Notre Dame football prepares for its annual Blue-Gold game with a new defensive coordinator
SOUTH BEND, Ind -- The Notre Dame football team is busy getting ready for the annual Blue-Gold game, which is less than a month away.
New defensive coordinator Al Golden talked about his role and how players are adapting to the new defensive system.
Golden stepped on the scene at Notre Dame last month entering his 30th year in the coaching business.
He came from this year’s Super Bowl runner-ups, the Cincinnati Bengals.
"One thing that’s really been evident is that Coach Golden has a lot of juice," said linebacker Jack Kiser.
"I think as a whole we just all just really enjoy having him. He just brings so much experience and so much knowledge to it," said linebacker JD Bertrand.
Getting to work just days after the Super Bowl Golden has already left a lasting impression on the Irish.
"Something that’s impressed me is just how smart he is. How much he knows the game. You can tell he’s been around the game for a long time. He knows what he’s doing," said linebacker Marist Liufua.
And the feeling is mutual.
Golden says he’s been impressed by his team during spring practice.
"Their work ethic has been great. They’re really prepared and I think it’s a tight group," said Golden. "Just a self-starter standpoint point, you’re not really tracking to many guys down to do this, do that. They want to do it. They want to be the best.”Coach Golden believes when it comes to maintaining the defensive intensity, the players have done a great job and he wants his players to thrive on that.
"This emphasis on getting that ball out. The ball is the issue this year and guys are really buying into it at practice. I mean guys have bloody knuckles after practice and so that’s what we like to see and that’s a product of him coming in," said Kiser.
The Irish had their fourth spring practice hoping to bounce back from last year’s loss in the Fiesta Bowl, while preparing for the Blue-Gold game on Saturday April 23rd.