Notre Dame is in the midst of a serious crisis, and Marcus Freeman is feeling the pressure like he’s caught in front of a flamethrower. The Irish have taken big hits—losing key players, staff, and even their GM to rivals, the NFL, and the transfer portal. The core of Freeman’s program is under attack. But just when it seemed like things couldn’t get worse, a potential game-changing move could offer some hope. Enter 51-year-old Chris Ash.
Fox Sports’ RJ Young doesn’t hold back: “This is a huge win for Marcus Freeman because Chris Ash knows what it takes to coach a defense that wins a national championship.” He pointed to Ash’s time at Ohio State in 2014, when the Buckeyes, led by Urban Meyer, bulldozed through Alabama and Oregon on their way to the title.
Young didn’t stop there: “You’re also getting a guy with head coaching experience—Chris Ash, who was the head coach at Rutgers, though his time there didn’t go well. Greg Schiano ended up taking over, and it seems like Schiano’s only place to win is at Rutgers.” Let’s be honest—Freeman didn’t just lose Al Golden to the Cincinnati Bengals.
He also lost three of his top offensive linemen, saw GM Chad Bowden head to USC (for a paycheck that’s four times bigger, by the way), and watched his defensive unit take a hit. The guy was struggling. But now? He’s throwing a Hail Mary with Ash, hoping they can rebuild Notre Dame’s defense and stop the damage.
Notre Dame boasted one of the top defenses in the country in 2024, giving up just 15.5 points per game, with only four teams performing better—Ohio State being one of them, the same team that dashed their championship dreams in January. So the big question is: can Chris Ash maintain or even improve upon what Al Golden built? Let’s take a look at his track record.
After Al Golden left for the NFL, Notre Dame turned to another former college head coach to take over the defense. ESPN’s Pete Thamel reported that Chris Ash, the former Rutgers head coach and experienced defensive coach, is now officially in charge.
While Ash’s time at Rutgers was less than stellar (8-33 record, yikes), his defensive credentials are strong. He was co-defensive coordinator at Ohio State in 2014 when the Buckeyes dominated Alabama and Oregon to win the national title. That Ohio State defense was physical, fast, and relentless. Ash also had stints at Wisconsin, Arkansas, and in the NFL with the Jaguars and Raiders. His most recent role? A scout for Jacksonville in 2024. Now, he’s back in college football, tasked with restoring Notre Dame’s defensive identity.
One of the interesting things about Ash is his deep Big Ten connections, which is important because Notre Dame still recruits heavily in that region. RJ Young pointed out that Ash has experience working with Al Golden at Wisconsin, and he’s very familiar with the Big Ten and its recruiting landscape. That familiarity can help, especially when keeping a strong roster intact, which is just as important as high school recruiting in today’s transfer portal era. Freeman needs stability now more than ever.
Ash is stepping into a difficult situation. Freeman has already lost key defensive players like Jack Kiser, Xavier Watts, and Rylie Mills, but he still has some key talent left with Drayk Bowen, Adon Shuler, and Jaiden Ausberry returning. Notre Dame’s defense can still be elite, but Ash has to make an impact quickly. Freeman is running out of time—he’s already had to reshuffle his staff, and if this move doesn’t work out, the noise around his job security will only grow louder. For now, Chris Ash is in charge. The real question is—can he turn things around before it’s too late?
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