Since Al Golden left to become the defensive coordinator for the Cincinnati Bengals, Notre Dame has been looking for his successor. This was not going to be an easy task. The Irish defense was one of, if not the best in the country this season. They averaged 15.5 points per game allowed (5th best in the country), and 307.4 yards per game (11th best in the country). Their defense against the pass was their greatest strength, allowing only 169.4 yards through the air (4th best in the country). The team’s identity centered around the play of the defense.
Whoever the Irish were going to hire was gonna have big shoes to fill, especially coming off a National Championship appearance and a lot of players returning. There’s an expectation that the next defensive coordinator should keep them playing at a similar level.
A task Notre Dame has given to Chris Ash. According to multiple reports, Chris Ash is expected to be named the new defensive coordinator for Notre Dame. But who is Chris Ash, and what will his arrival have on the defense and the team?
Who is Chris Ash?
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Ash was born on December 24th, 1973, in Ottumwa, Iowa. He played college football at Drake University as a defensive back. Ash earned two lettermen while at Drake. However, he knew playing the game wasn’t in his future. This caused him to get a job on Drake’s coaching staff as a graduate assistant. After only a year in that position, he was promoted to defensive coordinator where he spent the next two seasons.
Ash bounced around several schools between 2000-2015, including Ohio State in 2014 where he won a National Championship. However, in 2016, Ash finally got a shot to run a football team. Rutgers named Ash their head coach, hoping he could help them compete in the BIG 10 (which they had just joined). Unfortunately for both sides, it didn’t work out that way. Ash was the head coach for three and a half seasons going 8-32 and 3-26 in conference play. Rutgers was also on a 14-game losing streak to conference opponents, and a 16-game losing streak to Power Five opponents.
After losing his job at Rutgers, Ash joined the Texas coaching staff as a defensive analyst. Similar to his time at Drake, it only took him one season to be promoted to defensive coordinator. However, in 2021, he decided to shake things up and took his first job coaching in the NFL with the Jaguars. He bounced around between the Jags and the Raiders from 2021-2024 until being hired by Notre Dame.
What Does This Mean for Notre Dame’s Defense
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Ash’s defense has gone through many changes over his extensive coaching career. However, most recently, he’s been running an aggressive 4-3 defense, emphasizing running blitz plays and pressuring the quarterback. He’s also been known to put his defensive into zone coverages. He favors Cover Three and has his defensive backs take away the outside. This is the biggest change from Golden who almost exclusively had his coverage be man-to-man.
However, the biggest question on every Notre Dame fan’s mind is what this means for Mike Mickens. Mickens has been on the Irish staff since 2020 and was seen as a favorite to get the job. But with him getting passed over, his future was up in the area. But, all reports suggested Mickens will stay on staff. Some have even said he’s expected to be named co-defensive coordinator. This signals that Mickens is next in line for the job. He’ll learn under Ash for the next few seasons, then take over when his time comes.
Ash has also been praised for his ability as a recruiter. As mentioned in the Mickens article, when you have Marcus Freeman, being a good recruiter isn’t a top priority. However, having someone like Ash might be just what a recruit needs to push them to the Irish. Although it’s not the flashiest higher, it’s a smart one for Notre Dame.
Brian Germinaro is a sportswriter for Belly Up Sports. Follow him on Twitter/X for more sports coverage and Belly Up Sports for even more college football content. Feature image credit: Icon Sportswire.