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Notre Dame lands former Big Ten head coach for DC role, per report

Published: Jan 29, 2025 · 3:36 PM EST

Notre Dame has reportedly found the next defensive coordinator for Marcus Freeman, pulling a prominent name and former Big Ten head coach back to college football.

According to multiple reports, including ESPN’s Pete Thamel, the Fighting Irish have agreed to terms with Chris Ash to become the new DC. It will be Ash’s 5th stint as a power program DC, and Thamel cited NFL experience as appealing to Notre Dame. That aspect is not surprising with former DC Al Golden coming to South Bend after stints in the NFL for the Detroit Lions and the Cincinnati Bengals before heading back to the Bengals as a DC.

This will mark Ash’s fifth stint as a power conference DC. Ash worked as Ohio State’s co-defensive coordinator on the school’s 2014 title team and has been part of four B10 titles. He’s coached four Top 25 defenses and players like Joey Bosa, Marshon Lattimore and Denzel Ward.
— Pete Thamel (@PeteThamel) January 29, 2025

Ash’s first major DC stint came at Wisconsin under Bret Bielema before following Bielema to Arkansas in 2013. After just one season with the Razorbacks, Ash wound up at Ohio State on the staff of Urban Meyer, helping lead the Buckeyes to the 2014 national championship.

The longtime defensive assistant would go on to serve as the head coach at Rutgers from 2016-19, leading a disastrous tenure that saw the Scarlet Knights go 8-32 overall with just 3 conference wins in that time frame. He has since bounced around with various roles at Texas (including a DC stint) and time in the NFL with the Las Vegas Raiders and Jacksonville Jaguars.

Now, Ash will try and keep the impressive defensive results rolling for the Fighting Irish.

Paul Harvey

Paul Harvey lives in Atlanta and covers SEC football.