Notre Dame head football coach Marcus Freeman is no stranger to the world of college recruiting – but his most recent experience came with an interesting twist.
This time, he wasn’t wearing his headset or leading the charge for the Irish. He was simply “Dad,” watching his oldest son, Vinny, take a major step in his own athletic journey.
Vinny Freeman, a standout high school wrestler, recently committed to Cornell University, joining one of the Ivy League’s most storied programs.
For the elder Freeman, the moment was surreal. “I’m proud of him, I am. I’m proud of him,” Freeman emotionally said.
Freeman and his wife Joanna have six children, and while the coach admitted he wasn’t on many of the college visits himself, he gave plenty of credit to Vinny’s mom for guiding the process.
“It was unique being on the other side, being a father trying to guide your son, when a lot of times I wasn’t on a lot of visits, it was his mom,” Freeman said.
“Mom liked Cornell, and somehow Vinny chose Cornell. I’m proud of him though, he’s earned that right through some hard work, and look forward to seeing what’s in the future for him.”
Vinny, who posted a 30-10 record as a freshman and followed it up with a 34-4 campaign last season, felt a strong connection to the people at Cornell – something that stood out to his father, especially as a recruiter himself.
“One of the things that was important to Vinny was the people,” Freeman revealed. “He really viewed the people, the wrestlers, the recruits, the coaches, as he said to me, he’s like, ‘I feel like they’re family,’ and that’s a great reminder for us as coaches.
“We can sell Notre Dame, we can sell our football program, sell this university, but today, the young people want relationships, too, and that’s a great reminder for us all.”
While Freeman soaks in the joy of his son’s success, the recruiting grind continues in South Bend – and the Irish may be gaining ground on one of the nation’s top tight end prospects.
Notre Dame recently hosted four-star tight end Evan Jacobson, a towering 6-foot-7, 220-pound prospect out of Waukee (Iowa) High School, and it’s clear the Irish made a strong impression.
“The visit was amazing – that’s truthfully the best way to describe it,” Jacobson told Irish Breakdown. “It was extremely beneficial and I left with no questions unanswered.”
Jacobson, who holds more than two dozen offers from blue-blood programs like Ohio State, LSU, Penn State, and Texas A&M, came away from his South Bend trip with a strong sense of connection – not just to the staff, but to the culture.
“Everyone there was super easy to talk to, and I just felt comfortable around them,” Jacobson added. “That definitely helped strengthen my relationships with the staff. Also, you can tell everyone just wants the program to succeed and you to succeed.”
The message from Freeman and the coaching staff was clear: Jacobson is a major priority for the Irish.
“Their main message was what I can do for Notre Dame and what Notre Dame can do for me,” Jacobson continued. “They made it clear that I’m their guy. They love how they can use me by flexing me out or putting me in line. Also, everything Notre Dame can do for me outside of football – that was something Coach (Marcus) Freeman really touched on in our meeting.”
Offensively, Jacobson believes he would be an ideal fit, especially with offensive coordinator Mike Denbrock doubling as the tight ends coach – a setup that clearly appeals to the versatile playmaker.
“I believe I would be a great fit for their offense,” Jacobson said. “Anytime the tight ends coach is also the OC, you know the tight end is going to be very involved. That obviously really excites me. And I think with their rich tight end history, I could fit right in with those guys with my size and skill.”
Jacobson’s growing bond with both Denbrock and assistant coach Max Bivin is another key factor.
“My relationship with Coach Denbrock has been really good and continues to grow, but I think this visit specifically really helped strengthen it,” Jacobson said. “Just getting to watch him coach and then sitting down and talking football and seeing their plan for me was really good. I feel very comfortable with him and Coach Bivin.”
Jacobson has locked in an official visit to Notre Dame for June 20-22 and plans to make a final decision after wrapping up his visits this summer.
What are your thoughts on the exciting times for Freeman – both personally and professionally – in South Bend???
