Notre Dame Coaches in Their Fifth Season: History, Records, and Surprises

Marcus Freeman has Notre Dame at a high level, but history hasn't always been kind in the fifth year of Fighting Irish coaches

Nov 15, 2025; Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, USA; Notre Dame Fighting Irish head coach Marcus Freeman reacts after an Irish touchdown against the Pittsburgh Panthers during the second quarter at Acrisure Stadium. | Charles LeClaire-Imagn Images

Notre Dame is set to open spring practice soon ahead of the 2026 football season. It'll be the fifth under head coach Marcus Freeman, and one that starts with as realistic a championship expectation as the program has had in ages.

How has that fifth year gone for Notre Dame coaches all-time?

College football has changed a ton over the years, but for whatever reason, the fifth year has rarely brought great success to Notre Dame head coaches.

Here's a look back:

1917: Jeese Harper (6-1-1)

In his fifth year, Knute Rockne's former coach led Notre Dame to a 6-1-1 mark. How long ago was that?

Consider the fact Notre Dame played Kalamazoo, Morningside, and something called Washington & Jefferson that year.

1917 wound up being Harper's final year at Notre Dame.

1922: Knute Rockne (8-1-1)

Nov 18, 2017; South Bend, IN, USA; Notre Dame Fighting Irish punter Tyler Newsome (85) warms up before the game against the Navy Midshipmen at Notre Dame Stadium. Notre Dame is wearing a special Rockne Heritage uniform for the game. | Matt Cashore-Imagn Images

Rockne was in the process of building Notre Dame from a regional force to a national team at this point. Notre Dame's only loss that year came in the final week of the season at Nebraska.

1938: Elmer Layden (8-1)

The former Four Horseman had Notre Dame one win away from a national championship as the Irish lost at USC in the final week of the season. Layden would lead Notre Dame to two more 7-2 seasons before leaving after 1940.

1950: Frank Leahy (4-4-1)

Leahy's era is hard to define as he initially coached at Notre Dame before leaving for World War II. 1950 is the fifth year after he returned, and Notre Dame had mighty issues. This came after Leahy's lads didn't lose a single game in the four years previous.

1958: Terry Brennan (6-4)

Brennan coached Notre Dame at a time of transition, as football wasn't viewed as being as important as in previous eras. Brennan's 6-4 year in 1958 was his final year as Notre Dame's head coach.

1968: Ara Parseghian (7-2-1)

Unknown Date; South Bend, IN, USA; FILE PHOTO; Notre Dame Irish head coach Ara Parseghian on the sidelines with Terry Hanratty (5) at Notre Dame Stadium. | Malcolm Emmons-Imagn Images

Ara brought Notre Dame back from the dead during his time. Despite failing to win three games that year, the Irish finished fifth in the AP Poll after tying No. 2 USC to end the year.

1979: Dan Devine (7-4)

Devine and the Irish started the year as a preseason top 10 team, but finished just 7-4. Losses at Purdue and Tennessee and at home to USC and Clemson put a damper on things. Devine would coach just one more season.

1985: Gerry Faust (5-6)

Faust and the Irish overcame a 1-3 start to get to 5-3, but lost three straight games to end the year, and Faust's time at Notre Dame. That, of course, included the infamous 58-7 disaster at Miami to end the season.

1990: Lou Holtz (9-3)

Holtz and Notre Dame overcame an impossible loss to Stanford in October to win nine games. Had it not been for a phantom clip call in the Orange Bowl, there is a case that Notre Dame would have been voted the national champion in the AP Poll.

2001: Bob Davie (5-6)

After leading Notre Dame to its first BCS appearance in 2000, Bob Davie spoke up 2001 to be an even bigger year for the Irish. Instead, the team flopped to an 0-3 start. It rallied to get to 3-3, but finished just 5-6 and Davie was fired at season's end.

2009: Charlie Weis (6-6)

Oct. 24, 2009; South Bend, IN, USA; Notre Dame Fighting Irish head coach Charlie Weis talks on his headset in the first quarter against the Boston College Eagles at Notre Dame Stadium. | Matt Cashore-Imagn Images

Weis and Notre Dame appeared to be pointed in the right direction at the end of October as it sat 6-2. Four-straight losses to end the year left the Irish at 6-6 overall, and Weis without a job.

2014: Brian Kelly (8-5)

Notre Dame was red-hot to start 2014, going 6-0 out of the shoot. The Irish never overcame a heartbreaking loss at No. 2 Florida State in October though, dropping five of its final six games that regular season. it did rally to beat LSU in the Music City Bowl for some consolation.

2026: Marcus Freeman (TBD)

No coach has ever led Notre Dame to a national championship in their fifth year at the helm. Will Freeman become the first?