Freeman was a gamble by short-timer Swarbrick at that time.

The rationale he espoused, as we all know, was that keeping the recruiting class together was of such great importance that the gamble on Freeman growing into the job was worth it.

Freeman was, and is, seemingly a great, stand-up guy. His ability as a HC was a complete unknown however. It is becoming a "known" now.

Add in that the landscape of College Football is changing every day now and "long term repercussions" may take us to the end of ND competing in any meaningful way in whatever major college football becomes.