Notre Dame head coach Marcus Freeman spoke for nearly 30 minutes Monday as he reflected on the Miami loss and previewed this week’s matchup with Purdue. His message centered on accountability and improvement.
“Being back up here 48 hours after the game on Saturday, it’s a lot of evaluation, a lot of looking for answers for what led to the disappointing outcome that we had,” Freeman said. “We have to become a more consistent team, and that starts with being consistent individuals.”
Freeman stressed that consistency determines outcomes when quality opponents face each other.
“The only way to become more consistent is we have to refuse to tolerate habits in our performance that isn’t to the standard of what we’ve set for our program,” he added.
He broke down the struggles across all three phases. Offensively, Freeman pointed to short-yardage and red-zone failures. On special teams, he emphasized execution in crucial moments.
Defensively, he highlighted explosive plays, noting that Texas A&M gained more than 200 yards on six snaps.
“What we can’t do is let a bad play turn into an explosive play,” Freeman said.
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Freeman explained that breakdowns come from issues with focus, technique, or mismatched responsibilities.
“All those things are the responsibility of us as coaches,” he said.
One defensive bright spot against Texas A&M was preseason All-American Leonard Moore. The cornerback intercepted his first pass of the season and allowed just one reception on five targets. He also broke up two throws. Pro Football Focus credited him with a 90.8 coverage grade and a 0.0 passer rating allowed.
However, Moore injured his ankle during the game, raising questions about his availability for Saturday. Freeman acknowledged the uncertainty, teasing that his status remains in doubt for the trip to Purdue.
“Every year the journey’s different,” Freeman said. “My job is to make sure this team is headed in the right direction. The only way to ensure that is we have to continue to find the right answers.”
As Notre Dame turns its focus to Purdue, all eyes will be on whether Freeman’s push for consistency and Moore’s injury status shape the Irish response.
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