Urban Meyer isn’t one to sugarcoat his thoughts, and when the topic of Marcus Freeman potentially jumping ship from Notre Dame to Michigan came up, he didn’t hold back.
Appearing on The Triple Option podcast, Meyer reacted to the rumor with a mix of disbelief and blunt honesty. “I don’t have much inside scoop on this,” he said.
“But someone said Marcus Freeman. What are you... out of your mind?”
He didn’t stop there, adding, “When you hear that stuff, that’s an agent out there, throwing his name out. I can promise you, you’re going to hear the words ‘extension’ and ‘a raise.’”
It’s a classic college football offseason moment - a high-profile job opens up, and suddenly names start flying. But Freeman-to-Michigan? That’s a stretch, and Meyer made sure to call it out for what it likely is: leverage.
Michigan, of course, is in the thick of a coaching search after the firing of Sherrone Moore. The Wolverines are reportedly eyeing six to eight top-tier candidates, and while the rumor mill has been churning, there’s been no credible indication that Freeman is among them.
And let’s be real - the idea of Freeman leaving Notre Dame for Michigan isn’t just far-fetched, it’s borderline unthinkable given the history between the two programs. The Irish and the Wolverines may not play every year anymore, but the rivalry still runs deep.
A head coach making a direct jump from South Bend to Ann Arbor? That’s not just rare - it’s unprecedented.
Freeman, for his part, has given Notre Dame plenty of reasons to believe in his long-term vision. He’s coming off back-to-back strong seasons, with the Irish once again in the College Football Playoff conversation this year. While they were controversially left out in favor of Alabama and Miami, the fact that Notre Dame was even in the mix speaks to the consistency Freeman has built in a short time.
Let’s not forget - just last year, the Irish made it to the national championship game. That kind of success, especially at a program with Notre Dame’s expectations and tradition, doesn’t go unnoticed. Freeman isn’t just a rising star; he’s already established himself as one of the top young coaches in the country.
Meanwhile, in Ann Arbor, the pressure is mounting. Athletic director Warde Manuel is tasked with finding a new face of the program after a turbulent stretch that included Moore’s firing and various off-field distractions.
Michigan wants stability, leadership, and a coach who can keep them in the national spotlight. But if you're looking for signs that Freeman is ready to leave what he’s building in South Bend for a move to one of college football’s fiercest rivals - well, there just aren’t any.
So while the coaching carousel keeps spinning and names continue to surface, don’t expect Freeman to be part of Michigan’s short list. As Meyer hinted, this feels more like agent-driven noise than anything rooted in reality. And if history - and common sense - are any guide, Marcus Freeman isn’t heading to Ann Arbor anytime soon.