Those who have been wondering whether the Notre Dame football team could keep offensive line coach Joe Rudolph on staff might want to hold their breath for the next few days.
Earlier this month reports that the Chicago Bears were interested in hiring Rudolph surfaced, however he clearly wasn’t the only candidate they were looking at. However, the field from which the NFL team can pluck its new offensive line coach just shrunk by one, as another candidate, Ohio State’s Justin Frye is expected to be hired by the Arizona Cardinals.
While the Notre Dame football coach still isn’t the last one standing when it comes to the Bears, the penny-dropping seems to indicate that Irish fans need to at least prepare for a new hire. Things tend to move pretty quickly on this kind of front. That means that Fighting Irish fans should find out one way or another relatively soon.
Notre Dame football bracing for another coaching loss
It’s been a tough offseason for those who were hoping that Marcus Freeman could keep the band together from a staff that helped get the Fighting Irish all the way to the National Championship Game.
Defensive coordinator Al Golden walked out the door just a few days after Notre Dame lost to Ohio State to go be the defensive coordinator for the Cincinatti Bengals. Chad Bowden left for USC to take the same job he had in South Bend, but with about triple his salary.
Bowden also reportedly took Zaire Turner, a high level recruiting assistant with him and then Al Golden took Mike Moon, an assistant that Notre Dame fans might not have heard much of, but is considered an up and comer in the profession.
For now, Joe Rudolph is still with the Notre Dame football team and has been spotted out on the road recruiting like he plans to stick around. Its possible he’s already told the Bears he doesn’t intend to leave. Or he’s just doing his job until it’s no longer his job. The situation should shake out soon.