Brian Polian Officially Named Notre Dame's Special Teams Coordinator
The second new hiring on the 2017 Notre Dame coach staff was officially announced by the University on Tuesday afternoon.
Former 2005-09 Fighting Irish assistant/special teams coordinator Brian Polian — the Nevada head coach from 2013-16 — returns to Notre Dame in the same capacity under head coach Brian Kelly that he held under Charlie Weis in the aforementioned period. Earlier this month, Wake Forest defensive coordinator Mike Elko was hired to coordinate the Notre Dame defense.
Polian, who turned 42 on Dec. 22, replaces Scott Booker, who was an intern during Kelly’s first two seasons (2010-11) with the Irish before being promoted to full-time duty as special teams coordinator/tight end coach in 2012.
Notre Dame special teams have been sporadic/inconsistent during the Kelly regime. It enjoyed a quality 2015 regular season, including scoring touchdowns on special teams four different ways, but was badly out-played in the 44-28 Fiesta Bowl loss to Ohio State.
This season the Irish special teams yielded what is believed to be a single season school record five touchdowns, including a game-changing kickoff return by Duke in the Blue Devils’ 38-35 win Sept. 24 and a blocked punt at North Carolina State (Oct. 8) in the fourth quarter that propelled the Wolfpack’s 10-3 win. The Irish also allowed both a punt return and kickoff return for a touchdown to USC’s Adoree Jackson in the season finale, a 45-27 Trojans victory.
After his five-year stint at Notre Dame under Weis — at which time he also on occasion helped coach safeties or linebackers — Polian was hired by Stanford head coach Jim Harbaugh to lead special teams/safeties in 2010, and that 12-1 campaign included a 37-14 win at Notre Dame. When Harbaugh left for the NFL’s San Francisco 49ers, his successor, David Shaw, added “recruiting coordinator” to Polian’s job description.
In 2012, Polian joined new head coach Kevin Sumlin’s staff at Texas A&M as special teams coordinator/tight ends coach. The Aggies finished 11-2 and No. 5 in the country that year, highlighted by a victory at eventual national champ Alabama that was propelled by Heisman Trophy winner Johnny Manziel.
After that one-year stay in College Station, Polian was hired as head coach by Nevada to succeed College Football Hall of Fame inductee Chris Ault. The Polian era had a rough start with a 4-8 record in 2013, followed by 7-6 seasons in 2014 and 2015 (highlighted by an Arizona Bowl win versus Colorado State).
A 5-7 mark in 2016, including a 39-10 defeat at Notre Dame on Sept. 10, resulted in what was announced Nov. 27 by Nevada as having “mutually decided to part ways,” with Polian, the son of NFL Hall of Fame executive Bill Polian. He had a 23-27 career mark with the Wolf Pack, including 14-18 in the Mountain West Conference.
During his time at Notre Dame, Polian earned a reputation as an indefatigable and effective recruiter, highlighted by landing National Defensive Player of the Year Manti Te’o from Hawaii in 2009. Te’o would be the Heisman Trophy runner-up to Manziel during the 12-1 Irish season in 2012. Polian also was able to lure several top California recruits to northern Indiana, including running back Cierre Wood and receiver Shaq Evans, among others.
He was a nominee for the American Football Coaches Association (AFCA) Assistant Coach of the Year in 2008, the season in which he led the Irish kickoff return defense to a nation leading 16.47 yards per return on 59 attempts. Only one FBS school since 2003 has posted a better kickoff return defense with at least 59 kickoff return attempts.
“I’m thrilled about the opportunity to return to Notre Dame,” said Polian, in a released statement from the University. “This is a very special University and football program. I want to thank Coach Kelly and (vice president and director of athletics) Jack Swarbrick for the opportunity to re-join the Fighting Irish family. (Wife) Laura and I are looking forward to coming back to this wonderful community. I’m excited to go to work, get to know the terrific student-athletes and prepare for a great 2017 season.”
While with the Wolf Pack, Polian had a program-record 21 student-athletes earn 2015 Academic All-Mountain West (MW) honors, and his team recorded a program-best combined GPA of 3.05 in the 2015 spring semester.
“Brian not only brings a successful history of coaching special teams, but he’s also considered one of the nation’s top recruiters,” said Kelly, also in a released statement. “He simply understands Notre Dame, what it’s about, and the type of student-athlete that we need to succeed at the highest level. I’m extremely excited to have Brian join this program, and our players will benefit from his mentorship, passion, energy and enthusiasm — both on and off the field.”
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