Decided to sum up the previous UHND posts on my scouting of college defensive coordinators and NFL defensive assistants and post the results here. I’m convinced that we’re going to make changes in the Irish defensive coaching staff this coming offseason but I’m sure if they’ll be a complete makeover (three to four new assistants including a new defensive coordinator) or just a fine tuning (adding a “co-defensive coordinator” or a new position coach).
The following list involves either current college defensive assistants who have some kind of connection to Notre Dame (former player or coach, or graduate), Charlie Weis (through South Carolina, the New York Giants, the New England Patriots, or the New York Jets), or another current or previous Notre Dame coach; or, the coach is a defensive position coach in the NFL with extensive college defensive coordinator experience. For some reason I believe that such credentials will be what Weis is looking for if he decides to make a change:
1. Duane Akina (Co-Defensive Coordinator/Defensive Backs coach, Texas Longhorns): coached offense and defense with Rob Ianello at Arizona
2. Chris Ball (secondary coach, Alabama Crimson Tide): defensive backs and special teams coach under Gerry Faust at Akron
3. Greg Blache (defensive line coach, Washington Redskins): Notre Dame graduate; Notre Dame assistant coach/defensive line (1973-1975; 1981-1983)
4. Kevin Coyle (secondary coach, Cincinnati Bengals): college defensive coordinator, 1986-2000 (Holy Cross, Syracuse, Maryland, Fresno State)
5. Joe Cullen (defensive line, Detroit Lions): college defensive coordinator, 1997-98, 2000, 2002-04 (Richmond, Indiana)
13. Jim Herrmann (linebackers coach, New York Jets): college defensive coordinator, 1997-2005 (Michigan)
14. Pepper Johnson (defensive line coach, New England Patriots): New York Giants linebacker (1985-1992), New York Jets linebacker (1998-1999), New England Patriots assistant coach (2001-present)
15. Denny Marcin (defensive line coach, New York Jets): college defensive coordinator, 1974-87, 1992-96 (Miami of Ohio, North Carolina, Illinois)
16. Don Martindale (linebackers coach, Oakland Raiders): college defensive coordinator, 1987, 1999, 2003 (Defiance, Western Illinois, Western Kentucky)
- Notre Dame defensive assistant (1994-95)
- Rick Minter’s DE/LB coach at Cincinnati (1996-98)
18. Joe Palermo (Defensive Line coach, Miami Hurricanes): Notre Dame Defensive Line Coach, 1988-89, defensive line coach under Barry Alvarez at Wisconsin
19. Fred Pagac (linebackers coach, Minnesota Vikings): college defensive coordinator, 1996-1999 (Ohio State)
20. Willy Robinson (secondary coach, St. Louis Rams): college defensive coordinator, 1988-93, 1999 (Fresno State, Oregon State)
21. Schottenheimer, Kurt (secondary coach, Green Bay Packers): Notre Dame outside linebackers coach (1986)
22. Randy Shannon (Defensive Coordinator, Miami Hurricanes): linebackers coach, Miami Dolphins, alongside then Dolphins DB coach Bill Lewis
23. Phil Snow (linebackers coach, Detroit Lions): college defensive coordinator, 1980-81, 1983-86, 1995-2004 (Laney College, Boise State, Arizona State, UCLA, Washington)
24. Richard Solomon (defensive backs, Arizona Cardinals): college defensive coordinator, 1973, 1980-86 (Dubuque, Illinois); New York Giants assistant coach (1987-1991)
25. Charlie Strong (Assistant Head Coach/Co-Defensive Coordinator/Linebackers, Florida Gators): Notre Dame Defensive Line Coach (1995-1998)
26. Mel Tucker (defensive backs coach, Cleveland Browns): college co-defensive coordinator, 2001-04 (Ohio State)
27. Bob Trott (defensive assistant, Cleveland Browns): college defensive coordinator, 1989-90, 1996-2004 (Arkansas, Clemson, Duke, Baylor, Louisiana-Monroe); New England Patriots assistant coach (1993-1995)
28. Washburn, Jim (defensive line coach, Tennessee Titans): South Carolina assistant coach (1983-1988)
29. Keith Willis (defensive line coach, Boston College Eagles): defensive line coach under Rick Minter at Cincinnati
There are also many other assistants/position coaches who might be interested and available to make the jump to Notre Dame, from college programs that have fielded top defenses for at least two of the past three seasons (Alabama, Auburn, Boston College, Clemson, Florida, Florida State, Georgia, Louisville, LSU, Miami, Missouri, N.C. State, Ohio State, Oklahoma, Penn State, Southern Cal, Texas, Virginia Tech & Wisconsin) but I’ll leave them out for now.
Charlie could promote a current college or NFL position coach to be the (co-)defensive coordinator at Notre Dame. Or, bring a current college position coach into a bigger program (and probably more money) to coach the same position for the Irish. I’m not sure exactly what changes need to be made, but looking over the recruiting rankings for our starting front seven and their backups, I feel like we’re going to see some new faces coaching the defensive line and linebackers next year at the very least. These guys are just too good on paper to not be a Top 25 ranked defense:
DE Chris Frome: #10 DE (Rivals/****); #45 DE (Scout/***)
DT Derek Landri: #2 DT (Scout/*****); #3 OL (Rivals/****)
Decided to sum up the previous UHND posts on my scouting of college defensive coordinators and NFL defensive assistants and post the results here. I’m convinced that we’re going to make changes in the Irish defensive coaching staff this coming offseason but I’m sure if they’ll be a complete makeover (three to four new assistants including a new defensive coordinator) or just a fine tuning (adding a “co-defensive coordinator” or a new position coach).
The following list involves either current college defensive assistants who have some kind of connection to Notre Dame (former player or coach, or graduate), Charlie Weis (through South Carolina, the New York Giants, the New England Patriots, or the New York Jets), or another current or previous Notre Dame coach; or, the coach is a defensive position coach in the NFL with extensive college defensive coordinator experience. For some reason I believe that such credentials will be what Weis is looking for if he decides to make a change:
1. Duane Akina (Co-Defensive Coordinator/Defensive Backs coach, Texas Longhorns): coached offense and defense with Rob Ianello at Arizona
2. Chris Ball (secondary coach, Alabama Crimson Tide): defensive backs and special teams coach under Gerry Faust at Akron
3. Greg Blache (defensive line coach, Washington Redskins): Notre Dame graduate; Notre Dame assistant coach/defensive line (1973-1975; 1981-1983)
4. Kevin Coyle (secondary coach, Cincinnati Bengals): college defensive coordinator, 1986-2000 (Holy Cross, Syracuse, Maryland, Fresno State)
5. Joe Cullen (defensive line, Detroit Lions): college defensive coordinator, 1997-98, 2000, 2002-04 (Richmond, Indiana)
6. Kirk Doll (linebackers coach, Denver Broncos): Notre Dame linebackers coach (1994-2001)
7. Mark Duffner (linebackers coach, Jacksonville Jaguars): college defensive coordinator, 1977-85 (Cincinnati, Holy Cross)
8. Ken Flajole (linebackers coach, Carolina Panthers): college defensive coordinator, 1980-85, 1994, 1996-97 (Montana, Richmond, Nevada)
9. David Gibbs (defensive backs, Kansas City Chiefs): college defensive coordinator, 1997-2000, 2005 (Minnesota, Auburn)
10. Jay Hayes (defensive line coach, Cincinnati Bengals): Notre Dame defensive line coach (1989), outside linebackers coach (1990-91)
11. Tom Hayes (defensive backs coach, New Orleans Saints): college defensive coordinator, 1979, 1982-88, 1991-94, 2001, 2005 (Cal-State Fullerton, UCLA, Oklahoma, Kansas, Stanford)
12. Chuck Heater (Recruiting Coordinator/Cornerbacks, Florida Gators): Notre Dame Secondary Coach from 1988-1990
13. Jim Herrmann (linebackers coach, New York Jets): college defensive coordinator, 1997-2005 (Michigan)
14. Pepper Johnson (defensive line coach, New England Patriots): New York Giants linebacker (1985-1992), New York Jets linebacker (1998-1999), New England Patriots assistant coach (2001-present)
15. Denny Marcin (defensive line coach, New York Jets): college defensive coordinator, 1974-87, 1992-96 (Miami of Ohio, North Carolina, Illinois)
16. Don Martindale (linebackers coach, Oakland Raiders): college defensive coordinator, 1987, 1999, 2003 (Defiance, Western Illinois, Western Kentucky)
- Notre Dame defensive assistant (1994-95)
- Rick Minter’s DE/LB coach at Cincinnati (1996-98)
17. Greg Mattison (Co-Defensive Coordinator/Defensive Line, Florida Gators): Notre Dame Defensive Coordinator/Defensive Line Coach (1997-2004)
18. Joe Palermo (Defensive Line coach, Miami Hurricanes): Notre Dame Defensive Line Coach, 1988-89, defensive line coach under Barry Alvarez at Wisconsin
19. Fred Pagac (linebackers coach, Minnesota Vikings): college defensive coordinator, 1996-1999 (Ohio State)
20. Willy Robinson (secondary coach, St. Louis Rams): college defensive coordinator, 1988-93, 1999 (Fresno State, Oregon State)
21. Schottenheimer, Kurt (secondary coach, Green Bay Packers): Notre Dame outside linebackers coach (1986)
22. Randy Shannon (Defensive Coordinator, Miami Hurricanes): linebackers coach, Miami Dolphins, alongside then Dolphins DB coach Bill Lewis
23. Phil Snow (linebackers coach, Detroit Lions): college defensive coordinator, 1980-81, 1983-86, 1995-2004 (Laney College, Boise State, Arizona State, UCLA, Washington)
24. Richard Solomon (defensive backs, Arizona Cardinals): college defensive coordinator, 1973, 1980-86 (Dubuque, Illinois); New York Giants assistant coach (1987-1991)
25. Charlie Strong (Assistant Head Coach/Co-Defensive Coordinator/Linebackers, Florida Gators): Notre Dame Defensive Line Coach (1995-1998)
26. Mel Tucker (defensive backs coach, Cleveland Browns): college co-defensive coordinator, 2001-04 (Ohio State)
27. Bob Trott (defensive assistant, Cleveland Browns): college defensive coordinator, 1989-90, 1996-2004 (Arkansas, Clemson, Duke, Baylor, Louisiana-Monroe); New England Patriots assistant coach (1993-1995)
28. Washburn, Jim (defensive line coach, Tennessee Titans): South Carolina assistant coach (1983-1988)
29. Keith Willis (defensive line coach, Boston College Eagles): defensive line coach under Rick Minter at Cincinnati
There are also many other assistants/position coaches who might be interested and available to make the jump to Notre Dame, from college programs that have fielded top defenses for at least two of the past three seasons (Alabama, Auburn, Boston College, Clemson, Florida, Florida State, Georgia, Louisville, LSU, Miami, Missouri, N.C. State, Ohio State, Oklahoma, Penn State, Southern Cal, Texas, Virginia Tech & Wisconsin) but I’ll leave them out for now.
Charlie could promote a current college or NFL position coach to be the (co-)defensive coordinator at Notre Dame. Or, bring a current college position coach into a bigger program (and probably more money) to coach the same position for the Irish. I’m not sure exactly what changes need to be made, but looking over the recruiting rankings for our starting front seven and their backups, I feel like we’re going to see some new faces coaching the defensive line and linebackers next year at the very least. These guys are just too good on paper to not be a Top 25 ranked defense:
DE Chris Frome: #10 DE (Rivals/****); #45 DE (Scout/***)
DT Derek Landri: #2 DT (Scout/*****); #3 OL (Rivals/****)
DT Trevor Laws: #12 DT (Scout/****); #16 DT (Rivals/****)
DE Victor Abiamiri: #3 DE (Rivals/*****); #9 DE (Scout/****)
LB Mitchell Thomas: #25 LB (Rivals/***); #34 LB (Scout/***)
LB Maurice Crum: #17 LB (Rivals/***); #59 LB (Scout/***)
LB Travis Thomas: #16 RB (Scout/****); #31 RB (Rivals/***)
Experienced (non-freshman) reserves (front seven):
LB Anthony Vernaglia: #5 ATH (Rivals/****); #18 LB (Scout/****)
DT Travis Leitko: #10 DE (Rivals/****); #12 DE (Scout/****)
LB Scott Smith: #17 LB (Rivals/***); #80 LB (Scout/***)
LB Joe Brockington: #22 LB (Rivals/***); #38 LB (Scout/***)
LB Kevin Washington: #37 LB (Rivals/***); #52 S (Scout/***)
DE Dwight Stevenson: #38 LB (Rivals/***); #59 DE (Scout/***)
DT Derrell Hand: #39 DT (Rivals/***); #49 DT (Scout/***)
DT Patrick Kuntz: #49 DT (Rivals/***); #63 DT (Scout/***)
LB Nick Borseti: #58 LB (Rivals/***); #97 LB (Scout/**)
LB Steven Quinn: NR LB (Scout/***); NR LB (Rivals/**)
DE Justin Brown: NR DE( Scout/**); NR DE (Rivals/**)
I think we could also add Crennel, Amato, and Shannon.