Notre Dame football: 5 early questions for the 2021 season

Who is the Defensive Coordinator?

Given Notre Dame played through New Year’s Day and Clark Lea stayed on to coach, it’s not surprising there’s no defensive coordinator hire yet. Now that we’re into the offseason, Brian Kelly will have the opportunity to fill the position, while Lea moves on to Vanderbilt as the head coach.

The question has become, who are the front runners to become the new defensive coordinator?

There is a lot of push for an internal promotion to the role. Mike Elston is the current defensive line coach for Notre Dame, which has been a point of defensive strength for years. Elston knows Notre Dame too, and what it takes to recruit and succeed in South Bend, as he’s been on Brian Kelly’s staff since Kelly was hired.

In fact, he’s been on Kelly’s staff since 2004 at Central Michigan, including time as Kelly’s defensive coordinator. Another defensive staffer, Kerry Cooks, has actually been a co-defensive coordinator at Notre Dame, and under Brian Kelly. Cooks, a current defensive assistant, was the co-defensive coordinator from 2012-14.

Those were some great defenses, so it wouldn’t be shocking to return to Cooks.

One coach from outside the program has commonly been rumored. Marcus Freeman, the Cincinnati defensive coordinator, is a rising name. He’s a great recruiter and has proven himself strategically at Cincinnati, but he may be looking for a head coaching job of his own already.

It’s vitally important to nail this hire, because an elite defense is what got Notre Dame to the College Football Playoff, and it will be what gets them there in the future.