After Notre Dame’s heartbreaking 41-40 loss to Texas A&M, a defeat that dropped the Irish to 0-2 on its young season, I wrote a column titled “Ash must fix Notre Dame’s defense,” asking questions of the first-year defensive coordinator. In that article, I said things such as “Notre Dame’s defense is fractured” and “The execution was certainly lackluster.” In my defense, I also stated, “What matters is how Ash responds to the adversity, just as Freeman did a year ago after the Irish’s shocking loss to Northern Illinois.”
And to his credit, he has responded to the adversity with flying colors. Although the unit was far from perfect in its ensuing game against Purdue, they’ve slowly but surely improved. Resemblances of Notre Dame’s star-studded 2024 defense were seen when they held Arkansas, Boise State and NC State to a combined 27 points. However, its most remarkable sign of progress before this past weekend came against USC. Notre Dame held the high-flying Trojan offense to only 24 points. Not bad considering the Trojans average 38.2 points per game behind Lincoln Riley’s air-raid offense.
I’d also be remiss if I ignored the Irish defense’s dominance over Boston College and Navy. That said, I believe it’s safe to say the comeback is complete after their performance against No. 22 Pittsburgh — the final act Notre Dame fans needed to know that Ash has rewritten the script on his defense.
Midway through the first quarter, freshman safety Tae Johnson picked off Pitt’s highly-touted freshman quarterback Mason Heintschel for a house call. Those first 15 minutes of play also featured the stellar play of junior defensive lineman Joshua Burnham. Entering the game with only one sack on the season, Burnham notched two in the first quarter alone. His relentless effort set Heintschel back significantly, disrupting any sort of coherent rhythm for the Panthers’ offense.
Johnson and Burnham are just two examples of the Irish defense’s great day at the office. As a collective, Ash’s unit allowed a mere 219 total yards. It’s worthwhile to note that the Panthers entered the game averaging 426.8 yards of total offense, with 302.6 of those coming through the air. Against Notre Dame, the Panthers could only muster 149 passing yards. On the ground, they were just as lackluster, averaging only 2.8 yards per carry.
After the Purdue game, the Irish ranked 114th in sack rate. They are now sitting pretty at 32nd. Notre Dame has allowed just 45 points in the second half since their game against Purdue, which includes a controversial garbage-time touchdown in the final seconds against Pitt. In that seven-game span, they allowed just 12.3 points per game.
Last week, the College Football Playoff selection committee appreciated the growth of Notre Dame’s defense. The unit has clearly improved drastically since the team’s two early losses. With that trend continuing this past weekend, the team has found favor in the eyes of the committee. That is largely thanks to Ash.
Needless to say, Ash hasn’t just turned the Notre Dame defense from bad to good. He’s done something much more. He’s made the defense great. This is the same Chris Ash who was scrutinized by Notre Dame fans calling for his job in week three. This is the same Chris Ash who could hear boos at Notre Dame Stadium after his unit’s poor performances. Now, those same fans are begging for his forgiveness.
What Ash has been able to accomplish in the wake of these early rumblings is flat-out impressive. He never once blamed anyone but himself. He remained committed to what Freeman describes as “team glory.” Under his guidance, the Irish defense is finally playing its role.
With manageable games against Syracuse and Stanford left on the schedule, the Irish defense should continue along the path that Ash has forged. Defensive dominance is no longer wishful thinking for Irish fans. It’s now the expectation. That is due in large part to Ash’s leadership. If it’s any indication, his brilliance will help lead Notre Dame into the College Football Playoff.
Notre Dame fans in attendance on Saturday should listen to those making their voices heard on social media. While negative crowd reactions are part of the job, it doesn’t feel right to boo Ash when the defense is poor without applauding him when it is excellent. Consider this my apology of sorts. Even more so, a thank you. It’s now time for the fans to echo the sentiment.
We all owe Chris Ash one giant apology.
