After Brian Kelly's departure from Notre Dame's football coach position to LSU, the Fighting Irish made a significant decision in December 2021. They promoted defensive coordinator Marcus Freeman, despite his lack of head coaching experience and being a month shy of 36 years old. Notre Dame's administrators had faith in Freeman, and their move has proven fruitful.

Contract Extension and Financial Aspects

With the No. 7 seeded Notre Dame (11 - 1) set to host the No. 10 seeded Indiana (11 - 1) in the College Football Playoff opener on Friday, Freeman agreed to a three - year contract extension through 2030. FootballScoop and Irish Illustrated writer John Brice reported that Freeman will earn over $9 million annually, up from $7 million in his initial three - year deal. He will also have more funds to compensate his assistant coaches and staff.This long - term commitment seems obvious for Notre Dame, but it wasn't always the case. After a 1 - 1 start with a 16 - 14 loss to Northern Illinois on September 7, there were doubts about Freeman's ability to meet expectations. In his first two seasons, the team went 9 - 4 and 10 - 3 and won two bowl games, but had upset losses in 2022 and last year.Since that Northern Illinois game, Notre Dame has been on a dominant streak, winning 10 consecutive games by an average of 30.7 points per game. Notre Dame athletics director Pete Bevacqua was sold on Freeman even before this recent run. In recent weeks, he was in constant contact with Freeman's agent Clint Dowdle and discussed contract specifics with Father Robert Dowd and John Veihmeyer. They agreed it was an "easy" decision to extend Freeman's contract."When you think about Coach Freeman, there's no better representative of Notre Dame," Bevacqua said at a Tuesday press conference. "He's so authentic, so sincere. Everything that makes Notre Dame different and special, he embraces and uses it as an advantage."The timing of the announcement was intentional, with Bevacqua wanting to get a deal done several days before the CFP opener to avoid distractions.

Historical Significance and Bevacqua's Excitement

Bevacqua, who was chairman of NBC Sports before becoming Notre Dame's AD this year, said Friday's game is the most excited he's been for a sporting event since November 1993, a few months after graduating from Notre Dame. Back then, the No. 2 ranked Fighting Irish defeated No. 1 Florida State in what was called the Game of the Century."That's where my expectations are heading into Friday, that type of atmosphere, where it felt like the whole country was focused on a sporting event," Bevacqua said. "I think because we're the first game (of this year's CFP), because it's in Notre Dame Stadium, because it's a great interstate game on prime time on a Friday, it really has the chance to be a spectacular moment in sports and Notre Dame sports history."

Future Plans and Priorities

Bevacqua anticipates many more memorable games with Freeman at the helm. Although Freeman has a new contract, numerous coaches have left for other jobs, raising questions about his future. Bevacqua said there are no "carveouts" in Freeman's contract regarding the NFL or Ohio State, meaning a significant buyout would be required if he were to leave.Notre Dame is also upgrading its facilities. In April, they broke ground on the Jack and Kathy Shields Family Hall, a 150,000 - square - foot building for football players set to open in 2026.During conversations about the contract extension, Bevacqua said Freeman was focused on having money available for his staff, including defensive coordinator Al Golden and offensive coordinator Mike Denbrock, who are among the highest - paid assistants in college football. The idea is that it takes millions to retain and hire the best coaches and personnel."I don't think it's any secret that we're keeping our foot on the gas," Bevacqua said. "Football is a priority, and winning national championships is a priority. Marcus and I are both maniacally obsessed with winning a national championship and more in football."