Al Washington 2025-26 Football Staff

THE WASHINGTON FILE

Hometown: Columbus, Ohio
High School: Bishop Watterson
College: Boston College (Sociology, 2006)
Wife: Melissa
Children: Daughter – Audrey; Son – Michael

PLAYING EXPERIENCE

2002-05 Boston College Defensive Line

COACHING CAREER

2007 Rensselaer Poly Tech Defensive Line
2008 NC State Graduate Assistant
2009-10 Slippery Rock Defensive Line
2011 Elon Linebackers
2012 Boston College Assistant Special Teams/Defensive Line
2013-15 Boston College Running Backs
2016 Boston College Defensive Line
2017 Cincinnati Defensive Line
2018 Michigan Linebackers
2019-21 Ohio State Linebackers
2022-23 Notre Dame Defensive Line
2023-current Notre Dame Peter Schivarelli Defensive Line/Run Game Coordinator

BOWLS/PLAYOFFS COACHED

• 2008 NC State (PapaJohns.com Bowl)
• 2013 Boston College (AdvoCare V100 Bowl)
• 2014 Boston College (Pinstripe Bowl)
• 2016 Boston College (Quick Lane Bowl)
• 2018 Michigan (Peach Bowl)
• 2019 Ohio State (Fiesta – CFP Semifinal)
• 2020 Ohio State (Sugar – CFP Semifinal)
• 2020 Ohio State (CFP National Championship Game)
• 2021 Ohio State (Rose Bowl)
• 2022 Notre Dame (Gator Bowl)
• 2023 Notre Dame (Sun Bowl)
• 2024 Notre Dame (CFP First Round)
• 2025 Notre Dame (CFP Quarterfinal – Sugar)
• 2025 Notre Dame (CFP Semifinal – Orange)
• 2025 Notre Dame (CFP National Championship)

PERSONAL INFORMATION

• Washington was a three-year starter and four-year letterwinner as a defensive tackle for Boston College (2002-05). He finished his career with 74 tackles, six sacks and 15.5 tackles for loss.
• The Eagles won eight or more games in all four of his years and were unbeaten in four bowl games. He graduated in 2006 with a degree in sociology.
• At Bishop Watterson High School, Washington was the 2001 co-Defensive Player of the Year in Division II and led the Eagles to the state championship game.

COACHING ACCOMPLISHMENTS

• Washington completed his third season leading the Irish defensive line in 2024.
• 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
• Also coached freshman DL Boubacar Traore to a remarkable open to the season. Prior to a season-ending injury, Traore led all FBS freshman players in sacks (three) and sacks per game (0.75) after Week Four.
• Freshman DL Bryce Young made his mark through his first season, seeing sustained action on special teams, and stepping into a regular rotation on the defensive line. His efforts earned him Notre Dame’s program award for Special Teams Player of the Year. Young blocked three kicks in 2024, ranking second among all FBS players, with two field goals, one vs. Miami (OH), and one at Georgia Tech, and a blocked punt vs. Army. He was one of just three players in FBS to own three or more this season, and the only freshman (the other two players are seniors) Through the season, he totaled 23 tackles (14 solo) with 3.0 TFL, 1.5 sacks and two QB hurries.
• Notre Dame led the nation in turnovers gained (33). The Irish earned 151 points off of turnovers this season, compared to their opponents’ 44 (+107 point differential).
• Notre Dame held seven opponents to 125 or fewer passing yards in 2024, the most instances among all FBS programs that regular season.
• Notre Dame held opponents to 250 or fewer yards of offense in six games in the 2024 regular season, tied for the second-most in FBS in the regular season.
• The Irish allowed one or fewer touchdowns on seven occasions that season. 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 is 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.
• His 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 ’23 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).
• Howard Cross III established himself as one of the best interior lineman in the country in 2023, piling up 66 tackles (ranking second among all Power 5 front-four linemen) and earning national defensive player of the week accolades after the victory at No. 17. Duke. Against the Blue, Devils Cross III led the Irish with 13 tackles and forced two fumbles, including the game-clinching forced fumble with 0:27 remaining. The 64 stops in 2023 for Cross III are the most for an Irish front-four lineman since Trevor Laws piled up 112 stops in 2007. Cross III was a Bednarik Award semifinalist selection.
• Washington also played a key role in the outstanding final season of eligibility for graduate transfer Javontae Jean-Baptiste. Jean-Baptiste would finish fourth on the team with 47 tackles in 2023, which came close to eclipsing his career total (51) from his previous four seasons at Ohio State. Jean-Baptiste also led the Irish with 9.5 tackles for loss, four sacks and 10 quarterback hurries.
• 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.
• The 2022 Irish defensive line played a key role in Notre Dame’s 21st-ranked total defense, amassing 29 tackles for loss and 29 sacks.
• In his final season at Ohio State, 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 6 and ranked 15th nationally in turnover margin with +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.