Mike Elko - Defensive Coordinator

[FightingIrishLover7]

He gave up 7 points today.

On a borderline miracle catch.

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[IrishLax]

That was a top 20 offense and we made them our bitch. The defense is getting better every week.

 

[Riddickulous]

Now I'm just sad imagining what our defense might have been like in 2015 with Elko

 

[Luckylucci]

He gave up 7 points today.

He seems to know what the other team is going to run. Then it comes Down to making plays.

 

[RallySonsOfND]

On a borderline miracle catch.

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This.

 

[GrangerIrish24]

He is doing this with the same players as last year. This is remarkable.

 

[SouthSideChiDomer]

So I think I found something we can do with that new $100 million donation....

 

[Valpodoc85]

As much as BVG was bad, Elko is good......and then some

 

[Cackalacky]

101 points off turnovers. Only allowed 1 rushing touchdown all year. Super efficient in the red zone. Pass break ups everywhere today. Man. So awesome.

 

[woolybug25]

What kind of contract did he sign anyway?

 

[Veritate Duce Progredi]

Incredible turnaround that even the most blatant optimist wouldn't have predicted.

 

[Veritate Duce Progredi]

What kind of contract did he sign anyway?

I'm pretty sure Kelly and Swarbrick are already discussing that.

 

[IrishLax]

What kind of contract did he sign anyway?

Three years guaranteed, north of a million dollars a year not sure of incentives. I think it's very unlikely he'd be gone after this year because whoever would try to hire him would have to eat a few million in buyout.

 

[Veritate Duce Progredi]

Three years guaranteed, north of a million dollars a year not sure of incentives. I think it's very unlikely he'd be gone after this year because whoever would try to hire him would have to eat a few million in buyout.

Let's extend it to 5 years between $1.5-2m just to be certain. This defense is incredible.

And while we are at it, let's pump more money into Balis and give him a couple more staff. Completely transformed team.

 

[SonofOahu]

Let's extend it to 5 years between $1.5-2m just to be certain. This defense is incredible.

And while we are at it, let's pump more money into Balis and give him a couple more staff. Completely transformed team.

Whatever we pay him, it needs to be more than Aranda money.

 

[Junkhead]

We don't want to think of him leaving, but does being a top D coach often translate into being a top head coach? Does he want to be a head coach? ND can afford to pay him whatever, do it. It's kind of sad that we always have to worry about good coaches leaving, but you never know if they are just padding their resume for something better. It's not like giving Weis a huge deal after a loss, they should give Elko tenure, a lifetime contract, whatever the hell he wants. Hell, I'll even mow his lawn for free if it helps.

 

[phgreek]

Defensive analyst actually seems like something BVG would be great at-- watch film and theorize, while having virtually no interaction with the players. Hell, I wouldn't mind him having that role at ND. I mean it will never happen due to the wake of destruction he left behind him and the bad blood that has been spilled for the entirety of ND nation, but that is the role he is designed for.

Yup...agree. analyze, scheme, let someone else boil it down to teachable nuggets, and for the love of all things holy...let someone else teach the skills and lessons.

 

[phgreek]

We don't want to think of him leaving, but does being a top D coach often translate into being a top head coach? Does he want to be a head coach? ND can afford to pay him whatever, do it. It's kind of sad that we always have to worry about good coaches leaving, but you never know if they are just padding their resume for something better. It's not like giving Weis a huge deal after a loss, they should give Elko tenure, a lifetime contract, whatever the hell he wants. Hell, I'll even mow his lawn for free if it helps.

I was pissed when Alvarez left...so you can imagine my thoughts...I'll buy the gas????

 

[GoldenDomer]

Amazing what happens when you let the football players use their abilities! We love you Coach Elko!!!!

 

[ndcoltsfan2010]

Amazing what happens when you let the football players use their abilities! We love you Coach Elko!!!!

Exactly!!!! Let the athletes and studs on defense play with their talents and strengths! Coach Elko has been outstanding in using player's talents and putting them into a position to succeed. He is amazing in this regard! This year's turnaround can be almost directly attributed to his success in turning our defense around. Words can't describe what he has given us this season. Hope!!!! We are a dominant defense now with an offense that can make the plays and run at will!!! Overall, I have not seen a Notre Dame team this in- tune since the eighties under Lou Holtz. It just feels like one of Holts' better teams. We are definently on the right path!

 

[Ricochet]

None of us want to see him leave but the way things are going I can't see him being here for more than 3 seasons before he gets a quality HC offers.

 

[ab2cmiller]

None of us want to see him leave but the way things are going I can't see him being here for more than 3 seasons before he gets a quality HC offers.

After 3 more seasons, BK will be forced into retirement because he is too close to Rockne’s win total and Elko will take over.

 

[NDRock]

After 3 more seasons, BK will be forced into retirement because he is too close to Rockne’s win total and Elko will take over.

Nah, will be because he tied Leahy’s record of 4 national championships.

 

[Fbolt]

Would really enjoy the back story with Elko arriving at ND. How did he turn the D around-his method.

Did he walk in full of confidence knowing with these athletes he could make a significant impact?

Did he sit down with the players and have one on one convo's?

Was he forced to get buy-in or did the D players automatically jump on board?

Was there concern his system could work with ND's schedule?

I would find the story very interesting from a leadership perspective.

 

[ab2cmiller]

Would really enjoy the back story with Elko arriving at ND. How did he turn the D around-his method.

Did he walk in full of confidence knowing with these athletes he could make a significant impact?

Did he sit down with the players and have one on one convo's?

Was he forced to get buy-in or did the D players automatically jump on board?

Was there concern his system could work with ND's schedule?

I would find the story very interesting from a leadership perspective.

I think the linked article will answer some of your questions, but probably not all.

Notre Dame defensive coordinator Mike Elko deserves credit for the Fighting Irish's turnaround

The answer to this first one was yes.

Before jumping at the ND job, he did an in-depth review of our personnel. If he thought that the personnel was not ripe for a quick turnaround, he wasn't going to come.

Going from Wake to Notre Dame would seem like a no-brainer for a coach, but before accepting Kelly's offer, Elko studied the personnel. He wouldn't come if the defense looked years away from breaking through. He saw enough potential, especially among the younger classes, to make him believe he could flip it.

 

[IrishFanJMercy]

I don't think Elko should get all the credit? Balis has to get a big part of the credit as well. The way balis has transformed some of these guys is crazy they our conditioned way better than any team we play, minimal injuries are happening. How many foot injuries did we have over the last 3 years? I can count probally 10 or more. This year we have had just a minor ankle here and there.

 

[woolybug25]

I don't think Elko should get all the credit? Balis has to get a big part of the credit as well. The way balis has transformed some of these guys is crazy they our conditioned way better than any team we play, minimal injuries are happening. How many foot injuries did we have over the last 3 years? I can count probally 10 or more. This year we have had just a minor ankle here and there.

I think that S&C coaches get too little praise when things are good and too much criticism for when things go bad. Overall, some of injuries are just pure luck. I remember when we first Longo everyone loved him. "Longo Beach" and all of that. Are we more conditioned than we were under him? Maybe, but we also run a completely different defense and our guys are more mature. Overall, I don't think a S&C coach should ever get the same amount of credit/fault as an actual coach.

 

[IrishFanJMercy]

Not saying the same amount of credit but Balis is a huge reason why we are as successful as we are. Look the OL guys are way more in shape than in years past same with the DL guys .

 

[BobbyMac]

I don't think Elko should get all the credit? Balis has to get a big part of the credit as well. The way balis has transformed some of these guys is crazy they our conditioned way better than any team we play, minimal injuries are happening. How many foot injuries did we have over the last 3 years? I can count probally 10 or more. This year we have had just a minor ankle here and there.

This is very very true. He's more than just a S&C coach, he's also the PSYOP Czar.

 

[BobbyMac]

Runaway winner right now.

<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-lang="en"><p lang="en" dir="ltr">Congrats to <a href="https://twitter.com/CoachMikeElko?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@CoachMikeElko</a>, who has been named a 2017 Broyles Award nominee, which honors college football’s top assistant coaches.<a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/GoIrish?src=hash&ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#GoIrish</a> ☘ <a href="https://t.co/yxktFRIKca">pic.twitter.com/yxktFRIKca</a></p>— Notre Dame Football (@NDFootball) <a href="https://twitter.com/NDFootball/status/928422867636768769?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">November 9, 2017</a></blockquote> <script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script>