Notre Dame’s director of football performance Matt Balis resigned from the program Tuesday afternoon. A press release from the University said Balis’ resignation, one day before preseason camp starts, is due to “personal reasons.”
“I want to thank Coach Balis for all of the work he put into elevating our program,” head coach Marcus Freeman said. “I have a tremendous amount of respect for who he is as a coach and a man.”
Balis joined the Irish in 2017 after three years as UConn’s strength and conditioning coach. He has coached college football since 2002. Balis’ work with the Irish strength program is credited as a major reason for the team’s turnaround from 4-8 in 2016 to 11-2 in 2017 and reaching the College Football Playoff two of the next three seasons. The Irish went 63-14 during Balis’ six seasons on the coaching staff.
Although coaching turnover is normal at the college ranks, Notre Dame has now replaced nearly every coach in place when Brian Kelly left in 2021. Cornerbacks coach Mike Mickens and safeties coach Chris O’Leary are the lone exceptions.
Fred Hale will take over for Balis on an interim basis. Hale previously held the title of associate director of football strength.
“We have an innovative sports performance team who collaborated with Coach Balis and me in designing our program and Fred will continue to implement that plan,” Freeman said. “The timeline for finding a permanent replacement for Balis, either by promoting a coach currently on the staff or hiring externally, is unknown.”
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