MIAMI GARDENS, Fla. — Penn State coach James Franklin and Notre Dame coach Marcus Freeman sat side-by-side Wednesday morning well aware of the significant moment that awaits them. It goes far beyond football.
When Franklin’s No. 6-seeded Nittany Lions (13-2) face Freeman’s No. 7-seeded Fighting Irish (13-1) on Thursday night in the Orange Bowl, it’s the first-ever matchup of Black coaches in a College Football Playoff semifinal.
The winner will become the first Black coach to vie for a national championship on Jan. 20 against either Texas or Ohio State.
Thursday’s game will take place at the same place — Hard Rock Stadium — where Super Bowl XLI was held in 2007 when for the first time two Black head coaches squared off in the NFL’s championship game. Tony Dungy’s Colts defeated Lovie Smith’s Bears, 29-17 on Feb. 4, 2007.
“I do think it had an impact,” said Franklin during a joint press conference with Freeman on Wednesday. “I remember thinking that as a coach, how significant that was in the profession and how significant that was for young coaches coming up in the profession to see those guys in that role.
“I hope a game like ours could have an impact, and really just looking for an opportunity for guys to be able to get in front of some search firms and ADs and get opportunities that they earned.”
Franklin recalled how at the time of that Super Bowl there were six Black head coaches among the 127 Football Bowl Subdivision schools. This season, there were 16 among 134 FBS schools.
Freeman, who is in his third season at Notre Dame, acknowledged the potential impact for a Black coach to lead a team to a national championship represents.
“I don’t take that for granted,” Freeman said. “And I just want to work tirelessly to be the best version of me, and it’s great, because even the guys in our program, my own kids, can understand like you don’t put a ceiling on what you can be and what you can do.”
–Franklin said he anticipates defensive end Abdul Carter will play, but he’s officially listed as a game-time decision. Carter left last week’s Fiesta Bowl win over Boise State with an apparent arm injury in the first quarter and did not return.
“He’s doing everything he possibly can to play,” Franklin said. “His approach has been awesome. He’s lived in the training room. But it’ll be a game-time decision, and we’ll see.”
–Freeman said he expects running back Jeremiyah Love to be “good to go” on Thursday. Freeman said he’s confident Jadarian Price can continue to step up if needed.
Love, who has 1,076 yards and 16 touchdowns this season, carried the ball only six times for 19 yards in Notre Dame’s Sugar Bowl win over Georgia due to an aggravation of a previous knee injury.
“Jeremiyah has had a great week of practice,” Freeman said. “We have to be smart in terms of how much we’re asking him to do in practice. We’ve got to get him ready for the game. But he’s confident.”
–Notre Dame’s ability to run the ball and stop the run remains the backbone of its return to national championship contender status under Freeman.
Freeman inherited a Notre Dame offense that ranked 83rd in rushing in 2021. Over the past three seasons, the Fighting Irish have gone from being ranked 35th nationally in rushing yards per game in 2022 to 28th last season to 11th this season, averaging 217.5 rushing yards per game.
“It’s a mentality. It’s a mindset,” Freeman said. “Just from our defensive coaching background, when you can’t stop an offense from running the ball, it can be demoralizing. That’s why we say we have to do it now.”
–Field Level Media
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