Leftovers & Links: Notre Dame’s defense ‘freer’ under Freeman

Comparing Marcus Freeman’s style and the success it has created to Clark Lea’s should not be taken as implying one is better than the other. As evidenced by their respective promotions this winter, each was one of the most sought-after coaching candidates in college football after the last few seasons.

Cincinnati’s and Notre Dame’s defenses have been two of the country’s best in recent years, but to hear current Irish linebackers discuss the shift in coaching styles this spring, those successes may be where the similarities end between Freeman and Lea. Both on and off the field, Lea is known for his deliberate, intellectual approach. His first hires at Vanderbilt have highlighted how outside…