Former Texas Longhorns DC Hired by Notre Dame
![Nov 27, 2020; Austin, TX, USA; Texas Longhorns defensive coordinator Chris Ash looks on during a timeout late in the fourth quarter against Iowa State Cyclones during NCAA college football game at Darrell K Royal-Texas Memorial Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Ricardo B. Brazziell-USA TODAY NETWORK Nov 27, 2020; Austin, TX, USA; Texas Longhorns defensive coordinator Chris Ash looks on during a timeout late in the fourth quarter against Iowa State Cyclones during NCAA college football game at Darrell K Royal-Texas Memorial Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Ricardo B. Brazziell-USA TODAY NETWORK](https://images2.minutemediacdn.com/image/upload/c_crop,w_2000,h_1125,x_0,y_272/c_fill,w_720,ar_16:9,f_auto,q_auto,g_auto/images/ImagnImages/mmsport/longhorns_country/01jjsw5ykczm0yc57zm7.jpg)
Former Texas Longhorns defensive coordinator Chris Ash is back in the collegiate ranks, and with another storied program at that.
According to ESPN's Pete Thamel, Ash has accepted the defensive coordinator position with the Notre Dame Fighting Irish. He replaces Al Golden, who left to accept the same job with the Cincinnati Bengals following last week's national championship game.
Sources: Chris Ash has accepted the job as the Notre Dame’s new defensive coordinator. Ash brings a blend of coordinating experience, NFL experience and high-end results as a collegiate coordinator. A deal is expected to be finalized in the near future. pic.twitter.com/1qOjdpb6jf
— Pete Thamel (@PeteThamel) January 29, 2025
Ash, 51, joined the Longhorns during the 2019 season following a failed stint as head coach at Rutgers. The move reunited him with then-head coach Tom Herman, whom he previously worked with at Ohio State.
He started out as a defensive analyst in 2019, but was promoted to defensive coordinator for the 2020 season. His lone season as defensive coordinator was a struggle, as Texas allowed 28.5 points and 406.6 yards per game. When the Longhorns moved on from Herman at the end of the year, Ash left the team as well.
Since then, Ash has worked exclusively as an assistant at the NFL level. He was a safeties coach with the Jacksonville Jaguars in 2021 - working under former Ohio State head coach Urban Meyer in a tumultous season - then a defensive backs coach with the Las Vegas Raiders from 2022-23. He spent last season as a scout for the Jaguars.
Ash has plenty of defensive-coordinator experience for power-conference teams. Prior to joining the Longhorns, he held the role at Ohio State (2014-15, co-defensive coordinator), Arkansas (2013) and Wisconsin (2011-12). He has also coached players such as Joey Bosa, Marshon Lattimore and Denzel Ward.
Ironically, Kyle Flood, Ash's predecessor at Rutgers, is now the Longhorns' offensive coordinator under Steve Sarkisian.
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