Blue & Gold Illustrated: America's Foremost Authority on Notre Dame Football
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and develop trust and rapport. "The old saying is they don't care about how much you know until they know how much you care," Gilmore said. "My first business is to make sure I create a positive relationship with my players so they know I have their best interests at heart. "Then when they take the coaching a little better when you're correcting them, disciplining them, they know you're truly trying to help them ac- complish their goals." It helps that Jarron Jones, currently recovering from a Lisfranc injury, and Sheldon Day are returning to the squad in 2015. Outside of that, the depth chart is stockpiled with fresh- men and sophomores. "That's what I pride myself on — being able to develop young talent and teach them how to be men and student-athletes," Gilmore said. Kelly is known for hiring assistants with whom he has worked in the past, but Gilmore is the only one of the four new additions to have served for him in the past — at Grand Valley State, Central Michigan and Cincinnati. He played college football with Van- Gorder and Longo. "He brings that great cohesiveness to our staff," Kelly summarized. Gilmore can be overshadowed among the recognizable new hires, but that doesn't faze the 30-year coaching veteran. "The biggest thing was that every time I've won a championship, I've been with Coach Kelly and I like win- ning," Gilmore said. "That opportu- nity to get back with him and know people that are here and share their philosophies was important." Whether he can churn out profes- sional talent like he has at previous stops will be the main test. "One, good players," Gilmore said simply when asked for the key to de- veloping NFL talent. "... Nothing beats getting off the football and using your hands and turning and running … just the things that it takes on a day-to-day basis and paying attention to those details every day." After 30 years, Gilmore knows those details like the back of his hand — or better yet, the coaches he is reuniting with at Notre Dame. ✦ Gilmore most recently served as North Carolina's defensive line coach from 2013-14, but has worked with Kelly at Grand Valley State, Central Michigan and Cincinnati in the past. PHOTO BY JOE RAYMOND