Gerad Parker knows exactly what it's like to go through early failure at Notre Dame. Stepping into a bigger role with the Fighting Irish in 2023, the team's former tight ends coach knows he can rely on that experience for success going forward—just like head coach Marcus Freeman.

Parker was officially named Notre Dame's offensive coordinator on Saturday. He replaces Tommy Rees, who left South Bend to take the same position with Alabama.

Much of Parker's press conference on Monday focused on how he's following Freeman's lead by hoping to build a culture at Notre Dame—still among the most high-profile programs in college football—that makes failure a valuable learning experience rather than something to dwell on.

“This is a tough job. High expectations. All those things. And if you flinch at that, this place will eat you up. And we've also worked hard to get ourselves to this point,” he said, per 247 Sports' Kevin Sinclair. “These are the dreams that me and him talked about time and time again in failure and a lot of it. And the reason we'll now have success is because of those and growing stronger because of them and that's what I will do 'till my time is done.”

Freeman got off to a rough start as a first-year head coach last season, following up a hard-fought loss to eventual CFP Semifinalist Ohio State with a humbling home defeat to Marshall. The Fighting Irish regrouped from there, however, winning eight of their final 10 regular season games before beating No. 19 South Carolina in the Gator Bowl.

Notre Dame finished 2022 at 8-4, the No. 18 team in the country.

Can the Fighting Irish build on that in-season turnaround with an even better 2023? With Parker calling the shots offensively, Freeman sure seems to think so.

“I can't reiterate enough how excited I am for Gerad, and the new direction of our our offense,” he said.