Some tidbits we've gathered on the search, plus some news and notes floating around:
*** Once the news of defensive coordinator Clark Lea's departure became official, many assumed that Brian Kelly would hire from within. That still may be the case, and defensive line coach Mike Elston and safeties coach Terry Joseph are the leading in-house candidates. However, from what we’re hearing and from Kelly's comments himself, that is not a foregone conclusion.
“There are other openings for coordinator positions, so we can't be sitting on our hands as we look around the country, or even internally,” Kelly said Thursday morning. “We have to be able to look at this from a perspective of there are candidates out there that are being looked at by other schools as well … we've got to be on top of it.”
Notre Dame has a four down-linemen base defense but fronts have to be multiple in modern football. Kelly recognizes that, so hiring a defensive coordinator that is going to keep the Mike Elko/Lea system exactly intact is not a necessity in the hiring process.
“As long as the system can marry with our recruiting, that's the most important thing,” Kelly said. “I'm open to what the system looks like — it doesn't necessarily have to be always four down [linemen]. We can be in some three down and some four down.
“But it can't be — we're not going to a 3-4 defense. We will be a team that is continuously looking at our personnel that we've been recruiting to match the scheme.”
*** One external name we've heard, from two different sources, is that there is some mutual interest in is former Michigan defensive coordinator Don Brown. The feeling here is that if Brown, 65, could be an option if Kelly does not think any internal candidates are ready for the defensive coordinator position. Kelly and Brown have never coached together, but both are from Massachusetts and have known each other for quite some time. Michigan fired Brown a couple weeks ago after five seasons.
Recruiting prowess will also be extremely important and highly mandated in the new hire.
*** If Joseph isn't hired as defensive coordinator, could he go to LSU, which his cousin, Mickey Joseph, is a staff member on? Joseph is a Louisiana native and has his roots in that state, which has not exactly been a hotbed for Notre Dame in the past few years.
From FootballScoop's John Brice: "Additionally, sources have told FootballScoop that current Notre Dame defensive backs coach/pass game coordinator Terry Joseph has emerged as a candidate to join LSU’s staff as they remake their entire defensive staff. Joseph is a New Orleans, Louisiana, native with deep ties to the state and has a cousin, Mickey Joseph, already on the Tigers’ staff as the wide receivers coach."
*** Cincinnati defensive coordinator Marcus Freeman, who has worked with current Irish cornerbacks coach Mike Mickens, also has been mentioned as a top potential candidate to look at. Our understanding is that Freeman would be inclined to say with head coach Luke Fickell at Cincinnati unless the right head-coaching opportunity arises. One source also indicated that for both recruiting purposes in the South and because of the style of offenses to contend with in the SEC, there could be some candidates from that area of the country that will be evaluated.
*** Some folks on the Texas side of things were floating around for weeks that the Longhorns would have interest in Kelly. Despite the Texas brass backing Tom Herman a few weeks ago, they fired him this weekend, and Alabama offensive coordinator Steve Sarkisian was quickly announced as the successor. It was extremely difficult to buy into Kelly leaving for another college job. I believe Kelly will finish his coaching career at Notre Dame.
*** He wants to finish his career with a national championship at Notre Dame, and to achieve that, he may need to be more aggressive. Does hiring from within get Notre Dame to the next level, or is the answer another external hire, as Elko and Lea were in 2017? Although we have been skeptical about Elko interviewing again for the defensive coordinator position and leaving Texas A&M to go back to Notre Dame, we have been told that “it could have legs” and a formal interview could happen pretty soon.
Notre Dame was aggressive with taking a big 2021 recruiting class, but will they continue bringing in more players via the transfer portal? It would make sense if the Irish looked at taking a stopgap, grad transfer quarterback, especially if there are long term concerns about Brendon Clark's “cranky” knee.
*** Once the news of defensive coordinator Clark Lea's departure became official, many assumed that Brian Kelly would hire from within. That still may be the case, and defensive line coach Mike Elston and safeties coach Terry Joseph are the leading in-house candidates. However, from what we’re hearing and from Kelly's comments himself, that is not a foregone conclusion.
“There are other openings for coordinator positions, so we can't be sitting on our hands as we look around the country, or even internally,” Kelly said Thursday morning. “We have to be able to look at this from a perspective of there are candidates out there that are being looked at by other schools as well … we've got to be on top of it.”
Notre Dame has a four down-linemen base defense but fronts have to be multiple in modern football. Kelly recognizes that, so hiring a defensive coordinator that is going to keep the Mike Elko/Lea system exactly intact is not a necessity in the hiring process.
“As long as the system can marry with our recruiting, that's the most important thing,” Kelly said. “I'm open to what the system looks like — it doesn't necessarily have to be always four down [linemen]. We can be in some three down and some four down.
“But it can't be — we're not going to a 3-4 defense. We will be a team that is continuously looking at our personnel that we've been recruiting to match the scheme.”
*** One external name we've heard, from two different sources, is that there is some mutual interest in is former Michigan defensive coordinator Don Brown. The feeling here is that if Brown, 65, could be an option if Kelly does not think any internal candidates are ready for the defensive coordinator position. Kelly and Brown have never coached together, but both are from Massachusetts and have known each other for quite some time. Michigan fired Brown a couple weeks ago after five seasons.
Recruiting prowess will also be extremely important and highly mandated in the new hire.
*** If Joseph isn't hired as defensive coordinator, could he go to LSU, which his cousin, Mickey Joseph, is a staff member on? Joseph is a Louisiana native and has his roots in that state, which has not exactly been a hotbed for Notre Dame in the past few years.
From FootballScoop's John Brice: "Additionally, sources have told FootballScoop that current Notre Dame defensive backs coach/pass game coordinator Terry Joseph has emerged as a candidate to join LSU’s staff as they remake their entire defensive staff. Joseph is a New Orleans, Louisiana, native with deep ties to the state and has a cousin, Mickey Joseph, already on the Tigers’ staff as the wide receivers coach."
*** Cincinnati defensive coordinator Marcus Freeman, who has worked with current Irish cornerbacks coach Mike Mickens, also has been mentioned as a top potential candidate to look at. Our understanding is that Freeman would be inclined to say with head coach Luke Fickell at Cincinnati unless the right head-coaching opportunity arises. One source also indicated that for both recruiting purposes in the South and because of the style of offenses to contend with in the SEC, there could be some candidates from that area of the country that will be evaluated.
*** Some folks on the Texas side of things were floating around for weeks that the Longhorns would have interest in Kelly. Despite the Texas brass backing Tom Herman a few weeks ago, they fired him this weekend, and Alabama offensive coordinator Steve Sarkisian was quickly announced as the successor. It was extremely difficult to buy into Kelly leaving for another college job. I believe Kelly will finish his coaching career at Notre Dame.
*** He wants to finish his career with a national championship at Notre Dame, and to achieve that, he may need to be more aggressive. Does hiring from within get Notre Dame to the next level, or is the answer another external hire, as Elko and Lea were in 2017? Although we have been skeptical about Elko interviewing again for the defensive coordinator position and leaving Texas A&M to go back to Notre Dame, we have been told that “it could have legs” and a formal interview could happen pretty soon.
Notre Dame was aggressive with taking a big 2021 recruiting class, but will they continue bringing in more players via the transfer portal? It would make sense if the Irish looked at taking a stopgap, grad transfer quarterback, especially if there are long term concerns about Brendon Clark's “cranky” knee.
