Diaco Article

[TerryTate]

Haden Fry weighs in:

South Bend Tribune: Notre Dame football: Diaco was Fry's bell cow at Iowa

Notre Dame football: Diaco was Fry's bell cow at Iowa

By AL LESAR
Tribune Staff Writer

Take it from a guy who's been there - and then some.

It's way too early to count Bob Diaco out.

Legendary Iowa football coach Hayden Fry knows Diaco well.


Fry was there when Diaco became his first Hawkeye ever to show up in a suit and tie for his first day on campus. He was there when, as a senior linebacker, Diaco was told his shoulder was injured too badly for him to play. Diaco played anyway, leading with his other shoulder. He was there to watch Diaco analyze and solve any defensive problem.

That's why Fry has no reservations saying Diaco, Notre Dame's rookie defensive coordinator, will weather the remnants of the storm he faced in last Saturday's loss to Navy.

The Irish defense yielded 367 rushing yards and 35 points to an undersized group of Midshipmen.

"Bobby was always extremely tough, very intelligent," Fry said. "He's intelligent enough to analyze the situation and come up with a solution. The players (at Iowa) responded to him. He was one of my best leaders."

Fry, 82, a veteran of nearly four decades as a collegiate head coach (SMU, North Texas State, Iowa), has had some clunkers over the years. He's faced criticism. He has some advice to help Diaco, 37, deal with the scrutiny he's had lately.

"I didn't pay any attention (to the criticism) and I instructed my assistants to do the same," Fry said. "There are a lot of people out there evaluating and most of them have never had a jockstrap on in their life.

"How do you handle a game (like Navy)? Real simple. Forget about it. You can't change anything. Take away the lessons you learned and forget about the game. It's over."

Fry has walked in Irish head coach Brian Kelly's shoes. At all three of his stops, he took over struggling programs and within three years had won championships. He sees similarities at Notre Dame.

"From a psychological standpoint, I had it easy," Fry said. "I inherited a group of players that had just had its tail kicked. A loser is the easiest group in the world to motivate.

"If you check the past few seasons at Notre Dame, they weren't all that good. That's why the previous staff isn't there. I think everybody has to be a little patient; give (the Irish coaches) time to put everything in. It's a new learning cycle for the players. It takes time."

Chronologically, time isn't a factor for Fry. There's an argument that Diaco's too young for such a high-profile job.

"Frankly, in my opinion, age has nothing to do with it," Fry said. "I know a lot of old coaches who have experienced tragic games."

Fry has his own unique, country-fied definition of a leader - and Diaco was one of his best.

"I was raised on a farm," Fry said. "My father taught me a lot of great lessons. He'd take me behind the barn, grab the horsewhip and tell me to bend over.

"He'd say, 'I want you to remember this the rest of your life.' He'd tell me to bend over and he'd say, 'I want you to remember this the rest of your life.' I said, 'Daddy, what is it you want me to remember?' He said, 'I want you to fill the pickup truck with hay and feed the cows."

Fry said his family farmed, but didn't own, between 1,500 and 2,000 acres. How was he going to find the cows in that expanse?

"My daddy said, 'Drive the pickup out in the middle and wait a while. Pretty soon, you'll hear a bell ringing. That's the bell cow. Find the bell cow and you'll find the whole herd.'

"I used that lesson as a coach. I observed all the positions on the team. It doesn't take long to figure out who the bell cow is at each position. That's the guy you go to and say, 'This is the way you win. This is the way you lose. These guys will listen to you. You can help me.'

"That's the way you find a leader. That's the way you develop them. The bell cow is the whole secret. Bobby Diaco was my bell cow."

The Irish defense could use a leader right now.

 

[johnnykillz]

I love Diaco. Something about the guy makes me all giddy like a schoolgirl. It will happen. Build it, and they will come...

 

[IrishJayhawk]

I trust Hayden.

That bought Diaco some time in my book.

 

[NeuteredDoomer]

I'm telling you guys, Diaco is the best DC since Alvarez. (Not yet at the Alvarez level, but...)

 

[IrishJayhawk]

I'm telling you guys, Diaco is the best DC since Alvarez. (Not yet at the Alvarez level, but...)

Are you being serious?

 

[NeuteredDoomer]

Are you being serious?

Absolutely. I have been saying that since early in the season. My scientific stats are based on my gameday cuss level, and it has been at a minimum, except for last weekend. Just watch, this guy is going to be top gun DC one day.

 

[IrishJayhawk]

Absolutely. I have been saying that since early in the season. My scientific stats are based on my gameday cuss level, and it has been at a minimum, except for last weekend. Just watch, this guy is going to be top gun DC one day.

Just making sure. I think I agree, but I was going by your cuss level last week.

 

[NeuteredDoomer]

Just making sure. I think I agree, but I was going by your cuss level last week.

LOL. Don't get me wrong. I didn't wake up today thinking that ND will win out the season, and I did call last week's game as ND hitting rock bottom. 1) They looked like crap. 2) They lost Calabreze and Williams on the same play.. 3) The secondary is banged up, and I saw Walls limping. 4) Half the offense is banged up.

I don't like to gripe without least at pointing out why I am griping, and then Armchair quarterbacking behind my comp to offer a "possible solution." I thought the D could have used some more stunts or crosses with TNT and the backers. And after further pondering, I thought a simple solution to counter the double team on Williams would be to flex him back 1 or 2 yards, that way he could see where the double down was coming from and he could force the gap, giving the backers more room to move. They still have a problem with overpursuing at times, and unlike many posters have stated, that is not a problem of lack of speed on the D, it is a problem of overanxious pursuit and not breaking down.

Anyway...On to Tulsa. DS!

 

[Riddickulous]

I haven't been impressed with Diaco.

He needs time before I can call for his head (even though I already have in impassioned gameday bouts of anger), and by time I mean SPEED.

 

[NeuteredDoomer]

I haven't been impressed with Diaco.

He needs time before I can call for his head (even though I already have in impassioned gameday bouts of anger), and by time I mean SPEED.

You never have gameday bouts of anger.

chuckle

 

[Kra88yPa77y]

I too was excited for his arrival-but he will fail as long as he stays up in the booth. DC not on the field is a joke to me, and i dont know who else does that who isnt 400 lbs or hurt.

 

[TerryTate]

I too was excited for his arrival-but he will fail as long as he stays up in the booth. DC not on the field is a joke to me, and i dont know who else does that who isnt 400 lbs or hurt.

Seriously? Do you watch football? Most coordinators sit in the booth. Nice first post. Starting out real strong chief.

 

[Kra88yPa77y]

Seriously? Do you watch football? Most coordinators sit in the booth. Nice first post. Starting out real strong chief.

Some OC do, cuz they really only need to communicate to a QB to get a point across. You name me some DC that sit in booth, whos on the field telling these D players how to play his defense. Hes a young energetic guy supposedly, that should be on the field firing up the D. Hes the one that needs to be yelling, not Kelly.

 

[TerryTate]

Some OC do, cuz they really only need to communicate to a QB to get a point across. You name me some DC that sit in booth, whos on the field telling these D players how to play his defense. Hes a young energetic guy supposedly, that should be on the field firing up the D. Hes the one that needs to be yelling, not Kelly.

I don't have names. I watch football. Chuck Martin is a beast on the sideline. He throws his head set, fist pumps, and fires up the whole defense. Let Diaco diagnose packages and set ups from the booths. All your posts have been negative since you've joined. Stop complaining.


Defense only gave up one touchdown to the #8 offense in the country - and that was on their first drive.