SOUTH BEND, IN (Chambana Today) —Notre Dame is reportedly expected to hire Illinois defensive coordinator Aaron Henry as its next co-defensive coordinator and defensive backs coach, according to CBS Sports.
Henry, 37, has spent the past two seasons leading the Illini defense and is coming off the most successful two-year stretch in Illinois football history, with the program winning 19 games during that span. He reportedly interviewed with the Jacksonville Jaguars before deciding to accept the Notre Dame position.
At Notre Dame, Henry would join defensive coordinator Chris Ash, who previously served as head coach at Rutgers and spent two seasons there coaching defensive backs. The Fighting Irish defense ranked 22nd nationally in yards allowed and 11th in points allowed per game last season.
Henry is expected to fill the defensive backs coach vacancy created when Mike Mickens left Notre Dame to join Jesse Minter’s staff with the Baltimore Ravens.
During his time at Illinois, Henry coached several defensive backs who went on to the NFL, including Seattle Seahawks cornerback Devon Witherspoon, Philadelphia Eagles safety Sydney Brown and Washington Commanders safety Quan Martin.
Henry began his coaching career in 2014 as a graduate assistant at Arkansas under Bret Bielema following his playing career at Wisconsin and with the Oakland Raiders. He later coached defensive secondaries at Rutgers, NC State and Vanderbilt before reuniting with Bielema at Illinois.