The Notre Dame offensive lineman -- then a freshman -- and his teammates had just finished an 11-1 season only to be hit with the news that their head coach, Brian Kelly, was leaving for LSU while they still had an outside shot at making the College Football Playoff.

Notre Dame football coach Marcus Freeman is shouldering the blame for the Irish 34-23 loss to Ohio State in Monday night's College Football Playoff National Championship. Notre Dame fell into a 24-point hole against the Buckeyes midway through the third quarter that Freeman said was the result of uncharacteristic mistakes in communication for which he takes all the blame.