ND's Freeman stayed with 10 players during OSU's game win to avoid playing a "freebie."

Heather DinichSenior writer at ESPNSeptember 24, 2023 at 12:46 AM ET3 minutes to read

Marcus Freeman explains why ND only had 10 defenders in determining the play

Marcus Freeman reacts to Notre Dame’s loss to Ohio State and gives why the Irish only have 10 defenders when the Buckeyes go down.

SOUTH BEND, INDIANA — Notre Dame coach Marcus Freeman said he was trying to get a fourth defensive lineman on the field for the game’s final play in Saturday night’s 17-14 loss to Ohio State, but he didn’t want to call a penalty, so he stuck with 10 defenders on the play that allowed the winning touchdown.

Trailing 14-10, Ohio State had the ball on the one-yard line on third down, when Chip Traianum ran up the middle and scored the winning touchdown with one second remaining. Freeman, a former full-back, was asked after the match whether he should take the penalty and try to get the full back XI onto the field.

“For me, it was like, ‘Hey, don’t give them another chance to settle down and try to make a different call, right?'” said Freeman, who didn’t have any timeouts left. “Guys, stay out of the field. Let’s not give them a freebie from the half-yard line and let’s try to stop them.

“I thought they might be doing the same thing they did before, and then they ended up running with the ball,” he said. “So I had to watch the game and see where I hit the ball. But, yeah, that’s why I made that decision.”

Many caught Notre Dame’s shorthanded defense when the officiating crew paraded the winning touchdown.

“Everything was going so fast. I’m trying to do my job, and I get the call,” safety Thomas Harper said. “This is something we have to do better. We can’t be in this position. We have to do better, players and coaches. We will learn from it and grow.”