Notre Dame has employed Chris Ash as its defensive coordinator, the varsity introduced on Saturday. The previous Rutgers coach replaces Al Golden, who departed his submit to take the identical job with the Cincinnati Bengals within the NFL.
Ash rose to prominence as defensive coordinator at Ohio State below City Meyer in 2014 and helped lead this system to a nationwide championship. He went on to steer Rutgers for 4 seasons, however was fired after he posted an 8-32 report that included three winless convention campaigns in 4 seasons.
“Chris’ expertise of coordinating and main nice defensive items at a number of locations actually resonated with me,” Notre Dame coach Marcus Freeman mentioned in a press release. “His expertise each within the NFL and as a head coach are useful property he can deliver to our program. Chris has an awesome repute of being a coach who builds robust relationships, whereas concurrently creating his gamers, and that makes him an awesome match for this position.”
He later labored as defensive coordinator below Tom Herman at Texas in 2020 earlier than departing for the NFL. Ash coached numerous secondary roles earlier than spending the 2024 season in a personnel position with the Jacksonville Jaguars. Ash has additionally labored as a defensive coordinator at Wisconsin and Arkansas, in addition to recruiting coordinator at Iowa State.
Ash joins a Notre Dame squad recent off a 14-2 season and look within the Faculty Soccer Playoff Nationwide Championship. The Preventing Irish grew to become the primary workforce to ever win two bowl video games in the identical season and set a program report for wins. The title recreation look was the primary since 2012, however fell quick in a 34-23 loss to Ohio State.
Ash’s trajectory was much like that of Golden, who additionally departed for the NFL after an underwhelming head teaching stint at Miami. Golden spent six years within the NFL, however joined Marcus Freeman’s preliminary workers with the Preventing Irish. Underneath Golden, Notre Dame produced the No. 11 protection in school soccer, together with the No. 1 opposing passer ranking within the nation. The success in the end acquired the eye of the NFL.
