Notre Dame needs a new defensive line coach.
On Thursday, the University confirmed reports that Jappy Oliver will not return to the program next season. The South Bend Tribune first reported the news that the 53-year old assistant coach had been fired, which Irish Illustrated confirmed with multiple sources.
The official word from Notre Dame is that Oliver resigned to pursue other opportunities.
It's Notre Dame's second coaching change of the off-season following offensive coordinator Mike Haywood's departure to become the head coach at Miami of Ohio. It's unclear whether Oliver's ouster will be the last reshuffling of Weis' staff.
The 1978 graduate of Purdue joined Weis' original staff four years ago, coming from South Carolina with defensive coordinator Rick Minter, who was fired after two seasons.
Judging Oliver can be complicated because his position proved problematic in recruiting during Weis' first two years at Notre Dame. That showed by season's end when the position was dominated by underclassmen Ethan Johnson, Kerry Neal and Darius Fleming. The Irish had just four upperclassmen on the line.
Despite improving as the year went on, the defense finished 50th nationally in sacks and 106th in tackles for loss. The year prior Notre Dame finished 96th and 113th in those two categories, respectively.
Wherever Weis turns for a replacement he's likely to upgrade the position's recruiting capacity. Oliver struggled to court top talent, not that his recruiting regions of the Pacific Northwest, Arizona/New Mexico and northern California offered much of it. In the past four years Oliver was Notre Dame's lead recruiter on only Johnson and Jashaad Gaines, although he helped with most defensive line targets.
Notre Dame is expected to sign just one defensive lineman this year in Tyler Stockton. The U.S. Army All-American told Irish Illustrated on Thursday that he was disappointed to learn of Oliver's departure but that he understands that "it's a business."
Stockton will enroll at Notre Dame next week to start the spring semester.
