Notre Dame defensive coordinator candidates
Al Golden leaves some pretty big shoes to fill with the Fighting Irish.
Notre Dame is in the market for a defensive coordinator, as Al Golden is returning to Cincinnati to become the Bengals’ DC, multiple sources told The Inside Zone.
When Marcus Freeman hired Golden, then the Bengals’ linebackers coach, back in 2022, it was not exactly considered a home-run hire.
How wrong we all were.
Golden’s Irish defenses dominated these past two seasons, finishing No. 11 nationally this season and No. 5 in 2023. His tenure continued a great run of Irish DC hires, following Freeman himself and Clark Lea and Mike Elko before that.
Golden signed a four-year, $9 million extension after last season, per multiple sources, so you know that Notre Dame will pay top dollar for the right candidate.
Does Freeman again go with a veteran voice and steady hand with tons of experience? Or does he take a chance on an up-and-comer who can easily assimilate into the Irish’s culture?
The good news for the Irish is that most saw this move coming the minute the Bengals had a DC vacancy, so there has likely already been plenty of legwork done on their end. The bad news? Oklahoma, Ohio State and possibly Michigan could be looking for new DCs as well, so the market is crowded.
Here is a working list of potential names to succeed Golden.
(Updated Sunday at 8:58 p.m. ET with the top three names, in alphabetical order.)