SOUTH BEND —Brian Jean-Mary minces no words when it comes to what he wants to see out of his Notre Dame football linebackers.
That includes fourth-year man Jaiden Ausberry, who trailed only team captain Drayk Bowen with 437 total defensive snaps among Irish linebackers in 2025, but whose 17.2% missed-tackle rate led the group.
"He knows as much as we do the things that he has to get better at," Jean-Mary said of Ausberry during the spring. "He's got all the experience and is super, super talented. You know the athleticism is there. With him, it's just taking his game to the next level as a blitzer and making more plays on the ball in coverage."
With Bowen and Kyngstonn Viliamu-Asa held out during the spring as they recovered from hip and ACL surgeries, respectively, Ausberry and fifth-year man Jaylen Sneed enjoyed the lion's share of snaps as they built a working relationship with the well-traveled Jean-Mary.
"He's kind of taken the mantle as the vocal leader in the room playing predominantly at the middle linebacker spot, which is new for him," Jean-Mary said of Ausberry. "But I think he's embraced it and loved the challenge. He knows that's just going to make him better once the fall comes around and we're a little bit healthier."
#ausberry
That includes fourth-year man Jaiden Ausberry, who trailed only team captain Drayk Bowen with 437 total defensive snaps among Irish linebackers in 2025, but whose 17.2% missed-tackle rate led the group.
"He knows as much as we do the things that he has to get better at," Jean-Mary said of Ausberry during the spring. "He's got all the experience and is super, super talented. You know the athleticism is there. With him, it's just taking his game to the next level as a blitzer and making more plays on the ball in coverage."
With Bowen and Kyngstonn Viliamu-Asa held out during the spring as they recovered from hip and ACL surgeries, respectively, Ausberry and fifth-year man Jaylen Sneed enjoyed the lion's share of snaps as they built a working relationship with the well-traveled Jean-Mary.
"He's kind of taken the mantle as the vocal leader in the room playing predominantly at the middle linebacker spot, which is new for him," Jean-Mary said of Ausberry. "But I think he's embraced it and loved the challenge. He knows that's just going to make him better once the fall comes around and we're a little bit healthier."
#ausberry
3 months ago
