247Sports and Irish Illustrated have learned that Notre Dame is expected to hire North Carolina defensive backs coach Terry Joseph as its next safeties coach.

According to multiple sources and first indicated as a strong candidate at IrishIllustrated.com Friday morning by 247Sports National Director Recruiting Steve Wiltfong prior to being confirmed elsewhere, we were told that Joseph was the lead candidate for the open role in South Bend and the coach we believed would fill that role with the Fighting Irish moving forward.

Sources indicated at the time that Notre Dame was in an advanced position recruiting Joseph to join the Irish staff, filling the defensive side of the ball after defensive coordinator Mike Elko’s exit to Texas A&M earlier this month.

At this time, we've learned that Joseph has informed North Carolina head coach Larry Fedora of his decision, although an official announcement has not come from Notre Dame yet.

Joseph is currently on staff with the Tar Heels and has been there for one season. Notre Dame faced Joseph’s secondary in Chapel Hill in October during Ian Book’s first start. The sophomore quarterback finished 17-of-31 for 146 yards, one touchdown and two interceptions.

Prior to that, he was the defensive backs coach at Texas A&M. Before his time in College Station, Joseph had stops at Nebraska, Tennessee, Louisiana Tech, LSU and Washington State.

Joseph’s pass defense at Texas A&M ranked No. 4 nationally in passing yards allowed per game and No. 18 in pass efficiency defense.

With Nebraska in 2012, the Cornhuskers led the nation in pass defense and ranked No. 2 in pass efficiency defense. His unit held opponents under 50-percent completion percentage.

Joseph is a Louisiana native and has strong ties to the south.

***Irish Illustrated's Pete Sampson contributed to this report.