several NFL teams tried to hire him away this offseason, he shut down the rumors and signed an extension through 2031. He’s told the media he has unfinished business at Notre Dame, and he expects 2026 to be the year they finally “run it back” and bring a trophy home.