SOUTH BEND — Notre Dame football plans to fill the void left by linebackers coach Max Bullough’s departure with a lateral reassignment.
Al Washington, who has coached the Irish defensive line and served as defensive run game coordinator the past four seasons, will switch over to linebackers coach, a source confirmed Monday morning Jan. 2.
A former defensive tackle at Boston College, Washington previously coached linebackers at Ohio State (2019-21), Michigan (2018) and Elon (2011). Washington interviewed for the head coaching job at Boston College in early 2024 but lost out to former NFL and Penn State coach Bill O’Brien.
Bullough, a former star linebacker at Michigan State, returned to his alma mater on Dec. 11 as co-defensive coordinator/linebackers coach after three seasons at Notre Dame.
While Notre Dame faces an overhaul on its defensive line this offseason, especially on the interior, recruiting at the position has been on upswing under Washington, 41. The nation’s No. 4 recruiting in the 2026 cycle features five-star defensive end Rodney Dunham and four-star defensive end Ebenezer Ewetade, both from North Carolina.
In addition, Notre Dame signed four-star defensive tackle Elijah Golden (Sarasota, Fla.) and three-star defensive tackle Tiki Hola (Bastrop, Texas) in its 2026 class.
Washington’s 2025 signing class featured four-star defensive lineman Christopher Burgess Jr. of Chicago and a quartet of three-star signees in Dominik Hulak, Joe Reiff, Gordy Sulfsted and Davion Dixon.
Washington has already worked on pass-rushing techniques with linebackers such as Jaylen Sneed and Kyngstonn Viliamu-Asa.
Notre Dame ranks seventh nationally in run-defense efficiency (93.4), according to Pro Football Focus, after ranking 23rd (89.3) in its 2024 run to the College Football Playoff national title game.
With the retirement of captain Donovan Hinish, the transfers of defensive end Josh Burnham and defensive tackle Armel Mukam, and the eligibility expiration of defensive tackles Gabriel Rubio and Jared Dawson along with defensive ends Jordan Botelho and Junior Tuihalamaka, the Irish figure to hit the transfer portal again this winter for defensive line help.
Veteran defensive tackle Jason Onye, who came on strong in the second half of 2025, has petitioned for a medical redshirt waiver after taking a personal leave of absence after five games in 2024. A decision on Onye’s status isn’t expected in the near term.
Washington’s new position group figures to return captain Drayk Bowen and rising sophomore Madden Faraimo along with fourth-year junior Jaiden Ausberry and, at some point, Viliamu-Asa. The latter is coming off a season-ending knee injury suffered on Senior Day against Syracuse.
Mike Berardino covers Notre Dame football for the South Bend Tribune and NDInsider.com. Follow him on social media @MikeBerardino.
