Blue & Gold Illustrated: America's Foremost Authority on Notre Dame Football
Issue link: https://comanpub.uberflip.com/i/542018
BY ANDREW IVINS The first time Notre Dame coaches popped in the film of Jalen Elliott, they saw a dual-threat quarterback that led his team to a state title — and a defen- sive back with coverage skills. Elliott would dash out of the backfield on one play, and then break up a pass the next. It was a unique set of highlights, and one that oozed with potential, but it was also a series of clips that left the Notre Dame coaching staff with more questions than answers. Is Elliott a quarterback, or is he an athlete? Is he a guy that can cut it in the secondary, or is he someone that needed the ball in his hands to make an impact? It was a perplexing situation, and that's why when Irish defensive coor- dinator Brian VanGorder rolled into Chesterfield (Va.) Lloyd C. Bird High to evaluate the three-star athlete May 19, he was there to see just one thing: Elliott's hips. "He watched a few drills and then just offered me," Elliott said after prac- tice. "He said that he just wanted to see my backpedal." VanGorder did, and the debate was settled right then and there. The for- mer NFL defensive coordinator saw Elliott as a safety, and one that could play over the top. But just because VanGorder had an answer as to where Elliott could line up on the field, that didn't mean his job was done. It was actually the opposite. Now VanGorder and the rest of the Irish coaching staff had to recruit El- liott, and that was more than just a simple task. Elliott had always been considered a Virginia Tech lean for two primary reasons: His parents both attended the school, and the Hokies were the first program to offer him a scholarship as a high school sophomore. Virginia Athlete Knew Notre Dame Was The Right Fit Elliott accounted for 2,007 yards of total offense and 31 touchdowns while leading Chesterfield (Va.) Lloyd C. Bird to the Class 5A state title during his junior campaign, but he'll play on the defensive side of the ball at Notre Dame. PHOTO COURTESY RIVALS.COM COMMITMENT PROFILE JALEN ELLIOTT