Deland McCullough didn’t have to think long before Kyngstonn Viliamu-Asa's name came out of his mouth.
When Notre Dame’s running backs coach was asked last week which linebacker is the hardest to block when blitzing, his first answer was veteran Jack Kiser. But then McCullough heaped praise at Viliamu-Asa, a freshman and former five-star recruit who’s only been with the team since January.
“The guy is just crafty,” McCullough said of the 6-foot-3, 240-pound Viliamu-Asa. “So, it’s one thing to say, ‘Oh, well, guys are fast’. If a guy is just a speed rusher and is taking a soft shoulder, you know how to deal with that. But some of these guys who come through, they got true plans.
"Like, OK, I’m going to work this, I’m going to get you off balance over here, those are the guys who are arguably the hardest.”
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McCullough recounted a moment when Viliamu-Asa beat two blockers in the same rep with a spin move.
“I was watching tape and I said, ‘Are you kidding me? You gotta be kidding me,’ McCullough said. “We had a guy there and a back and he spinned off both of them. How’s that happen? So, again, that’s a credit to him — he’s a good player. He makes us better, because we gotta make sure all our details are on point when we’re going against him.”
Viliamu-Asa, who starred at Bellflower (Calif.) St. John Bosco, will almost certainly find a role on Notre Dame’s defense in his first season with the Irish. His ability to rush the passer has been recognized to the point where he’s joined Notre Dame’s defensive line for some 1-on-1 work against the Irish offensive line.
Viliamu-Asa has also shown a greater understanding of the defense in camp. Defensive coordinator Al Golden listed preparation, maturity and IQ as the three things that have made Viliamu-Asa's transition to Notre Dame easier.
“Are you mature enough?” Golden said. “Do you understand what it takes preparation-wise? And then do you have the IQ, the football IQ, to make that transition? That's what's allowing him to transition to what I see as a more comfortable player.
“And obviously, if you're a freshman and you're getting the green dot in some portion of practice, then you're doing something right to earn that trust. But the three elements precede where he is right now. And I just think he's playing a little bit more relaxed.”
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The green dot is a reference to the helmet given to the player on the defense who’s on the receiving end of the headset linked in with Notre Dame’s defensive play-caller. The NCAA is allowing helmet communication with one player on each side of the ball this season for the first time.
That Viliamu-Asa has been entrusted with the role at times is a sign of how confident the Irish coaching staff is in his ability to understand and communicate defensive assignments. In a position group led by Kiser, a sixth-year graduate senior, there is playing time to be shared among junior Jaylen Sneed and sophomores Jaiden Ausberry and Drayk Bowen.
Viliamu-Asa totaled 114 tackles, 13 tackles for loss, two sacks, three pass breakups and one interception in his final season at St. John Bosco last year. Rivals ranked him as the No. 2 inside linebacker and No. 19 overall in the 2024 class.
His production continued in Notre Dame’s Blue-Gold Game in April with four tackles and one pass breakup.
“I would hope that he would fight in the mix,” Golden said of Viliamu-Asa's playing time. “He's doing a great job right now, but we’ve got scrimmages coming up and a bunch of different things. But right now, I'm really excited about the young man, and it's warranted because of the way he approaches it.”
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