I Think We Are At The Beginning Of The End For Chris Ash As Defensive Coordinator At Notre Dame
Huge College Football slate this week so we had our big boys break it down with us. I love talking to these guys because they know so much more about football than me. Always feel like I'm learning something when I talk ball with them. And because of that I tried to keep my Notre Dame talk to a minimum. Credit to me.
If I am being honest though...I also didn't want to talk too much ND because I am terrified about tomorrow in Fayetteville. Arkansas isn't a good team. They might end up firing yet another coach. They do have a Cam Newton clone at QB and if Purdue can score 30 against you in South Bend then Arkansas, and in reality everyone else, scares the shit out of me.
Marcus Freeman had a press conference this week that can only be described as...odd when asked about calling the plays and new defensive coordinator Chris Ash
This felt like a "doth protest too much" situation. I didn't really know anything about Chris Ash when he was hired. I assumed the defense would be about as good as last year since they returned a ton of talent from the team that went to the National Championship and have recruited really strong. I trusted whoever they hired to replace Al Golden (after he left for the Cincinnati Bengals) would feel like he landed in heaven and ND would cruise through their schedule. That has NOT been the case so I decided to look at Ash's resume and....it ain't all that impressive if we are being honest.
2012--Wisconsin DC...good defense
2013--Follows Bielema to Arkansas. They go 3-9. He is fired after the season
2014-15 safeties coach and co-DC with Fickell at OSU. Hard to know who was doing what and who deserves credit
2016-19 Head Coach at Rutgers. They absolutely stink and he is fired
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2019--Analyst for Texas
2020--Texas DC. Defense stunk.
2021--Jacksonville Jaguars safeties coach with Urban Meyer. Not retained after season
2022-23 Raiders safeties coach. HC fired, he's not retained
2024--No coaching job. Scout
2025-- Notre Dame DC
Look, it's impossible to know the ins and outs and challenges faced in every stop he's had the last 12 years, but it's also impossible to look at this resume and have confidence that Ash is the guy to take the ND defense where it needs to be.
Which brings us back to the Freeman press conference. A former defensive coordinator himself who seemingly operates effectively as a the CEO of the entire program and team. I don't know how much longer he can give up a zillion points without feeling the need to take control of his defense. The questions are being asked for a reason and I find it impossible to believe that the defensive side of the ball wouldn't be better if Freeman was more hands on. I think this offense could be one of the better and most well-rounded the Irish have had in the last 20 years. The defense is the achilles heel. Freeman needs to step up before the season and the playoffs are lost for good. One more loss and that is the case.