Notre Dame University has issued a firm denial of battery allegations made against its head football coach, Marcus Freeman. The claims stem from an incident at a local high school wrestling meet earlier this month involving Freeman's son.
Allegations and Police Report
The controversy emerged after a police report was filed by Chris Fleeger, an assistant wrestling coach at New Prairie High School. The report concerns an event that took place on 3 January. According to initial reports from the South Bend Tribune, the situation escalated to the point where police and school officials had to intervene to separate the parties involved.
The report indicates that Freeman's wife, Joanna, was engaged in a heated verbal exchange with Coach Fleeger. However, the specific details of the alleged physical contact between Freeman and Fleeger were not disclosed by the police to the newspaper.
Notre Dame's Forceful Rebuttal
In a statement released to multiple news outlets, the university presented a starkly different account of the event. Notre Dame officials stated that the altercation began when Freeman's son, Vinny, was "verbally accosted" during and after his match by the local coach.
"Marcus and Joanna Freeman intervened and removed Vinny from the situation," the statement read. "At no point did Coach Freeman physically engage with anyone. We believe that the police report, which includes video evidence, fully exonerates Coach Freeman and makes clear these accusations are totally unfounded."
The Freeman family left the meet voluntarily, as they were not formally asked to depart.
Context and Current Status
As of now, no criminal charges have been filed in connection with the case. The timeline for a potential charging decision by authorities remains unclear.
Marcus Freeman just concluded his fourth season at the helm of the Fighting Irish football programme. Since taking over as head coach in 2021, he has compiled an impressive 43-12 record, which includes guiding the team to the College Football Playoff final last year.
The university's strong defence underscores the high stakes involved, as Freeman is a central figure in one of America's most storied college football programmes.
