Max Bullough Leaves Notre Dame To Return To Michigan State As Co-Defensive Coordinator
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In a move that was expected over the last week, Max Bullough is headed to Michigan State as their co-Defensive Coordinator and Linebackers coach. Bullough was an All-Big Ten performer at Michigan State during his playing career and now he returns to his alma mater, according to On3 Sports.
Bullough will join the new coaching staff that Pat Fitzgerald is putting together in East Lansing. Fitzgerald was hired last week after the Spartans fired second-year coach Jonathan Smith. Fitzgerald served as the head coach at Northwestern from 2006-2022 and was also an All-Big Ten (and All-American) linebacker.
Bullough was hired at Notre Dame in 2023 as a graduate assistant coach. He worked very well in year one under then defensive coordinator Al Golden, and when Chris O'Leary departed following that 2023 season Bullough was promoted to full-time. The promotion was more about pay and the specific role because he was instrumental in the development of the linebackers even as the graduate assistant.
During his tenure the linebacker position has been a strength of the Irish defense. Notre Dame's entire starting 2023 linebacker corps was drafted into the NFL, and that is expected to continue in coming seasons. Marist Liufau was a third round pick (Dallas Cowboys) and JD Bertrand was a fifth round pick (Atlanta Falcons) in the 2024 NFL Draft, and Jack Kiser was a fourth round pick (Jacksonville Jaguars) in the 2024 NFL Draft.
Drayk Bowen will go into the 2026 season as one of the top linebackers in the country and will likely be the next Irish backer to get drafted. Bowen has even more talent than the three players that were drafted in front of him. Bullough gets a lot of credit for his development, and that of classmate Jaiden Ausberry and talented sophomore Kyngstonn Viliamu-Asa.
Bullough spent the three seasons prior to his time at Notre Dame working under Nick Saban at Alabama. Learning under Saban and Marcus Freeman has certainly helped prepare him for this promotion upon returning to his alma mater.
The Michigan native was a four-year starter at Michigan State, playing for Mark Dantonio. That experience adds to his pedigree, as does the fact he comes from a family that has thrived playing linebacker for the Spartans for decades. Bullough finished his college career with 299 tackles, 31 tackles for loss, eight sacks and three interceptions.
Bullough was a first team All Big Ten linebacker for Michigan State in 2012. That season he racked up 111 tackles, 12.5 tackles for loss and 2.5 sacks. During his senior season, Bullough registered 76 tackles, 10.0 tackles fr loss and 1.5 sacks. Following his MSU career, Bullough went undrafted but still spent three seasons with the Houston Texans.
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