Mike Elko - Defensive Coordinator

[IrishLax]

I know we are freaking but I’m staying calm until I see who they hire. Get a great recruiter who busts his ass.

The DC who is as good of a recruiter as Elko and as good of a coach literally doesn't exist for hiring. That's the problem.

I disagree with Mike Frank on a TON of stuff but he just wrote a post that said basically "ND risked 30 million in order to not pay 500k" and that's so true. I don't think the number is quite that, but if/when we go 7-5 next year without Elko and then you have to buyout the whole staff (including a new DC on a shiny new deal) then you're looking at spending millions to hit the reset button and a couple hundred thousand looks like a bargain.

And the bottom line is we're only in this situation because there wasn't a buyout clause in Elko's contract to make A&M eat $2-3 million like they should have had to by making Elko break his contract with ND. That is 100% an administrative failure.

 

[Dizzyphil]

<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-lang="en"><p lang="und" dir="ltr"><a href="https://twitter.com/CoachMikeElko?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@CoachMikeElko</a> <a href="https://t.co/tlKzGaWNxK">pic.twitter.com/tlKzGaWNxK</a></p>— lOUIS NIX III (@1irishchocolate) <a href="https://twitter.com/1irishchocolate/status/949067394202337280?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">January 4, 2018</a></blockquote>
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[loomis41973]

Or a smart and good agent.

 

[NDinBoston]

<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-lang="en"><p lang="en" dir="ltr">CAME TO THIS SCHOOL BECAUSE I FELT GOD HAD SOMETHING FOR ME HERE THAT IS SO MUCH BIGGER THAN ME. I CAME BECAUSE OF THE RELATIONSHIPS I MADE WITH THE GUYS ON THE TEAM AND IN MY RECRUITING CLASS. PEOPLE COME AND GO BUT ND REMAINS THE SAME. WE ARE ND☘️☘️☘️</p>— THE NEIGBORHOOD DJ (@__DJMICAHDEW97) <a href="https://twitter.com/__DJMICAHDEW97/status/949068734412582918?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">January 5, 2018</a></blockquote>
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[NDinBoston]

<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-lang="en"><p lang="en" dir="ltr">Still all smiles ... ☘️ imma be great regardless <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/GodsPlan?src=hash&ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#GodsPlan</a> <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/GoIrish?src=hash&ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#GoIrish</a> <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/EatForPops?src=hash&ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#EatForPops</a> <a href="https://t.co/KfxjIPofBu">pic.twitter.com/KfxjIPofBu</a></p>— J-Shmoney&#55357;&#56504; (@Jamion_Franklin) <a href="https://twitter.com/Jamion_Franklin/status/949071107247796225?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">January 5, 2018</a></blockquote>
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[Irish#1]

While this isn't the news we wanted to hear, as long as the recruiting class doesn't fall apart I think we'll be okay. BK will find the right guy.

 

[loomis41973]

I will wait until we see who is hired to possibly freak out.

Elko was good but far from elite.

 

[Dizzyphil]

While this isn't the news we wanted to hear, as long as the recruiting class doesn't fall apart I think we'll be okay. BK will find the right guy.

I would like to see a recruiting sample of how much a player thinks the offensive/defensive Coordinator weighs on the decision outside the HC and School.

I mean, how much is the DC or OC going to play in the decision of where the kid is going to sign/go.

 

[Blaise]

We've had three DCs under Kelly, and the only one that fits that bill just left for aTm. Diaco refused to put in the effort, and BvG was just an all-around disaster.

That's why Jimbo threw so much money at him. DCs like Elko don't exactly grow on trees. And since it's clear that we've refused to shop down that aisle, we're either going to have to promote internally or find an up-an-comer. Both of which are serious gambles.

I mean. It’s not like we groomed him. We got him last year. Find the next guy. Not impossible. Yeah he’s very good but there are a lot of good coordinators. Find someone willing to work. I think we will be fine

 

[Bubbles]

Is it just me or is this one of those rare situations that makes literally everyone look bad:

Elko - bolted after a year for the $....can't say I blame him too much, but not exactly a character trait that many admire

Notre Dame/Swarbrick - Seems they were unwilling to provide a desirable environment or competitive pay

ND Fans - losing our collective minds

A&M - Mercenary U

A&M Fans - probably pretty pleased with the above

NCAAF at large - wild west: football factories vs everyone else

I just don't see anyone without some serious shit on their shoes coming out of this one.....maybe the recruits for showing some solidarity and loyalty, even if it stings a bunch.

¯\_(ツ)_/¯ I guess I'll just jump on the wait-and-see bandwagon for now

 

[Henges24]

Why the fvck would they ever hire a coach without a buyout clause? Especially a HC, OC, DC. Jesus.

 

[PLACforever]

BVG

 

[NDinBoston]

<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-lang="en"><p lang="en" dir="ltr">We came to Notre Dame for the tradition of excellence. Better players on the field & better poeple off. People come and go through ND.. which is why ND is bigger than any one person. We will take what we learned from them and continue building for the future. Go Irish!☘️</p>— Shaun Crawford (@ShaunCrawf20) <a href="https://twitter.com/ShaunCrawf20/status/949067439660257280?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">January 4, 2018</a></blockquote>
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[loomis41973]

Great timing with the dead period.

 

[stlnd01]

Why the fvck would they ever hire a coach without a buyout clause? Especially a HC, OC, DC. Jesus.

I don’t think they’re typical for coordinators, because it’s sort of understood that they’re free to leave for a head job.
But something I read somewhere - maybe in this thread - seemed to suggest Elko had just gotten a raise, like last week, when A&M first came around. Did that happen? If so, that seems like a situation where you’d want to lock the guy down.

 

[stlnd01]

Great timing with the dead period.

Early Signing probably saved us a couple of recruits, at least, this cycle.

 

[loomis41973]

Early Signing probably saved us a couple of recruits, at least, this cycle.

At least a couple.

 

[ND88]

Thank you for your services.

Bye.

 

[IrishFanJMercy]

Problem I have with this is Swarbick not wanting to pay the guy!! He needs to be fired for the crappy job he has done, shitty scheduling playing in Yankee stadium next year and then this crap

 

[Free Manera]

This is embarrassing and the board/Swarbrick should feel bad about themselves.

 

[STLDomer]

How many current players were “Elko’s guys” per se? Don’t follow recruiting closely anymore.

 

[T-Boone]

Elko is obviously a good DC but every time I heard him interviewed he just seemed to have one simple philosophy. It is all about putting pressure on the QB in order to force take aways.
Practice 20 minutes each session purely on taking the ball away.
I know there is a lot more too it than that including recruiting etc but so long as the program has learned that message then everything will be ok.

 

[ND88]

Is Elston a possibility and would he do well with the job?

He has been so loyal over the years and great with the players.

I have a lot of respect for him.

 

[irishtrain]

Is it just me or is this one of those rare situations that makes literally everyone look bad:

Elko - bolted after a year for the $....can't say I blame him too much, but not exactly a character trait that many admire

Notre Dame/Swarbrick - Seems they were unwilling to provide a desirable environment or competitive pay

ND Fans - losing our collective minds

A&M - Mercenary U

A&M Fans - probably pretty pleased with the above

NCAAF at large - wild west: football factories vs everyone else

I just don't see anyone without some serious shit on their shoes coming out of this one.....maybe the recruits for showing some solidarity and loyalty, even if it stings a bunch.

¯\_(ツ)_/¯ I guess I'll just jump on the wait-and-see bandwagon for now

WILD WILDWEST FOR SURE AND IT REALLY IS FOOTBALL FACTORIES VS COLLEGE TEAMS-----WELL SAID This one cuts a little deep because I was at the spring game and I saw how far he brought that defense in 1 year. Is there something wrong with living in South Bend? Or is it just the $$$$$$$. Kelly must be really hurt by this one.

 

[irishtrain]

It should be pretty clear at this point that ND going all in for an elite football program just isn't going to happen. While I don't like seeing these astronomical contracts getting thrown out there, it would pain me to know that the school I cheered for and invested in is content with being average.

Yeh that about sums it up.

 

[FightingIrishLover7]

We've had three DCs under Kelly, and the only one that fits that bill just left for aTm. Diaco refused to put in the effort, and BvG was just an all-around disaster.

That's why Jimbo threw so much money at him. DCs like Elko don't exactly grow on trees. And since it's clear that we've refused to shop down that aisle, we're either going to have to promote internally or find an up-an-comer. Both of which are serious gambles.

What?

I know he had "measurement" issues, but "effort"?

What about the Ishaq story?

 

[Luckylucci]

What?

I know he had "measurement" issues, but "effort"?

What about the Ishaq story?

His last couple of seasons his recruiting effort was not good. He wasn’t a consistently good recruiter.

 

[irishtrain]

To follow up on this... for all our strengths, ND also has some unique weaknesses that make our margin for error much smaller than the football factories. Previously we didn't have to worry about our coaches making lateral moves. ND was a destination job; our coaches stayed until they either got promoted or fired.

If we now have to worry about football factories simply hiring away our best coaches because we refuse to spend like they do, our currently slim margin for error could disappear entirely. Another structural disadvantage is the last thing we need right now, but that's been the run of play since Holtz was run off.

Notre Dame is no longer a destination program-agree? With the $$$$ being sloshed out today you coach here a little then you leave-your new employer says 'you did a great job under that culture now move over with us where we pay more an wont restrict you as much on who can be brought in to play'. Don't like it but its a no brain decision.

 

[IrishFanForever23]

Is Elston a possibility and would he do well with the job?

He has been so loyal over the years and great with the players.

I have a lot of respect for him.

I think he ends up being the guy. He was already spurned the last two searches, I don’t see him sticking around if he is spurned a third time. He knows the players, and he can at least build off of last years performance and scheme. However, I think Lea leaves which is a disappointment as he did some really good things with the backers this year, specifically Coney.

 

[snoopdog]

I hope BK will offer Lea.

The guy understands recruiting which is the most important role in college football.

If You want to be a good coach, recruit good players....if you want to be a great coach, recruit great players.