Notre Dame Football: Irish DL coach Mike Elston is leaving the Irish for Michigan

It finally happened. Notre Dame Fighting Irish defensive line coach and recruiting coordinator, Mike Elston, is leaving South Bend for a job with the Michigan Wolverines.

There was a little bit of smoke to this over the past few weeks, but you can count me in as one of many that dismissed the notion given the strong words of contentment from Elston about his life in South Bend with his family. Jim Harbaugh extended the offer, and Elston took it.

However... we shouldn’t be shocked.

Mike Elston was a three-year letter winner at linebacker during his time in Ann Arbor. The intense pull of your alma mater — especially with a program like Michigan — is a hard thing to ignore.

It’s disappointing because we owe Mike Elston all of our respect for what he has done at Notre Dame. Mike came here with Brian Kelly, and he turned the defensive line into a strength of the team from what was mostly one of the weakest groups before his arrival.

Plus... it’s Michigan. Gross.

Now Notre Dame will have to hold on to its elite defensive line recruits for the 2023 class which Michigan is obviously coming after. Fun times.