Mike Elko: What Do We Know?

goldandblue

goldandblue

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So, I've been trying to follow his possible hire via the coaching changes thread but it's a mixed bag of goodies and hard to do so.

What do we know about Mike Elko?

https://notredame.rivals.com/news/report-notre-dame-to-interview-mike-elko-for-defensive-coordinator-job

Wake Forest finished 39th in total defense this past season, allowing 370.1 yards per game. In 2015, Wake Forest’s defense ranked 38th in the nation, allowing just 363.8 yards per game.

In last year’s game against Notre Dame, Elko’s defense held Notre Dame to 282 yards of total offense — 181 under its 2015 season-long average. He did that with a roster that had significantly less talent.


What about recruiting can the guy get it done?
 
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dwshade

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ThePiombino said:
We know he made Wake a top-20 D despite a mole selling their gameplan.
Click to expand...

Man that was unbelievable. Former player/coach at WF who became analyst on radio giving away game plans. Obviously pissed at not being retained on coaching staff by Clawson.
 
goldandblue

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Bowling Green Athletics - 2011 Football Coaching Staff

Elko’s defense has been known for two things since arriving at BGSU, forcing turnovers and stopping teams on third down. In the past four seasons, Elko’s defense has forced 84 turnovers (1.7/game) and the opponent has converted on third downs just 36.1 percent (250 of 693) of the time.

2012 was a banner year for the BGSU defense, finishing the season ranked sixth in the country in total defense (296.6) and 10th in scoring (16.7). The Falcons held the opposition to under 100 yards rushing in nine contests as the Falcons had six different players earn All-MAC Honors, including three first-team members (Chris Jones, Gabe Martin, BooBoo Gates). Jones would go on to be named a first-team All-American by the Football Writers Association of America (FWAA).

The 2012 defense would finish as the fourth-best third down defense in the nation, allowing a first down on just 28.1 percent of the time. Their fourth down defense was as good, finishing fifth in the country at 26.3 percent. They would end the season ranked 11th in sacks (38), 12th in rushing defense (106.5), 13th in pass defense (190.1) and fifth in first downs allowed (15.1). All of this was accomplished with just two senior starters.
 
G

Guest

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Young guy, proven track record at smaller schools but with an upward trajectory.

We could do substantially worse than this, though he is obviously not elite nor a threat to take BK's head coaching spot anytime in the near future.

As long as he fields decent defenses with the talent he is given, I am ok with this hire. This is not a spectacular hire, but the type ND probably has to make given BK's tenuous future status at the moment.
 
Rocket89

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Oldest looking 39 year old ever. One year older than Sanford but he looks like Sanford's dad.
 
General Colon Bowel

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The guy would be a good hire. He has a history of steadily improving defenses in the two places he has been for which I could find statistics. He's actually been a D-Coordinator since much before 2010 - it was just at FCS schools, so no data available.
The job of the defense is first and foremost to keep the opponent from scoring. Here's how his defenses have done in that respect:

Bowling Green 2010 - 100th
Bowling Green 2011 - 77th
Bowling Green 2012 - 10th
Bowling Green 2013 - 5th
Wake Forest 2014 - 60th
Wake Forest 2015 - 43rd
Wake Forest 2016 - 20th
 
aubeirish

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General Colon Bowel said:
The guy would be a good hire. He has a history of steadily improving defenses in the two places he has been for which I could find statistics. He's actually been a D-Coordinator since much before 2010 - it was just at FCS schools, so no data available.
The job of the defense is first and foremost to keep the opponent from scoring. Here's how his defenses have done in that respect:

Bowling Green 2010 - 100th
Bowling Green 2011 - 77th
Bowling Green 2012 - 10th
Bowling Green 2013 - 5th
Wake Forest 2014 - 60th
Wake Forest 2015 - 43rd
Wake Forest 2016 - 20th
Click to expand...

Can't argue with that kind of stats. Wow.
 
NDohio

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Rocket89 said:
Oldest looking 39 year old ever. One year older than Sanford but he looks like Sanford's dad.
Click to expand...

I'm fairly certain Mike Sanford is 34.

But your point stands - he does look older than he is.
 
ThePiombino

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General Colon Bowel said:
The guy would be a good hire. He has a history of steadily improving defenses in the two places he has been for which I could find statistics. He's actually been a D-Coordinator since much before 2010 - it was just at FCS schools, so no data available.
The job of the defense is first and foremost to keep the opponent from scoring. Here's how his defenses have done in that respect:

Bowling Green 2010 - 100th
Bowling Green 2011 - 77th
Bowling Green 2012 - 10th
Bowling Green 2013 - 5th
Wake Forest 2014 - 60th
Wake Forest 2015 - 43rd
Wake Forest 2016 - 20th
Click to expand...

So THAT's what progression looks like...
 
zelezo vlk

zelezo vlk

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I don't understand. Shouldn't year 7 be an unforseeable down year? He's gotta get his progression together if he wants to make it on BK's staff.
 
ACamp1900

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I can't wait to find out how this goes wrong.....
 
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Ricochet

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Rocket89 said:
Oldest looking 39 year old ever. One year older than Sanford but he looks like Sanford's dad.
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holy hell, This blew my mind. I had no clue he was only 8 months older than me yet looks older than my 66 year old Dad, granted my Dad look nowhere near his age but when I saw Elko I saw someone in there mid 50's.
 
Rocket89

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Ricochet said:
holy hell, This blew my mind. I had no clue he was only 8 months older than me yet looks older than my 66 year old Dad, granted my Dad look nowhere near his age but when I saw Elko I saw someone in there mid 50's.
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It's insane.

image_handler.aspx


That's from his BGSU profile in 2011 when he was 33 going on 34.
 
Wild Bill

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Hopefully he gets the defense playing like his mug - tough, rough, grizzled veterans.
 
Blaise

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wyvrn said:
Young guy, proven track record at smaller schools but with an upward trajectory.

We could do substantially worse than this, though he is obviously not elite nor a threat to take BK's head coaching spot anytime in the near future.

As long as he fields decent defenses with the talent he is given, I am ok with this hire. This is not a spectacular hire, but the type ND probably has to make given BK's tenuous future status at the moment.
Click to expand...

Just curious what you think a Spectacular Hire would of been with the realistic people available?

He seems to be at the top of most DC lists for big time programs.. He takes bad defenses and turns them into top 25 defenses within a couple years.. I think with the talent we have, he could turn this into a top 15 defense next year... Just gotta find him some pash rushers
 
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arrowryan

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So I've read that he runs a 4-3, 3-4, and 4-3-5. Not sure which one to believe
 
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Irish_Mickey

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Blaise said:
Just curious what you think a Spectacular Hire would of been with the realistic people available?

He seems to be at the top of most DC lists for big time programs.. He takes bad defenses and turns them into top 25 defenses within a couple years.. I think with the talent we have, he could turn this into a top 15 defense next year... Just gotta find him some pash rushers
Click to expand...

Elko would be a home run in my eyes. If Venables is a grand slam and BVG is fouling off a bunt wih 2 strikes, Elko would be a solid 2-run HR. However, unless we miraculously fix our S and DL problems, I don't think anyone can make us a top 15 defense next year...but a solid top 40 D should be achievable (and the floor going forward).
 
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