Talk around whether Marcus Freeman will eventually take a head coach job in the NFL and leave Notre Dame behind has been all the buzz since the Irish season ended. However, even if the program does manage to keep Freeman, fans might need to worry about losing Al Washington.
Notre Dame has had its fair share of assistant coaches poached over the last few years. Al Golden left for the NFL last year, and linebackers coach Max Bullough departed for Michigan State earlier this month. Now, Boston College could be eyeing Washington for its open defensive coordinator position.
Like Bullough, one of the big reasons why Notre Dame has to worry about Washington is that his alma mater might come calling. Washington played defensive line for the Eagles in the early 2000s and could be lured "home" as one of the up-and-coming defensive line coaches in the sport.
Al Washington is a name buzzing for defensive coordinator. Though young, his experience with top defensive minds like Al Golden and Don Brown suggests he knows the scheme. Is he the right fit for BC? #CollegeFootball #CoachSearch pic.twitter.com/roxmmpONlO
— A.J. Black (@AJBlack247) December 11, 2025
Notre Dame football defensive line coach Al Washington draws outside interest
A.J. Black of BC Eagles Insider has floated Washington's name as a possible successor to Tim Lewis. Boston College head coach Bill O'Brien fired Lewis as he reshuffled his staff after a disastrous 2-10 2025 season.
The latest rumors aren't the first time insiders have connected Washington to a job opening with the Eagles. As they continually struggle to get back to being a strong football program, a successful alum who has proven himself as a recruiter and coach is a very enticing option.
O'Brien would not only get an excellent assistant coach, but bringing home an alum, who coached under Marcus Freeman at Notre Dame, would be a heck of a draw. Should Washington get offered the job and decide to depart, it would be a blow for the Fighting Irish, as the defensive line has been a strength of the defense, despite quite a bit of turnover over the last few years.