Top 5 Notre Dame defensive coordinator candidates for 2025

Al Washington

Washington is one of a couple of internal candidates on this list and promoting from within could ultimately be the best option for Marcus Freeman. Washington has spent the past three seasons as Notre Dame’s defensive line coach, leading an impactful unit that has produced NFL talent. The Fighting Irish totaled 40 sacks in 2024 as they made a run to the national championship game, and the defensive front was a big reason why they finished the season as a top-10 unit overall. Before his time at Notre Dame, Washington gained valuable experience as a linebackers coach at Ohio State and Michigan. He also worked as an assistant at his alma mater, Boston College. Despite being just 40 years old, Washington already has a vast amount of experience and seems ready to take on a defensive coordinator role.