The Notre Dame football team has been taking some serious hits since they lost the National Title game. Now one of the first guys that had his foot out the door is joining the raiding party.

Al Golden left for the Cincinnati Bengals almost immediately after the Irish season was over. As he settles in with his new job in the NFL, it appears he’s decided that he wants a helper he knows well from his days in South Bend.

FootBallScoop reported on Friday afternoon that Golden has come calling and taken a defensive assistant from the Notre Dame football team. And unfortunately for Chris Ash and Marcus Freeman, the assistant is considered an up and coming talent, even if he might not be a household name for Irish faithful just yet.

Notre Dame football loses top defensive assistant

Mike Moon quickly became a key cog in the Fighting Irish’s Al Golden-led defense, proving his versatility by roles that assisted with the coaching of Notre Dame’s defensive line and linebackers.

Now it appears he’s going to be doing something similar with the Bengals.

Moon has coached all over the country, including high school football in his native California in addition to learning under both Norm Chow and Nick Rolovich at Hawaii. He also put in four years at Old Dominion. He spent the last four years with the Fighting Irish.

Called one of the real up-and-comers in the sport, Moon is expected to work under Golden as an assistant defensive line coach to new Bengals defensive line coach Jerry Montgomery. 

On the bright side, the Notre Dame football team isn’t losing one of its top defensive position coaches to Al Golden’s new staff. On the downside, it looks like the Blue and Gold will be out one of the brightest minds on that side of the ball in 2025.