After losing defensive coordinator Al Golden to the NFL, Notre Dame football has wasted little time in trying to replace the hole. According to The Athletic’s Pete Sampson, the Irish are considering hiring former Rutgers Scarlet Knights head coach Chris Ash to join head coach Marcus Freeman’s staff as the club looks to build on its College Football Playoff runner-up position this season.
Sampson writes, “Multiple sources tell The Athletic that former Rutgers head coach Chris Ash has emerged as a strong candidate to be Notre Dame’s new defensive coordinator. Ash is a former defensive coordinator at Ohio State.”
Sampson reminds out that Ash and Golden share commonalities. Sampson wrote, “Head coaching experience that did not work out (like Golden).” NFL assistant coach who fell off the radar (like Golden). Not the *hottest name* at the moment of employment (as Golden).”
Ash is best recognized for his time as Rutgers’ head coach from 2016 to 2019, following a successful two-year stint as Ohio State’s defensive coordinator. Ash’s tenure at Piscataway was a complete disaster, with the Scarlet Knights going 8-33 over his three seasons. Rutgers dismissed Ash early in the 2019 season after a 52-0 loss to Michigan, his team’s 14th straight Big Ten loss.
Ash has now moved on to Texas (defensive analyst/defensive coordinator, 2019-20), the Jacksonville Jaguars (safety coach, 2021), and the Las Vegas Raiders (defensive backs coach, 2022-23).
Notre Dame football is heading up after a great season.
Following a heartbreaking 16-14 loss to Northern Illinois on September 7 that may have ended the Irish’s season, Notre Dame went on a remarkable run, winning 13 games in a row to advance to the CFP title game. The Irish rallied from a three-touchdown hole in that game, finally losing 34-23, but the game left Notre Dame fans hopeful for the future.
The Fighting Irish will have to replace several key players, including quarterback Riley Leonard and linebacker Jack Kiser, but Freeman believes his club has reached a point where it can replenish and maintain momentum.
“The outlook of Notre Dame football is extremely high,” Freeman told The Athletic after the championship game. “As long as the people in that locker room that come back understand what it takes, the work these guys have put in, there’s a lot of success in our future.”
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