SOUTH BEND, Ind. -- Notre Dame has announced Aaron Henry as the Co-Defensive Coordinator and Pat and Jana Eilers Defensive Backs Coach.

He most recently served as the defensive coordinator and secondary coach at the University of Illinois. 

In 2025, Henry mentored eight of Illinois’ 11 defensive starters to All-Big Ten honors.

All-Big Ten First Team honoree Gabe Jacas led the conference in sacks (11.0) during the regular season and was in the top ten among league defensive players in both forced fumbles and sack yards.

The team wrapped up the season with a marquee defensive effort against No. 23 Tennessee in a Music City Bowl win.

Illinois held the Tennessee offense, which was ranked fourth in the nation in yards per game, to a season-low 278 total yards.

Henry enters his thirteenth season of coaching this year and has experience as a defensive coordinator and positional coaching responsibilities as a defensive backs, cornerbacks and safeties coach in multiple stints in the college coaching ranks.