Notre Dame College Men's Football

Garrett Mack was named the fifth head coach of the Notre Dame College football program on Feb. 3, 2022. He is entering his third season in 2024. Mack joined the NDC staff in January 2020 and held the position of Run Game Coordinator, Defensive Line Coach and Recruiting Coordinator over two seasons. Mack's second season at the helm saw the Falcons win at least seven games for the seventh consecutive full-length season. Among Mountain East Conference opponents, NDC ranked fourth in points scored per game (31.9) and fourth in points allowed per game (24.2). The Falcons' 411.9 yards of total offense per game and their 202.2 yards of rushing offense both ranked third in the MEC. NDC allowed just 10 sacks, which was tied for the lead in the conference and the team's 221 first downs were second highest in the MEC. The Notre Dame defense held teams to 30.6-percent third down conversion percentage, second best in the conference, and 20th in NCAA Division II. Cameron Shirkey's 1.5 field goals made per game led the conference and ranked second in the country. Idris Lawrence led the conference and ranked fourth in D2 with 127.2 rush yards per game. Following the 2023 season, 12 Falcons were named to an All-Mountain East Conference Team. Carson Heidecker was named Division II Conference Commissioners All-Super Region 1 Second Team. Dominic Buttazzoni, Lavell Gibson, Heidecker and Zachary Slapnicker were all named to the Academic All-District Team by the College Sports Communicators. Running back Idris Lawrence was nominated for the Harlon Hill Award. In his first season as head coach of the program, NDC reached nine wins for the fifth time in the last six full length seasons. Notre Dame won its fifth consecutive Mountain East Conference Championship and qualified for the NCAA Playoffs for the fourth time.   In 2022, Notre Dame led NCAA Division II in defensive touchdowns (6) and opponent passing efficiency (86.73). The team ranked sixth in takeaways, with 28, second in interceptions, with 20, second in blocked punts, with five, and ninth in opponent third down conversion percentage, at 27.1-percent. The Falcons scored 31.5 points per game and gained 360.8 yards per contest. The defense allowed just 15.5 points per game and gave up 288.3 yards per game, leading the conference in both categories. In the Mountain East Conference, the Falcons allowed the fewest amount of touchdowns allowed (21), rushing touchdowns (11), passing touchdowns (10), points per game (15.5), opponent yards per play (4.2), opponent yards per game (288.3), passing yards (1,886) and passing yards per game (157.2). They also led the conference in interceptions (20), sacks (33), opponent first downs (194) and opponent third down conversion (27.1). The team finished fourth in the MEC in scoring (31.5) and fourth in passing yards (2,596). Following the 2022 season, Nathan Moore, Wendell McClain, Cameron Shirkey, Nick Beans and CJ Kiss were named All-Americans. Five players were named All-Region honorees and a program record six players were given Academic All-District honors. Moore was also named an Academic All-American, Mountain East Conference Defensive Player of the Year and All-MEC First Team member. As a team, 18 players were named All-MEC. Mack previously served as the Linebackers Coach at Oberlin College (2017, 2019) and as the Wide Receivers/Strength and Conditioning Coach at Baldwin Wallace University (2018).  In two seasons at Oberlin, Mack coached three All-NCAC players, including Von Wooding who led the conference in tackles (101) in 2017.  Before joining the college coaching ranks, Mack served as the head coach at Oberlin High School in 2016, where he coached nine All-District players and six All-State selections.  Mack graduated from Baldwin Wallace in 2015, where he worked as a student assistant coach. He holds a Bachelor's Degree in health and physical education.   Overall MEC Season W L % W L % 2022 * ! 9 3 .750 9 1 .900 2023 7 3 .700 6 3 .667 Totals 16 6 .727 15 4 .789 * - MEC Championship ! - NCAA Division II Playoffs

Joined the NDC football coaching staff prior to the spring 2021 season as the Special Teams Coordinator, Tight Ends Coach and Director of Football Operations.

Zahneer Shuler joined the Notre Dame College football coaching staff in July 2022 as the wide receivers coach.

Joined the Notre Dame College football coaching staff in July 2022 as the defensive backs coach.

Sean Buckley joined the Notre Dame College football coaching staff in July 2022 as the Offensive Coordinator and Offensive Line Coach. Among Mountain East Conference opponents, throughout the 2023 season, NDC ranked fourth in the MEC in points scored per game (31.9), total points (319) and total touchdowns (39). The Falcons' 411.9 yards of total offense per game and their 202.2 yards of rushing offense both ranked third in the MEC. NDC allowed just 10 sacks, which was tied for the lead in the conference and the team's 221 first downs were second highest in the MEC. Idris Lawrence led the conference and ranked fourth in D2 with 127.2 rush yards per game. Offensive lineman Carson Heidecker was named All-Super Region I Second Team and to All-MEC First Team. Lawrence and tight end James Faulkner were also featured on the all-conference first team. Offensive lineman Zachary Slapnicker was named All-MEC Second Team. Prior to joining NDC, Buckley spent four seasons as the Pass Game Coordinator and QB coach at Ohio Northern University (Division III). Buckley coached the QB position to a total of four All-OAC awards, including two for Brody Hahn, who set the single season passing record in 2021 with 3,061 yards and 32 touchdowns over 10 games. Two quarterbacks threw for over 4,000 yards while he was on the ONU staff. From 2013-17, Buckley was a member of the Ohio State University coaching staff. He helped coach standout quarterbacks J.T. Barrett and Cardale Jones in 2014, running backs Ezekiel Elliott and Mike Weber in 2015, and tight end Marcus Baugh from 2016-2017. Buckley is a 2010 graduate of the University of Toledo and received a bachelor's degree in criminal justice. As an undergraduate student, he coached at Genoa Area High School.  

Jake Chestnut returned to Notre Dame College in January 2020 and was named Defensive Coordinator/Linebackers Coach. Chestnut was previously a graduate assistant coach with NDC in 2017. Notre Dame's defense ranked fourth in the MEC by allowing 24.2 points per game in 2023. The Falcons held teams to 30.6-percent third down conversion percentage, second best in the conference, and 20th in NCAA Division II. They also were tied fourth in the conference with 14 interceptions and ranked fifth in forced fumbles, with eight. Defensive lineman Lavell Gibson was named Academic All-District for the first time. The All-MEC teams included Gibson, linebacker Isaiah Stephens and safety Antoine Holloway II on the First Team, with defensive lineman Lane Martinez-Beasley, linebacker Emarion Perkins and linebacker Nathan Rosario-Santos named Honorable Mention. In 2022, the NDC defense continued to impress. The team led the country in opponent passing efficiency (86.73) and defensive touchdowns (6). They were also in the top 20 in NCAA D2 in interceptions (20), third-down conversion defense (27.1-percent), points allowed (15.5), passing yards allowed per game (157.2), takeaways (28), tackles for loss per game (8.2) and turnover margin (plus-0.67). In the Mountain East Conference, the Falcons allowed the fewest amount of touchdowns allowed (21), rushing touchdowns (11), passing touchdowns (10), points per game (15.5), opponent yards per play (4.2), opponent yards per game (288.3), passing yards (1,886) and passing yards per game (157.2). They also led the conference in interceptions (20), sacks (33), opponent first downs (194) and opponent third down conversion (27.1). The Falcons' defense allowed 18.3 points per contest in the fall of 2021. NDC also allowed just 207.9 passing yards per game, marking the first time that the Falcons have held opponents under 240 passing yards in back-to-back seasons since the 2012-2013 campaigns. In the NCAA Division II rankings, NDC ranked first in takeaways (36) and interceptions (21). They were also second in defensive touchdowns (6), third in turnover margin (+1.54), fifth in fumbles recovered (15), 13th in rushing defense (91.2 yards per game) and 16th in red zone defense (67.5%). The defense held five opponents to under 50 rushing yards, including a negative-22 rushing yards allowed to West Virginia Wesleyan on Oct. 16. In his first season as defensive coordinator, the Falcons allowed just 15.4 points per game in a season shortened to five games, due to COVID. The defense was best in NCAA Division II with four defensive touchdowns and seven fumble recoveries. They ranked in the top 25 with 15 turnovers gained (2nd), eight passes intercepted (4th), allowing 245.4 yards per game (6th), allowing a 26.7-percent completion percentage on third downs (7th), allowing 84.4 rushing yards per game (8th), allowing a 25-percent completion percentage on fourth downs (11th) and allowing 161 passing yards per game (14th). In the 2018 and 2019 seasons, Chestnut served as the Defensive Coordinator and Linebackers Coach at Montana State-Northern.  Chestnut played for the Falcons from 2013-16. As one of the top defensive players in his time as a student-athlete at NDC, he recorded 222 career tackles, 15 tackles for a loss, two interceptions and three forced fumbles. He was an All-MEC honoree in 2016.  Chestnut graduated from Notre Dame with a Bachelor's degree as a mild/moderate intervention specialist. 

Macklin Coleman joined the Notre Dame College football coaching staff in August 2022 as the special teams coordinator, tight ends coach and recruiting coordinator. Coleman's sisters are also coaching at NDC with Kelsey at the helm of the softball team and Riley now an assistant with the volleyball program. His father, Donald, is an assistant coach on the NDC softball program.