ND Defensive Coordinator search- 2025

[NDPhilly]

there has to be a story here as to why Freeman likes him so much, we didn’t just miss on 10 better candidates. Al Golden was one of the nations highest paid DCs And whoever we hire will be inheriting a top five defense.

 

[IrishTusker]

there has to be a story here as to why Freeman likes him so much, we didn’t just miss on 10 better candidates. Al Golden was one of the nations highest paid DCs And whoever we hire will be inheriting a top five defense.

Because Tressel likes him

 

[Cpnd1]

 

[RipWheeler]

Because Tressel likes him

Yeah I’m already sick of Tressel. That dudes allegiance is to OSU.

 

[IrishTusker]

Leonhard is going to be an NFL DC? Watch OSU grab him lol

 

[NotKoon]

The only shred of hope I have about this is that it’ll be Co-DCs with Mickens and that they wanted someone with experience to be the guy with him and that Ash was the best fit they could get within those parameters

 

[SoIll]

You can’t compare the talent Golden had at Miami and the talent Rutgers pulls.

He didn’t have big time talent in Miami. They were hit hard with recruiting violations, which they lied to him about during the hiring process.

 

[IrishWayDomer]

Anybody have any credible data or information on how he is as a recruiter?

Did you SEE his Wikipedia picture?

 

[stlnd01]

A 51 year old being unemployed since 2023 speaks to me. Like, no one else wanted him?

It looks like he spent this season in some sort of scouting role for the Jaguars. But, yeah, has been moving down the food chain for awhile now.

Source: Jaguars Hire Chris Ash in Scouting Role

According to a source, Chris Ash is back with the Jaguars in a scouting role

www.si.com

 

[IrishLax]

He was co-DC at Ohio State and they were 13th and 7th in the country in FEI.

At Wiscy and Arkansas they were 88th, 22nd, and 45th.

But most recently — at Texas — they were 37th which is just truly abysmal for the amount of talent that school brings in even during down years.

So he has a track record of being “mid” at best, and we are forfeiting continuity from going with Mickens. If Mickens walks because of this hire then I’m gonna be baffled and disappointed.

 

[BobbyMac]

Big timey to small timey quicker than a Lucid Air Sapphire goes 0-60.

I feel like I just got shot in the face with rock salt.

 

[NDPhilly]

Al Golden was also an out of left field higher that most people were not a fan of, for what it’s worth. There’s obviously something Freeman is looking for outside of just Reading off the list of top defenses in the country.

 

[GoldenAura]

If Freeman is making this choice primarily because of Tressel…. yikes. Take charge and make your own damn decisions. This sucks.

 

[IrishSpartan]

Ahh it seems Driskell is pissed

 

[irish2104]

ISD saying that could be a really good situation if everything falls into place

 

[IrishTusker]

Al Golden was also an out of left field higher that most people were not a fan of, for what it’s worth. There’s obviously something Freeman is looking for outside of just Reading off the list of top defenses in the country.

Golden was a successful enough HC at Temple to get a bigger job. Not true here. He was also coming from a someone prominent NFL job. Not true here.

 

[KMac151993]

Maybe work at beating OSU and not being OSU.

 

[NotKoon]

He didn’t have big time talent in Miami. They were hit hard with recruiting violations, which they lied to him about during the hiring process.

Golden was also the guy to turn Temple around. The first coach to have any success there and built the base that Adazzio, Rhule and Diaz all got P5 gigs from. Ash has nothing like that on his resume

 

[RipWheeler]

Ahh it seems Driskell is pissed

Run out of Mtn. Dew?

 

[IrishSpartan]

Could we be wrong and this be a position coach hire? MM to DC and him to safeties?

 

[jpachuta33]

Al Golden was also an out of left field higher that most people were not a fan of, for what it’s worth. There’s obviously something Freeman is looking for outside of just Reading off the list of top defenses in the country.

Love the optimism, but this guy is fucking abysmal. If I am wrong, I’ll gladly eat a crows ass.

 

[IrishTusker]

Maybe work at beating OSU and not being OSU.

Lol, we aren't OSU. OSU will hire a big time DC

 

[DomeFieldAdvantage]

Looking at DFEI from his experience and the place before and after, it seems like he never really elevated a place. His year at Arkansas actually saw a massive decline while the Ohio State years were essentially par for the course for them, with a slight increase when he left.

 

[Cpnd1]

His time at Texas was with Herman when they were in free fall to be fair, and sounds like he was an interim DC?

 

[IrishTusker]

Could we be wrong and this be a position coach hire? MM to DC and him to safeties?

No, that's not what's being reported.

 

[arndtjc]

Death, taxes, Notre Dame Football lowering their own ceiling with bad hires

 

[IrishTusker]

ISD saying that could be a really good situation if everything falls into place

Why?

 

[Ndaccountant]

He was co-DC at Ohio State and they were 13th and 7th in the country in FEI.

At Wiscy and Arkansas they were 88th, 22nd, and 45th.

But most recently — at Texas — they were 37th which is just truly abysmal for the amount of talent that school brings in even during down years.

So he has a track record of being “mid” at best, and we are forfeiting continuity from going with Mickens. If Mickens walks because of this hire then I’m gonna be baffled and disappointed.

That texas is grain of salt with Tom Herman on his last legs. All other years are fair game IMO, but that one, especially 2020, shouldn't be used.

 

[IrishTusker]

BVG redux? A bad DC hire could ruin Freeman.

 

[Dale]

Ash and Mickens walks is bad

Ash + Mickens is interesting.