Dick Corbett Head Football Coach Marcus Freeman has been selected to the midseason watch list for the Dodd Trophy, which honors the FBS football coach whose program represents three pillars of success: scholarship, leadership and integrity. Twenty FBS coaches were selected for the watch list.
Freeman has been named the honorary head coach for the 2024 AFCA Allstate Good Works Team and has also been selected to the Bryant Award watch list for the 2024 season, in addition to already having been named to the preseason watch list for the Dodd Trophy.
The Irish stand at 5-1 on the 2024 season, with two victories over teams ranked in the Associated Press Top 25. Freeman’s nine wins over ranked opponents are already the second-most of any Notre Dame football coach over the course of their first three seasons, while his seven ranked victories in his first two seasons led all Notre Dame coaches.
His first two campaigns averaged 35.5 points per game (the best since Jesse Harper had 36.9 in his first two seasons in 1913-14) and opponents to 19.5 points per game (the best since Lou Holtz’s first two seasons held opponents to 19.0).
The 2023 team finished 14th in the final Associated Press poll while setting program records for touchdowns (66) and total points (509) while also finishing ranked seventh in the country in both scoring offense and scoring defense.
The ‘23 Irish averaged 39.2 points per game, which is the second-highest in school history, averaged 5.3 yards-per-carry (the best since 1950) and scored 40 points in five consecutive games for the first time in program history. The ‘23 Irish also led the nation in pass efficiency defense, while ranking second in red zone defense and fifth in total defense.
A panel consisting of previous winners, national media, a member of the Dodd family and a College Football Hall of Fame member will identify the final list of potential recipients at the conclusion of the 2023 season. The winner of the 2024 Dodd Trophy Presented by PNC Bank will be announced in Atlanta during the week of the College Football Playoff Quarterfinal at the Chick-fil-A Peach Bowl.