Matt Balis, the renowned strength coach who was utilized in highlight videos that spotlighted Marcus Freeman's ascension to Fighting Irish head coach, is out at Notre Dame.
The school formally announced Balis's resignation Tuesday afternoon; the school's release noted that Balis had resigned effective immediately.
Sources indicated to FootballScoop Tuesday morning that Balis already had cleared out his office inside the Notre Dame football complex.
"I want to thank Coach Balis for all of the work he put into elevating our program," Freeman said in a release. "I have a tremendous amount of respect for who he is as a coach and a man.
"While there is never a perfect time to lose a valuable teammate, we are thankful that Coach Balis was able to see us through our summer program and have our players physically prepared to head into the upcoming season."
Balis had been afforded other opportunities throughout football in recent years, and sources said at the time that Brian Kelly departed for LSU that Balis could have gone to the Bayou with Kelly.
However, Irish athletics director Jack Swarbrick prioritized Notre Dame's ability to retain Balis, who recommitted to the program shortly after Kelly's departure. Sources told FootballScoop that Balis received a new contract and a raise when he elected to remain with the program.
Balis spoke of that transition in March 2022.
"A blessing. Humbling," Balis said of being kept in his position as the Notre Dame program moved forward, the same words Balis also used to describe his role in the promotional video that showcased Freeman being elevated to head coach. "The opportunity to work at a place like this, I’ve always said, is incredible. And to get to work with the student-athletes that we get to work with is the best. And then for Jack to say that and allow me to continue to be a part of this, was awesome. Was incredibly humbling, like I said, and a dream come true for my family."
Per ND's statement, Fred Hale will oversee football strength and conditioning on an interim basis. Balis's bio already has been removed from the UND.com Web site.
Notre Dame opens its much-anticipated 2023 season in Week 0, when it travels to Dublin, Ireland to face Navy on Aug. 26.