How Marcus Freeman’s College Job Influences Notre Dame Football Today

Marcus Freeman played college football before NIL was a thing and had to have a part time job while at Ohio State

Notre Dame head coach Marcus Freeman during a NCAA football game against Rice at Notre Dame Stadium on Saturday, Sept. 12, 2026, in South Bend. | USA TODAY Network via Reuters Connect

If you went to college, chances are strong you had a job during it.

I worked in the mailroom on campus at one point before getting a job at a sports memorabilia store in the mall while I was a student. There were others, but those come to mind first.

Almost all of my friends did something for work along the way as well.

Notre Dame head football coach Marcus Freeman was no different when he was a standout linebacker at Ohio State.

The two-time Second-Team All Big Ten star revealed during Monday's press conference, where he worked during college, and a saying they had there that he applies to the Notre Dame football team to this day.

Marcus Freeman's Time at Texas Road House

Freeman shared during Monday's press conference that during his time playing football at Ohio State, which occurred well before NIL became a thing, that he had a part-time job at Texas Road House.

Freeman shared that during his time working at Texas Road House, that they had a saying to "Keep it in the Kitchen".

“It’s a reminder that the customers can’t see inside the kitchen," said Freeman. "It could be a disaster in there, but when you walk out those doors, the customers got to think it’s perfect in there. You've got to keep it in the kitchen.”

Freeman was speaking about how he handled the Aneyas Williams situation, after the running back was penalized for excessive celebration after a touchdown on Saturday night. He admitted that he went back and watched the TV copy of the game to see his reaction, and that he wasn't proud of how he handled things.

Nick Shepkowski's Quick Thoughts

I'm not breaking any news to anyone that knows me at all but I'm a bit from the old school and love all of this.

I had a very similar reaction to Freeman after Williams got the flag for the celebration. My thought was pretty much: "You're hanging onto your spot as the starting running back by a thread, if you're not high-fiving each one of your linemen after barely breaking the plane of the end zone, then get your rear end back to the sideline."

Jan 7, 2008, New Orleans, LA, USA: LSU Tigers wide receiver Trindon Holliday (8) with the ball as Ohio State Buckeyes linebacker Marcus Freeman (1) defends in the Tigers 38-24 BCS National Championship victory against the Buckeyes in the Louisiana Superdome. | IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect

Freeman was relatable in talking about his college job, but now I find myself wondering what gets him more upset: watching your running back get a 15 yard penalty for excessive celebration or having to sweep up a floor full of broken peanut shells at midnight on a Friday in Columbus?