Notre Dame football has a personnel change that they should consider to unlock the Fighting Irish defense under DC Chris Ash

The Notre Dame defense had a rough day on Sunday night during the team’s 27 to 24 loss to the Miami Hurricanes. New defensive coordinator Chris Ash walked into a talented roster, but following up Al Golden was never going to be easy. We saw some troubling growing pains during that season opener down in Hard Rock Stadium. 

Over the next couple of weeks, there is going to be a natural maturation for this Fighting Irish squad to more adequately understand the expectations under Coach Ash. On the coaching side, there should also be an evolution to more deeply understand the personnel. Roles for certain players will expand, while others will shrink. 

One player who should see an uptick in playing time moving into the future is sophomore linebacker Kynstonn Viliamu-Asa. There is a very strong argument that the California native was the best defensive player for the Fighting Irish on Sunday, and you could also argue that it wasn’t overly close. While some looked a bit uncertain, and were playing a tad slow, Viliamu-Asa was very confident in what he was seeing. 

At 6-3 and 230 pounds, Viliamu-Asa is an outstanding combination of size, length, movement skills, and instincts. His impressive combination allows him to make plays at both inside linebacker spots, as well as off the edge as a pass rusher. There isn’t a more versatile defender on this roster right now. 

Despite KVA clearly being one of the outstanding defenders for Notre Dame on Sunday against Miami, he played in just 36 defensive snaps. He was productive with those opportunities, finishing the day with four total tackles and a tackle for loss. The impact for Viliamu-Asa went far beyond the box score, and he was the best linebacker on the team by a pretty wide margin. 

While the Irish have a deep linebacker rotation, it’s hard not to leave that less than stellar defensive showing and wonder if KVA was given enough opportunities. Without getting too hyperbolic, this is a young defender who has the upside to completely transform a defense. Whether it’s playing MIKE, WILL, or rushing the passer, Viliamu-Asa should be playing the majority of defensive reps. 

36 snaps just isn’t enough. 

Drayk Bowen is a good football player, but Viliamu-Asa is just a bit different. Getting a more even split between the two should be something they consider. That diversity of skill sets could also go a long way to unlocking the potential of Jaiden Ausberry and Jaylen Sneed as well.

With the confidence that Viliamu-Asa showcased in the snaps he received on Sunday, along with his natural talent, it’s hard not to get excited for the future for the dynamic defender. Notre Dame has had quite the run at linebacker over the last 15 years, and it appears that KVA could be the next in that outstanding pipeline. If there is a linebacker that continues the tradition for the likes of Manti Teo, Jaylon Smith, and Jeremiah Owusu-Koramoah, it could be him. 

When the Irish welcome Texas A&M to their home stadium two Saturdays from now, I expect to see Viliamu-Asa get a lot more opportunities. With a 0-1 early record, getting KVA more involved is imperative. He has the look of a difference maker, and a future All-American.