Chris Ash, a veteran coach with experience in the college and professional ranks, will join the Notre Dame Football coaching staff as Bob Hinton Defensive Coordinator. The hiring will be effective at the conclusion of the University’s standard employment process.
“Chris’ experience of coordinating and leading great defensive units at multiple places really resonated with me,” said Dick Corbett Head Football Coach Marcus Freeman. “His experience both in the NFL and as a head coach are valuable assets he can bring to our program. Chris has a great reputation of being a coach who builds strong relationships, while simultaneously developing his players, and that makes him a great fit for this role.”
Ash enters his 30th season of coaching and has seen success throughout his career in multiple posts, including as a position coach, coordinator and head coach.
Most recently a scout for the Jacksonville Jaguars, Ash spent two seasons with the Las Vegas Raiders as defensive backs coach after a season in Jacksonville as safeties coach. In his first season with the Raiders in 2022, Ash led a unit that saw 13 different defensive backs record snaps, tied for the second-most in a single season for the Raiders since 2000. His unit produced two defensive touchdowns in 2022, tied for the fourth-most among defensive back units in the NFL and tied for the most by a Raiders defensive back unit since 2010.
On the collegiate level, Ash has coordinated multiple successful college defenses, including for the 2014 National Champion Ohio State squad. He also served as the head coach at Rutgers, from 2016-19.
In 2020, Ash served as the defensive coordinator and safeties coach for Texas and helped guide the team to a 7-3 record and victory in the Alamo Bowl. In 2020, the Longhorns ranked ninth nationally in fourth-down defense (0.333), 10th in turnover margin (1.00), 16th in fumbles recovered (9), 19th in turnovers gained (19) and 23rd in team tackles for loss (7.3).
Ash spent eight years in the Big Ten Conference, including four as a defensive coordinator with four Big Ten championships. Ash led four groups that ranked in the top 25 statistically, including a top-10 defensive unit in 2015 at Ohio State.
Serving as co-defensive coordinator and safeties coach at Ohio State, the 2015 Buckeye defense ranked second nationally in scoring defense, ninth in total defense and ninth in sacks. In his first season (2014), OSU’s defense ranked fourth nationally with 24 interceptions, fifth in turnovers gained (33), 13th in sacks (3.00 per game) and 14th in tackles for loss (7.3 per game) en route to a Big Ten and National Championship.
He played a role in the development of several notable players, including defensive end Joey Bosa, a unanimous first-team All-American, Big Ten Defensive Player of the Year, Big Ten Defensive Lineman of the Year and first-team All-Big Ten, along with several others including cornerback Eli Apple, defensive back Doran Grant, defensive tackle Michael Bennett, linebacker Joshua Perry, defensive tackle Adolphus Washington, safety Vonn Bell and linebacker Darron Lee.
Ash served as defensive coordinator and coached the secondary at Arkansas in 2013. He helped improve Arkansas’ pass defense, with the Razorbacks defense finishing 72nd nationally in passing yards allowed after ranking 113th in 2012.
Ash spent three seasons at Wisconsin, the last two of which were as defensive coordinator (2011-12) with the first as defensive backs coach (2010). The Badgers were Big Ten champions in all three of Ash’s seasons in Madison. Ash spent eight seasons over two different stints at lowa State, finishing as defensive backs coach and recruiting coordinator. Ash spent the 2007 and 2008 seasons at San Diego State in the same role as his time with the Cyclones.
Ash began his coaching career as a defensive graduate assistant at his alma mater, Drake, in 1997. He was promoted to defensive coordinator for the next two seasons before moving to lowa State in 2000.
THE ASH FILE
- Hometown: Ottumwa, Iowa
- High School: Ottumwa
- College: Drake (1996), Iowa State (Master’s Degree, 2005)
- Wife: Doreen
- Children: Tanner, Brady, Jacey, Alexis
PLAYING EXPERIENCE
- 1992-95 Drake (Safety)
COACHING CAREER
- 1997 Drake Graduate Assistant
- 1998-99 Drake Defensive Coordinator
- 2000-01 Iowa State Graduate Assistant
- 2002-05 Iowa State Defensive Backs Coach
- 2006 Iowa State Defensive Backs Coach and Recruiting Coordinator
- 2007-08 San Diego State Defensive Backs Coach and Recruiting Coordinator
- 2009 Iowa State Defensive Backs Coach and Recruiting Coordinator
- 2010 Wisconsin Defensive Backs Coach
- 2011-12 Wisconsin Defensive Coordinator and Defensive Backs Coach
- 2013 Arkansas Defensive Coordinator and Secondary Coach
- 2014-15 Ohio State Co-Defensive Coordinator and Safeties Coach
- 2016-19 Rutgers Head Coach
- 2019 Texas Defensive Analyst
- 2020 Texas Defensive Coordinator and Safeties Coach
- 2021 Jacksonville Jaguars Safeties Coach
- 2022-23 Las Vegas Raiders Defensive Backs Coach
- 2024 Jacksonville Jaguars Scout
BOWLS/PLAYOFFS COACHED
- 2000 Insight.com Bowl (Iowa State)
- 2001 Independence Bowl (Iowa State)
- 2002 Humanitarian Bowl (Iowa State)
- 2004 Independence Bowl (Iowa State)
- 2005 Houston Bowl (Iowa State)
- 2009 Insight Bowl (Iowa State)
- 2011 Rose Bowl (Wisconsin)
- 2011 Big Ten Championship (Wisconsin)
- 2012 Rose Bowl (Wisconsin)
- 2012 Big Ten Championship (Wisconsin)
- 2014 Big Ten Championship (Ohio State)
- 2015 CFP Semifinal (Ohio State)
- 2015 CFP National Championship (Ohio State)
- 2016 Fiesta Bowl (Ohio State)
- 2019 Alamo Bowl (Texas)
- 2020 Alamo Bowl (Texas)
PERSONAL INFORMATION
- Ash earned his undergraduate degree from Drake in 1996, and was a two-time letterwinner at defensive back for the Bulldogs.
COACHING ACCOMPLISHMENTS
- Ash served in the professional ranks for four seasons, both as an NFL position coach and an NFL scout. He spent the 2024 season as a scout with the Jacksonville Jaguars, and two seasons with the Las Vegas Raiders as defensive backs coach, after a season with the Jaguars (2021) as safeties coach.
- In his first season with the Raiders in 2022, Ash led a unit that saw 13 different defensive backs record snaps, tied for the second-most in a single season for the Raiders since 2000. His unit produced two defensive touchdowns in 2022, tied for the fourth-most among defensive back units in the NFL and tied for the most by a Raiders defensive back unit since 2010.
- In his one season in Jacksonville (2021), Ash helped the Jaguars to a 10-spot improvement in pass defense, finishing 17th in the league after ranking 27th in 2020.
- Ash served as the defensive coordinator and safeties coach for Texas in 2020 and helped guide the team to a 7-3 record and victory in the Alamo Bowl. In 2020, the Longhorns ranked ninth nationally in fourth-down defense (0.333), 10th in turnover margin (1.00), 16th in fumbles recovered (9), 19th in turnovers gained (19) and 23rd in team tackles for loss (7.3).
- Linebacker Joseph Ossai was drafted 69th overall (third round) in the 2021 NFL Draft, DT Ta’Quon Graham was drafted 148th overall (fifth round) and S Caden Sterns was selected 152nd overall (fifth round).
- Ash spent eight years in the Big Ten Conference, including four as a defensive coordinator with four Big Ten championships. Ash led four groups that ranked in the top 25 statistically, including a top-10 defensive unit in 2015 at Ohio State.
- Ash served from 2016-19 as head coach at Rutgers. Ash’s tenure saw four players selected in the NFL Draft, including DE Kemeko Turay (2018 second round, 52nd overall), DT Sebastian Joseph-Day (2018 sixth round, 195th overall), DB Saquan Hampton (2019 sixth round, 177th overall) and DB Blessuan Austin (2019 sixth round, 196th overall).
- Ash joined Rutgers after serving as co-defensive coordinator and safeties coach at Ohio State. In 2015, the Buckeyes’ defense ranked second nationally in scoring defense, ninth in total defense and ninth in sacks. The Buckeyes earned a berth in the Fiesta Bowl, finishing the season with a 12-1 record
- In his first season (2014), OSU’s defense ranked 19th nationally in total defense (342.4 yards per game), 26th in scoring defense (22.0 points per game), 13th in pass efficiency defense (108.17) and 28th in pass defense (201.1 yards per game). The Buckeyes also ranked fourth nationally with 24 interceptions, fifth in turnovers gained (33), 16th in third-down defense (34.4 percent), 13th in sacks (3.00 per game) and 14th in tackles for loss (7.3 per game) en route to a Big Ten and National Championship.
- Defensive end Joey Bosa was a unanimous first-team All-American, Big Ten Defensive Player of the Year, Big Ten Defensive Lineman of the Year and first-team All-Big Ten, along with DB Doran Grant, while DT Michael Bennett and LB Joshua Perry were second-team. Grant and Bennett went on to both be selected in the 2015 NFL Draft.
- In 2015, the Ohio State defense continued its strides under Ash, ranking second nationally in scoring defense (15.1 points per game) and ninth in total defense (311.3 yards per game), as well as 16th in passing defense (184.5 yards per game) and 22nd in rushing defense (126.8 yards per game). It also ranked sixth in pass efficiency defense (104.78) and ninth in sacks (2.92 per game). The No. 7 Buckeyes defeated No. 8 Notre Dame, 44-28, in the Fiesta Bowl, finishing the year with a 12-1 record and a No. 4 ranking in both The Associated Press and Coaches Polls.
- Bosa was named consensus All-America and Big Ten Defensive Lineman of the Year. Defensive tackle Adolphus Washington and safety Vonn Bell earned first-team All-America honors from the Sporting News, while Bell also was an Associated Press first-team All-American. Perry earned first-team All-Big Ten recognition, while LB Darron Lee and CB Eli Apple earned second-team honors.
- The 2016 NFL Draft saw numerous players from Ash’s unit selected, including the first overall defensive player in Bosa, who was picked third by the San Diego Chargers. In all, the draft featured six players from the Ohio State defense, all in the first four rounds with three in the first round. Along with Bosa, Apple was chosen 10th overall by the New York Giants, and Lee was selected 20th by the New York Jets. Bell was taken in the second round, while Washington was picked in the third, and Perry in the fourth.
- Prior to taking over the OSU defense, Ash held the defensive coordinator post and coached the secondary at Arkansas in 2013. He helped improve Arkansas’ pass defense in his one season in Fayetteville, with the Razorbacks defense finishing 72nd nationally in passing yards allowed after ranking 113th in 2012.
- Ash was first promoted to the level of defensive coordinator at a Power Five school while at Wisconsin, where he spent three seasons, the last two of which were as coordinator (2011-12) with the first as defensive backs coach (2010). His 2011 defense ranked fourth nationally in fewest passing yards allowed (163.6 yards per game), 13th in scoring defense (19.0 points per game) and 15th in total defense (316.4 yards per game). In 2012, the UW defense again ranked 15th nationally in total defense (322.5), along with 17th in scoring defense (19.1 points per game), 18th in fewest passing yards allowed (193.6 yards per game), 22nd in pass efficiency defense and 24th against the run (128.9 yards per game).
- Ash spent eight seasons over two different stints at lowa State. Ash served as a graduate assistant with the Cyclones in 2000-01 before being promoted to defensive backs coach for a total of six seasons, adding the title of recruiting coordinator for 2006 and 2009. Ash spent the 2007 and 2008 seasons at San Diego State as the defensive backs coach and recruiting coordinator.
- Ash began his coaching career as a defensive graduate assistant at his alma mater, Drake, in 1997. He was promoted to defensive coordinator for the next two seasons before moving onto lowa State in 2000.