on Saturday night as Notre Dame took the field against Texas am one thing was clear Marcus Freeman was confident from the moment the team stepped onto Kyle Field it was evident that the third-year Notre Dame head coach felt good about his team's Chances The Confidence was palpable especially if you noticed Freeman's gesture during the team's grand entrance before kickoff he pointed to the section of Notre Dame fans seated near the Irish tunnel it wasn't just a random acknowledgement it was a subtle signal the final piece of the game plan Freeman was telling his team exactly where they would be celebrating after securing their biggest road victory in over a decade the game that followed was anything but easy Notre Dame faced one of the most formidable defensive lines in college football the contest was a hard-fought battle with both teams trading blows throughout the night there were moments when it seemed like Notre Dame might falter as they struggled to find consistent Rhythm against Texas am's Relentless defense but despite the difficulties Notre Dame stayed true to Freeman's plan they fought through every challenge showing resilience and determination that mirrored their coach's confidence and in the end they followed his final order to the letter celebrating their Victory with the loyal Notre Dame fans who had traveled all the way to College Station Texas Freeman's approach to this game had a classic feel to it reminiscent of legendary Notre Dame coaches like Lou Holtz and Digger Phelps Holtz who famously told his players that a big game didn't have to be close for TV knew how to instill confidence in his team one of his most iconic IC moments came in 1988 the night before Notre Dame's legendary Catholics vs convict's game against Miami Holts had each player talk about the big plays they would make the following day and Incredibly they went out and did just that pulling off one of the most memorable upsets in college football history similarly Digger Phelps the former Notre Dame basketball coach once had his team practice cutting down the Nets before they ended UCLA's famous winning streak it was a bold move one that required immense confidence and belief in his team's ability to execute under pressure when the time came Phelps team did exactly what they had practiced delivering a historic win Marcus Freeman channeled that same kind of confidence and belief on Saturday night he trusted in his players and instilled in them a sense of inevitability about their success it wasn't just about Xs and Os it was about mindset about believing that victory was not just possible but inevitable and now as Notre Dame basks in the glow of this huge win the future looks incred incredibly bright this Victory wasn't just about beating Texas AM it was a statement about what's to come Freeman and his team have set the stage for an exciting 2024 season with everything and I mean everything still ahead of them this win will be remembered as a turning point a moment when Marcus Freeman's confidence became contagious spreading from coach to player to Fan it's the kind of confidence that great teams are built on and for Notre Dame it could be the start of something truly special if you enjoyed this video don't forget to like follow And subscribe to my YouTube channel for more updates