On Wednesday, the Fighting Irish announced Golden's replacement. According to ESPN's Pete Thamel, Notre Dame agreed to hire Chris Ash as its newest defensive coordinator.

Days after Al Golden left to become the defensive coordinator of the Cincinnati Bengals, the Fighting Irish have hired former Rutgers coach Chris Ash to be their new defensive coordinator, according to ESPN's Pete Thamel. Ash has been in the NFL since the start of the 2021 season and worked as a scout for the Jacksonville Jaguars in 2024.

“Sources: Chris Ash has accepted the job as the Notre Dame’s new defensive coordinator,” Pete Thamel said in a post. “Ash brings a blend of coordinating experience, NFL experience and high-end results as a collegiate coordinator. A deal is expected to be finalized in the near future.”