Marcus Freeman stands by Notre Dame’s interview process, praises promotion of Gerad Parker

Marcus Freeman is nothing if not blunt and transparent. The Notre Dame head coach may slip into coach-speak sporadically in the fall, but far more often than not, he does not waste time dodging questions or trading in obfuscation.

If ever there was a moment to slip into a more veteran mindset, it would have been in discussing the tumultuous last couple weeks as the Irish sought a new offensive coordinator. Instead, Freeman spared no words while introducing Gerad Parker in that role on Monday.

“The top-two offenses you saw on film were Kansas State and Utah, and we interviewed both of those guys (Collin Klein and Andy Ludwig, respectively),” Freeman said. “We brought them both to campus. For their own reasons, they decided not to come.”

Freeman did not outright say those were his top-two choices, and if he had, that would have been a slight exaggeration, but in simply bringing up those possibilities — without prompt, to be clear, as these mentions came in Freeman’s opening remarks — he broke from nearly every coaching introduction in recorded history.

Never before has someone said the eventual hire was not atop their candidate list, was not their clear and only choice. That soft-pedaling is almost always an obvious lie, so it accomplishes nothing. Freeman opting otherwise entirely adds validity to everything else he says in such moments.

“Two individuals decided it was best for them to stay where they’re at, much credit to them, congratulations,” Freeman said.

Freeman repeatedly said those were the decisions made, not that Notre Dame was scared off by a hefty buyout tied to Ludwig’s contract at Utah. Between Freeman’s strong words and the email released late last week from Irish director of athletics Jack