Faith is 'important' to Notre Dame football coach and Catholic convert: 'Not shy about it'

The Catholic convert who is hoping to pb the University of Notre Dame to its archetypal nationalist title successful shot since 1988 credits his players – and his religion – for the Fighting Irish's success, helium told reporters this weekend.

Marcus Freeman took implicit the programme successful 2021 aft the antheral who hired him, predecessor Brian Kelly, near for Louisiana State University.

Freeman had travel to Notre Dame that aforesaid twelvemonth to service arsenic Kelly's antiaircraft coordinator and linebackers coach. He had a choice: Follow his brag to LSU oregon stay astatine Notre Dame, it was reported astatine the time.

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Promoted to Notre Dame's caput manager connected Dec. 3, 2021, Freeman reinstated a squad contented of attending Mass unneurotic earlier each location game. That was earlier helium became a Catholic.

"I retrieve being a enlistee and coming to a Notre Dame shot crippled – I was successful precocious schoolhouse – and watching the squad travel retired of the basilica for pregame Mass, and I thought that was the coolest thing," Freeman told reporters connected Saturday successful Atlanta, wherever the Irish are preparing to look Ohio State University successful the College Football Playoff National Championship. "I retrieve seeing movies astir it."

Notre Dame caput manager Marcus Freeman reinstated a squad contented by bringing backmost pregame Mass earlier location games. (Michael Reaves/Getty Images)

The 39-year-old Ohio State postgraduate reflected connected his archetypal twelvemonth astatine Notre Dame, recalling that determination was nary pregame Mass.

"So, erstwhile I was made caput coach, it was thing that I had talked to the medication about, astir erstwhile that determination was made to not person pregame Mass and what we had to bash to alteration it … It was … important to maine to alteration that," Freeman said.

Although raised arsenic a Christian, Freeman was not a Catholic erstwhile helium arrived astatine the field successful 2021.

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Freeman was baptized into the Catholic Church and received his archetypal Holy Communion the pursuing year, according to a Sept. 11, 2022, bulletin astatine St. Pius X Catholic Church successful Granger, Indiana.

The squad chaplain, Father Nate Wills, helped hole Freeman for his Catholic conversion.

Freeman converted to Catholicism successful 2022, earlier his archetypal afloat play arsenic caput manager astatine Notre Dame. (AP Photo/Chris Carlson)

"I deliberation being astatine the University of Notre Dame — it's a spot wherever increasing your religion is encouraged," Freeman said. 

"It's not lone successful Catholicism. It's the world of you having a religion and a belief successful thing bigger than yourself."

"You person to spot beyond having evidence, spot beyond knowing …"

Players besides stock successful that faith, among them backmost Riley Leonard.

Leonard began astatine Duke University, starting for the Blue Devils successful 2022 and 2023. But an wounded successful 2023 forced him to the sideline, and helium soon announced helium was transferring to Notre Dame for his last play of eligibility.

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"Notre Dame successful the transportation portal was my archetypal sojourn and past ever," Riley told reporters Saturday.

Riley has been outspoken astir his faith. He said helium believes God had a program for him to travel to Notre Dame.

Riley Leonard, Notre Dame's quarterback, is devout successful his faith. (Steve Limentani/ISI Photos/Getty Images)

"I retrieve sitting successful my country and praying astatine night, like, ‘Jesus, Lord, would you delight conscionable springiness maine something, springiness maine an offer?’" Riley said. 

"The adjacent day, I woke up and He delivered." 

Riley said Freeman is simply a humble antheral who doesn't shy distant from his faith.

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"Our players person Bible study," Freeman told reporters. "I person a beardown religion and … you person to spot beyond having evidence, spot beyond knowing, which is different motto for having faith. We're not shy astir it. They're not shy astir it, and it's important for us."

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That religion seemingly volition beryllium connected show Monday nighttime arsenic Freeman seeks to go the archetypal Notre Dame manager since Lou Holtz, a devout Catholic himself, to hoist a nationalist title trophy.

As the motion reads supra the doorway to the eastbound entranceway of Notre Dame's Basilica of the Sacred Heart, wherever the team's pregame Masses are held, "God, Country, Notre Dame, In Glory Everlasting."