Has defensive coordinator Chris Ash finally found some answers for the defensive issues for Notre Dame football? While it didn’t start out perfectly, things certainly seemed to be improving during the team’s 56 to 13 victory over the Arkansas Razorbacks this past weekend.

Head coach Marcus Freeman and this Fighting Irish team are in the midst of a very important stretch of opponents, including the Boise State Broncos this upcoming weekend, followed by NC State, and the USC Trojans. If Notre Dame is going to have a chance to run the table then Coach Ash’s unit will need to continue improving. It is a small sample size, but they received some much needed contributions from some underrated defenders with less exciting backgrounds.

That includes former USC transfer defensive tackle Elijah Hughes and redshirt freshman defensive lineman Cole Mullins. The duo played 44 total snaps against Arkansas, which is notable when you consider that it was a blowout and offered a chance for a lot of players to get reps. As long as those two continue to get better and better, it appears likely that they could earn more significant roles.

Coach Freeman spoke to the media on Monday to begin preparing for their matchup with Boise State this weekend. Freeman was asked about both Hughes and Mullins, and gave the media context for how they have been able to move up the depth chart. He laid out criteria for gaining trust from the Irish staff.

Marcus Freeman’s secret sauce

“Similar to Cole Mullins, Elijah is a guy who plays extremely hard,” Freeman told the media. “He might not be physically as big as some of those other tackles, but he plays hard, and that’s rewarded. He’s becoming more consistent in what he’s being asked to do. That’s what sticks out to me more than anything about Elijah and Cole. Those guys play hard. They make for some of their size physically with the aggression and how hard they play.”

When Notre Dame gained a commitment from Hughes via the Transfer Portal this past offseason, nobody really knew quite what to expect. While with the USC program, the 6-3, 300-pound defender managed to play in just 15 games during his two seasons with the Trojans. During that time, he recorded 12 total tackles, three tackles for losses, and 1.5 sacks. With two years of eligilty remaining, and not a ton of past game film, it was uncertain what type of role that Hughes would fill.

It is early, but you can argue that Hughes has been the team’s best defensive tackle on a per snap basis. He has far outplayed the modest box score statistics (6 total tackles, one tackle for loss) that he has recorded thus far. Hughes could get a chance to prove that he can become a consistent performer at a higher volume of snaps.

For Mullins, his role going into 2025 was also a major question. After dealing with injury last season, the redshirt freshman defensive lineman has spent time working between defensive end and defensive tackle. While not flashy, Mullins has begun to earn the trust of his Notre Dame coaches, and more reps have followed. It will be interesting to see how he impacts the defensive end depth chart, and how much he also plays inside at times.

Nobody would have predicted a ton of impact from either Mullins or Hughes during this past preseason. They have already provided more reps than some may have anticipated. The key has been hard work and playing extremely hard.

Notre Dame Fighting Irish News

Changes that the Notre Dame Fighting Irish should heavily consider following blowout victory over the Arkansas Razorbacks

Notre Dame continues an essential stretch of the 2025 CFB season. There are some changes the staff could consider heading into their game against Boise State.

Ryan Roberts