Marcus Freeman Is Back at Notre Dame! USC’s Baffling Decision, Pop-Tarts Bowl & Malört

On the latest episode of The Echoes: A Podcast on the Notre Dame Fighting Irish, Mike Golic Jr. and Jessica Smetana react to breaking news once again, as Marcus Freeman announces he will return as head coach of the Irish next season. It’s a major sigh of relief for Mike and Jess, as Freeman continues to draw consistent NFL interest. This season, that buzz included the New York Giants and Tennessee Titans, following last year’s rumors involving the Chicago Bears. Thankfully for Notre Dame fans, Freeman will be back on the sidelines in South Bend. After breaking down Freeman’s contract extension better than anyone, Mike and Jessica recap their holiday weekends. Mike shares his experience at the world-famous Pop-Tarts Bowl, while Jessica fulfills her long-standing Malört cocktail obligation—with a surprisingly unexpected outcome. The conversation then shifts to Notre Dame’s MOU with the College Football Playoff and USC’s reported confusion surrounding the agreement, which appears to be a key factor in putting the century-old rivalry on hiatus. Mike and Jess react to USC’s puzzling response and what it means moving forward. Later, the show highlights former Irish standouts in the NFL, including Audric Estime and Kevin Austin, who both found the end zone for the New Orleans Saints last weekend. The episode also celebrates Notre Dame players who earned Pro Bowl selections this season. Finally, the show wraps up with a preview of this week’s four CFP games and a discussion on Notre Dame men’s basketball head coach Micah Shrewsberry canceling Christmas?! All that and more on The Echoes: A Podcast on the Notre Dame Fighting Irish. Subscribe to The Echoes for weekly Notre Dame recaps, CFP reactions, game previews, and insider analysis all season long. #sports #football #notredame #collegefootballplayoff Thank you to our sponsor: Wendy's Join Team Tendy’s and enjoy a line-up like never before. Crispy. Juicy. Tendys Now at Wendy’s. http://www.tendys.com/