ATLANTA — While there are many connections between the Ohio State and Notre Dame football teams, there may be no bond stronger than the friendship of Notre Dame Head Coach Marcus Freeman and Ohio State Linebackers coach James Laurinaitis.

The two former Buckeye linebackers share more about their friendship and what it will look like for them come Monday night.

It’s a friendship that began 20 years ago on the football field in Columbus, Ohio.

“He was always such a gifted athlete," Laurinaitis said. "He pushed me. I was never as athletically gifted anywhere close to what Marcus Freeman was.”

Buckeye Linebackers Laurinaitis and Freeman never could have guessed where their lives would end up two decades later.

“What an awesome blessing," Laurinaitis said. "How many people get to say they’re going against their really good friend in the Natty?”

Laurinaitis (left) and Freeman (right) during move-in day at Ohio state. (AP Photo)

Freeman, the head coach at Notre Dame, and Laurinaitis, the linebackers coach at OSU, who started his coaching career as a graduate assistant at Notre Dame. Now, the two are going head-to-head in the National Championship.

Laurinaitis coaches the linebackers at practice ahead of the National Championship (Spectrum News 1/Cierra Campbell)

“You talk about a guy that you care about more than the game of football," Freeman said. "We have a personal relationship. Our wives know each other really well. Our kids know each other really well. And so he’s a friend and at the end of the day you care about friends. But when the game starts, the game starts. It’s going to be about winning.”

Laurinaitis said Freeman is a friend he can always count on. He remembers how Freeman checked in with him constantly after his dad died in 2020.

Freeman arrives in Atlanta ahead of the National Championship. (Spectrum News 1/Cierra Campbell)

“As you reflect, you’re like, man, that’s a true friend right there," Laurinaitis said. "When you go through one of your worst moments as a human, you find out who your friends really are. It’s easy on social media to post 'hey, thinking about you,' all that. But he consistently called me every day for a couple weeks, and I’ll never forget that.”

It’s a friendship that will stand the test of this game, no matter what happens.

“On Monday I just look forward to shaking his hand, giving him a hug and tell him I’m proud of him and then we go about our way," Laurinaitis said.

“We will forever be close friends regardless of what happens here in this game," Freeman said.