Max Bullough Named Notre Dame Linebackers Coach
Notre Dame and Marcus Freeman might have lost Chris O’Leary to the NFL, but they secured a key figure in the program by promoting Max Bullough to linebackers coach after working as a graduate assistant for the Irish in 2023.
The former Michigan State star has been seen as one of the brightest minds in college football and will now get the opportunity to run his own room. Former Tennessee Titans head coach Mike Vrabel coached Bullough with the Texans and called him one of the smartest players he’s ever coached.
“Coach Vrabel is a great coach,” Bullough said last summer. Probably the best coach I’ve ever had. I learned a lot from him. I learned a lot from my three years in Houston. It was very fortunate to build that relationship with him. I did text him and say, 'Appreciate the shout out.' It helps with these guys. Good timing.”
The Traverse City (Mich.) native started his coaching career at Cincinnati as a graduate assistant in 2019 before heading to Tuscaloosa in the same role to work under Nick Saban from 2020-2022, which included winning a national title.
What is Bullough’s teaching style? Direct.
“It’s always direct teaching,” explained Bullough. “I’m always going to be asking questions. Our meeting is half me talking, half them talking. Explain the call, make the call. Whatever it is. ‘What if this happens? What are we doing?’ It’s always direct teaching, and it’s always going to be hands-on on the field in terms of, ‘This is exactly how we want it done.’ I’m going to show you, and then we got to execute. But more than anything, it’s really direct teaching. Having them spit it back at me.
“If you can’t explain it to me, then you can’t do it [in the snap of a finger]. It’s one thing to answer something on the test, a written test sitting down in the quiet. It’s another thing to do it out there when the bullets are flying. As much as we can put them in that situation the better.”
That also means Bullough is extremely detailed in what he wants to emphasize during each meeting with the linebackers.
“I like to go through it and highlight the linebacker points,” stated Bullough. “I type them out separate, and I send them the sheet the night before so they know what to focus on. Sometimes you look at the install and it’s all kinds of stuff. Here’s what you need to worry about.”
Bullough has always had Notre Dame ties despite playing his college ball at Michigan State. The late Jim Morse, who was a 1956 Notre Dame captain and donor, was Bullough’s grandfather. Morse’s late son, Jim Morse Jr., also played defensive back for the Irish.
So it’s not a surprise Bullough considers Notre Dame home.
“I’ve been coming here every year since I was a kid,” Bullough said in the summer. “Obviously there was a little lapse in the last 10 years, but I’ve known about this place since I was a kid. It’s always been special to me.”
“This is as close to coming home as it gets. Our parents’ house is three and a half hours north. I’m familiar with this area. This is home to me.”
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