There are some many questions that we’d like for Notre Dame head football coach Marcus Freeman to answer on Monday afternoon, considering the Irish have started this season 0-2.
While the two losses have been to top-25 opponents, it put Notre Dame’s chances to make the College Football Playoff on life support. They no longer control their own destiny, and hope that Miami and Texas A&M keep winning, as does Boise State and USC.
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Other teams around the nation losing would help also, but the early losses hurt. Freeman surely has plenty of questions for himself after the terrible start, and here are three that I’d ask him as he speaks later today.
After reviewing the film, is it scheme or execution?
Texas A&M wide receiver KC Concepcion (7) catches a pass in the first half of a NCAA football game against Notre Dame at Notre Dame Stadium on Saturday, Sept. 13, 2025, in South Bend.
Directly after the loss to Texas A&M, Freeman was asked during his press conference if he had any thought about changing coordinators. He was quick to dismiss that notion, but he had yet to review the film. Now that the coaching staff has done that, a much better assessment of the situation should emerge. Does Freeman still feel the way he did after the game? Or will they continue to keep the status quo?
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Will there be changes to the starting lineup / rotation of players?
Notre Dame safety Tae Johnson celebrates after getting a stop in the first half of a NCAA football game against Texas A&M at Notre Dame Stadium on Saturday, Sept. 13, 2025, in South Bend.
If it is the players, and they’re not getting the job done, then maybe a change of the players are in order. We were all a bit shocked to hear that Bryce Young had won the starting job during fall camp, and through two games, he has been credited with six tackles, but none of them impactful. Linebacker Kyngstonn Viliamu-Asa has played at an extremely high-level, but still isn’t a starter. Same can be said about safety Tae Johnson, so you have to wonder if we’ll see different players on the field, one’s that might fit the scheme better than the current starters and rotational players.
Will future schedules have better construction?
Aug 31, 2025; Miami Gardens, Florida, USA; Notre Dame Fighting Irish quarterback CJ Carr (13) throws the ball to avoid a sack against the Miami Hurricanes at Hard Rock Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Sam Navarro-Imagn Images
Don’t get me wrong, having an opening game against a top opponent is plenty of fun to watch, but after the last few seasons, it might not be the best idea for Notre Dame to continue scheduling them this early. Sure, they have to work around other teams schedules that have conference obligations, but it’s’ been a bunch of tough opener for the Irish. Starting in 2021, they’d start with Florida State, Ohio State, Navy, Texas A&M and Miami, all but one a traditional power. While they have won three of those games, the next week has hurt as well, with the Irish having lost three of those games as well. I’d rather see the first be one where Notre Dame gets its feet wet, but that hasn’t been the case and it wouldn’t be a bad idea to look into it.
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This article originally appeared on Fighting Irish Wire: What I’d like to ask Notre Dame head coach Marcus Freeman today
