Marcus Freeman is a problem for Michigan Football recruiting

Jim Harbaugh’s quest to solidify Michigan football as a more consistent Big Ten contender has hit a snag this offseason, namely, the relentless recruiting efforts of Notre Dame head coach Marcus Freeman.

Michigan football and Notre Dame are rivals on and off the field. On the field, the rivalry is very well-documented, with matchups between the two going back to 1887.

Off the field, however, the two consistently find themselves in direct contention for similar recruits. And it makes sense, as both as Midwestern powerhouses with loads of history, prestige, and tradition, and both place a high emphasis on academics as well.

But recently, Notre Dame has felt like even more of a recruiting nuisance than usual, and almost all of that is thanks to their recently promoted head coach, Marcus Freeman. Their defensive coordinator for just one year, Notre Dame felt very comfortable handing the reigns over to the 36-year-old Ohio State graduate, promoting him rather than conducting a thorough coaching search after it was announced Brian Kelly was departing for the LSU job.

Already in 2023, Freeman has snagged commitments from several players the Wolverines have been heavily interested in, such as Maryland defensive lineman Devan Houstan (brother of Michigan basketball starter Caleb Houstan), Massachusetts linebacker Preston Zinter (brother of Michigan starting guard Zak Zinter), and North Carolina guard Sam Pendleton.

But even worse than that, Notre Dame has surged into the lead for a handful of other top prospects the Wolverines are after, such as Detroit quarterback Dante Moore, Maryland defensive lineman Jason Moore, Illinois offensive tackle Charles Jagusah, and Washington running back Jayden Limar. 

The Wolverines, however, are continuing to fight back, continuing to push for five-star pass rusher Keon Keeley, a current Notre Dame commit, and jumping into the mix for four-star safety Peyton Bowen ever since offering him back in February.

While it’s not time to press the panic button at all since Marcus Freeman has not even coached a single game for the Fighting Irish (and Harbaugh put up 36 points on Freeman’s UC defense in 2017), his ability to recruit has really put a damper on Michigan’s attempts to take advantage of a breakthrough season in 2021.

Though the Wolverines and Irish do not play each other this fall (their next matchup isn’t scheduled until 2033, over a full decade away), it will be worthwhile to monitor the Irish’s success this fall, given how frequently they clash with Michigan football on the recruiting trail.

With games against talented opponents such as Ohio State, Clemson, BYU, and now a Lincoln Riley and Caleb Williams-led USC, a handful of losses for the Irish would certainly help Jim Harbaugh and Mike Elston’s efforts on the recruiting trail this fall, projecting a more successful Michigan program against a young head coach struggling to get his footing.