Marcus Freeman was an All-Big Ten linebacker selection as a junior and senior at Ohio State. After a brief NFL career, he entered the college coaching ranks as a graduate assistant for his alma mater.

Notre Dame football coach Marcus Freeman felt more comfortable talking about the national championship his players have a chance to win Monday night than the history attached to it if they pull it off.

Freeman, who is bi-racial with Black and South Korean parents, already staked a place as the first such head coach to lead a team to the national final.