Notre Dame football: 3 takeaways from Sun Bowl blowout of Oregon State

1. Marcus Freeman is the right man for the job

I'll be the first to admit, I have been hard on Marcus Freeman this year, but I have to remember that he was pretty much forced into action at the end of the 2021 season when Brian Kelly left suddenly for LSU and the young defensive coordinator was in just his first year with the Irish. Talk about a major adjustment.

So, yes, it took Freeman some time to gain some confidence as the team's head coach.

And yet he now has the most wins in his first two seasons as head coach of any coach in Notre Dame football history. Think about that for a second and realize just how impressive it is.

Freeman bounced back after a rough start to the 2022 season to have a solid nine-win season and then he had a 10-win year in 2023 to really build on things. He's building something special in South Bend, especially as an elite recruiter.

After watching his Irish ready to go and dismantle the Beavers, I truly believe that Freeman has what it takes to succeed in South Bend and I can see him making the playoff next year and building an elite program for years to come.