Notre Dame’s linebacker room is entering a new era this spring under position coach Brian Jean-Mary, but the foundation of the defense remains intact with coordinator Chris Ash back in charge.
Through the first six practices, Jean-Mary has started to get a feel for his group, even with key pieces like Drayk Bowen and Kyngstonn Viliamu-Asa sidelined.
In their absence, Jaiden Ausberry and Jaylen Sneed have stepped into leadership roles, and both veterans have made a strong early impression.
“The No. 1 thing they bring is experience, and that’s as valuable in college football as anything right now,” stated Jean-Mary. “Obviously, they bring a lot of playmaking and athleticism to the linebacker position. Both of them mainly play the weakside linebacker, so you have two very athletic guys who are used to playing in space.”
That versatility has been on full display this spring. With Bowen and Viliamu-Asa out, Ausberry and Sneed have taken reps at Mike linebacker, which has required both to step out of their shell.
“It’s been really good for both of them having to get some reps at Mike because they kind of counted on Drayk or Kyngstonn to be the guys as the Mike backers, who are really the communicators,” explained Jean-Mary. “So it’s been good for taking their game to another level because now they have to kind of be the captains.”
Ausberry, in particular, has embraced that responsibility. The staff challenged him to become more vocal this spring, and he’s responded by taking ownership of the unit.
“It’s just taking his game to the next level as a blitzer and making more plays on the ball in coverage,” Jean-Mary said of Ausberry. “He’s kind of taken the mantle as the vocal leader in the room, playing predominantly at the middle linebacker spot, which is new for him. I think he’s embraced it and loves the challenge. That’s just going to make him better as the fall comes around and we’re a little healthier.”
For Sneed, the emphasis has shifted toward refining his role as an off-ball linebacker rather than playing edge, a role he’s played over his first four seasons at Notre Dame.
“He’s done some edge work and obviously playing some stack linebacker,” said Jean-Mary. “We’ve mainly focused the first quarter of the spring at stack linebacker. We haven’t really put him on the edge yet. We know he can do that and has been highly productive as an edge guy.”
The fifth linebacker of Notre Dame’s 2025 rotation was Madden Faraimo, who found a way on the field as a true freshman. The California native is limited this spring following wrist surgery, but Faraimo has also shown growth in limited settings.
“The experience he had last year is invaluable,” Jean-Mary explained. “Just the little bit I’ve seen from his games and then seeing the little bit that we’ve been able to get with him, you can see the growth. He’s more comfortable and he knows where he needs to fit.
“It now comes back to the production part. He’s very talented, athletic, a big guy who can do a lot of things. We want to see him take it to the next level as far as making more plays on the ball and then seeing some of the athleticism show up with some of the blitzes and tackles for loss, sacks and those things.”
Even the injured veterans aren’t off the hook. Jean-Mary has challenged Bowen and Viliamu-Asa to stay mentally engaged while they recover.
“They have to get better. The worst thing that can happen is that, if you’re not on the grass and actually going full speed, you let your mind wander. There are a lot of mental reps they can get. They have the communicator, so they can hear all the calls that Coach Ash is making. They’re like assistant coaches right now. They’re grabbing the guys as they come off the field.
“They’re able to keep the mental part of it fresh and that’s how they can get better. Hopefully, when they get back, that’s going to help them as far as getting back into the football mindset faster.”
While Notre Dame returns proven production at the position, this spring has also become a critical developmental window for the program’s younger linebackers.
With a limited roster, reps have been abundant and invaluable.
“They get reps,” Jean-Mary stated. “The biggest thing is they have to value the reps. Sometimes with young guys, it might take them three or four plays to figure it out and what they’re doing. We just don’t have that kind of time. When the veterans come back and we have a larger room, those reps are going to get cut. It’s the nature of having a lot of talented guys in the room.”
Jean-Mary knows his younger players are on a steep learning curve, but it’s necessary and progress is being made.
“They’re probably eyes wide open because they’re getting maybe a little more than they thought they would,” said Jean-Mary. “They have to be able to take advantage of it and feel like they did get better and more comfortable in the system.
“They’ve all gotten better because we’ve literally been practicing with six guys. When we go into three groups, they all practice. I have seen some growth with them. Still making some inexperienced mistakes, but I can say we’re better from practice one.”
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