It's taken two games for the majority of Notre Dame football followers to decide that new defensive coordinator Chris Ash is a big problem. In all honesty, it took just one game. Still, the team's 41-40 loss to Texas A&M on Saturday night hammered home the idea for many, including former team captain Mike Goolsby, that it's already time to look elsewhere for a defensive play caller.
The Blue and Gold struggled at times in Week 1, losing to Miami 27-24. While the defense was far from stellar, it did manage to hold down a Hurricanes' offense that has since shown it's plenty powerful. That wasn't the case Saturday night as the Aggies had nearly 500 yards of total offense and scored almost at will.
Late on Saturday night, as feelings and theories about the Notre Dame football team surfaced on social media, Goolsby offered his unfettered opinion on Twitter. "Ash is terrible."
Mike Goolsby calls out Notre Dame football defense after Texas A&M loss
Ash is terrible
— MikeGoolsby (@MikeGoolsby41) September 14, 2025
Earlier in the game, Goolsby comments on what he was seeing from the defensive side of the ball, writing, "Terrible defense. No fundamentals. 'It’s 'nothing.'"
At the moment, it's hard to argue with Goolsby that something isn't deeply broken in the defense. And considering that the team has plenty of talent returning from a unit that was among the best in the country a year ago, it's hard to imagine it's the players that are the problem.
For his part, Notre Dame football head coach Marcus Freeman said he won't be making any changes in playcallers, saying it wasn't the scheme but the execution. Whatever the story is, the Fighting Irish need to get it fixed, and there's quite a bit of doubt that Chris Ash is the guy who can get it fixed.