Before his team begins play in the College Football Playoff, Notre Dame coach Marcus Freeman has agreed to a significant contract extension with the school. 

According to Irish Illustrated, Freeman has landed a four-year extension that will make him one of the highest-paid coaches in the country at more than $9 million per year. Freeman has a 30-9 record since taking over the program ahead of the 2022 Fiesta Bowl following the departure of Brian Kelly to LSU. 

“I am grateful for the support of the Board of Trustees, led by John Veihmeyer, President Fr. Bob Dowd, C.S.C., and Director of Athletics Pete Bevacqua,” Freeman said in a statement. “The investment they continue to pour into our program is invaluable to our student-athletes and staff. This commitment goes well beyond myself, as they are dedicated to ensuring all aspects of our program are competitive within the upper echelon of college football.”

Freeman led the Irish to an 11-1 record, a No. 5 ranking this season and the seventh seed with a first-round CFP matchup against tenth-seeded Indiana on tap for Friday night in South Bend. The winner will face No. 2 Georgia in the Sugar Bowl on Jan. 1. 

Notre Dame opened the season with a big road win over Texas A&M, only to then suffer a shocking home loss to Northern Illinois. From there, Notre Dame rattled off 10 consecutive victories to put itself in position for a home first-round game in the College Football Playoff. It’s the third CFP appearance in Notre Dame history. 

Freeman, who arrived at Notre Dame as Kelly’s defensive coordinator in 2021, went 9-4 in his first season and then 10-3 last fall. Before landing in South Bend, Freeman had a four-year stint as the defensive coordinator at Cincinnati. He also coached at Ohio State, Kent State and Purdue following a brief NFL career.