JON TENUTA JOINS NOTRE DAME STAFF

Former Georgia Tech defensive coordinator Jon Tenuta will replace defensive backs coach Bill Lewis at Notre Dame at an expected new conference on February 8th according to Irish Illustrated. I really don't have much to say to this except that I'm completely shocked and down right giddy a coach the caliber of Tenuta is going to Notre Dame. Tenuta developed a reputation at Tech as an aggressive blitzing at all times coordinator who managed to make the most out of a defense with a good amount of talent but nowhere near the amount he will receive at a school like Notre Dame. I'm not exactly sure what this means for current D-coordinator Corwin Brown(aka ace defensive recruiter) and his future at the program unless Tenuta is taking a step down to be only the secondary coach which would seem really far fetched to me. Brown has been doing an excellent job recruiting for Notre Dame and this year's class he has coming in will be one of the best ever defensively for the Irish and that is in large part thanks to himself and not necessarily head coach Charlie Weis.

Tenuta's defenses since he became the D-coordinator at Tech have been consistently ranked in the top 25 and this past year they led the nation in sacks. Of course 9 of those sacks came against the Irish in the season opener. If this hire does in fact go down it will be one of the biggest coups for Weis in terms of hire since...well...since they hired Brown last season. It terms of immediate recruiting it should be noted that a defensive end/outside linebacker named Keith Wells from Georgia is visiting Notre Dame this weekend. I think the hiring of Tenuta just increased their chances of landing the kid big time since Tenuta is a household name down here in Atlanta especially with football recruits.