USA TODAY Network via Reuters Connect / Michael Caterina-Imagn Images
Marcus Freeman berated Aneyas Williams for an unsportsmanlike celebration.
The Notre Dame football team picked up a Week 3 win over Michigan State on Saturday in South Bend. Running back Aneyas Williams scored a second quarter touchdown in the contest to put the Irish up by 14 points in the first half.
He received an unsportsmanlike conduct penalty after the fact thanks to a choreographed celebration. The ball carrier was then scolded by head coach Marcus Freeman on the sidelines.
I’ve never seen Marcus Freeman this mad on the sidelines
Just a dumb penalty on Aneyas Williams, as Freeman would say “No one is ever worth 15” pic.twitter.com/Js4OJUAtA0
— Mr. Irish (@Mrir1sh) September 21, 2026
Freeman erupted after seeing flags thrown in the endzone during what was still a close game. It cost the Fighting Irish 15 yards on the ensuing kickoff, setting the Spartans up great field position before the end of the half.
Michigan State would take advantage, pushing the ball down the field to score a touchdown in just three plays. Freeman wasn’t happy.
Marcus Freeman berated Aneyas Williams for celebrating.
Here’s the extended version of Marcus Freeman going off on Aneyas Williams.
I have NEVER seen Marcus Freeman this mad since he’s been a coach. Not only did he go off, he kept talking backwards to him.
That’s what we need to see. This would have made Lou Holtz happy. We as…
— CathVSConf☘️ (@CathVSConf) September 21, 2026
The head coach was livid with his running back for the costly penalty. His mistake helped Michigan State cut the lead to 17-10 before the intermission.
Notre Dame would later win the contest 27-10. The celebration did not impact the outcome of the game. Still, Freeman viewed it as a teachable moment, though he admits it should’ve been handled in a different fashion.
“Do that on the sideline, it’s uncalled for. We got to be smarter than that.”
HC Marcus Freeman on Aneyas Williams unsportsmanlike conduct flag. pic.twitter.com/IDl0nDWIhj
— Talia Baia (@taliaontv) September 20, 2026
“I think we all learned from that play, and that moment,” he said in a follow-up press conference. “We can’t hurt our team, but I’ve got to be more aware of what environment I’m in, too…
“We’ve got to keep things in the kitchen… The kitchen is messy and dirty, but nobody can see inside the kitchen. If that situation happened in practice, I have no problem with my animation… But I don’t want outsiders and people that don’t know the relationship I have with our players to see that.”
Freeman admitted that the optics were poor. He acknowledged that his reaction created a negative storyline. It allows rivals to form a narrative on the recruiting trail about his treatment of players.
He should’ve handled it in-house, similar to how he dealt with a similar situation involving Jeremiyah Love.
With that said, the coach wasn’t completely wrong in his response. He preaches accountability. The penalty could’ve been more costly. The timing wasn’t right, but the message was.