Ed McGilvra, better known as Coach Ed, has been coaching Notre Dame defensive linemen for years, even though he has never been part of the Irish staff.
McGilvra, a defensive line coach from California, works with the best in the country at the position and has aided in the development of a couple current and former Notre Dame players.
His first pupil was former Irish defensive end Romeo Okwara, who played at Notre Dame from 2012-15. He has carved out a successful NFL career for himself with the New York Giants and now as a starter for the Detroit Lions.
Through five seasons in the NFL, Okwara has tallied 139 tackles and 20 sacks, with 10 of them coming in a breakout 2020 season.
Okwara went to work with McGilvra to prep for the NFL Draft, which likely boosted his draft stock and helped more people lay eyes on him. So did 2016-20 Irish defensive end and two-year starter Ade Ogundeji, who sought out McGilvra for some tutelage before he took part in the Reese’s Senior Bowl in late January.
“He is very raw, almost a ball of clay at this point," McGilvra said of Ogundeji. "He is very coachable and very smart and can be molded to do whatever any coach asks him to.”
McGilvra works with the best of the best and he believes that Ogundeji’s potential is "through the roof." The former Notre Dame defensive end displayed that potential in Mobile, Ala. at the Senior Bowl, where he was one of the impact players on defense.
Ogundeji’s raw talent and supreme skillset catch eyes, but McGilvra places equal emphasis on finding the right pre-snap mentality.
“I think the most important thing for all young pass rushers, Ade included, is to have a plan,” McGilvra explained. “A lot of guys just rush without a plan. For Ade, it’s coming off the ball strongly and getting to the point of attack quickly. We want his pad level low so he can get inside and use the moves we have taught him to reach the quarterback.”
While Ogundeji’s career for Notre Dame is over, another McGilvra student is just beginning his.
Devin Aupiu, a defensive end signee in the 2021 recruiting class, has been coached by McGilvra for more than two years. The California native was formerly committed to UCLA before changing his pledge to Notre Dame. McGilvra believes South Bend is the perfect place for him.
“I think Devin is a very special kid, people don’t understand how good he is going to be,” McGilvra said. “He comes from a place that plays football at a very high level but he was not able to have a position coach in high school. He has just been going around learning from people but at Notre Dame, they will be able to tap into his potential with one-on-one coaching.”
The 6-5, 225-pounder was impressive in his last full season at Pacifica, racking up 62 tackles, 21 tackles for loss, 11 sacks, 22 quarterback hurries, 12 pass deflections, two forced fumbles and one blocked punt in 2019. His senior season was canceled due to California's COVID-19 restrictions. He bypassed a potential spring season to enroll early at Notre Dame.
“I really think Notre Dame got a steal with Aupiu,” McGilvra stated. “He had some great power five offers but he probably should have had more given his talent and potential. Notre Dame is going to get the best out of him.”
As Ogundeji and Aupiu begin their new journeys, they both have McGilvra in their corner waiting to see them shine.
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