As we've discussed, Max Bullough was essentially Notre Dame's linebackers coach last year with a graduate assistant title. Now that he's promoted to an assistant coach, he said, the biggest differences are off-campus recruiting, a much better parking spot and a better office.
"To be honest with you, the office, I was looking forward to that more than anything," Bullough joked.
Bullough said he was keeping tabs on Chris O'Leary when he knew was weighing a decision to leave, "because I knew as as soon as a spot at Notre Dame is open, you never know who's going to call. It can be anybody. [Mike] Vrabel or somebody. Who knows."
As the reporters laughed, Bullough continued: "Then it's someone you can't say 'no' to. I don't know. You guys laugh, but like, who knows? I just wanted to get to [Marcus Freeman] as fast as I could and hopefully ... He was great about going in this direction as opposed to another one."
Bullough said he was ready to be a linebackers coach somewhere this season. The ability to be hands-on at Notre Dame was what brought him here from Alabama in the first place.
"Coach [Nick] Saban kinda got pissed that I left," Bullough said. "He told me, 'it's not a training ground.' Because he thought it was a lateral move. You guys know me as a linebackers coach here, but before last year, I was just a GA. I was good at it and all that, but this is what I love. This is what I do. I'm good on the computers. I got really good at it, but you guys see me out there. That's what I do. That's who I am. That's how I affect people. That's really what you guys have seen that you didn't know I didn't really have before I got here."
Because of the responsibilities he was given, he felt like he had an ownership over the position last season. But it's even greater now, because JD Bertrand and Marist Liufau aren't in the room.
"More of the onus is on me," Bullough said. "JD and Marist, I could have not said anything, and they're going to go out there and they can play football in this system. We're from scratch now. Whatever's out there, you're either coaching or letting it happen."
The plan for the linebackers in the spring will vary person by person. He wants the young guys to get comfortable and learn one spot before moving them around. Then guys like Jack Kiser and Drayk Bowen need to know multiple positions. He said Jaylen Sneed and Jaiden Ausberry are going to be at rover or they're going to be at money, which is the will linebacker spot in the nickel defense, depending on what scheme is being used.
Drayk Bowen isn't expected to miss any spring football due to baseball. Bullough described him as sharp and someone he trusted to play last year if needed even though his practices reps were limited.
On Jaylen Sneed: "He's someone that's really gotten a lot better since I've been here. For him — and he knows this — it's how can I maintain a high level of focus? Because when he's locked in and he's focused and he's in the meetings paying attention, in practice, not worried about school or anything, he's great. He's in a great stance. He has great eye control. He knows exactly what he's doing. He's a really smart kid. To him, it's 100% can I maintain that level of focus throughout the duration of whatever it is. Whether it's school, whether it's whatever. It doesn't matter. When you come out here, it is what is. For him, that's his biggest thing. Day after day. Consistency."
On Jack Kiser: "Kise, maybe to your guys' surprise, I think he's one of the most improved from the beginning of last to the end of last year. I really do. He's always been a guy that can run, even though people say for a long time that he couldn't. He's a guy that can run. He's a guy that's a little bit smaller, so he had a hard time keeping his feet at times. I think he's gotten a lot better at that. Kise is a guy that you can put at any position on the field. He's going to help you get lined up. But I think he's becoming more than that. He's becoming sturdier. He's becoming someone that can actually hold up and doesn't look small out there. I mean he's 230 now. He's a different person than when he came in here. But I'm really excited about his physicality, his taking control and just taking the next step and trying to be — not be like JD, but that's what this is. It is what it is."
"To be honest with you, the office, I was looking forward to that more than anything," Bullough joked.
Bullough said he was keeping tabs on Chris O'Leary when he knew was weighing a decision to leave, "because I knew as as soon as a spot at Notre Dame is open, you never know who's going to call. It can be anybody. [Mike] Vrabel or somebody. Who knows."
As the reporters laughed, Bullough continued: "Then it's someone you can't say 'no' to. I don't know. You guys laugh, but like, who knows? I just wanted to get to [Marcus Freeman] as fast as I could and hopefully ... He was great about going in this direction as opposed to another one."
Bullough said he was ready to be a linebackers coach somewhere this season. The ability to be hands-on at Notre Dame was what brought him here from Alabama in the first place.
"Coach [Nick] Saban kinda got pissed that I left," Bullough said. "He told me, 'it's not a training ground.' Because he thought it was a lateral move. You guys know me as a linebackers coach here, but before last year, I was just a GA. I was good at it and all that, but this is what I love. This is what I do. I'm good on the computers. I got really good at it, but you guys see me out there. That's what I do. That's who I am. That's how I affect people. That's really what you guys have seen that you didn't know I didn't really have before I got here."
Because of the responsibilities he was given, he felt like he had an ownership over the position last season. But it's even greater now, because JD Bertrand and Marist Liufau aren't in the room.
"More of the onus is on me," Bullough said. "JD and Marist, I could have not said anything, and they're going to go out there and they can play football in this system. We're from scratch now. Whatever's out there, you're either coaching or letting it happen."
The plan for the linebackers in the spring will vary person by person. He wants the young guys to get comfortable and learn one spot before moving them around. Then guys like Jack Kiser and Drayk Bowen need to know multiple positions. He said Jaylen Sneed and Jaiden Ausberry are going to be at rover or they're going to be at money, which is the will linebacker spot in the nickel defense, depending on what scheme is being used.
Drayk Bowen isn't expected to miss any spring football due to baseball. Bullough described him as sharp and someone he trusted to play last year if needed even though his practices reps were limited.
On Jaylen Sneed: "He's someone that's really gotten a lot better since I've been here. For him — and he knows this — it's how can I maintain a high level of focus? Because when he's locked in and he's focused and he's in the meetings paying attention, in practice, not worried about school or anything, he's great. He's in a great stance. He has great eye control. He knows exactly what he's doing. He's a really smart kid. To him, it's 100% can I maintain that level of focus throughout the duration of whatever it is. Whether it's school, whether it's whatever. It doesn't matter. When you come out here, it is what is. For him, that's his biggest thing. Day after day. Consistency."
On Jack Kiser: "Kise, maybe to your guys' surprise, I think he's one of the most improved from the beginning of last to the end of last year. I really do. He's always been a guy that can run, even though people say for a long time that he couldn't. He's a guy that can run. He's a guy that's a little bit smaller, so he had a hard time keeping his feet at times. I think he's gotten a lot better at that. Kise is a guy that you can put at any position on the field. He's going to help you get lined up. But I think he's becoming more than that. He's becoming sturdier. He's becoming someone that can actually hold up and doesn't look small out there. I mean he's 230 now. He's a different person than when he came in here. But I'm really excited about his physicality, his taking control and just taking the next step and trying to be — not be like JD, but that's what this is. It is what it is."
