Notre Dame Coaching Changes

[Pops Freshenmeyer]

Excellent! Very glad to hear Denson is getting an interview and this isn't all just conjecture. Interesting that there's no mention of Quinn.

Yeah, it seems like I've heard nothing about Quinn since the Sanford hire. At this point my best guess would be that Quinn isn't coming and the Irish are looking at DL coaches.

 

[arrowryan]

Excellent! Very glad to hear Denson is getting an interview and this isn't all just conjecture. Interesting that there's no mention of Quinn.

Yeah, it seems like I've heard nothing about Quinn since the Sanford hire. At this point my best guess would be that Quinn isn't coming and the Irish are looking at DL coaches.

This is what TJ said about the possible hire of Quinn

Adding either Quinn or a new DL coach would require Coach Elliott essentially retiring and moving into an AD or FB advisory position. Very possible, perhaps likely. If Quinn coached TEs then, Coach Booker likely would flip to Safeties (and maybe STs). If a new DL coach is added, either Coach Lyght and/or BVG would handle Safeties, or Coach Booker would flip to Safeties with Coach Denbrock then handling both WRs and TEs.

 

[BGIF]

Re:Quinn

Re:Quinn

Via Grahambo in the ISD Intel thread.

Noticed there was an Intel Report Friday so here it is:

- As we all have read before, Mike Sanford, not Stanford but Sanford, is a beast on the recruiting trail. He's been deeply involved in California for the last half dozen years and he 'stays on kids the whole time'. California recruiting should pick up for ND.

- Talks about Jeff Quinn are still ongoing. Still no definite word on if he will be the last addition or not. But a source who spoke with Christian said he would be a great addition because he is a guy who is not afraid to stand up to BK and tell him that he's wrong. They also say that despite him being an OL coach by trade, he could coach any position because he essentially helped build the offense so he knows where players are supposed to be.

As for recruiting, they said Quinn would be a lot like Hiestand in that he's not a fake guy and doesn't speak bull**** to recruits which helps because recruits can spot bull**** better these days.

 

[stlnd01]

Quick story no names so it may not be believed but it is true. I have a friend who was a d coordinator at an sec school and once when discussing Notre Dame I ask the question what about so and so ( coach at ND ) his response was--- 'professional coach who would go anywhere he was paid'. Needless to say the guy didn't work out. I understand these guys are in it for the $$$$$$ but I do like this trend of getting ND people in there to coach if they are qualified. Even Weis gave it all he had and was liked by many he just couldn't handle the job or get a defense together to help him. Many people will disagree but to my point this school is different and the people selling and coaching it need to have a heart for it or it just doesn't work. Its not semi pro football.

There's a balance here.

Notre Dame is different, for sure, and I think you do have to embrace that to successfully recruit there, and to handle the inevitable issues like Golson, the Frozen Five, etc. But that doesn't mean you have to be an alum. Maybe you can just appreciate the way the place does business and the value proposition it offers student-athletes. And there's value in bringing in new ideas, etc. I'm not sure we want to be Michigan or Wisconsin or Paterno-era Penn State, so bound to certain ways of doing things that we can't evolve.

By and large I think Kelly and his staff have done a pretty good job embracing Notre Dame's culture and selling the university, and IIRC, no one on his staff - aside from Alford's stint under Weis - had ND roots before he hired them. There may be exceptions, but generally they've had that heart you're talking about.

That said, I'm glad to see them bring in Lyght and perhaps Denson. Having a couple of guys who came up in the place is a good thing. But two's enough. We don't need every position coach to be a former player.

 

[Luckylucci]

BGI is saying that ND is set to hire Keith Gilmore as the new DL coach. Was previously at UNC as the DL coach. The hire is still under review by ND's Human Resources Department. Pretty extensive track record with Kelly and BVG. Was at UC in 2007-08 as assistant HC and DL coach after coming over from Cental Michigan. Worked for Kelly at GVSU 91-93 as LB's coach, RB's coach and RC. 9=1994 was on BVG's staff at Wayne State University.

 

[Cali_domer]

BGI is saying that ND is set to hire Keith Gilmore as the new DL coach. Was previously at UNC as the DL coach.

There defense was horrible(understatement) last year.

 

[ResLife Hero]

BGI is saying that ND is set to hire Keith Gilmore as the new DL coach. Was previously at UNC as the DL coach.

So would that complete the carousel for this year, or is there still thought of Denson/Quinn coming in?

 

[Grahambo]

Keith Gilmore Bio - University of North Carolina Tar Heels Official Athletic Site

 

[Kingbish01]

BGI is saying that ND is set to hire Keith Gilmore as the new DL coach. Was previously at UNC as the DL coach. The hire is still under review by ND's Human Resources Department. Pretty extensive track record with Kelly and BVG. Was at UC in 2007-08 as assistant HC and DL coach after coming over from Cental Michigan. Worked for Kelly at GVSU 91-93 as LB's coach, RB's coach and RC. 9=1994 was on BVG's staff at Wayne State University.

Not surprised, he was with Kelly for a long time.

 

[Grahambo]

There defense was horrible(understatement) last year.

Is that coaching or talent?

 

[Cali_domer]

Is that coaching or talent?

UNC recruits real well actually.

 

[zelezo vlk]

I've always been under the impression that UNC football players are very raw. Loads of talent, but they hardly ever seem to put it together.

 

[ThePiombino]

BGI is saying that ND is set to hire Keith Gilmore as the new DL coach. Was previously at UNC as the DL coach. The hire is still under review by ND's Human Resources Department. Pretty extensive track record with Kelly and BVG. Was at UC in 2007-08 as assistant HC and DL coach after coming over from Cental Michigan. Worked for Kelly at GVSU 91-93 as LB's coach, RB's coach and RC. 9=1994 was on BVG's staff at Wayne State University.

Seems like an underwhelming hire at first glance. Hoping someone more educated on the matter can convince me otherwise..

 

[BeauBenken]

Keith Gilmore Bio - University of North Carolina Tar Heels Official Athletic Site

He's a step up as far as defensive line goes for sure. People forget when Diaco came here and his former defense was top 10 in sacks in the nation. People expected to see that here and it didn't happen. A key to that could be not having Coach Gilmore here.

 

[PANDFAN]

So would that complete the carousel for this year, or is there still thought of Denson/Quinn coming in?

still need a rb coach

 

[Grahambo]

Seems like an underwhelming hire at first glance. Hoping someone more educated on the matter can convince me otherwise..

BK has earned the benefit of the doubt with his coaching hires. I remember when people were underwhelmed with his hire of Hiestand and it turns out the Hiestand hire was outstanding. He has tried Mike Sanford who some have called to be an excellent pickup. Time will only tell with this one.

The guy has coached multiple draft picks, All-Americans, has been a DC, etc. Could be a solid pickup.

 

[ThePiombino]

His bio on UNC's site:

http://m.goheels.com/mobile/ViewArticle.dbml?atclid=206329565&DB_OEM_ID=3350&

Keith Gilmore Bio

Keith Gilmore enters his second season as North Carolina's defensive line coach.

A 29-year college coaching veteran, Gilmore has coached previously with fellow UNC defensive assistants Vic Koenning and Dan Disch. Gilmore and Koenning worked together during Koenning's two seasons as the Illini defen¬sive coordinator in 2010-11. Gilmore and Disch were on the Illinois defensive staff in 2009 and 2010.

Last season, Gilmore coached Kareem Martin to his most productive sea¬son as a Tar Heel. Martin posted 21.5 tackles for loss (fifth in the country), 11.5 sacks (ninth in the country) and was third on the team with 82 tackles. Martin was named the national defensive player of the week after a dominating performance at Pittsburgh in which he registered 3.5 sacks and forced two fumbles (recovered one). Martin continued a long tradition of UNC defensive ends in professional football when he was selected in the third round of the 2014 NFL Draft by the Arizona Cardinals.

Prior to his arrival in Chapel Hill, Gilmore coached four seasons at Illinois. He coached 2013 NFL Draft picks Akeem Spence (DT) and Mike Buchanan (DE), and in 2011, he tutored consensus first-team All-America Whitney Mer¬cilus. Mercilus was named the Ted Hendricks Award winner, given to the nation's top defen¬sive end, and was a consensus All-American. He led the nation in sacks (16.0), sacks per game (1.23) and forced fumbles (9) while breaking the Big Ten record for forced fumbles. The 16 sacks tied Simeon Rice's UI single-season record and Mercilus' 22.5 tackles for loss in 2011 ranked second nationally and third all-time at Illinois. Mercilus was taken in the first round of the 2012 NFL Draft by the Houston Texans.

Gilmore guided a budding star in 2010 in defensive tackle Corey Liuget, who was a first-round pick of the San Diego Chargers in the 2011 NFL Draft after being named a fourth-team All-American by Phil Steele. Liuget and Akeem Spence combined for 108 tackles, the most by a pair of Illini defensive tackles since 1993, and Spence was named a Freshman All-American by Phil Steele and Rivals.com. Illinois' rushing defense also held five opponents under 100 yards in 2010.

In his first season with the Illinois defensive line, Gilmore tutored a start¬ing four that posted 33 tackles for loss and 14.5 quarterback sacks, including honorable mention All-Big Ten selection Clay Nurse.

Gilmore spent six years with Cincinnati head coach Brian Kelly, two with the Bearcats, one at Central Michigan in 2006 and three at Grand Valley State from 1991-93. As assistant head coach and defensive line coach, Gilm¬ore helped lead Cincinnati to a Big East championship and a trip to the 2009 Orange Bowl. He coached a line that ranked ninth in the nation in sacks, averaging nearly three per game. The run defense allowed only 115 yards per game, which ranked 19th in the NCAA and the scoring defense was 25th.

In his two years at UC, Gilmore coached a defensive line that boasted All-American Terrill Byrd, the school's single-season sacks leader in Anthony Hoke, and NFL draft choices Angelo Craig and Connor Barwin. His group proved to be one of the best in the BIG EAST, as the Bearcats defense ranked second in the league in scoring defense (18.8) and rushing defense (114.2).

Prior to Cincinnati, Gilmore mentored a pair of defensive linemen to all-league honors in his only season at Central Michigan. Gilmore went to CMU in 2006, after four seasons as the assistant head coach and defensive coordinator at Howard University. He also was the defensive line coach for the Bison, who led the Mid-Eastern Athletic Conference in total de¬fense in 2004 and ranked seventh in the nation (297.5 ypg) and again in 2005, while ranking second in the NCAA (255.7 ypg).

Gilmore has held internships with three NFL teams throughout his coaching career. He spent the 1996 summer with the Green Bay Packers' coaching staff, the 2002 summer with the Detroit Lions' scouting department and the 2005 summer with the Super Bowl champion Pittsburgh Steelers scouting department.

Prior to his time at Howard, Gilmore spent the 1998-2001 seasons at Norfolk State. He was the special teams coordinator and also coached the defensive line and running backs.

A two-time all-Great Lakes Intercollegiate Athletic Conference honoree at Wayne State (1979-80), Gilmore began his coaching career at his alma mater in 1985. From there, he served stints at Michigan State (1988), Northern Michigan (1989-90), Grand Valley State (1991- 93), Wayne State (1994) and Eastern Michigan (1995-97).

Gilmore earned his bachelor's degree in rec¬reation management from Wayne State in 1981 and a master's degree in sport administration from Michigan State in 1990. He and his wife, Bridget, have five children, Keith, Kierre, Grant, Keyontay and Grace.

Keith Gilmore Coaching Year-By-Year
2013-present - North Carolina Defensive Line Coach
2009-12 - Illinois Defensive Line Coach
2007-08 - Cincinnati Assistant Head Coach/Defensive Line
2006 - Central Michigan Defensive Line Coach
2002-05 - Howard Assistant Head Coach/Defensive Coordinator
1998-2001 - Norfolk State Defensive Line/Running Backs/Special Teams
1995-97 - Eastern Michigan Running Backs Coach/Special Teams Coordinator
1994 - Wayne State Running Backs Coach/Special Teams Coordinator
1991-93 - Grand Valley State Linebackers/Running Backs/Recruiting Coordinator
1989-90 - Northern Michigan Running Backs
1988 - Michigan State Graduate Assistant
1985-87 - Wayne State Linebackers/Running Backs

 

[Nick Setta]

His work with Illinois is impressive. I'm excited.

 

[PANDFAN]

<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" lang="en"><p>Spoke with UNC defensive line coach Keith Gilmore on the report he’s headed to Notre Dame. “At this point I don’t want to comment on that."</p>— Irish Illustrated (@PeteSampson_) <a href="https://twitter.com/PeteSampson_/status/567735710661103616">February 17, 2015</a></blockquote>
<script async src="//platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script>

 

[NewBrunswickIrish]

still need a rb coach

This is working under the assumption that Elliot is moving into a non-coaching capacity right?

 

[PANDFAN]

Notre Dame is expected to hire Keith Gilmore as its new defensive line coach, according to multiple sources.

Gilmore is a 29-year coaching veteran that most recently has served as North Carolina's defensive line coach the past two seasons.

According to one of the sources, the hiring is currently under review by Notre Dame's human resources department and is not yet official.


In 2007-08, he worked for Irish head coach Brian Kelly as Cincinnati's assistant head coach and defensive line coach after coming over from Central Michigan. He also worked for Kelly at Grand Valley State University from 1991-93 as the linebackers coach, running backs coach and recruiting coordinator. In 1994 he served on current Irish defensive coordinator Brian VanGorder's staff at Wayne State University.

Outside of his connections with Kelly and VanGorder, Gilmore also coached at Illinois from 2009-12 along with stops at Howard, Norfolk State, Eastern Michigan and Northern Michigan.

With Gilmore set to become the defensive line coach in South Bend, assistant Mike Elston will likely be moved to linebackers coach. Elston has served Notre Dame's recruiting coordinator following the departure of Tony Alford to Ohio State and is expected to add that roll to his title.

Gilmore is known for his ability to target talented defensive lineman on the recruiting trail and get them on campus. Last month, he signed Clemmons (N.C.) West Forsyth four-star defensive end Jalen Dalton - who was the No. 1 ranked player in North Carolina last cycle. He also has experience recruiting Florida, Detroit and the DC, Maryland and Virginia area.

 

[BoredIrish]

Seems like an underwhelming hire at first glance. Hoping someone more educated on the matter can convince me otherwise..

Tend to agree with this. Seems to have produced some decent talent while at Illinois... but that is about the best I can do.

The good thing is that we are loading on up recruiters with Michigan ties... if it wasnt for Harbaugh and Dantonio, that could have really paid off. Probably not so much now though.

 

[PANDFAN]

This is working under the assumption that Elliot is moving into a non-coaching capacity right?

correct which is why Denson is being interviewed...the elliot move is all but an official/confirmed move...

 

[Domina Nostra]

This is working under the assumption that Elliot is moving into a non-coaching capacity right?

That's a thought, but this move replaces Elston, who is probably moving to LBs, right?

 

[PANDFAN]

That's a thought, but this move replaces Elston, who is probably moving to LBs, right?

yes

 

[BoredIrish]

Gilmore is known for his ability to target talented defensive lineman on the recruiting trail and get them on campus. Last month, he signed Clemmons (N.C.) West Forsyth four-star defensive end Jalen Dalton - who was the No. 1 ranked player in North Carolina last cycle. He also has experience recruiting Florida, Detroit and the DC, Maryland and Virginia area.

This could work...

I would love it if they gave him a smaller recruiting area and just had him focus on locking down D-Lineman... basically the D-Line version of Hiestand.

 

[PerthDomer]

So we steal a guy who's put guys in the league from a weak school, is familiar with the current staff, is currently paid well by his current school, and can recruit an area that's rich with talent... why are you underwhelmed? He's also paid 240k now so we're not scrimping on pay.

 

[GoIrish41]

Having success at UNC recruiting kids from North Carolina is not terribly impressive on its face. That kid may well have be predisposed to go to UNC anyway. I get that he may have contacts in the mid-Atlantic region that we could be lacking, but I'd need to learn more about who he recruited directly who ended up at UNC ... including those from out of state.

 

[Luckylucci]

Per Wiltfong it sounds like Denson is a done deal as well. Both Gilmore and Denson per his sources.

 

[IrishLax]

But I wanted Brady Hoke so Kelly could fire him