Following the debacle of 2016, Notre Dame head coach Brian Kelly had little choice but to look across the country to fill out his coaching staff. On the Pacific Coast, he found Tom(my) Rees, bringing back the former Irish quarterback from the San Diego Chargers to tutor a new generation at that position. Del Alexander came from Arizona State to work with those quarterbacks’ targets, and Brian Polian returned to Notre Dame from Nevada to lead the special teams and Kelly’s recruiting efforts.
A bit south, Chip Long left Memphis after only one year as offensive coordinator to take the same position under Kelly.