ATLANTA — Somewhere on the field Monday evening inside Mercedes-Benz Stadium, Ohio State linebackers coach James Laurinaitis will roam the field, searching for a fellow Buckeye legend.
Former Ohio State center Jim Cordle recalled a get-together with Freeman and a few teammates outside an apartment in Columbus in the mid-2000s.
In 2005, Laurinaitis arrived at Ohio State expecting to redshirt as a freshman.
After one season, he returned to Ohio State as a GA and was elevated in 2024 to linebackers coach.
“There’s zero motivation that is necessary to prepare for a national championship game,” Freeman said.
ATLANTA — James Laurinaitis, the coach of the Ohio State linebackers, will travel the field Monday night inside Mercedes-Benz Stadium in search of another Buckeye legend. He will greet his best friend with a handshake, give him a hug, and express his pride in his friend’s achievements.
The nature of coaching opposing teams with a national championship trophy on the line means that their conversation will be shorter than usual, even if he was in your wedding party. The situation is further complicated by the fact that Marcus Freeman, the coach of Notre Dame, is that former Buckeye’s best friend. He will coach the Irish (14-1) in Monday night’s College Football Playoff national championship game against the Buckeyes (13-2).
Laurinaitis remarked, “To be honest, all you want is to finish the game and move on.”. “With everything, you can’t avoid some genuine emotions, but it’s also a fantastic blessing.”.
“How many people get to say they’re going against their really good friend in the natty?”.
It has taken them 20 years to get to Atlanta. It includes at least two trips to WrestleMania, a few video game sessions, and victories and heartbreaks on the field. However, they were just two newcomers in a legendary linebacker’s room headed by All-Americans A before they became friends. J. Carpenter, Bobby, and Hawk.
Hawk remarked, “I simply recall the room’s randomness.”. “We all had a close relationship. When we weren’t playing football, we hung out and worked out every morning and after practice. It’s only when you’re finished and look back years later that you truly understand how unique that core group was. “.”.
Several national champions from the 2002 season, two future sports media personalities (Hawk and Carpenter), a future gym equipment inventor (Anthony Schlegel), and two future coaches (Freeman and Laurinaitis) who are now vying for a national championship they failed to win as teammates twenty years ago were all present in that 2005 linebacker room. Following the 2006 and 2007 seasons, they played in consecutive championship games, losing to LSU by two touchdowns and Florida in a landslide. Whether or not those losses are still fresh in their minds is unclear.
“That was back then. “Now,” Freeman declared on Saturday. “I doubt that there is anything from that game that I can utilize that will truly connect with this team. This team must ensure that we concentrate on preparation during the final 48 hours because we will need to perform the same tasks we have throughout the year, if not better. “,”.
Either Laurinaitis or Freeman will be redeemed on Monday, but if Notre Dame prevails, it will mean more suffering for Freeman’s former school and the unwelcome position of being the one who caused Ohio State’s heartache.
“Nobody talks about runners-up in the Woody Hayes facility’s hallways,” Laurinaitis remarked.
In case it wasn’t obvious by now, Freeman is a man who is extremely focused. His teammates at Notre Dame claim that he is a fiery character behind the scenes, but when he is in public, he may be the most unfazed person in the room. His level-headed manner and his broad smile whenever he hears a statement or anecdote that makes him laugh are not recent developments.
Jim Cordle, a former center for Ohio State, recalled meeting Freeman and some of his teammates outside a Columbus apartment in the middle of the 2000s. The college students were, well, doing what college students do.
“Somehow this BB gun comes out while we’re hanging out and having a few drinks, whatever. “We’re just using a BB gun,” Cordle remarked. Marcus’ car window is broken after an errant shot strikes it. We’re in a panic. He was fantastic about it, though. He could have been furious about it, but he didn’t. He was like, “What are you idiots doing?”. “.”.
“That’s Freeman, always direct and never intimidated,” Cordle said.
“He remains the same person. I’m probably better than some at reading his body language on the sidelines,” Laurinaitis remarked.
Laurinaitis came to Ohio State in 2005 with the intention of redshirting as a freshman. Freeman hurt his knee in the season’s opening game. Luke Fickell, the assistant coach, drew Laurinaitis aside and inquired as to whether he was prepared to play and risk forfeiting a year of eligibility. On the field, he ran. After Freeman developed an infection in his surgically repaired meniscus, one game turned into more playing time. As Freeman continued to participate in meetings and social events off campus due to the linebacker room, Laurinaitis and Freeman grew close.
Carpenter remarked, “Everything seems like you’re climbing Everest every day when you’re young.”. “We needed to keep him prepared. “,”.
roots in wrestling.
Freeman told the group one day that he was a fan of wrestling. One of his teammates was also the son of a legendary wrestler, but Freeman was unaware of this.
Joseph, the father of Laurinaitis, was a WWE superstar in the 1990s, competing as Road Warrior Animal. Red-and-black face paint, a mohawk, and spiked football shoulder pads are his signature style.
Freeman snapped.
Laurinaitis laughed, “because of my dad, that’s really the only reason why he befriended me at first.”. “I’m being serious. Correct. I don’t mind that he befriended me because he was a wrestling fan. It helped me in the end, and we clearly became close friends. “..”.
At WWE’s WrestleMania, Laurinaitis escorted his new friend backstage, where Freeman changed into a wide-eyed fanboy, or a “mark,” as that term is known in wrestling.
“Everything was real when I was young,” Freeman remarked. “You ultimately came to admire the Ultimate Warriors, the Hulk Hogans, and all of those guys. You got to know some people after I had the opportunity to attend some WrestleManias with James. Seeing your children happy is now the main focus. And as a father, I make an effort to take my kids to see wrestling if they want to. “.”.
Fatherhood, ah. Freeman has six kids with his wife, Joanna, whom he met while attending college. Four children are born to Laurinaitis and his wife, Shelly. Schlegel makes the joke that Freeman and his crew could form a flag football team. Freeman shared his love of wrestling with his kids earlier this year by taking them to a WWE event in Chicago.
Despite having many things in common off the field, Freeman and Laurinaitis grew close during their time as linebackers under the tutelage of a youthful and fervent position coach named Fickell, who is currently the coach at Wisconsin. From the neighboring Ohio town of Huber Heights, outside of Dayton, where A. The J. At Centerville High School, Hawk observed him frightening his high school team.
“It seemed like he scored every touchdown, but I’m not sure how many he actually scored. He then committed about 100 tackles. Hawk remarked, “It was like a movie.”.
After using the offseason to gain muscle, Freeman weighed 260 pounds when he started his freshman year at Ohio State. Although Freeman swiftly lost the excess weight and was given early playing time, Fickell was not happy. Without a doubt, his father, Michael Freeman Sr., influenced his discipline. was an Air Force veteran for 26 years. Freeman’s dedication was also evident in the weight room, where he consistently outperformed linemen and other teammates by lifting over 400 pounds in the hang clean.
Working out with him would be annoying. According to Laurinaitis, “He was exceptional.”. He consistently demonstrated strength in bench, power clean, and squat exercises. Conditioning was the only thing I could get him to do. “,”.
Taking up coaching.
After their playing careers, Freeman and Laurinaitis parted ways after Ohio State failed to meet their national title aspirations. Freeman tried his hand at the NFL, but his knee pain and constant switching teams told him it was time to move on. He decided to retire from playing after discovering an enlarged heart valve during a 2010 health screening with the Indianapolis Colts.
Undeterred, Freeman went straight to coaching, becoming a graduate assistant on the Ohio State staff in Jim Tressel’s last season as head coach.
According to Tressel, “He was the same as a coach, and he was always quiet and wanted to learn as a player.”. “He took a similar approach to coaching as he did to playing: What is the team’s need? How can I help? How can I develop relationships?”.
A rivalry game against Michigan was the highlight of Freeman’s tenure as a graduate assistant. After a huge play, defensive tackle Cam Heyward leaped to the sidelines and bumped shoulders with Freeman. Rather, Freeman was knocked unconscious when his front teeth struck Heyward’s helmet.
“My wife’s gonna kill me,” Freeman declared following the match.
jokingly remarked, “That’s why his teeth look so good today.”.
“When I started coaching, I had no idea what it was,” Freeman acknowledges. “I believed it was an opportunity to remain on the sidelines and play football. But it goes far beyond that. I quickly realized that coaching is about leading others. It’s about helping other people. It is in this way that you fall in love. “.”.
the stoic sideline.
If you look at Freeman now, you might notice that he acts like his former head coach. Similar to Tressel, Freeman typically remains composed while coaching rather than criticizing.
According to Anthony Schlegel, “they know the game is for the players, so why am I going to rip somebody’s ass on game day?”. “On Saturday, the only thing that counts is execution, so I need to make a change and a correction. “,”.
In addition to their dedication to their faith, Freeman and Tressel are focused on helping teenagers grow into men. Whether they’re attending pregame Mass or setting aside “quiet time” for introspection, they infuse every action with intentionality.
For example, Tressel gave his players “goal sheets” that many at first thought were pointless homework. In jest, Carpenter said, “I detested playing for Tress when I was there.”.
Once players’ careers were over, the renowned coach had them write both short- and long-term goals on sheets that were mailed back to them.
Schlegel stated, “Marcus has an authenticity about him — and it resonates with this generation of players.”. “Discipline is what these players long for. It isn’t the same. When we grew up, it was “when, what, why.” They want to know “why,” “what,” and “when.”. ‘”.
Tressel’s trademark sweater vest is the sole significant distinction between mentor and mentee.
Carpenter stated that each person has their own unique style. The coat, the quarter zip, and the three daily hair cuts are all belonging to Marcus. “.
depending on friendship.
Laurinaitis’s father died of a heart attack in 2020. Freeman, who was Cincinnati’s defensive coordinator at the time, spent two weeks corresponding with his best friend daily.
“A true friend right there, man, knowing our hours now as you reflect,” Laurinaitis remarked. “You discover who your true friends are when you experience one of life’s darkest moments. “,”.
At Freeman’s insistence, Laurinaitis eventually became a graduate assistant on the Notre Dame faculty in 2022. In 2024, he was promoted to linebackers coach after returning to Ohio State as a GA after one season.
grabbing a chance.
Tressel frequently reminds the 39-year-old Freeman and the 38-year-old Laurinaitis that opportunity and time fly by.
“You want to make sure you feel good about how you perform because you never know how many of these you get,” Tressel stated. That’s the challenging aspect of coaching. You can clearly recall your failures, but occasionally you ignore your successes. “.”.
Laurinaitis and Freeman are aware of the hurt caused by failing. When they lost consecutive national titles in 2006–07, they went through it.
Todd Denlinger, a former defensive tackle for Ohio State, stated, “Martins was always one of those guys that took the leadership role to get the team back together and focused.” The team had some significant losses.
Freeman downplayed the idea of drawing inspiration from his playing career to coach Monday night at Mercedes-Benz Stadium.
Freeman asserted that “no motivation is required to prepare for a national championship game.”. “I was a child. What was going through my head is beyond my memory. I just wanted to do my job, though, because we were competing for the national championship. We were beaten. “..”.
Laurinaitis thought back on the situation 48 hours prior to confronting his friend-turned-enemy, but he also repeated Tressel’s counsel.
“You won’t really look back on this moment until later,” he said. “You have a lot of work ahead of you. I have a couple walkthroughs and two meetings to consider today. “.