Max Bullough 2025-26 Football Staff

THE BULLOUGH FILE

• Name: Max Bullough
• Hometown: Traverse City, Michigan
• High School: St. Francis
• Education: Finance, Michigan State (2014)
• Wife: Bailee

PLAYING CAREER

• 2010-13 Michigan State (Linebacker)
• 2014-16 Houston Texans (Linebacker)
• 2018 Cleveland Browns (Linebacker)

COACHING CAREER

• 2019 Graduate Assistant at Cincinnati
• 2020-22 Graduate Assistant at Alabama
• 2023 Graduate Assistant at Notre Dame
• 2024 Notre Dame Linebackers 

BOWLS/PLAYOFFS COACHED IN

• 2019 Cincinnati (Birmingham Bowl)
• 2020 Alabama (Rose Bowl)
• 2020 Alabama (CFP National Championship)
• 2021 Alabama (Cotton Bowl)
• 2021 Alabama (CFP National Championship)
• 2022 Alabama (Sugar 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)

COACHING ACCOMPLISHMENTS

• In his first season as an assistant coach in 2024, Notre Dame reached the national title game with one of the best defenses in the country. Bullough helped mentor a five-man rotation that helped Notre Dame to its nationally-recognized defensive prowess.
• 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).
• 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.
• Mentored Jack Kiser, a 2024 CSC Academic All-American and finalist for the William V. Campbell Trophy, the Wuerffel Trophy, the Freddie Solomon Community Spirit Award, and a member of the AFCA Allstate Good Works Team, to a stellar final season in which he led the team in tackles with 90. Kiser finished his career with the all-time program record for most games played at Notre Dame with 70.
• In 2023, helped the Irish starting linebacking corps total 182 tackles, led by team-lead JD Bertrand with 76 stops. 
• The 2023 linebacker corps accounted for 16.5 tackles for loss. 
• Helped guide Alabama’s second leading tackler Henry To’oTo’o to a First Team All-Southeastern Conference selection in 2022, following up on a second team selection in 2021.
• The 2021 Alabama defense finished fourth nationally in rushing yards per game, allowing just 86.0 yards per game on the ground.
• A member of the Alabama coaching staff during the 2020 National Championship, with the Crimson Tide defeating Ohio State, 52-24
• Tutored three All-SEC selections in his first season at Alabama –  Dylan Moses (first team) Christopher Allen (second team) and Will Anderson (third team).
• While at Cincinnati in 2019, helped the Bearcat defense finish second nationally in fourth-down conversion percentage (0.263).

NOTABLE STUDENT-ATHLETES DEVELOPED BY BULLOUGH THROUGHOUT HIS CAREER

• JD Bertrand, LB, Notre Dame – 2023 William V. Campbell Trophy award finalist, Wuerffel Trophy semifinalist
• Jack Kiser, LB, Notre Dame – 2023 Pro Football Focus’s No.68 in their CFP Top 101 graded players
• Marist Liufau, LB, Notre Dame – 2023 Butkus Award semifinalist
• Henry To’oTo’o, LB, Alabama – Two-time All-SEC selection, 2022 NFL Draft Fifth-Round Selection (Houston)
• Will Anderson Jr., LB, Alabama – 2021 and 2022 All-American, SEC Defensive Player of the Year, Winner of the Lombardi Award, Bronko Nagurski Award, Chuck Bednarik and the LOTT Impact, 2022 NFL Draft First-Round Selection (Houston)
• Dylan Moses, LB, Alabama – 2020 All-American