Notre Dame’s defensive backfield is spending fall camp chasing a very specific kind of pressure.
New co-defensive coordinator and defensive backs coach Aaron Henry said the goal is to make life miserable for opposing offenses in the first few seconds after the snap, while also demanding steady habits from a secondary that has plenty of talent and experience. Henry, speaking publicly for the first time since spring, laid out the approach as Notre Dame works through its third fall camp practice and looks ahead to 2026 expectations.
“I know historically this place has played a lot of man to man,” Henry explained. “But with Christian [ Gray ] and Leonard [ Moore ] and just our secondary as a whole I think we try to create as much confusion and chaos as possible in terms of pre snap looks in terms.
Coach [ Chris ] Ash has been speaking a lot about creating five to six seconds of hell. I pulled up a slide the other day of just guys just doing their job because I think sometimes in the secondary if you don't have a lot of balls thrown at you, you can get bored.
I think when you start to get bored, young guys, specifically, they start to reach and chase for things. I'm just trying to get guys to be consistent daily.
And I think if we can be consistent as a secondary, I think we can continue to grow and climb and reach our full potential.”
That message fits a defense that has undergone major staffing changes. Mike Mickens, Max Bullough and Al Washington are gone, and Marcus Freeman brought in Charlie Partridge for the defensive line, Brian Jean-Mary for the linebackers and Henry for the defensive backs, where he also carries the co-defensive coordinator title.
The players in that room sounded comfortable with the new challenge. Leonard Moore said working against Micah Gilbert every day has sharpened both of them.
“It’s an ongoing challenge with him every single day,” Moore shared. “We learn each other's tendencies and then those tendencies adjust each and every day because we're trying to give each other new looks.
Every day it's us both sharpening each other in practice and helping each other get better. But he's been improving in all aspects, especially at the top of routes, getting separation at the top of routes, which has been great for me because that helps me improve my technique.”
Brauntae Johnson said this camp feels different for him because of where he is in the room now. He’s no longer trying to introduce himself to the roster; he’s helping set the tone.
“It’s definitely different just as far as the leadership part,” safety Brauntae Johnson explained. “Last year, I was kind of just trying to stamp my name and make a name for myself.
Now I'm in a position where I'm kind of an older guy now. So now it's just all about leadership and leading the younger guys and leading the defense as a whole and just getting better at controlling the defense and my leadership.”
Christian Gray, meanwhile, pointed to the overall makeup of the team when asked why he thinks Notre Dame can make a title run.
“It’s just the weapons we got for sure,” Gray stated. “It’s the weapons and the coaching staff and everything that we're doing.
I just know that we can make it. And I know that we'll be good for it and everything.
But right now, we just have to focus on what's in front of us. And right now, it's fall camp, and just working to get into our full potential.”
For Henry and Notre Dame’s defensive backs, the formula is clear: create confusion, stay disciplined, and keep stacking consistent days.
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Notre Dames fall camp has brought a little bit of everything so far, from preseason recognition to the kind of early health concern every staff watches closely. Offensive lineman Ashton Craig landed on the Rimington Trophy Watch List for the second straight year, a nod to the veteran centers place on the interior, while junior kicker Spencer Porath also picked up attention by making the Lou Groza Collegiate Place-Kicker Award watch list.
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Now the latest flashpoint is a recent agreement that guarantees Notre Dame a playoff spot if it finishes in the top 12, a setup that has only intensified the debate over whether the Irish get a different kind of treatment than everyone else. For a program with Notre Dames brand and history, the discussion was never going away, but this deal has given critics fresh ammunition and put the sport back into one of its oldest and most polarizing conversations. [Read more 🡒]
Leonard Moore Is Already Setting The Tone For Notre Dame's Defense
Leonard Moore is heading into his third season at Notre Dame with plenty of attention already on him, and not just because he has earned recognition as the top cornerback in college football. Under new defensive coordinator Aaron Henry, Moore has been singled out as more than a standout cover man. Henry has pointed to Moores humility, his preparation and his feel for the game, all of which have helped him emerge as one of the key voices on a defense looking to define itself early.
For Notre Dame, that matters as much as any highlight play. Moores approach gives the Irish a built-in standard in a room that will be asked to carry real weight in the chase for a championship. Henrys confidence in him suggests Moore is already shaping the identity of the defense, even as the bigger question is how far that leadership can help carry the group once the season pressure starts to build. [Read more 🡒]