If there was clear weakness in Notre Dame’s defense early in the 2025 season, it was along the interior of the defensive line. The Irish simply didn’t have the size and physical presence inside to consistently control the line of scrimmage, particularly against more physical rushing attacks.
That changed as the season progressed and players like Jason Onye found their footing in Chris Ash’s defense, but the need was obvious heading into the offseason. Notre Dame needed to add help pn the defensive even before Donovan Hinish was forced to retire from football following an injury plagued collegiate career.
Notre Dame attacked that need aggressively in the transfer portal — and early returns suggest they may have reshaped the entire identity of the defensive line in the process.
“They’re big and physical,” Ash said when asked about the new additions. “They’re really strong. They’re heavy-handed. They do a great job with their hands.”
That description alone tells you everything you need to know about what Notre Dame prioritized this offseason.
Fixing the Interior: Size and Production Arrive
The headliners of Notre Dame’s defensive line haul are transfers Francis Brewu and Tionne Gray, two players who immediately bring the kind of size and presence the Irish lacked at times last year.
Brewu arrives from Pitt with proven production. The 6-foot-1, 285-pound defensive tackle played in 25 games over the last two seasons, including 13 starts in 2025. He totaled 51 tackles, 10 tackles for loss, and 2.5 sacks during his time with the Panthers — numbers that reflect both durability and consistent impact. Brewu isn’t the biggest interrior lineman in the world, but his pressence is large.
Gray, meanwhile, brings something Notre Dame simply didn’t have enough of last year: true size in the middle. At 6-foot-5 and 330 pounds, the former Oregon defensive tackle is a classic space-eater who can anchor against double teams and free up linebackers behind him. Simply put, Notre Dame has a lot of defensive tackles like Gray in recent years.
Gray appeared in 13 games for Oregon in 2025, making three starts while recording 18 tackles and two tackles for loss. His impact won’t always show up in the box score, but his presence alone changes how offenses have to account for the interior of Notre Dame’s defense.
Together, Brewu and Gray give Notre Dame two very different, but highly complementary, options inside: one proven and productive, the other physically imposing and capable of reshaping the line of scrimmage.
Adding Upside on the Edge
While the interior additions were clearly a priority, Notre Dame also added a high-upside piece on the edge in former five-star recruit Keon Keeley.
Listed at 6-foot-5 and 275 pounds, Keeley brings the kind of athletic profile that made him one of the most coveted defensive recruits in the country coming out of high school. After two seasons at Alabama, where he played in 13 games in 2025 and recorded 16 tackles and three sacks, Keeley arrives in South Bend looking for a larger role.
His versatility could be key.
Keeley has the frame to play with his hand in the dirt as a traditional defensive end, but he also has the athleticism to move around the formation – something Notre Dame has increasingly valued in its defensive front. Keeley just started to scratch the surface of his potential at Alabama towards the end of the 2025 season, including a sack in Alabama’s playoff loss.
A Room That Looks Different
Beyond the transfers, the overall composition of Notre Dame’s defensive line room looks noticeably different from what it did a year ago.
Players like Boubacar Traore, Bryce Young, Armel Mukam, Elijah Hughes, and Onye return with valuable experience, while younger players continue to develop behind them. But unlike last season, when the Irish were often searching for answers, this group feels more balanced.
There is now a clearer mix of size, strength, and athleticism across the depth chart.
That balance is critical for a defense that evolved significantly under Ash over the course of 2025.
Year Two for Chris Ash — With a New Look Staff
Ash enters his second season as defensive coordinator in a much different position than he was a year ago.
At this time last spring, he was still learning the roster, building relationships, and installing his system. Now, he has a full year of experience with his personnel — and a much clearer understanding of what works and what doesn’t.
“Last year at this point I was just trying to get to know the players,” Ash said. “This year, I understand their strengths and weaknesses.”
That comfort level should allow Notre Dame to play faster and cleaner defensively, particularly early in the season – something that has been a point of emphasis for the program as a whole.
However, Ash is also working with a reconfigured defensive staff.
Notre Dame lost three assistants this offseason — Mike Mickens, Al Washington, and Max Bullough — forcing Ash to rebuild parts of his defensive coaching structure. One of the most important additions was Charlie Partridge, who takes over the defensive line room. Partridge is widely known as one of the best defensive line coaches in the game and someone capable of getting the most out of his players. What he can do with the likes of Mukam, for instance, is intriguing. Mukam, who almost left Notre Dame after entering the portal, has flashed at times but hasn’t been a consistent force yet.
Culture Fit Matters
While the physical traits of the new additions stand out, Ash made it clear that something else has impressed him just as much.
“The new guys in general have done a great job of buying into our culture,” he said. “They’re listening. They’re learning. They’re eager to get out here and go to work.”
That buy-in is critical for a unit that is integrating multiple transfers while still trying to build continuity heading into the fall.
The Bottom Line
Notre Dame didn’t just add bodies to its defensive line this offseason – it added specific skill sets that address real weaknesses from a year ago. It used the portal exactly as it was intended to be used – for filling roster gaps, not completely restocking a full roster the way some programs have been relying on it.
Brewu brings production and familiarity. Gray brings size that can’t be taught. Keeley brings upside and versatility. And the returning players provide a foundation that is now supported rather than stretched thin.
For a defense that finished 2025 playing some of its best football, the improvements up front
Instead of Notre Dame’s defensive line potentially being a question mark, it feels like a strength in the making.
