Marcus Freeman wasn't satisfied Saturday night, even after Notre Dame claimed its first victory of the young season by defeating Purdue 56-30 in South Bend, Ind.
Speaking with the media after the game, Freeman looked frustrated and pounded the podium with his first while discussing his defense's performance against the Boilermakers.
"We tried Cover 1, Cover 2, Cover 3, Cover 4. What happens is you start to panic," Freeman said. "You start to say, 'O.K., this coverage isn't working, let's try this. This isn't working, let's try this.' And then we're doing nothing.
"You know what, they're going to make plays, and you've got to trust that, hey, this is what our game plan is. This is what we can do and execute. And you've got to trust your players to get out there and get it done."
Marcus Freeman is clearly not happy with the defense.
— CathVSConf☘️ (@CathVSConf) September 21, 2025
"What happens is you start to panic and you start to say, this coverage isn't working let's try this, this isn't working lets try this and then you're doing NOTHING."
On a positive note,
I guess we can afford to give up 30… pic.twitter.com/y7Ko5loASZ
Defense has been a big issue for Notre Dame so far this season as it has limped out to a 1-2 record. In Week 1, the Fighting Irish didn't force any turnovers and watched as Miami marched down the field and kick a game-winning 47-yard field goal with just over a minute to play. In Week 2, Notre Dame allowed Texas A&M to gain 488 yards of total offense and conduct a game-winning 74-yard drive in crunch time to steal a victory.
Notre Dame's defense had a better night against Purdue, allowing just 76 yards on the ground. But they still allowed 30 points, including 23 before halftime, along with 303 yards through the air as they try to figure out a consistent strategy against the pass.
The Fighting Irish, ranked No. 22 in the latest AP Top 25 poll, will battle Arkansas next week at Razorback Stadium.
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This article was originally published on www.si.com as Marcus Freeman Candidly Expresses Frustration With Notre Dame's Defense After Win.
