Marcus Freeman Reveals Father’s Discipline and Mother’s Sacrifices That Shaped Coaching Journey

Marcus Freeman isn’t just chasing victories, he’s upholding a legacy. The Notre Dame head coach’s path was forged by his father, Michael’s discipline and his mother, Chong’s sacrifices. Growing up with an African-American father and a Korean mother, Freeman drew strength from that diverse foundation to shape his toughness, honesty, and ambition. And the result? This background fueled him to make history last season as the first Black coach to lead a team in the FBS national championship. Will this same grit give his team the edge over his first opponent of 2025?

The story begins in the 1970s, when Michael Freeman was stationed at Osan Air Base in South Korea with the Air Force. There, he met Chong, who would become his wife in 1977. Two years later, they settled in Abilene, Texas, though Michael’s career later took him to Turkey for a time. While he was away, Chong kept things together, working at Texas Instruments and taking English classes. She balanced sacrifice with resilience, striving to create a better life for her family.

That mix of discipline and selflessness left a long-lasting mark on him. Now, talking about his parents’ influence on his life, Marcus Freeman makes an honest admission in Sports Illustrated. “Just the discipline and hard work, the routine, right? I wake up the same time mostly every day. My routines are my routines, and I’m a firm believer in hard work and being honest with people. My dad was a brutally honest person,” Freeman said.

Marcus Freeman watched his dad work tirelessly, and that dedication shaped him. His father instilled the “do the work, no matter what” mentality, which Marcus still carries with him, both on and off the field. Then, talking about his mother, Freeman said, “My mother is such a selfless person, right? To leave your family in South Korea, marry an American, and come to the United States. She didn’t go back to Korea until 2017. She came over here in 1976. And to just give that up, it shows you her selflessness,” he added.

Well, growing up, his mother, Chong Freeman, who hailed from Daegu City, South Korea, brought a unique cultural influence to Marcus Freeman. After moving to Ohio with her husband, she raised their family, seamlessly weaving Korean culture into American life. This fusion developed Marcus’s perspective and instilled strong family values. As Chong often juggled multiple jobs, including even custodial work, Marcus and his brother sometimes helped. What felt like an adventure then, Marcus now understands the depth of her selflessness.

Every night, she cooked both American and Korean meals, always ensuring her family was well-cared for, reflecting her dedication to giving them the best of both worlds. Motivated by her example, Marcus now brings that same selfless spirit to his coaching. Now, with that resilience and grit Marcus Freeman and his team is ready to take over Miami.

Marcus Freeman’s clear take on Miami game

Notre Dame football is back, and the excitement is palpable. However, this isn’t the same team that came so close to a national championship last year. Head coach Marcus Freeman, entering his fourth year, made a big call at quarterback: redshirt freshman CJ Carr will start, edging out junior Kenny Minchey. They were locked in a tight competition to replace Riley Leonard  (now with the Colts). Freeman said he went with his instincts, and those kinds of decisions often shape a season. The Irish, ranked No. 6 nationally, head to Miami as favorites against the No. 10 Hurricanes.

But here’s the catch. Notre Dame hasn’t won in Miami since 1977. The Hurricanes would relish the chance to spoil the Irish’s opener after missing out on the ACC title last year. It’s an old rivalry with new significance, promising a prime-time showdown. With the grit there’s also a concern looming as forecasts call for possible rain in South Florida. Yet Freeman remains unfazed as he said, “No, we had some practices in the rain during fall camp where you got to get used to the wet balls. But I don’t think, we’ll see what the weather is going to be at game time. I’m hearing it might dry off and not rain once the game starts, but we’ll be ready.” Freeman is not going to let bad weather forecasts cloud his plans for the game.

To prepare for the game, Notre Dame players will have a variety of cleat choices, just like they did in last season’s Orange Bowl victory against Penn State. “We’ll have cleats that have longer studs and cleats that have shorter ones in case they want to change,” Freeman said. History is on Notre Dame’s side, too, as the Irish have won six straight games on grass since 2023. So, it’s a win-win situation for them.

However, the schedule doesn’t get any easier after this. The Irish return home to play No. 19 Texas A&M on Sept. 13, followed by No. 25 Boise State on Oct. 4. Then comes their matchup with USC on Oct. 18, a game that could impact the playoffs. For the fans of the Fighting Irish, the kickoff at Hard Rock Stadium is just the beginning of a season packed with excitement.

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