South Bend is witnessing the establishment of strong roots by Notre Dame football coach Marcus Freeman. A multiyear contract extension was announced on Sunday night, and he will lead the fifth-ranked Irish (11 - 1) against 10th-seeded Indiana in the College Football Playoff on Friday night. Freeman expressed his gratitude in a statement, thanking Notre Dame President Rev. Bob Dowd, athletic director Pete Bevacqua, and the Board of Trustees led by John Veihmeyer. He emphasized the invaluable investment in their program, which extends beyond him and ensures all aspects are competitive within the upper echelon of college football.

Notre Dame's Marcus Freeman - A Rising Star in College Football

Contract Extension and Compensation

According to NBC Sports, Notre Dame's longtime television partner, Freeman's new contract will come with a significant raise, making him among the sport's highest-paid coaches. Multiple national reports also stated that the deal includes a substantial increase in available pay for assistant coaches. As a private university, Notre Dame's employment contracts are not made public. In 2022, as a first-time head coach, Freeman drew $6.69 million in total compensation, leaving him just outside the top 25 highest-paid football coaches at the college level.

Coaching Journey and Success

Freeman, 38, was promoted after one season as defensive coordinator in December 2021 to replace Brian Kelly after his departure for LSU. Since then, he has been at the helm and has led the Irish to 30 - 9 record. After an embarrassing home loss to Northern Illinois, he has led the team to 10 straight wins. Notre Dame is seeded seventh in the inaugural 12 - team College Football Playoff as it aims to win its first national championship since 1988.

Recruiting and Coaching Staff

Notre Dame recently signed the nation's No. 12 recruiting class for 2025, continuing a trend of competing annually for high-end talent through the high school route and the transfer portal. With Broyles Award finalist Al Golden and former Cincinnati cohort Mike Denbrock at the forefront, Freeman has built a formidable coaching staff. Golden has the Irish defense in the top three in scoring defense (13.6 points per game) this season, while Denbrock's offense has climbed to No. 3 at 39.8 points per game after a slow start. Both Golden and Denbrock are reportedly working on contracts that run through 2027 and pay them more than $2 million per year.

Interest from NFL Teams

Raised in the Dayton suburb of Huber Heights, Ohio, Freeman starred at linebacker for Ohio State from 2004 - 08 and was a fifth-round draft pick of the Chicago Bears in 2009. After Ohio State coach Ryan Day lost to Michigan for a fourth straight year, Freeman's name was a topic in the coaching rumor mill. The Bears are again looking for a coach after firing Matt Eberflus. With Notre Dame law graduate and former Big Ten Commissioner Kevin Warren now serving as president and CEO of the NFL franchise, Freeman has been answering questions about rumored interest from the Bears. He said, "I try not to waste time thinking about an uncertain future. I tell our players all the time: 'Your future is uncertain.' I try not to waste time thinking about any things that aren't in the moment, and so I haven't spent any time really thinking about what the future will provide. Do I ever want to coach in the NFL? I have no clue. I don't even know what that entails really right now because I've never done it. I'm just focused on staying here in the present and getting this team ready to have a great Thursday practice."

Impact on NFL Progeny

Georgia's Kirby Smart topped the list of total compensation for the most recent reporting period at $13.2 million. Seven college football coaches reached the $10 million annual threshold in the most recent reporting period, including two who lost to Notre Dame in November: Florida State's Mike Norvell ($10 million) and USC's Lincoln Riley ($10.04 million). Purdue recently gave former UNLV coach Barry Odom a six - year contract, and North Carolina made headlines with a reported five - year, $50 million deal that lured six - time Super Bowl champion Bill Belichick out of retirement despite no previous college coaching experience. While pundits predicted Belichick would make an immediate impact, Freeman and his team have already convinced numerous former NFL players to send their sons to Notre Dame under his mentorship. With four more wins this season over ranked opponents - Texas A&M, Louisville, Navy, and Army, Freeman has led the Irish to 11 such wins in his first three seasons, breaking Frank Leahy's program record for the start of a career (1941 - 43). "He's a young coach, connects with the players, but it's an old - school program," Garrett said on-air of Freeman. "He's getting the most out of them on the field and off the field. The job he did leading that program after they lost to Northern Illinois in Week 2 and what they've done since then to position themselves? Off the charts."Mike Berardino covers Notre Dame football for the South Bend Tribune and NDInsider.com. Follow him on social media @MikeBerardino.