Coaching Wheel Spins Again At Notre Dame Despite Marcus Freeman’s Hiring

Continuity, in terms of football coaching methods and recruiting pitches and personalities, was a key component in Notre Dame’s decision to stay in-house and elevate Marcus Freeman as Brian Kelly’s successor.

Yet, not even two months into the Freeman Era, the amount of staff turnover has bordered on stunning — particularly after the circle-the-wagons social media blitz that immediately followed athletic director Jack Swarbrick’s swift decision.  

The latest defection came with the loss of running backs coach/run game coordinator Lance Taylor, hired away by ACC competitor Louisville to be a first-time offensive coordinator. Taylor, who coached Christian McCaffrey at both Stanford and with the NFL’s Carolina Panthers, will not be easy to replace.

In his three seasons with the Irish, the former Alabama wideout helped recruit and mentor a two-time 1,000-yard rusher in Kyren Williams and flattened freshman Logan Diggs’ learning curve to the point where he’s ready to assume the mantle. 

The only other 1,000-yard rushers during Kelly’s 12-year tenure with the Irish were Josh Adams (2017), C.J. Prosise (2015) and Cierre Wood  (2011).

Days before Taylor’s departure, 12-year assistant Mike Elston stunned observers with his decision to return to his alma mater at Michigan. Architect of annually excellent defensive lines for the Irish, Elston doubled as the program’s recruiting coordinator for the 2022 class after previously holding that role from 2015-17.

He also coached Irish linebackers in 2015-16 and was Kelly’s special teams coordinator in 2010-11, their first two seasons at Notre Dame. When Elston opted not to follow Kelly to LSU, the expectation was he would stay in South Bend for the long haul. 

“We’re all supportive,” defensive lineman Jayson Ademilola said. “The guys all love him. He recruited all of us in the room. He showed us what it takes to be an elite football player. He’s going back to the school he played football for. We’re super happy for him and his family.” 

A disastrous New Year’s Day cameo as de facto defensive coordinator at the Fiesta Bowl, a 37-35 loss to ninth-ranked Oklahoma State, cost Elston any shot he might have had at replacing Freeman in that full-time role. After Notre Dame blew a 21-point lead for the first time in its bowl history, Freeman seemingly assumed sideline control of the same defense that had allowed just 23 points in four November wins.

Under Elston’s tutelage, five Irish defensive linemen were drafted in the past three years alone, including 2019 first-rounder Jerry Tillery and 2020 third-rounder Julian Okwara. 

Also departing Notre Dame’s staff in January were Jeff Quinn (offensive line) and Del Alexander (wide receivers), although they were quickly replaced with perceived upgrades in Harry Hiestand and Chansi Stuckey. Hiestand, who coached the Chicago Bears offensive line in 2018-19 and 2005-09, is in his second tour of duty with the Irish after mentoring the likes of Quenton Nelson, Mike McGlinchey and Ronnie Stanley from 2012-17.

Notre Dame also had to replace special teams coordinator (and former recruiting coordinator) Brian Polian, the most prominent staff member to follow Kelly to LSU. 

Including Kelly, Notre Dame has lost a combined 49 years of program coaching experience in the past two months. The current staff, including Freeman, Hiestand and offensive coordinator Tommy Rees, has a total of 20 seasons with the Irish program; that counts three combined years as a graduate assistant and defensive analyst for current safeties coach Chris O’Leary. 

Despite all that turnover, star pass rusher Isaiah Foskey shrugged off the notion that a lack of continuity would be a hurdle for Freeman’s first Irish edition.

“I feel like it won’t be that big of an obstacle,” Foskey said. “We have new coaches, yeah, but we basically have all the same players.”