SOUTH BEND, Ind. – The Notre Dame Football program has announced that Al Washington has moved into the role of Linebackers Coach and will continue to serve as Defensive Run Game Coordinator for the Irish starting in the 2026 season.
“When the linebackers role came open, we immediately thought of Al,” said Dick Corbett Head Football Coach Marcus Freeman. “With his previous experience coaching linebackers he will be a great asset to that room, and taking on this role will continue to enhance his skillset as he ultimately looks to elevate in his career.”
Washington spent the previous four seasons with the Irish as the Peter Schivarelli Defensive Line Coach.
In the 2025 regular season, Washington’s unit helped the Irish rank first in the nation in interceptions (tied – 21 total INTs), fourth in turnover margin (1.08), ninth in team sacks (2.92), 11th in rushing defense (99.3), 13th in scoring defense (17.6) and 13th in team passing efficiency defense (108.80).
In 2024, the Irish defense was one of the most complete defenses in the country, ranking among the FBS’ top teams. At the end of the season, Notre Dame was first in pass efficiency defense (104.4), first in turnovers gained (33), first in defensive touchdowns (6), first in blocked kicks (6), second in fumbles recovered (14), second in blocked punts (3), fourth in passing yards allowed (169.4), fourth in scoring defense (15.5), fifth in passes intercepted (19) and 11th in total defense (307.4).
Washington mentored seniors Howard Cross III and Rylie Mills to standout final seasons, with Mills named a team captain and Second-Team All-American by The Sporting News and Sports Illustrated, and Cross named an FWAA Second Team All-American. Mills was drafted in the fifth round of the 2025 NFL Draft by the Seattle Seahawks.
The Irish allowed one or fewer touchdowns on seven occasions in 2024. In three multi-touchdown games, the second touchdown was scored late in the fourth quarter, once the game was already put away for the Irish. In 2024, the Irish held 12 opponents to 17 or fewer points, and just two opponents scored more than 30 points. That was the best run for an Irish defense since 2012 when Notre Dame held 10 opponents under 16 points and just one opponent (Alabama in the BCS title game) reached 30 points.
Washington’s unit played a key role in an Irish defense that finished off the 2023 season as one of the top units in the country. Notre Dame ranked first in the country in pass efficiency defense (94.91), second in red zone defense (.706), fourth in pass yards allowed (154.2) and eighth in total defense (282.9).
The 2023 defensive unit was not only one of the best in the country for the season, it is historically one of the best units the Irish have fielded in program history. The 2023 defense ranks among the top-six all-time at Notre Dame in eight different categories, including opponent pass-yards-per-attempt (1st, 5.4), total pass yards allowed (1st, 1,85) and opponent yards-per-play (2nd, 4.4). Cross was a Bednarik Award semifinalist after piling up 66 tackles to rank second among all Power 5 front-four linemen. Cross also earned national defensive player of the week accolades after Notre Dame’s victory at No. 17. Duke as he led the Irish with 13 tackles and forced two fumbles, including the game-clinching forced fumble with 0:27 remaining.
The defensive line’s production in 2022 was highlighted by junior defensive end Isaiah Foskey, who capped his career at Notre Dame as the program’s all-time leading sack artist with 26.5. Foskey led all Irish players with 11 sacks in 2022 and earned consensus All-America honors.
From 2019-21, Washington served as the linebackers coach at Ohio State. In 2021, Washington and the Buckeyes’ defense ranked in the Top-20 nationally in defensive touchdowns and turnover margin. Ohio State led the nation in defensive touchdowns with six and ranked 15th nationally in turnover margin (+9). Sophomore linebacker Steele Chambers was named an honorable mention All-Big Ten honoree by the media after totaling 47 tackles, 5.0 tackles-for-loss and 1.0 sack in 2021.
In 2020, he developed all four senior linebackers for the next level. Each of the four senior linebackers on the 2020 Ohio State team were in the NFL as of August 2021: Tuf Borland (Minnesota), Baron Browning (Denver), Justin Hilliard (San Francisco) and Pete Werner (New Orleans). Werner was a Butkus Award Semifinalist in 2020 after he led the team in tackles with 54 and forced fumbles with two. Werner was a First Team All-Big 10 selection by the coaches following the season.
Washington helped Ohio State’s defense lead the nation in four statistical categories in 2019, including total defense and passing yards allowed, while compiling a 13-1 record and a third consecutive outright Big Ten Conference championship. He also developed four linebackers into all-conference performers with Malik Harrison a first-team honoree and Tuf Borland, Baron Browning and Pete Werner all earning honorable mention honors.
Washington coached linebackers at Michigan during the 2018 season, helping the Wolverines produce the nation’s No. 3-ranked overall defense and the second-ranked unit against the pass. Washington also mentored consensus All-American and Butkus Award finalist Devin Bush, who was the Big Ten’s Woodson-Nagurski Defensive Player of the Year and Butkus-Fitzgerald Linebacker of the Year. All three of his linebackers earned All-Big Ten honors this past season as Khaleke Hudson and Josh Uche each were named honorable mention all-league by the league’s coaches and voting media.
Washington assisted with special teams, and the Wolverines were tied for fourth nationally in blocked punts, led the Big Ten in punt average and allowed just one kick return all season of 30 yards or more.
Washington returned to the state of Ohio in 2017 when he served as defensive line coach for Luke Fickell at Cincinnati in Fickell’s first season with the Bearcats.
Prior to Cincinnati, Washington spent five years at his alma mater, Boston College. Washington coached running backs from 2013 through 2015 before taking over as the program’s special team’s coordinator and defensive line coach during the 2016 season. He began his tenure in 2012 as the assistant special teams coach and assistant defensive line coach. In his final year at Boston College, Washington moved to the defensive side of the ball and coached the defensive line.
With his help, the Eagles were one of the nation’s best units, ranking in the top 10 in total defense, sacks, tackles for loss and rush defense. He coached defensive end Harold Landry, an All-American, who led the nation with 16.5 sacks. Landry was a second round draft choice of the Tennessee Titans. Over the three seasons that he coached running backs, Boston College ranked first in the ACC with 211.8 yards per game. The Eagles improved their rushing output in each season and broke the school’s season rushing record in 2014.
In 2013, Washington helped develop Andre Williams into a Heisman Trophy finalist and the ACC’s first-ever Doak Walker Award recipient. That season, Williams rushed for 2,177 yards and 18 touchdowns, becoming just the 16th player in FBS history to surpass the 2,000-yard mark.
Washington coached linebackers at Elon in 2011. A two-year stint at Slippery Rock preceded Washington’s tenure at Elon. He began his coaching career in 2007 as the defensive line coach at Rensselaer Polytechnic Institution (RPI) before a one-year stay in 2008 at N.C. State as a graduate assistant.