We’ve been on the lookout for star Notre Dame defensive coordinator Clark Lea as coaching changes have been happening all around college football. The former Vanderbilt fullback won’t return to his alma mater since the Commodores didn’t make a coaching change but a Notre Dame assistant has now been linked to an SEC opening.
And it’s not Clark Lea.
247Sports is reporting that as of Tuesday night that Notre Dame offensive coordinator Chip Long has emerged as a candidate to fill the Ole Miss head coaching vacancy.
Long has been at Notre Dame since 2017 when he took over as offensive coordinator.
Long began his coaching career as a graduate assistant at Louisville in 2007 before stays in various positions at Arkansas, Illinois, Arizona State and Memphis.
Long went to Memphis with Mike Norvell in 2016 and spent one season there before headed to South Bend to call Notre Dame’s offense which he has had great success with, helping guide the Irish to now three-straight 10-win seasons.
My initial thought is that yeah, you hate to break-up something that is working but in all honesty – what is Notre Dame’s offensive identity this year?
There is something to be said with being able to get by somewhat on the fly, but it’s hardly a unit that dominates in any one capacity.
My initial thoughts upon reading this are more “Thank goodness it’s not Lea” than it is “Don’t leave, Chip!”