NOTRE DAME

Notre Dame fires defensive coordinator Brian VanGorder

Laken Litman
laken.litman@indystar.com
Notre Dame defensive coordinator Brian VanGorder gestures in the first quarter against the Texas Longhorns at Darrell K. Royal-Texas Memorial Stadium. Texas won 50-47 in double overtime.

Brian VanGorder was fired as Notre Dame’s defensive coordinator, Brian Kelly announced Sunday, calling it “the best decision for the program” after a 1-3 start. Defensive analyst Greg Hudson will take over effective immediately.

“This is a difficult decision,” Kelly said in a statement. “I have the utmost respect for Brian as both a person and football coach, but our defense simply isn’t where it should be and I believe this change is necessary for the best interest of our program and our student-athletes.

“It’s never easy to make a change on your staff, but I’m confident in Greg’s ability to lead our defense. As a former player at Notre Dame and an experienced defensive coordinator, he not only understands the expectations necessary to compete at the highest level, but he’ll bring a fresh perspective to our sideline, practice field and meeting rooms.”

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Notre Dame gave up nearly 1,000 total yards combined in losses to Michigan State and Duke the past two Saturdays. After last week’s loss to the Spartans, however, Kelly told reporters that VanGorder’s job was not on the line.

“That’s not even part of the conversation,” Kelly said just one week ago. “… These are plays that we’ve got to continue to work on and fundamentally get better at and there’s not a question about scheme. There’s not a question about who’s leading it with Brian. This is about coaching, communicating and teaching the fundamentals and getting young players, those that don’t have a lot of experience, better at execution.”

Following Notre Dame's shocking 38-35 loss to the Blue Devils, however, Kelly said that there would be changes.

"Oh yeah, there will be personnel changes, absolutely," Kelly said.

Notre Dame’s student section chanted “Fire VanGorder” during the loss to Duke.

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The juxtaposition between Kelly’s public support for VanGorder all season and his eventual firing may seem contradictory, but he had valid reasoning for that on his weekly conference call Sunday.

“That’s not the appropriate time to get into talking about your coaches and where do you feel they fit on that continuum of how well they’re doing,” Kelly said of postgame and weekly news conferences. “I’m going to defend them in those public settings. As I got a chance to further evaluate our football team and our current situation, I felt that it was in our best interest to make the move that I did.”

VanGorder, who was in his third year as Notre Dame’s defensive coordinator and served under Kelly at Grand Valley State in 1991, coached a defense ranked at the bottom of all Division I teams statistically. The Irish are currently 103rd in total defense (454.0 yards per game), 101st in points per game (33.5), 104th in yards per play (6.18), 96th in rushing (201) and 87th in passing (253). Notre Dame has also been allowing a national-worst five plays of 60 yards or more.

According to Notre Dame’s most recently available federal tax return, VanGorder was making just over $1.1 million during the 2014 calendar year, per USA Today Sports.

Kelly said he told his players about VanGorder’s firing Sunday and reinforced the fact that no one’s job is safe.

“I went in and informed them, and I mentioned that there would be changes and I mean that from coaches and players and I announced the change that I had made,” Kelly said.

“I’m certain that there’s some feelings in the room, but they clearly understand that when you’re 1-3 at Notre Dame, changes are going to be made.”

Follow IndyStar reporter Laken Litman on Twitter: @LakenLitman.