Notre Dame football coach Marcus Freeman was “close” to appearing on “Saturday Night Live” in December before the firing and arrest of former Michigan football coach Sherrone Moore derailed plans, according to comedian Shane Gillis.

During a Tuesday appearance on the “Bussin’ With The Boys” podcast, Gillis, a diehard Fighting Irish fan, explained that he was behind nearly securing Freeman for the “Weekend Update” sketch during the Dec. 13 episode but plans fell through when the Moore scandal dominated headlines three days prior.

“I tried to get him on ‘SNL’ this year,” Gillis said. “And it was close. We were close to getting it done. I was talking to [‘SNL’ creator] Lorne [Michaels] about it, and we were close.

“We were going to have him on ‘Weekend Update,’ and then something happened at the Michigan program that became the biggest story in college football, and not Notre Dame, so we couldn’t do it. For real. It was that week.”

Michigan fired 40-year-old Moore with cause on Dec. 10 for engaging in an “inappropriate” relationship with his executive assistant Paige Shiver — and he was arrested by Pittsfield police later that day for an alleged assault after entering her apartment and threatening to kill himself with butter knives.

Moore, who was charged with felony home invasion, stalking and breaking and entering, was sentenced to 18 months of probation last month.

He pleaded no contest to trespassing and malicious use of a telecommunications device.

A felony home invasion charge was dropped as part of a plea deal.

The 32-year-old Shiver claimed to ABC News that Moore manipulated her during their nearly four-year relationship, which she characterized as an “open secret” within the athletics department.

Moore and his wife, Kelli, who publicly stuck by him throughout the matter, welcomed their third daughter last summer.