ND Next DC: Thread

[purguy12]

Well Kelly is starting his search for his next DC. he siad he will have in house canidates and outside candidates. Here are a few coaches that might be in the mix;

Mike Elko- Wake Forrest DC/Safety coach: He has been WF DC for 3 years. WF has been ranked in the top 40 all 3 years he has been the DC. High Marks during his time: T-8th in turnovers, T-12th in sacks, T-32 for tackles for loss. Bonus: He knows ACC teams.

Alex Grinch- Washington State DC: This is his 2nd year as the DC. Wash St D before he was DC gave up 39 pts per game, gained only 8 turnovers... changed that to recovering 21 fumbles and 25 Ints in the 2 years he was DC. Lowered pts per game from 39 to 27. He has also been Missouri DB coach. Has a back round in the secondary. Bonus: He is an up and coming young DC. Kind of reminds me of Sanford as an up and coming young OC. His name will be on a lot of schools lists.

Mike Elston- In House Name- LB/recruiting coordinator- He would be teamed up with Hudson and share the duties. As a team they improved the ND defense from BVG. (My opinion I dont think this will be good). I dont think they improved that much and we still had our troubles. Bonus: Well they know ND and they know the players and shows that Kelly promotes his guys.

Greg Hudson- Interim DC- Has DC experience. DC at Minn, East Carolina, and Purdue. Also was Assit HC at FSU and LB coach. Good recruiter in Florida. Bonus: same as Elston he knows ND.

Phil Snow- Temple DC- 4 years as the DC. He has coached for 40 years. Has experience everywhere. He is well known in the west coast. Could be a good recruiter on the west coast for ND. Bonus: Has NFL ties.He has helped coach Suggs, Archuleta, Greg newsome, Terry Johnson. He has a good track record.

Bo Pelini- Youngstown state HC- Has experience at DC with Nebraska, Oklahoma and LSU. He spends time with at ND. He went to Irish Invasion and also went to a practice. Bonus: The guy can coach and would be my winner for who I want as our next DC. 1 problem does he want to stop being an HC and he has a big time temper like Kelly. Both of them on the side line would be an show to see.

Jim Leavitt- Colorado DC/LB coach- He has HC experience as well. He is this years Broyles award nominee. He is a big time Florida recruiter. His background as a coach is good but he has some dirty laundry. He was fired from HC of S. Florida when he hit a player. Bonus: He can recruit and has NFL experience.

Charlie Strong- Texas X HC- This is longshot pick. LOL He was DC at South Carolina and Florida. HC at Louisville and Texas. This wont happen. Bonus: Well the guy is well liked, he can coach and is a good recruiter. He just wasnt good at Texas.

 

[jjc2009]

I'd love to have Leavett. He's a crazy motherfucker who will have the players ready to run through walls for him.

I wouldn't mind Strong or Pellini either. Neither one of them would take shit from Kelly.

Not sold on any in house candidates. Elston is a good recruit coordinator and that's about it. Hudson did a good job salvaging the sinking ship the USS Van Gorder but not sure he's D.C. Material.

 

[ChicagoIrish]

Lets get a head coach first, then we'll worry about the DC.

 

[purguy12]

I'd love to have Leavett. He's a crazy motherfucker who will have the players ready to run through walls for him.

I wouldn't mind Strong or Pellini either. Neither one of them would take shit from Kelly.

Not sold on any in house candidates. Elston is a good recruit coordinator and that's about it. Hudson did a good job salvaging the sinking ship the USS Van Gorder but not sure he's D.C. Material.

I agree about the in house candidates. We really need a true DC and either a Big name guy or a up and coming DC who a lot of teams want.

my #1 is Grinch. Im a fan of the up and coming young coach. Him and Stanford would be a nice OC/DC combo.
my #2 would be Bo Pelini. The guy can just flat out coach.
my #3 is Leavett.

 

[purguy12]

Lets get a head coach first, then we'll worry about the DC.

Last time I checked we have an HC. Its time to hire a DC. Until something changes all focus should be on recruiting and hiring a DC. Defensive kids need to know who their DC is going to be,

 

[jjc2009]

Lets get a head coach first, then we'll worry about the DC.

Unfortunately, it looks like we got one already.

 

[purguy12]

Elko was my 3rd choice out of this list

 

[purguy12]

Things are looking good for Elko. He is in his interview now and things are going so well that Florida has now jumped in. I think it will be hard for Elko to turn down in person offer from ND. If no offer presented we lose the edge.

 

[CreepCreep2014]

Can this guy be a HC in the making?

 

[bbirish73]

Can this guy be a HC in the making?

Maybe? He has a nice resume coaching at Hofstra, Bowling Green, and Wake Forrest. His defenses have been good at every stop. If he wants to be a head coach someday then it is time for him to be a coordinator at a big time program. Elko is also a young dude. I think he is 39. I also think ND needs to get a defensive coordinator from the outside so he can bring in some new ideas. Anyone know what type of defense he runs?

 

[purguy12]

Bio: Get to know maybe our new DC
Mike Elko begins his third season as Wake Forest’s defensive coordinator after previously serving in the same role under head coach Dave Clawson at Bowling Green.

In addition to his position as defensive coordinator, Elko coaches Wake Forest’s safeties. Elko’s 2015 Deacon defense ranked 38th in the nation, allowing just 363.8 yards per game. The Deacons also ranked among the national leaders in red-zone defense and pass defense. Wake Forest’s shutout of Boston College was the first by the Deacons in nine years.

In 2014, Elko’s defense proved to be one of the strengths of the Demon Deacon club. Wake Forest finished 12th nationally in passing yards allowed and was a top 40 team in total defense. Wake Forest had five defensive players earn All-ACC honors last year.

Elko spent five seasons as Bowling Green’s defensive coordinator. The Falcon defense led the Mid-American Conference in scoring defense, total defense, rush defense and pass defense in each of his last two seasons. In 2013, four BGSU defensive players were named to the All-MAC first or second team.

Elko’s Bowling Green defense excelled at forcing turnovers and stopping opponents on third down. Over his five seasons as defensive coordinator, the Falcons forced 106 turnovers or 1.7 per game. Bowling Green held opponents to just 35.9 percent third down conversions over those five seasons. In both 2012 and 2013, the Falcons ranked in the top 10 in the nation in both total defense and scoring defense.

The 2012 season 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 BGSU 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 just 28.1 percent of the time. Their fourth down defense was just 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.

Prior to Bowling Green, Elko was the defensive coordinator at Hofstra from 2006-08. He also served on Clawson’s staffs at Fordham in 2002-03 and at Richmond in 2004-05.

Elko coached the No. 1 passing defense in the Colonial Athletic Association with Hofstra, holding teams to just 136.8 yards per game through the air.

Hofstra’s defense ranked first in the CAA and 11th in the FCS in rushing defense, second in the conference and 15th in the country in total defense, and fourth in the CAA and 37th in the FCS in scoring defense in 2007.

Elko’s coaching experience includes time at the U.S. Merchant Marine Academy, where he served as defensive coordinator and at his alma mater, the University of Pennsylvania, directing the secondary. He began his coaching career at Stony Brook in 1999 where he guided the linebackers in the fall and the defensive backs in the spring.

Elko is a 1999 graduate of the University of Pennsylvania with a bachelor’s degree in history. As a safety, he helped the Quakers to the 1998 Ivy League title.

Mike and his wife Michelle, have three children, Michael, Andrew and Kaitlyn.

 

[purguy12]

They say its like Diaco Defense. Its a Bend but dont break type D. They get turnovers. Every where he has been at turnover rate has gone up. They say if he can do what he did with WF talent just imagine what he can do with ND talent and recruits. Alot of people say this would be a Home Run for ND.
Also Kelly and ND had a close up with that D last year when WF held Kizer- completed 13 of 19 passes that afternoon for just 111 yards and no touchdowns.

 

[purguy12]

Ok just found out why scheme he runs.

He likes to mix it up but runs a lot of 3-4 and 4-2-5

 

[Vyle203]

Maybe? He has a nice resume coaching at Hofstra, Bowling Green, and Wake Forrest. His defenses have been good at every stop. If he wants to be a head coach someday then it is time for him to be a coordinator at a big time program. Elko is also a young dude. I think he is 39. I also think ND needs to get a defensive coordinator from the outside so he can bring in some new ideas. Anyone know what type of defense he runs?

I think he's a 3-4 guy.

 

[purguy12]

Some Inside Info on whats going on:
-One source connected with the program said that the players are “ready for something new” and the name Mike Elko has already started circulating inside the Gug in a positive light. It seems the players would be on board.
-a source told us Tuesday evening that a verbal offer was extended and one that would bring Elko a significant pay raise. As Wiltfong reported earlier this month, the next defensive coordinator will likely receive a three-year deal.
-“There’s just not way he can turn that down,” said one source regarding the offer.
-Our sources have maintained that this looks like a two-team race between Notre Dame and Oregon
- As Wiltfong reported earlier this week, if this goes down as expected, we believe Elko will have the opportunity to build his staff on the defensive side of the ball and bring one coach with him.
-"He'll definitely go get someone and put in the work," said a source. "He gets it. He'll put in the time. He's very business-like with his approach. He's all about business. That's what his players like. He's a no-nonsense type of guy. His players like him."

 

[purguy12]

Big positive on this move is that Kelly is changing and he is going to hire outside ND and outside his coaching tree. This is a big 1st step for Kelly. I think he sees the writing on the wall that he needs some new blood in here and start building some new branches. He knows he has 1 more year at ND. He might be going all in.

Spring Practice will be Huge this year for a new scheme.

 

[bbirish73]

Honestly, I think a 3-4 scheme fits ND players. Morgan-Mike, Martini-Sam, Hayes-Jack, Coney-Will

 

[purguy12]

What is taking so long.

 

[bbirish73]

waiting until after the bowl season to make the announcement?

 

[purguy12]

waiting until after the bowl season to make the announcement?

That would be dumb. We need to hire asap so the new coach can start working to make this D better