Marcus Freeman Talks JD Bertrand's Suspension, Xavier Watts, Notre Dame Tight Ends and More

Fighting Irish head coach Marcus Freeman discussed a number of interesting topics in advance of the matchup against BYU

NOTRE DAME, Ind. - It’s (finally) on to BYU. Notre Dame’s bye week is over and the Fighting Irish (2-2) are now in full preparation mode for Saturday’s 11th edition of the Shamrock Series in Las Vegas. The bye week came after just four games this season, but head coach Marcus Freeman said at his BYU preview press conference that the timing was still good for his staff.

"I think you could see the toll on the entire staff in terms of this eight weeks,” Freeman commented. "This bye week was really at a good time. I loved the look in the staff this morning, coming back fresh and ready to go.

Freeman was on the recruiting trail in Texas at the end of the bye week. His staff was out in different spots around the country as well Monday, Thursday and Friday.

Now that the week five bye has come and gone, the Irish will not have another break through the eight weeks that make up the balance of the rest of the season.

A Break In Momentum

After the 0-2 start, Notre Dame had some positive momentum going into the bye after a 24-17 win over Cal, followed by a 45-32 win over North Carolina. A team that’s averaging 25 points a game scored 62 points in its final six quarters of action before the off week.

"You want to build off the momentum, but to me it’s the challenge to really re-evaluate and reassess where you are after each game,” Freeman said. "You have a week off, but to me it’s, let’s evaluate the past, evaluate how we can improve, and ultimately put all of our energy and emotion into this game.”

Freeman’s approach to accomplish that is simple – preparation.

"The challenge is to focus on the things that help you get the desired results, right? It’s the preparation, how we prepare.”

Bertrand Appeal Denied

JD Bertrand was flagged for targeting in the second half of the North Carolina game after sitting out the first half of the game for the same penalty late in the Cal game.

A new NCAA rule allows teams to appeal second half targeting calls this season. If the appeals are denied, the player still has to sit out the first half of his next game. But if the appeal overturns the call on the field, the player gets to play.

Freeman had a one-word response to how Betrand’s appeal went.

"Denied,” he said with a smirk on his face. "In their opinion, that was a targeting penalty and they denied our appeal and he’ll be out for the first half of this game."

Freeman was then given the chance to expand on what he thought of the call, given Bertrand’s hit was not a “textbook” targeting hit with the crown of his helmet on another opponent’s helmet.

He hit North Carolina tight end Bryson Nesbitt with his face mask on Nesbitt’s shoulder. Freeman would not take the bait to rip the decision.

"I’ll save my opinion,” he continued. "But, yeah. We felt like we had a strong appeal and it was denied.”

Xavier Watts – One Way Player

With Notre Dame’s wide receiver depth thin during training camp, Xavier Watts was asked to move to cross train with the offense. He had played receiver before and he looked good in the drills the media was able to watch him in during camp. The only game action the junior has seen this season has been at safety and Freeman says it will stay that way going forward.

"He’s all safety now,” Freeman explained. "We tried him in fall camp a little bit, moving him back to offense, but (safeties coach Chris) O’Leary wanted to fight every day to keep him on defense. And we just felt his role had more value to our team on defense than to go on offense and really compete to try and get playing time. We knew that defensively there was already a plan for him to play and after a couple practices we said, let’s just keep him on defense.”

Watts played 28 defensive snaps in the North Carolina game, because fellow safeties Ramon Henderson and DJ Brown were both out with injuries. Freeman likes the growth he has seen from the Omaha native.

"X is a guy that continuously improves and he’s been playing the safety position close to a year,” Freeman said. "Hasn’t even been a year yet. We moved him, obviously, during the season. But he’s getting better and he has a lot of natural ability that we have to continue to coach and mold to be an excellent safety, but he has the talent to do that.”

Speaking of Henderson (ankle) and Brown (hamstring), their prognosis to return looks good after some extended rest during the bye week. Freeman says athletic trainer Rob Hunt texted him Monday morning and relayed to him that both safeties looked really good and were expected to be a go at Monday’s practice.

"I would expect both of those guys to be ready to go.” Freeman said.

Steve Angeli Progress

Freshman Steve Angeli was the scout team quarterback just three weeks ago, but he was elevated to No. 2 QB after the season ending injury to Tyler Buchner.

"Every practice we’re out there, it’s beneficial for Steve, because he’s no longer taking scout team reps,” Freeman explained. "He’s taking real reps and understanding that at any moment he could be thrust into the game. As I told him the other day, you’re not a freshman any more. You’re one play away from being the starting quarterback at Notre Dame and that’s the reality of the situation. If it happens, he’ll be ready to go. So, everyday we prepare, we practice, it’s a day for Steve Angeli to get better.”

The Tight Ends

Freeman shared plenty of thoughts on the tight ends not named Michael Mayer.

Mitchell Evans – The sophomore has been out since July after foot surgery.

"He’s getting closer and closer,” Freeman estimated. "If you ask Mitch, he’s ready to go, but if you ask the doctors, not quite yet. I hope to see him in another week or two.”

Cane Berrong – Another sophomore who is coming off an injury. He tore an ACL nearly a year ago.

"Cane Berrong is getting better,” Freeman said. "He’s just starting to practice the entire length of practice, so he’s improving.”

The injuries to Evans and Berrong as well as the more recent ACL injury suffered by Kevin Bauman, have opened the door further for freshmen Eli Raridon and Holden Staes.

"Those young guys, man,” Freeman said with a smile. "To see Eli Raridon in there, he has some of those natural abilities that you have to continue to coach and to tailorthe exact details of what you want out of him, right? Eli Raridon is a guy that will go and try and knock your pants (smacks his hands). He and he will try to dominate you. Now, it’s make sure we use that mentality and put it exactly at the right detail that we need it. Exactly at the right angle point that we need it. He is, gosh, he has ‘it’. He has those traits that you’re looking for in a great tight end. The same thing with Holden Staes. 

"Those guys are really, really improving," continued Freeman. "The worst thing for our team is to lose a guy like Kevin Bauman, but the greatest thing for those two guys is to lose a guy like Kevin Bauman, because now they’re thrust into a position where they have to help us and they have to play.

That puts more on the shoulders of tight end Michael Mayer from a leadership standpoint.

"That means that Michael Mayer has got to lead,” Freeman stated. "Gerad Parker is the tight ends coach and Coach Parker is always going to coach those guys, but when a guy like Michal Mayer steps in there and says, hey, we need you guys to practice at this standard that we have, it puts a little bit of added pressure on them. So, they’re growing tremendously, they’re improving and I’m excited to see them on Saturday. “

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