Why transfer portal defections from Notre Dame do not surprise Marcus Freeman

Student-athletes hold immense power in 2023. If one wants to jump ship from his or her current university, all that player needs to do is enter the transfer portal and be on his or her way. It’s happened almost a dozen times within the Notre Dame football program alone since the start of the 2022 season.

Head coach Marcus Freeman was not caught off guard by any of the defections.

“That’s my job as a coach, to have a relationship with every single player who, before they make a big decision like this, can come and meet with me,” Freeman told BlueandGold.com last week. “Not because I ask them to, but I think it’s the relationship we have that we’re able to talk about it.”

Freeman shoots it straight no matter what. If he thinks it’s in a player’s best interest to stay at Notre Dame, he tells them that. If he can see why a player wants to leave and agrees with the rationale behind going elsewhere, he tells them that too.

Sure, Freeman has a roster to manage. Football games to win. His own stability and that of his assistants at Notre Dame to account for. But head coaches don’t need to be robots. They can — and should be — people, too.

“I ask them why they want to leave, then I give them my opinion,” Freeman said. “A lot of times I don’t want to see them leave, but if you have your degree and want to go somewhere — Joe Wilkins. He had his degree and wanted to go to Miami (Ohio) and play more. I was really supportive. I just want to make sure these young people get their degrees because that will take care of them way longer than the game of football.”

The Notre Dame degree isn’t always powerful enough to get them to stay.

Ten of the 27 commits from Notre Dame’s class of 2021, which ranked 11th nationally, used the portal to continue their careers somewhere else. That list includes the list of quarterback Tyler Buchner, wide receiver Lorenzo Styles, running back Logan Diggs and linebacker Prince Kollie. All four were viewed as future staples of the program.

It would have been unfathomable to many to envision Buchner someday leaving after arriving with so much promise and playing well as a true freshman. But offensive coordinator Tommy Rees went out, Wake Forest transfer Sam Hartman came in, and all the sudden Buchner didn’t have solid footing at Notre Dame for the 2023 season. Student-athletes aren’t fond of the idea of a “wasted” season in an era in which it’s super simple to pack up and play somewhere else.

That’s part of the reason why Freeman isn’t ever surprised when his players walk out the door. But mostly it comes down to him understanding their situations and wanting to be of the utmost assistance until the clock officially strikes midnight on their Notre Dame careers.

Freeman is just being himself. In doing so, he’d strengthening and already stout reputation that he’s always going to be there for his players. And even beyond then, too. He’s said he wishes the best for Buchner at Alabama. He feels the same for Styles (Ohio State), Diggs (LSU), Kollie (Vanderbilt) and anyone else who has ventured away from Notre Dame under his watch.

“Ultimately, I give them my opinion,” Freeman said. “They have to make whatever decision they want to make. But I try to give them my opinion as the head coach but also as somebody who cares about them deeply as young people.”

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