SOUTH BEND, Ind. – Dick Corbett Head Football Coach Marcus Freeman has been named to the 2026 Dodd Trophy Watch List. The Dodd Trophy celebrates the head coach of a team who enjoys success on the gridiron, while also stressing the importance of scholarship, leadership and integrity – the three pillars of legendary coach Bobby Dodd’s coaching philosophy. Freeman won the Dodd Trophy in 2024 and is one of four coaches on this year’s watch list who have previously earned the honor, joining Curt Cignetti (2025), Willie Fritz (2022) and Kirk Ferentz (2015).
Entering his fifth season as head coach of the Fighting Irish, Freeman owns a 43-12 career record, including a 5-2 mark in postseason play, and has led Notre Dame to three consecutive seasons with at least 10 wins. His 43 victories are the most by an Irish head coach through his first four seasons in Notre Dame football history.
Freeman coached 2025 Heisman Trophy finalist running back Jeremiyah Love, who was also Notre Dame’s first Doak Walker Award winner. He had two players earn unanimous All-America honors in Love and junior cornerback Leonard Moore last year, as Notre Dame was one of just three programs in the country to produce multiple unanimous All-Americans in 2025.
Notre Dame finished among the nation’s leaders in several statistical categories during the 2025 season, ranking second in scoring offense (41.8), fourth in interceptions (21), fourth in turnover margin (+1.08), fifth in net punting (43.32), eighth in yards per pass completion (14.11), eighth in sacks allowed per game (1.00), ninth in blocked punts (2) and ninth in passing efficiency defense (108.80).