‘I Don’t Think That This Is a Bunch of BS’ — National Analyst Reveals How Marcus Freeman Crushed Alleged Mike Elko Sabotage

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Marcus Freeman continues to earn the admiration of the Notre Dame fan base through his commitment and success as the Irish’s head coach. Meanwhile, Freeman was the victim of an unusual recruiting blow from Mike Elko’s Texas A&M, though the sabotage will somehow give him more positive things in his Irish future.

Why Marcus Freeman’s Commitment to Notre Dame Could Pay Off on the Recruiting Trail

This past offseason brought several rumors of multiple NFL teams luring Freeman away from Notre Dame, but he is back for the 2026 season. Freeman even made a bold comment on the “Not Just Football” podcast last week, saying he hopes to spend the rest of his coaching career at Notre Dame and eventually retire there.

Freeman’s public commitment came after speculation about his NFL future reportedly hurt Notre Dame in recruiting. Five-star linebacker Kaden Henderson, who had long been seen as a strong lean toward the Fighting Irish, ultimately committed to Texas A&M last month.

It was a big recruiting loss, as Henderson is ranked the No. 1 outside linebacker in the 2027 class, the No. 4 overall player in Florida, and the nation’s No. 24 prospect, according to ESPN. Freeman could have blasted over the sabotage, but he didn’t aim any jab.

In Sunday’s episode of “The Ruffino & Joe Show,” analysts Joe DeLeone and Blake Ruffino discussed how Freeman’s comments on NFL speculation may ultimately strengthen Notre Dame’s recruiting efforts despite the setback of negative recruitment from Elko’s staff.

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“Now, I will say this, I think that this was really good timing with rumors that Mike Elko had been negatively recruiting against Marcus Freeman by going around telling recruits,” DeLeone said. “There was one five-star linebacker recently that allegedly made the decision despite being expected to go to Notre Dame and then flipping his decision to Texas A&M, that Elko was going around telling these kids, ‘Hey, he’s going to the NFL next year. This is last year. He’s done.'”

“And I think that this was very smart on his part to answer these truthfully and directly because kids watch these videos, they watch these clips, they see this stuff,” DeLeone continued. “I think that Freeman is going to get a lot out of this, and I trust him. I don’t think that this is a bunch of BS.”

Besides reaffirming his commitment to Notre Dame, Freeman has also distinguished himself with his recruiting philosophy in the NIL era. Rather than leading with financial incentives, he focuses on the overall value of the Irish program, player development, and the university experience when speaking with recruits.

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Freeman’s philosophy and approach have played a major role in Notre Dame’s continued success. The Irish narrowly missed reaching the College Football Playoff last season, but they enter the 2026 campaign with high expectations and considerable momentum.

Notre Dame’s recruiting efforts have also remained among the nation’s best. The Irish currently rank No. 2 in the 2027 recruiting class with 21 commitments. The class includes five-star commits like offensive tackle Oluwasemilore Olubobola, EDGE Abraham Sesay, and interior offensive lineman Albert Simien.

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