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Notre Dame Football

Notre Dame DC Chris Ash: 'Players over plays'

February 27, 2025
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The first press conference for any coordinator is an interesting watch. It’s often the first time one can truly get a feel for personality, gain insight into their mental makeup and coaching philosophies. 

New Notre Dame defensive coordinator Chris Ash didn’t give elaborate answers on Wednesday afternoon, but his message was crystal clear. He didn’t take the Notre Dame job to change the defense significantly. 

Ash will inherit a defense that was one of the best in the nation over the last two years under Al Golden and he knows change makes it harder for the players.

“I look at it as if it’s not broken, don’t fix it,” Ash stated. “That was really the conversation that Coach (Marcus) Freeman and I had about this situation. There has been really good football played here on defense. There have been standards and accountability. They’ve been well-coached. We’re just looking at ways we can try to enhance it and make it better.” 

Does that mean Ash won’t bring his own schemes, techniques and even terminology to the defensive meeting rooms or practice fields? No. There will be change. The change will be to simplify what Notre Dame was doing to allow the players to play faster. 

“We want to play fast,” explained Ash. “We want to play violent. We want to be physical. We want to win at the point of attack. That’s all that it’s about. We want to play with energy and enthusiasm. We’re going to coach, teach and practice that way. Hopefully, we’ll play that way, too.” 

Notre Dame will start spring ball in mid-March, which will be a key three-week stretch for the program and Ash. 

It’s a fresh start for many players under a new coordinator, but most importantly, Ash will be able to learn what each player can or can’t do, allowing him to develop what the Irish will do defensively in 2025. 

”It’s all about the players,” said Ash. “It’s players first. Players over plays and concepts over calls. That’s really the way we’re approaching it right now and try to make sure what we do and what we ask the players to do is in the best interest of the player and it allows them to be successful.

“We really want to do a great job of teaching concepts to help them understand the big picture of what we’re trying to do. You can really create a positionless defense when you do it that way.” 

Ash hasn’t been in the college game since 2020, but the game hasn’t changed too much. He’s seen tempo offenses. He’s schemed against the RPO. Golden gave a blueprint on how to succeed at Notre Dame against various offenses. 

And that’s why Ash is comfortable not overhauling the defense. 

”This isn’t about my defense,” Ash explained. “This is about the Notre Dame defense. We’re going to continue to do things that Notre Dame has done on defense. 

“I haven’t been out of it for too long. The hashes make the game different in the space that’s created because of the hashes. Everything you do, you have to make sure you can eliminate that space and play the RPOs and releases that offenses have.”

Regarding recruiting, Ash has hit the ground running - or maybe swimming. Recruiting has changed quite a bit since he was at Texas and he’s been playing catch up to the new world of NIL and the Transfer Portal. 

“It’s completely different,” laughed Ash. “I’m running and I’m scrambling. I’m really just picking up bits and pieces about NIL, the Transfer Portal and all of those things and how it’s different or changed. There’s a lot of good things around it as well. I’m learning every single day in every meeting with the recruiting staff. I’m trying to ask questions, gather information and see how everyone operates and what is truly different about it today than it was four years ago when I was doing it.” 

Perhaps the most telling comment of the day is that Ash truly wants to be at Notre Dame and in this position. 

Ash admitted he wasn’t looking for another job as he was transitioning to a new career opportunity on the personnel side of the game. 

“I wasn’t looking for another job,” said Ash. “Coach Freeman called and we started to have some initial conversations. When I looked at the whole thing, it’s Notre Dame. The type of people who come to Notre Dame, the recent success and the opportunity to sustain success in the future. All those things together made this a no-brainer for me. 

“It was going to take a lot to leave where we were at, but this is one of those jobs that you just can’t pass up on.” 

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