Notre Dame announces Brian Mason as special teams coordinator
Marcus Freeman’s first staff hire as Notre Dame head coach is now official.
The Irish formally announced Cincinnati’s Brian Mason as their special teams coordinator Thursday, confirming the Jan. 5 news that he had agreed to take the job.
Mason held the same title at Cincinnati from 2018-21 and had worked on the Bearcats’ staff since 2017. He also coached the “sniper” hybrid linebacker/safety position. He spent four years on the same staff as Freeman, who was Cincinnati’s defensive coordinator and linebackers coach from 2017-20.
Prior to his 2018 promotion to special teams coordinator, Mason was Cincinnati’s director of recruiting in 2017.
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Mason steps in for Brian Polian, who left in December for the same position at LSU on Brian Kelly’s staff. Polian held the role at Notre Dame for five seasons while also working as the recruiting coordinator (2017-20) and associate head coach (2021).
Freeman and Mason’s connection goes further back than their days at Cincinnati. Mason was a graduate assistant at Purdue (2013-14) and Kent State (2012) when Freeman was the linebackers coach at both schools.
Mason’s special teams units were key components of Cincinnati’s 44-7 record since 2018 and College Football Playoff appearance this season. Cincinnati’s six blocked kicks or punts in 2021 tied for the most among FBS teams. The Bearcats held opposing punt returners to just 2.62 yards per attempt, which ranked ninth-lowest. Cincinnati allowed one kick and zero punt returns touchdowns from 2018-21.
Four-year starting Cincinnati punter James Smith was a 2018 Ray Guy Award finalist and an All-American selection by multiple outlets. The Bearcats were second nationally in net punting average that year.
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Cincinnati had one special teams weakness in Mason’s tenure: kicking field goals. The Bearcats never made more than 72.7 percent of their attempts the last four years and twice ended the season under 50 percent. They were last in field goal percentage in 2018 and 128th this season. Notre Dame saw the struggles first hand – Cincinnati kicker Cole Smith missed two field goal attempts inside 37 yards during the Bearcats’ 24-13 win over the Irish this year.
At Notre Dame, Mason is tasked with sustaining the consistent special teams operation Polian oversaw. Notre Dame has not allowed a kickoff or punt return touchdown since 2018. It ranked in the top 25 in lowest opponent punt return average two of the last three years.
The Irish are, though, replacing a pair of three year specialists in kicker Jonathan Doerer (out of eligibility) and punter Jay Bramblett (grad transfer to LSU). They have already addressed each position before Mason’s official start.
Arkansas State graduate transfer kicker Blake Grupe, the Red Wolves’ all-time leader in field goals, committed Jan. 13. Former Harvard punter and two-time first-team All-Ivy league selection Jon Sot announced Tuesday he will walk on at Notre Dame for his final season of eligibility.
