Notre Dame football: Manti Te’o a coaching option?

James Laurinaitis recently left the Notre Dame football program to become the linebackers coach at his alma mater, Ohio State. Would former linebacking star Manti Te’o be an option with the Irish needing a replacement? Who else could take over the position?

By all accounts, losing Laurinaitis as a recruiter could be a big blow to the Notre Dame football staff in terms of recruiting. His connection with several 2024 prospects has already been a concern regarding Payton Pierce and Adarius Hayes. With all due respect, the linebacker position wasn’t exactly a strong point for the Fighting Irish on defense this year. With Al Golden and Laurinaitis, I had some high expectations that weren’t met.

Notre Dame football – Linebackers coach – Manti Te’o

It’s sickening, but Manti has been known mainly for the catfishing incident he fell victim to while enrolled at Notre Dame. However, given his talent and his impact on the Notre Dame football program, he has the potential to be a great coach at the position. While he didn’t have the most prolific career in the NFL, he’s still a former elite player.

His ties to the west coast and Hawaii could boost the Irish presence in recruiting kids in that part of the country. Obviously, coaching matters the most but recruiting stands out in evaluating position coaches at the college level. He’s relatively young, has strong faith, and would be coaching for his alma mater. Who better than one of the greatest Notre Dame linebackers in the history of the program?

Notre Dame football – Linebackers coach – Brian Urlacher

This one comes from out of nowhere and doesn’t have some significant connection to the Notre Dame football program besides the recruitment of Urlacher’s son. Though Brian Urlacher did spend his entire NFL career just down the road from South Bend in Chicago with the Bears, he attended New Mexico State University. If I’m being candid here, I have heard very little of Urlacher in recent years besides Notre Dame recruiting his son Kennedy Urlacher for football.

That said, finding a former NFL or Irish superstar at the position is the way to go, whether it’s Urlacher or someone else. Who knows if he or someone like Luke Kuechly could be candidates, but the Irish should explore some big-name options.